This is an article I wrote about Philippians 3:2-16 several years ago. Though I'm only preaching on 3:1-11 this Sunday, the whole thing may be of interest as you consider what it means to know Christ and to become mature.
Marks of Maturity -- Philippians 3:2-16
Paul has spent a good portion of thisletter discussing the mind of Christ and what that means practically. The mind of Christ requires humility, obedience, and service toothers, as exemplified first and foremost in Jesus, and secondarilyin Timothy and Epaphroditus.
However, there are always those who donot understand life in Christ and seek to bind their version ofChristianity on others. Paul is aware of these tendencies amongthese Christians, and warns of the dogs, evil workers, andmutilators. Paul used similar words in Galatians (1:7, 9, 12; 5:12)and 2 Corinthians (11:13; 2:17) to describe the Judaizers, andtextual evidence suggests these are the opponents here as well. Whatis not clear is whether they have a strong foothold in the church.
The issue of mutilation pertains to theJudaizers’ belief that one must become a Jew first to be saved. Thus, circumcision must be undergone for the Christian convert to besuccessfully (wholly) saved. Judaism rested on its laurels, itsprivileges, and believed that only those who met the particularethnic and religious standards of Judaism could enter into the peopleof God.
Yet, Paul points out that theseprivileges did not produce humility and service to God. Instead,these privileges actually promoted national prejudice. True worshipwas indicated not by one’s nationality but by spiritual worship,boasting in Christ, and humility. True spiritual worship ischaracterized not by a mark in the flesh but by an attitude of theheart.
Paul looks to himself and shows that hehad all the advantages of a natural-born Jew. He was not aproselyte, and he emphasizes his Hebrew heritage (a hearkening backto antiquity), his standing as a Pharisee, and his approach to thelaw (which was another boundary marker for the Judaizers). For Paul,these things, though once viewed as privileges and the paths tosalvation, he now views as trash in light of knowing Christ.
Knowing Christ is experientialknowledge, not facts or knowledge about Christ. For Paul, to knowChrist will unlock the meaning of life. Knowing God in the OldTestament was to understand his revelation of himself (see Isaiah11:2; Habakkuk 2:14). Paul’s concept of “gaining Christ” ispresent and future, not past. He understands he must constantly belooking ahead, understanding the real value of earthly things(trash).
All this centers in righteousness (v.9). Paul distinguishes between the righteousness that comes from thelaw and is one’s own righteousness and the righteousness that comesfrom Christ. This righteousness that is not wearisome because itcannot be attained through work (trial and error and constantfailure—the law) is ONLY found “in Christ”—it is not attainedby keeping laws, no matter how humble, obedient, or sincere one is. It is the faith OF Christ, that Christ gives, a response to theforgiving love of God. It rests in Christ, whose faithfulness Godaccepts in our behalf.
This Christ is the one Paul wants toknow, and share in his sufferings, and he desires to attain theresurrection of the dead, where there will be eternal, unbrokenfellowship with Christ.
Paul knows (v. 12) that this requiressingular dedication, and that he himself has not attained this yet. But the mark of maturity is perseverance—to press on, pressforward, to obtain this eternal result. Paul forgets the way he usedto view the world through Hebraic privilege and strains forward towhat lies ahead, with his new focus of knowing Christ. Jesus Christinitiated this process (v. 12) and Paul “takes hold” of it (makesit his own). Paul is clear that he himself has not arrived at thispoint of perfection; do some of them think they have?
What Paul has described is theperspective of the mature. Maturity is knowledge gained by longexperience, resulting in firm conviction and maturity of thought andconduct. Perhaps some believed themselves to be mature when theywere not, and Paul suggests that God will teach them what he reallyrequires. He ends in v. 16 with a call to keep progressing.
Marks of Maturity -- Philippians 3:2-16
Paul has spent a good portion of thisletter discussing the mind of Christ and what that means practically. The mind of Christ requires humility, obedience, and service toothers, as exemplified first and foremost in Jesus, and secondarilyin Timothy and Epaphroditus.
However, there are always those who donot understand life in Christ and seek to bind their version ofChristianity on others. Paul is aware of these tendencies amongthese Christians, and warns of the dogs, evil workers, andmutilators. Paul used similar words in Galatians (1:7, 9, 12; 5:12)and 2 Corinthians (11:13; 2:17) to describe the Judaizers, andtextual evidence suggests these are the opponents here as well. Whatis not clear is whether they have a strong foothold in the church.
The issue of mutilation pertains to theJudaizers’ belief that one must become a Jew first to be saved. Thus, circumcision must be undergone for the Christian convert to besuccessfully (wholly) saved. Judaism rested on its laurels, itsprivileges, and believed that only those who met the particularethnic and religious standards of Judaism could enter into the peopleof God.
Yet, Paul points out that theseprivileges did not produce humility and service to God. Instead,these privileges actually promoted national prejudice. True worshipwas indicated not by one’s nationality but by spiritual worship,boasting in Christ, and humility. True spiritual worship ischaracterized not by a mark in the flesh but by an attitude of theheart.
Paul looks to himself and shows that hehad all the advantages of a natural-born Jew. He was not aproselyte, and he emphasizes his Hebrew heritage (a hearkening backto antiquity), his standing as a Pharisee, and his approach to thelaw (which was another boundary marker for the Judaizers). For Paul,these things, though once viewed as privileges and the paths tosalvation, he now views as trash in light of knowing Christ.
Knowing Christ is experientialknowledge, not facts or knowledge about Christ. For Paul, to knowChrist will unlock the meaning of life. Knowing God in the OldTestament was to understand his revelation of himself (see Isaiah11:2; Habakkuk 2:14). Paul’s concept of “gaining Christ” ispresent and future, not past. He understands he must constantly belooking ahead, understanding the real value of earthly things(trash).
All this centers in righteousness (v.9). Paul distinguishes between the righteousness that comes from thelaw and is one’s own righteousness and the righteousness that comesfrom Christ. This righteousness that is not wearisome because itcannot be attained through work (trial and error and constantfailure—the law) is ONLY found “in Christ”—it is not attainedby keeping laws, no matter how humble, obedient, or sincere one is. It is the faith OF Christ, that Christ gives, a response to theforgiving love of God. It rests in Christ, whose faithfulness Godaccepts in our behalf.
This Christ is the one Paul wants toknow, and share in his sufferings, and he desires to attain theresurrection of the dead, where there will be eternal, unbrokenfellowship with Christ.
Paul knows (v. 12) that this requiressingular dedication, and that he himself has not attained this yet. But the mark of maturity is perseverance—to press on, pressforward, to obtain this eternal result. Paul forgets the way he usedto view the world through Hebraic privilege and strains forward towhat lies ahead, with his new focus of knowing Christ. Jesus Christinitiated this process (v. 12) and Paul “takes hold” of it (makesit his own). Paul is clear that he himself has not arrived at thispoint of perfection; do some of them think they have?
What Paul has described is theperspective of the mature. Maturity is knowledge gained by longexperience, resulting in firm conviction and maturity of thought andconduct. Perhaps some believed themselves to be mature when theywere not, and Paul suggests that God will teach them what he reallyrequires. He ends in v. 16 with a call to keep progressing.
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