PHILIPPIANS 3:1-11
1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
TEN POINTS TO PONDER
Lasting joy comes from the Lord. Joy that flows from anything else will not last.
Legalism is the prideful fruit of constant comparison. Legalism is the creation of standards I can use to congratulate myself while condemning others.
The more rules you live by, and the more rules you hold others to, the more likely it is that you are depending on your own strength rather than Jesus’
The two words most used in this passage are “Christ” and “flesh”. Only one of these can make us righteous, and yet they are constantly at war within us, trying to gain and keep our confidence.
This passage asks a simple question: “What do you think makes you a good person?” If you answer with anything you’ve done, you’ve missed the point. The only correct answer is, “Jesus makes me a good person.”
In verse 8, Paul counts all of his good works and accomplishments as rubbish. The word he actually wrote was “σκύβαλον,” which is a much more vile word than rubbish or garbage. A modern equivalent would be “crap” or even a similar, less appropriate word.
In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve tried to hide from God. In Revelation 20, everyone who has ever lived is found by God. At the end, when you’re found, you will either be found “in Him”, in which case you will be considered righteous. Or you will be found “without Him,” in which case you will be considered wicked. How will you be found?
“You can’t take it with you” is a phrase about more than just possessions. You can take your accomplishments or good works with you. Not a single thing you have done is enough to make the smallest difference at the entry gates of heaven.
All the good works in the world are wicked sins if they keep me from Christ.
Paul begins by talking about joy and ends up talking about knowing Jesus. These two belong together. Everything in the middle of this passage is the stuff that often gets in the way, and most of it is his own accomplishments and status.
QUOTES FROM A SERMON I NEVER PREACHED
In my sermon notes/preparation archive, I searched for “legalism”. I found the notes for a sermon that was ready to preach, but that I had pulled the week before. I never got around to delivering that sermon. Here are a few poignant, but maybe helpful, quotes I found:
- The kingdom of heaven is received, not achieved.
- Legalism is an effort to control people whom God has not given me authority over or responsibility for.
- The Pharisees were obsessed with minutiae and man-made rules. They viewed it as faithfulness to God, and they judged, condemned, and avoided anyone who didn’t agree with them or act like them.
- The followers of Jesus should never make it difficult for people to come to Jesus
- When we gatekeep the kingdom, we miss the entire point of the kingdom. The point is not to guard, protect, or preserve something. The point is to know a person.
Click on the image to download the DiscipleQuest PDF
The DiscipleQuest PDF includes 7 days of verse study prompts. You can use these seven studies to dig deeper into what the Bible teaches about legalism:
- Galatians 2:16
- Ephesians 2:8-9
- Matthew 23:25-28
- Colossians 2:20-23
- Luke 18:9-14
- Romans 3:20
- Titus 3:5
Use these questions as journal prompts or as conversation starters with a group of friends or a Bible study group:
Where do some people commonly look for confidence, identity, or significance? Which of these temptations do you see most often in your own life?
Think about a time when something you thought would satisfy you didn’t deliver what you expected. What did that experience teach you about where lasting fulfillment is found?
In verses 1–3, Paul contrasts two groups of people. What characteristics distinguish those who truly belong to God from those who are merely relying on external religious activity?
In verses 4–6, Paul lists several reasons he could have been proud of his spiritual résumé. Why do you think Paul spends time describing these accomplishments? (Think about this: if you don’t measure up to Paul, how can you possibly measure up to Jesus?)
According to verses 7–11, how did Paul view his own accomplishments, and what does he now consider to be of greatest value?
Which of Paul’s former sources of confidence are most similar to the things people rely on today? How can good things become substitutes for trusting Christ?
What do you think it means to truly know Christ rather than simply know facts about Him? What words did Paul use that help us understand what goes along with knowing Jesus?
Is there an achievement, role, habit, possession, relationship, or personal strength that has become too important in your life? What would it look like to hold that thing with open hands and place Christ above it?
Where and to whom have you been trying to prove yourself? Do you need to? What would it look like to treasure Jesus more than your accomplishments?
PHILIPPIANS: Line by Line
3:1-11 Don’t Let Legalism Steal Your Joy
1a. Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord.
