Philippians 3
1Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed
is not grievous, but for you
it is safe.
2Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
3For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus,
and have no confidence in the flesh.
Paul was a pharisee of pharisees, but he had to throw everything away to relearn the TRUTH of GOD, and all things he counted as dung that he might KNOW CHRIST and the POWER of HIS RESURRECTION...
This is NEVER to say that any of us take the GRACE of GOD as a license to sin...but we will be accused of doing so...Paul also spoke of those who say that we take the GRACE of GOD as a license to sin, and he said that their condemnation is deserved... (I hate to mention this, but this mysticism vs. righteousness...is very confusing and will confuse many who will think that those who trust by FAITH in CHRIST are somehow "imagining" that their salvation and righteousness is IN and BY and THROUGH HIM...that somehow these men are misrepresenting the NAME to which they belong...and GOD isn't fooled...HE already knows the hidden agenda of all our works...which is why we are told NOT to let our left hand know what our right hand is doing...
Once we do...once we "calculate our works" and how "great and righteous they are"...once we "announce our works"...we are simply professing a false sense of our own flesh and this is NOT the RIGHTEOUSNESS which is of FAITH and that faith in CHRIST and HIM ALONE...
4Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel,
of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8Yea 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,
9And 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: 10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
What does that mean to be conformed to HIS death? It means exactly what Paul said: I fill up in my flesh what is lacking according to the afflictions of CHRIST...mortality must be swallowed up in immortality...
It simply means we DO "REST IN HIM"...in seasons of sun...and in seasons of rain...trusting in HIS SOVEREIGN control in all seasons...
The following is "THE GOAL"...it IS CHRIST in us who is our HOPE of GLORY...and GOD has made it that all those who HOPE in HIM are receiving THE GOAL of THEIR FAITH...EVEN THEIR SALVATION!
Which is why we do NOT fall back but press on to the saving of our soul!!!
And if any were to fall back, would HE be pleased?
No, because who builds and does not already count the cost?
12Not 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. 13Brethren, 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, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 16Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
17Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
18(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:
19Whose end
is destruction, whose God
is their belly, and
whose glory
is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
20For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21Who 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.