Immanuel - Mankato Bible Class
Study of Philippians – Lesson 13
April 8, 2001
Philippians 3:7-11

Introduction:

In the previous section, Paul has warned the Philippians against the "dogs," the "evil workers," and the "mutilation." Paul "challenged" the Judaizers that if they were going to find value in the external keeping of the law that he would have cause for boasting even more than they. Paul then gave an impressive list of his external righteousness. Now, Paul stuns the readers by saying he counts all this as refuse, there is something more important, namely, knowing Christ!

Verse 7: If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so…(v.6) BUT the things that were gain for me, these things I am now considering LOSS on account of Christ!

• Everything Paul had once considered positive is now negative. His every "advantage" is now disadvantage. [cf: parable of treasure in the field, Matthew 13:44; Counting the cost of discipleship, Luke 14:26-33]

Verses 8-10: Indeed! Absolutely contrary to [my former position] I am counting ALL things to be loss for the sake of the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whose sake I have forfeited all things and am considering them refuse in order that I may gain Christ and that I may be found in connection with Him, not having MY righteousness from the law, but rather the righteousness through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God by faith; knowing Him and the power of His resurrection and the communion of His sufferings, being conformed to His death…

• ALL (FORMER) THINGS ARE REFUSE!: Adding emphasis to his statement in verse 7, Paul strongly declares that he is continuing to count ALL things from his former attitude/beliefs (i.e., beliefs like those of the Judaizers) as worthless refuse. The "refuse" is that which is thrown away. It is translated in a variety of ways: rubbish, dung, etc.
• MOTIVATION, GOAL, MEANS: Paul’s motivation by counting all things as loss is that he will gain Christ. Paul’s goal is that he will be found (now and forever) in Christ through faith and with Him, not opposed to Him. Paul’s means of accomplishing it is not to accomplish it of his own, but through the righteousness of Christ which he received through faith in Him from God! This is a COMPLETE change from "Saul the Pharisee" to "Paul the Apostle." It is a change that Jesus’ words to Paul on the road to Damascus effected in his heart. The change of our hearts in our own conversion is no less dramatic.
• BEING FOUND "IN CONNECTION WITH HIM" includes 1) Having Christ’s righteousness; 2) knowing Christ; 3) knowing the power of Christ’s resurrection; 4) knowing the communion of Christ’s sufferings; 5) being conformed to Christ’s death.
1. MY RIGHTEOUSNESS vs. CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNSS: Any righteousness that is described as "my righteousness" apart from Christ is going to be a work-righteousness of the law and an utter failure. It is a perceived righteousness because the sinner is still breaking the law. Christ’s righteousness is, on the other hand, from God and REAL. Christ’s righteousness can rightfully be called "mine" but only through faith. READ: Romans 1:17; 9:30-33; 10:3-4; Jeremiah 33:16
2. KNOWING CHRIST: In verse 8, Paul speaks of the "surpassing greatness" of the knowledge of Christ and again mentions "knowing Christ" in verse 10. The knowledge of which Paul speaks is not mere head knowledge but "heart knowledge." It is a knowledge of understanding. It is a knowledge that creates a relationship between the one "knowing" and that which is known. Knowing Christ means having a personal relationship with Him through faith.
3. KNOWING THE POWER OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION: Power over death is no small thing. Each Easter season (and throughout each day of our lives) we rejoice at the miracle of Jesus’ resurrection. An equally great miracle is that because Jesus lives WE TOO will LIVE! (cf: John 14:19). The power of Jesus’ resurrection lies in the fact that He Himself rose, but also in the truth that His resurrection seals the work of redemption, guarantees the forgiveness of our sins, and imparts life to us. READ: Ephesians 1:15-23
4. KNOWING THE COMMUNION OF CHRIST’S SUFFERINGS: "Communion" is a "sharing in common." We can in no way share in the same sufferings of Christ—He endured the suffering of hell so that we could escape it! Nor does "sharing in Christ’s suffering" suggest a role on our part in the work of salvation. Nevertheless, when we suffer for Christ’s sake in this world we are sharing the bitter rebuke and scorn of Jesus’ enemies. The disciples considered it great joy to be joined with Christ in this way. READ: Acts 5:41; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5; 4:8-11
5. BEING CONFORMED TO CHRIST’S DEATH: Through faith we are joined to Christ and thereby we "die" and "live" with Him in His death and resurrection. Just as Christ bore our sins and died on the cross for them, so we too "take the form of His death" when we crucify our flesh and its desires in sanctified living (by the power of the Holy Spirit). READ: Romans 6:1-14; Galatians 2:20; cf: John 15:18ff

