Philippians 3

Philippians 3:1

¹Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe.

Paul calls the brothers to rejoice in the Lord, noting that repeating the same things is safe for them.

Philippians 3:2-6

²Beware of the dogs; beware of the evil workers; beware of the false circumcision. ³For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh; ⁴though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more: ⁵circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; ⁶concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.

Paul warns against dogs, evil workers, and the mutilation, insisting the true circumcision worships by the Spirit, glories in Christ Jesus, and puts no confidence in the flesh—credentials Paul once held in abundance.

Philippians 3:7-14

⁷However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ. ⁸Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ ⁹and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith, ¹⁰that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death, ¹¹if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. ¹²Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus. ¹³Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do: forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul counts former gains as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ, seeks to be found in Him with faith-righteousness, longs to know resurrection power and suffering fellowship, and presses on toward the prize of God’s upward call—not yet perfect, but stretching forward.

Philippians 3:15-16

¹⁵Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, God will also reveal that to you. ¹⁶Nevertheless, to the extent that we have already attained, let’s walk by the same rule. Let’s be of the same mind.

Mature believers should share this mindset; if anyone thinks otherwise, God will reveal it, and they should hold true to what they have already attained.

Philippians 3:17-19

¹⁷Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example. ¹⁸For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ, ¹⁹whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things.

Paul urges them to imitate him and note those who walk likewise, weeping over many who walk as enemies of the cross—whose end is destruction, god is the belly, glory is shame, and mind is earthly.

Philippians 3:20-21

²⁰For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself.

Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body by the power that subjects all things to Himself.

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