Philippians 3:17 “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.”

He tells the Christians at Philippi to “use me as an example”, or “follow in my steps if you don’t know the way.” If you are not quite sure what to do for God, one good place to start is to follow the example of other Christians who are serving the Lord. In verse 17, Paul uses himself as an example. We can seek out those in our midst who are strong Christians and follow their lead. Perhaps your pastor or Sunday School teacher is a mature Christian. If that is the case, then do what they do. The pastor of a church has several duties, as laid out in the New Testament. So do the deacons of a church. That does not preclude you from fulfilling some of these responsibilities yourself as a Christian; or at least volunteering to take some of the burden off of your pastor. Many pastors are over-burdened because they lack the help they need. Step forward, and ask him to give you things to do for the Lord. Any good pastor who sees his flock wanting to serve the Lord will joyfully help you.

But following the example of others comes with a warning. We have to be especially careful, and wise when we follow others who are following Christ. Paul gives a strong word of caution in the following two verses. We can learn a lot about who to follow and who not to within these verses.

Philippians 3:18 “(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:”

Not everyone who goes to your church, and says the right things are good examples to follow. In fact, Paul refers to some of them who “walk” as “enemies of the cross of Christ”. Those are strong words for hypocrites within the Church. Within the church, you’ll find some people who love the Lord who live their life as Christians. There are others who are enemies of Christ who also walk as Christians. In other words, some people who are driven by Satan have infiltrated the congregation and are working against the service of the Lord. That is what an enemy does.

So that brings up a logical question: how can you tell the sheep from the wolf? How can you tell someone who is truly serving the Lord from someone who is secretly an enemy of Christ? Paul gives some characteristics of the “wolf in sheep’s clothing” in verse 19.

Philippians 3:19 “Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)”

These people who Paul calls “enemies of the Cross of Christ will have several things about them that you should recognize.

1. “Whose God is their belly”;  These people profess to serve the Lord and to love Him, but you should notice that they are self-serving.  It is one thing to serve the Lord to give God the glory.  It is quite another to go through the motions in order to further your own interest.  Keep your eyes open before you begin following someone.  Are they power-hungry?  Do they seek attention and praise for the things they’ve done?  Those who serve themselves and are inwardly focused will inevitably seek praise and promotion.
2. “Whose glory is in their shame”; People who are self-serving will not be fully devoted to God.  They will do things which the Holy Spirit tells you they should be ashamed of.  I heard a preacher one time who spoke of going to a rally to see the President.  He spoke of how he lied to the Secret Service in order to get closer to the President.  The first thought in my mind was that he ought to be ashamed of lying to begin with; not only was he not ashamed but he bragged about it from the pulpit.  I’m not judging this person as to his motivation in serving the Lord, but he was receiving glory from something he should be ashamed of.  If you see someone who seems to be serving the Lord, but at the same time says things and does things which you know to be wrong, don’t follow that person’s example.
3. “Who mind earthly things”; This wraps it all up nicely.  The person who seems to serve the Lord but is preoccupied with the latest things of the world is not an example of someone to follow. Like it says in the book of Matthew:
   

   Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

By listing some of these characteristics of the enemies of Christ, we can derive from that some of the things of a Godly Christian. A Godly Christian will be the opposite of these three things.

1. “Whose God is their belly”  A godly Christian will have God at the center of their motivation.  They will seek to deflect praise from themselves and focus it on other Christians and on God.
2. “Whose glory is in their shame”  A godly Christian will not be doing or saying shameful things.  Their entire focus is on how to bring glory to Jesus Christ.
3. “Who mind earthly things” A godly Christian will mind heavenly things, not earthly things.  When you speak to them about things we face in our every day life, their focus will be not on the physical or earthly, but on God and the heavenly.

Paul has given us some good guidance and encouragement on how we can follow the example of others in our service for the Lord.

To learn more about Philippians 3, follow this link.

Philippians 3:16 “Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.”

Paul gives us two commands within this verse:

1. Walk by the same rule
2. Mind the same thing

As I studied this passage, I found something interesting. I looked more closely at the word “walk”, as Paul used it in the phrase “let us walk by the same rule.” In some passages when Paul says “us” he means both collectively and individually. In other words, sometimes the word “us” could mean “you individually”, and other times it could mean “all of us as a whole.” How is Paul using “us” in Philippians 3:16?

