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Commentary
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 Philippians Chapter 3 Paul writes to confirm that the believers stay true to the one faith of the gospel. (v1) To beware of reprobates, false teachers and the judaizing influences in believer's guise. (the "concision") (v2) Because the circumcision belongs to the believers who worship God in Spirit (which was the circumcision given to Abraham as a sign of a sealing of his faith to the true God.) and have their hope in Christ, and not those holding in things of the flesh. (v3) Paul states that concerning things of the flesh he also has some things to be confident of, more so than any other; (v4) circumcised the eighth day, of Israel from Benjamin, a hebrew amongst hebrews, a pharisee to the law, (v5) zealous persecuting the believers - and concerning the standing of a man within the law, blameless. (For the righteousness that is of the law is not holiness, but "the man that does these things written therein will live by them".) (v6) But all of these things he considers loss now in Christ - for only by grace are we saved in Christ, these things have no meaning to the gentiles either. (v7) In truth, Paul considers all those things as a loss compared to the perfect knowledge of Christ - for whom he has lost everything of his past standing in the flesh, counting the same as dung - that he may be reconciled to God by the forgiveness of sins which is by grace only. (v8) Even to the perfect blamelessness of Christ, in righteousness (imputed for faith) and in truth (by repentance). So He may be found not to merely have lived according to the law, but to have the more excellent righteousness of Christ which is by faith. (v9) That Paul may have known the excellency of God and His gift of eternal life by the Holy Spirit through continual refinement of trials, being made into His likeness of obedience and righteousness. (v10) So that by any means necessary he might be raised to eternal life. (v11) Paul does not state he is already completely certain of receiving eternal life, or were already as perfected as he would ever become by the Holy Spirit's training; but He pursues it as his goal - that same goal which is the reason for which he was saved by Jesus Christ, (And all of us also.) (v12) Paul states he even considers himself as being uncertain of attaining the election by grace - but he follows one rule, to put behind those things which were corrected and to pursue the next thing that will be corrected in him. (v13) So Paul rushes on towards the perfect standard of behaviour that was exampled by Christ, to all men. (v14) Paul pleads for all such men as be perfect in Christ, (having the Holy Spirit and being obedient) be similarly minded, so as not to frustrate the election of grace and grieve the Holy Spirit. For through the Spirits ministrations, corrections are revealed to us continually. (v15) Over such things as we have already been corrected, follow the same rule - putting them behind and moving onwards to the next. (v16) Paul exhorts them to follow in his example in these things, and to pay attention in all care to those that do the same for an example. Many do not do as such, and they walk contrary to the Holy Spirit, being the enemies of the gospel and of the complete obedience towards Christ's example. (v18) Their end is prepared by God to destruction - they are serving themselves only, and their best hope is merely the outward appearance - their physical self and not the inward, of which they should be shamefully exposed. (v19) The good behaviour of the believer is found in heaven - (it is of faith) and not of works. From heaven then, we search out the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ, and look to His return. (v20) Jesus Christ who will change our vile physical selves into an image of His righteous holiness, even according to the fashion where we will be reformed to be as He is, as in His complete obedience. (v21) |
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