LUTHER:

"When I was a monk, I crucified Christ daily, and I blasphemed Him by that false confidence which constantly clung to me. Outwardly, I was not as other men—robbers, unjust, adulterers—but I kept chastity, obedience, and poverty; in fact, free from the cares of this life, I devoted myself entirely to fastings, vigils, prayers, the reading of Masses, etc. Meanwhile, however, I constantly fostered mistrust, doubt, fear, hatred, and blasphemy of God with this sort of sanctity and self-confidence. And this righteousness of mine was nothing but a dunghill and a realm most pleasing to the devil. For Satan loves such saints and regards with greatest delight those who destroy their own bodies and souls by defrauding and depriving themselves of all the blessings of God’s gifts." [WLS, #2596] "If anyone had pious regard and zeal for the papistical laws and the traditions of the fathers, I certainly did before the light of the Gospel arose. And with great earnestness I urged and defended those laws and traditions as holy and their observance as necessary for salvation …In the observance of such things I was so diligent and superstitious that I placed a greater burden on my body than it could bear without imperiling my health… ‘But what things were gain to me,’ those I now with Paul count ‘loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord’ (Philippians 3:7-8)." [WLS, #2598]

Verse 11: …if somehow I may arrive unto the "coming out from among the dead" resurrection.

• "coming out from the dead" resurrection: Paul uses emphasis while speaking of the resurrection in this verse. "RESURRECTION" is emphasized as is the concept of "coming out." We look forward to the same resurrection to life as Paul did. It is a resurrection in which we will be called out from among the dead and given live eternal. We have already been called out of the "first death" in our conversion, cf: Revelation 20:5-6.
• UNCERTAINTY?: Could the man who wrote these words be the same apostle who wrote to the Romans with such confidence: "I am persuaded that neither death nor life…shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:38f)? YES! Paul does not with these words betray a doubting heart when it comes to salvation. The difference between these words and those in Romans (and elsewhere) is CONTEXT. In the Romans passage, Paul is writing to declare the certainty of salvation in Christ. In this verse, Paul is writing to counteract the self-assured pride and reliance exhibited by a self-seeking attitude (cf: Philippians 2:3ff, 12) and work-righteousness. Therefore, in this context, Paul speaks humbly recognizing that he will persevere and inherit eternal life only by the grace of God.

"Faith is certainty of salvation. It is a mistake to speak of doubt in this connection. Faith is not doubt. In fact, faith is annulled by doubt. Nor is faith uncertainty. Faith says: ‘I KNOW in whom I have believed.’ Paul had faith and was certain of eternal salvation. But it is one thing to have faith and therewith the certainty of salvation, and another thing to brag about that certainty. Faith does not do that. Faith realizes that there is nothing easier to lose than faith itself…" [F.W. Wenzel]

QUOTES FOR DISCUSSION:

From our Confessions

"…concerning the proposition that good works are supposed to be detrimental to salvation, we give the following clear answer: If anyone draws good works into the article of justification and rests his righteousness or his assurance of salvation on good works in order to merit the grace of God and to be saved thereby, it is not we, but Paul himself, who declares no less than three times in Philippians 3:7ff. that good works not only are useless and an impediment to such a person but are actually harmful. The fault, however, lies not with the good works themselves, but with the false confidence which, contrary to the express will of God, is being placed upon good works." [Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, Article IV. Tappert, p. 557.37]

"There is nothing mechanical or fixed about fellowship with Christ. It may be interrupted by decay of zeal, the intrusion of the earthly spirit, the toleration of known sins, the easy domination of self will, and countless other causes. Hence, to maintain it, there must be the continuous estimating of earthly things at their true value." [Expositor’s Greek Testament, p. 453]

"It is important for us to realize that some of the things we might regard as advantage or gain can actually be loss for us if they stand in the way of our knowing and trusting in Jesus. Being born into a Christian home, being instructed & confirmed, receiving a Christian education and being members of a Christian congregation are all great blessings and advantages in themselves, but we cannot regard them as tickets to eternal life. Likewise, other legitimate blessings of the Lord, like intelligence, money, charm and education, even our own personal moral victories, can actually become hindrances to our salvation, if for any reason we regard them as more important than knowing Christ or put our trust in them instead of placing our whole confidence in Christ" [The People’s Bible, p. 72]

{WCE}