Philippians 3 - Forgetting What Is Behind You And Straining Forward to God's Perfect Future For You!!

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3 Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence.

Again Paul tells the Philippians to "rejoice in the Lord". There's that word "joy" again. Our joy is "in the Lord", or "from the Lord". Jesus is the true source of joy.  Paul addresses what he calls "mutilators of the flesh". These were Christians who were requiring male Gentile Christians to be circumcised, because they were not circumcised as a Jewish babies. We also call this "legalism", where after starting with the Gospel, Christians can tend to go back to the Law. 

Paul puts no confidence in the flesh, because he realizes that there is nothing inherent he possesses to earn God's favor. He will now state the reasons he has to be prideful from an earthly standpoint. 

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put 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; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

Paul lays out some of the reasons why he could have confidence in his "flesh". He was circumcised on the 8th day. He was from the tribe of Benjamin, where the first king, King Saul, came from. He was a Hebrew of Hebrews, meaning that he maintained his Jewish identity when some Jews embraced the Greek culture to the exclusion of their family background. The Pharisees were known as those who were the "Law police". They were the elite of the elite and kept every jot and tittle of the law (supposedly). Paul, in his zeal rounded up Christians and persecuted them thinking they were a false religion.  

In summary, if anyone could lay claim to pleasing God by law-keeping and the works of the flesh, it was Paul. He was far more qualified than his legalizing opponents were to make such a claim. - Guzik 

7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, 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 is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Despite all of these external qualifications, Paul considers them all "rubbish" or "garbage" compared to knowing Jesus. He is ready to lose any of these worldly accolades, which were now in his mind basically worthless. To the contrary to know Jesus was the best life could offer, and he was willing to give up everything for the right to follow him. 

Paul's righteousness (which means our standing before God) did not come from himself, but from Jesus. Paul had access to this righteousness which only Jesus could give us which justified him before God. By having faith in Jesus, His righteousness was imputed to Paul. When God looks at us through Christ, he sees us as righteous.  

As a result Paul not only has faith in Jesus, but he wants to "know" Jesus more and more. He wants to grow in his knowledge of and relationship with Jesus, as his Lord. Even if he is to suffer this too will help him to experience the power of Jesus' resurrection, which lives in him through the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul offers us the sobering truth that as Jesus suffered, so too we will suffer. But in doing so he is becoming more like Christ and so will we. 

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

This is one of my favorite verses from Paul. He is very humble admitting that he has not already obtained what he has been describing. He is still in many ways needing to be transformed to look more like Jesus. But instead of bemoaning his past failures, he is committed to press on for the goal Jesus called him toward. It shows us the importance of forgetting what is in the past. Staying stuck in the past does nothing for us, and we can't change it anyways. 

Instead of wallowing in self-pity over the past, Paul keeps his eyes on the prize for which he has been called. This is language reminiscent of the races in the Greek Olympic games. Paul is single minded, as he focuses on reaching as many people for Christ, while he is still on this earth. The heavenly prize is also called a "crown" in the bible. Though we don't do ministry and mission for Christ to get rewards, the bottom line is the bible talks quite often about the fact that one day we will be rewarded for the things we done in Jesus' name and genuinely for him.  

The bible uses the terms "wood, hay, and stubble" for works done in the flesh, and gold and silver for the works done in and for Jesus. When the fire of judgment comes, the wood, hay, and stubble will be burnt up in a flash, but the things we can done for the Lord with withstand the fire and have eternal value. It is in this light that we will hear the words, "Well done my good and faithful servant!"  

Have you forgotten your past by accepting the forgiveness you have been given by Jesus' death on the cross and your faith in him? Are you focused on doing things in your life that will have everlasting value because they are done for God? 

Following Paul’s Example

15 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained. 17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Paul doesn't just talk about all of this but encourages them to follow his example and others as well who are keeping their eyes on the prize. I don't think he is saying this pridefully, but he wants others to be effective for fulfilling the Great Commission Jesus has given to the Church. He truly wants the best for them which he has found in Christ. 

On the contrary there are those who live only to fulfill their fleshly desires. Their god is their stomach and they are headed for a destination void of any meaning or purpose. It will be a meaningless existence that never ends. Whereas, for those who trust in Christ, their citizenship is in heaven. Though we may have an address on our license here in the U.S.A., we are headed to our heavenly home. 

When Jesus comes he will bring us to our heavenly home and we will be given new heavenly bodies. The bodies we struggle with in so many ways here on earth and with its sinful desires will be gone. We will have a new capacity to serve and worship God not tainted by the sinful nature we all inherited from Adam. 

Note Paul says this with tears, as he sees those living as enemies of the cross. We see his deep heart for those who are headed for a Christless eternity. 

Have you every shed a tear for the lost? Do you see people who don't believe in Christ, and where they are headed if they don't come to faith? Who are you going to bring to heaven with you? We can't save anyone, but we can certainly share the hope and love we have in Christ!