Whenever Paul says, “finally” you know he’s about to reveal something important. Here, he reveals the big idea for the entire letter. “Rejoice in the Lord”. He doesn’t say to rejoice in your circumstances or your victories, or your relationships. If you find your joy in those places, it will eventually disappear. But if you find your joy in the Lord, it will always be available.
1b. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is afe for you.
Before the Philippians can complain that Paul is saying the same thing (“rejoice”) over and over, he reminds them that repetition is a good thing, not a dangerous thing. Sometimes, we can be so eager to “dig deeper” or uncover new truths, that we risk not living out the simpler, more obvious thing. It is of no benefit to a Christian to learn more and fill their head with knowledge if their life clearly lacks joy.
2. Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
Paul is using circumcision as a representative of all manner of legalism. These phrases bring to mind the words of Jesus in Matthew 23, where he confronted the Pharisees’ legalism, calling them hypocrites, snakes, and a brood of vipers.
3a. For we are the circumcision…
Those who claim the law for salvation may be ethnically Jewish, but they are not spiritually Jewish. They have rejected their Messiah (who was the fulfillment of the law personified). Now, a new people have been grafted in to the family of God.
3b. …who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh –
Three markers of a true child of God are that they are not relying on their own works, their salvation was made possible by Jesus, so they do not glory in themselves, and they are indwelled by the Holy Spirit which makes it possible for them to offer up worship that is pleasing to God. Obedience to the law is nowhere to be found and has nothing to do with salvation.
4a. though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more.
No one had a better understanding of the desire to be saved by the law than Paul. He’s about to list all of his qualifications. If salvation were something that could be earned, Paul would have earned it. Not only did he have a deep knowledge and understanding of the law, but he was also passionately committed to obeying every detail of it.
5a. Circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews;…
If completing a checklist was the route to righteousness, Paul would have been ahead of everyone. Not only did he check every box, but his parents checked off every box for him.
5-6. as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a prosecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
He was the right kind of person, giving the right kind of effort, to gain the right results. If the law was the standard, then Paul was perfect.
7. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
Anything that distracts us from Jesus (no matter how good it might be) is a loss. It counts in the debit column. All the good works in the world are wicked sins if they keep us from Christ.
8a. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
Paul is repeating himself again. That means this point is important. The accomplishments, the possessions, the promotions, and anything else that feels like a “win” is actually a devastating loss if I think it makes me righteous or if it causes me to take my eyes off of Jesus.
8b. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish…
Paul had likely been born into a wealthy family. He lost that. He had been the top student at the top school. He let go of that. He was famous and could have leveraged that fame for influence. He didn’t. He lost and let go of everything the world calls valuable. He esteemed the world’s riches to be nothing more than steaming garbage.
8c. In order that I may gain Christ…
We are not ready to be connected to Jesus until we are ready to be disconnected from everything else. Salvation from Christ cannot be gained while we try to save ourselves.
9a. …and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,
At the final judgment, we will be found. We will either be found having tried to be righteous on our own (and having failed miserably), or we will be found with nothing on our own to claim, but being wrapped up completely in the work of Jesus.
9b. but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith –
Paul unpacks this concept in much greater detail in Ephesians 1-2. Only Jesus is righteous. No other human has ever lived who was righteous. Therefore, righteousness can only be received from Jesus. I cannot earn it or purchase it or even steal it for myself.
10a. That I may know him…
Verses 4-9 were a parenthetical statement. Paul is now picking back up from verse 3. He is fully aware that the knowledge of Christ is only possible through the work of Christ, not through anything Paul does or has done.
10b….and the power of his resurrection…
New life is possible through Jesus’ resurrection. More effort, better effort, new effort are not enough. But when I stop trying on my own, and link my life to what Jesus has already done, I can find the power for a new life.
10c. …and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
When I experience suffering, it reminds me that I do not have control. It reminds me that this life is temporary. It reminds me that this life is broken and a better life awaits me. It reminds me that I have contributed to the brokenness of this life. And it inspires me to patiently wait on Christ for resurrection. As I walk through suffering, He walks through it with me, and He promises to bring me out on the other side having been changed and shaped into the person He created me to be.
11. That by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Paul is confident that no matter what life may throw at him (by any means), he will receive his final reward. Not because of what he has done, but because of what Jesus has done for him.
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