This One Thing
“This One Thing”
(3:13)
Philippians 3
Preached by: Carolyn Sissom
July 19, 2009
“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is sake, Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, and beware of the concision.
This chapter is of special importance because it reveals the motives which have dominated Paul’s life. While warning against false teachers who lead their followers astray, he pictures himself in the figure of an athlete in a race, running with his eyes fixed on the goal.
Paul’s words here sound fierce in contract to his tenderness toward the Philippians. He denounces the Judaizers. They believe Jesus was the Messiah of Israel only---that Gentiles could be saved only by entering Judaism via circumcision, then to embrace Christ as Savior. They used tradition and Scripture to show that “flesh-cutting” was the ground of justification. Soon they would be attacking this lovely church. Hence this stern warning is to keep their faith centered “in the Lord Jesus Christ.” These Judaizers have relentlessly followed where Paul has been, and sought to pervert the gospel of Christ. (Gal. 1:7)
(Vs. 3 & 4) “For we are ‘the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: “
By this time the ancient Jewish rite had lost its significance. God was no longer to be approached through outward ceremonies, but through the Holy Spirit alone. (John 4:24) “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” He who worships God in the spirit already has that “circumcision of the heart,” which answers to the rite performed in the flesh ( Rom. 2:29) “But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. Here Paul disavows any outward act as a basis for justification.
(vs. 5 & 6) “I was circumcised on the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; and touch the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”
FAITH ALONE: CEREMONIALISM CAN BE DEADLY WHEN SOME PHYSSICAL ACT IS PERFORMED IN THE HOPE OF EARNING PERSONAL MERIT IN God’s sight. The “Christian” who allows his faith to be mixed with some act of the flesh and then presented to God for salvation, is in great danger. This is not speaking of prophetic action which is as anointed as the prophetic word.
This is speaking of acts of the flesh. Those teaching such a thing fall under Paul’s anathema “let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:8). While circumcision threatened the NT churches, there are other ceremonial acts threatening believers today.
(Vs. 10 & 11): “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.:
OUT-RESURRECTION: This strange Greek word signifies a special resurrection unto glory. Jesus’ fantastic exaltation, where every knee bows at the mention of His Name, came as the result of a life of total obedience. Paul years for a similar experience, knowing that the degree to which he shares Christ’s suffering (through obedience), is the same degree to which he will also participate in Christ’s exalted Glory. God’s program is clearly that of suffering first and the glory which follows.
(Vs. 12, 13, & 14): “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this ONE THING I DO, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.”
ONE THING: Runners in training are separated from things ordinarily proper in their place, but which prevent one from running his best. Christians must deny themselves many choice things of this life which are all right in their place, but interfere with reaching the prize. Once committed to Jesus, we are to be swept up in the thrill and excitement of reaching for maturity. Nothing---neither family, job, reputation nor money, is to keep us from witnessing and growing in Christ-likeness. Become a “one-thing Christian”--- winning the race---outweighs all else in life.
(Vs. 15, 16, 17, 18 & 19): “let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, and let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as you have us for an ensample. (for many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)”
The Philippians were faced with not only the Judaizers, but the Epicureans or Libertines. Here is not false teaching, as in Verse 2, but evil living; libertines, not Judaizers, are now in view. These enemies claim the benefits of the cross, but deny its power in their life. Their destiny is destruction, eternal doom as in 1:28. They worship their sensual appetites and glory in the gross indulgence which they deem liberty but which is actually a shame. (Rom 16:18) Their minds are on earthly things. Pretending to the skies they grovel in earth’s corruption.
This error is rife today in those who took the prosperity message into heresy. The inheritance of Christians is prosperity in all things. However, any teaching stretched too far out becomes heresy.
(Vs. 20, 21,) “for our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Even as Jesus; identification was concealed beneath the uniform of men, so is the fact that we are now the sons of god veiled by our earthly bodies. This is the time of our humiliation also. On that day when Christ appears, we will appear with Him also and look just like Him. Our bodies of humiliation will be instantly changed into ones of glory like His. (1 John 3:2) “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
When he brings everything under his control, he will bring the universe into complete harmony with His Holy and loving purposes. Then all limitation and all failure will be past, and in the glorified body Paul will rejoice in the liberty of a capacity to know Christ surpassing the highest yearnings of the path here.
Taught by:
Carolyn Sissom
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Bibliography: Lovett’s Lights on Philippians; F.F. Bruce Bible Commentary, H.C. Hewlett. Scripture from K.J.V. and comments are my own.