Paul talks about the position he had in the world before he came to Christ, yet all of that, he has dismissed in Philippians 3:7 “But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have considered loss because of Christ”. He is now a part of a new kingdom and he says in Philippians 3:20 “For our commonwealth exists in heaven, from which also we eagerly await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ”. Though he says in Philippians 4:12 “I know how both to make do with little and I know how to have an abundance. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to have an abundance and to go without”, he still prays for those helping and providing for his needs in Philippians 4:19 “And my God will fulfill your every need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus”.
I Press on Toward the Goal for the Prize
Philippians 3:5–14
If anyone in his generation had a reason to boast about their accomplishments, it was Paul. Not only was he born a Hebrew, but he was born of the right Hebrew family, “of the tribe of Benjamin” in Philippians 3:5. It seems also that he was not born to just any family, but to a devout one, making sure Paul was “circumcised on the eighth day” and, while he doesn’t say it here, they had the means for Paul to be well educated by Gamaliel, “A first-century ad teacher of the law of Moses, under whom Paul studied (Acts 5:34; Acts 22:3). He was part of the school of Hillel and a member of the Sanhedrin.”1
To his birthright, Paul added three things that defined him in
Philippians 3:5-6 “according to the law a Pharisee, according to zeal persecuting the church, according to the righteousness in the law being blameless”.
Paul came to understand that these things that had defined his position, his value as a human being were not what mattered and he said in
Philippians 3:7 But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have considered loss because of Christ.
Paul came to understand that it was, in
Philippians 3:8b-9 “that I may gain Christ and may be found in him, not having my righteousness which is from the law, but which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith,
Paul’s mission, his life, his value, was a lifelong aspiration to come into the fullness of the stature of Christ, to fulfill the perfect will of God in his life as he says in
Philippians 3: 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Our Commonwealth Exists in Heaven
Philippians 3:15–21
There is a prize in serving God, it is in fulfilling the “upward call of God in Christ Jesus in Philippians 3:14. And here, Paul says in Philippians 3:15 “Therefore as many as are perfect, let us hold this opinion” and then in
Philippians 3:16 Only to what we have attained, to the same hold on.
There is a higher call that we are to press onto, but there are also real truths that we have learned and are to hold onto. It is a forward march, a forward race that began as we were translated into his kingdom and now in
Philippians 3:20 For our commonwealth exists in heaven, from which also we eagerly await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
and we are being transformed to be like him, conformed in
Philippians 3:21 who will transform our humble body to be conformed to his glorious body, in accordance with the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Rejoice in the Lord Always
My God Will Fulfill Your Every Need
Philippians 4:10–20
In our age, people measure success by wealth, by possessions or power or social standing. Paul talks of learning the secret, he has faith in God, he is content with what he has in
Philippians 4:12 “I know how both to make do with little and I know how to have an abundance. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to have an abundance and to go without”.
and Paul immediately follows this statement with an often quoted verse, in
Philippians 4:13 “I am able to do all things by the one who strengthens me”.
Paul is not distraught when he is lacking what he needs. When he has full support, he is able to gather his team together and accomplish great work. By a vision, Paul went into Macedonia, and here we find that as he was leaving, in
Philippians 4: 15 “no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone”.
This is not a complaint, it is the beginning of a prayer, that as they have given, there would be for them, “increases to your account” in Philippians 4:17 and now Paul’s prayer for them in
Philippians 4:18–19 “But I have received everything in full and have an abundance … a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. 19 And my God will fulfill your every need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus”.
All the Saints Greet You
Philippians 4:21–23
Study Verses
- Philippians 3:5–14 I Press on Toward the Goal for the Prize
- Philippians 3:15–21 Our Commonwealth Exists in Heaven
- Philippians 4:10–20 My God Will Fulfill Your Every Need
Today’s Reading
- Philippians 3:5-21
- Philippians 4:1-23
References
- 1. Major Contributors and Editors. (2016). Gamaliel I. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, … W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.