The original Greek word which Paul used for “walk” in verse 16 was the word stoicheo. This Greek word is no ordinary walk. It does not mean to take a casual walk in the park. The Greek word stoicheo refers to soldiers marching in unison, and in order. It refers to a group of people, specifically soldiers, all marching in rhythm and following the lead of one person. So back to the original question: how is Paul using the word “us” in this verse? He means it collectively, all of us together. We are to be spiritually united, living our lives as one collective unit behind the leadership of the Almighty Jesus Christ. He is the leader of our Church. He gives us direction as to what to do. He is the One Who encourages us when we are down, and lets us know that the battle has been won.

If we as Christians look continually at Jesus Christ, and follow His divine leadership, we will all be in unison. The extent to which one church believes one thing and does one thing, and another church believes and does another thing is the result of one or both churches not fully following the lead of Jesus Christ.

The second commandment which Paul gives us in verse 16 is to “mind the same thing.” We are to think, understand and feel the same things as it relates to Christian service. With God there is no confusion. When we open our hearts to the Lord, He will communicate His perfect Will for our lives. Imagine how much the body of Christ can accomplish if we all got on the same page. Imagine the souls which would be saved if we allowed God to work through our lives. I believe this is what Philippians 3:16 is talking about. Let us study the Bible, and ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit.

To learn more about Philippians 3, follow this link.

Philippians 3:15 ” Let 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.”

The word perfect is a key word in this verse. It does not mean that these people live their lives without sins. On the contrary, even the most mature of Christians will at times slip into sin and will need to ask forgiveness. The original Greek word for “perfect” as it is used here is teleios. This Greek word means fully grown and mature, speaking in a spiritual sense.

Paul says when we see one of these spiritual giants, for us to “be thus minded”. We are to think like they think. We are to emulate what they do and become a mature Christian like they are. Paul had just written in verses 13 and 14 about running a spiritual race, not looking back but pressing forward towards the goal. These are the exact characteristics which God is looking for in a strong Christian. God looks for someone who is busy serving Him, and living a Christian life for His glory. If you do more “watching” than “acting on” then there is no time like the present to begin doing things for the Lord. Regardless of whether you’ve done anything for the Lord in the past or not, we need to serve the Lord because we love Him.

Of course there are some people who like to think they are spiritually mature, but are not. There are many people who attend church weekly and think by virtue of their regular attendance, that they are strong Christians. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are many who have never devoted their life to Christ and in spite of their church attendance have never been saved. Consider these verses in Matthew:

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Not everyone who professes to be a Christian is a Christian. A true Christian will do the will of God the Father, and God’s Will is found within His Word, the Bible. Let’s re-read the last part of Philippians 3:15:

Philippians 3:15 “…and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.”

If you be “otherwise minded” (than the strong, mature Christian), God will let you know. If you consider yourself a mature and wise Christian, read and study the Bible. God will speak to you through His Word. You’ll find in God’s Word whether you are doing things which please God or not. You’ll learn more about what God’s Will is for the church and what His Will is for your life.

To learn more about Philippians 3, follow this link.

Philippians 3:14 “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Paul is speaking metaphorically about running in a race. Imagine you are on a track and you’re running in a race. The thing you press for during the race is to finish, i.e. “the mark”. Paul says that he “pressed toward the mark.” He is active in finishing the race. This race that Paul was in, and that we are in now, is our Christian life. The race continues while we are here on earth. Notice in the Olympics when they’re running a race, there’s no “time out”, or there’s no point in the race where you get to stop and do other things? No, the race continues till everyone has finished. That is the way our race is in our Christian life. God has no plan for us to take a quick detour into the world. We can’t call “time out” and stop serving God. As it says in verse 13, we aren’t supposed to stop racing, turn around and stand in awe on what part of the race we’ve accomplished. We are to actively press on during the race till it’s over.

Which brings me to my original point that so much of the work of the church is done by so few people. What would the race track look like if all the people of your church were on it? How many would be running and how many would be standing around doing nothing? God has called us all to run this race. We aren’t supposed to be spectators watching others run. That is not part of God’s plan. We are to be a Christian 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

When the race is done, who receives the prize? The awards are given to those who have won the race. In the Christian life, it is given to those who have served God and yielded fruit for Him. Unfortunately, there are a lot of Christians who think that they can receive the award without running the race. How odd would it be if after a runner won a race, that the official went to the stands and gave the award to a spectator? Yet as odd and unlikely as that seems, some Christians think they can sit in the stands and still receive the prizes which God has promised. You can’t live like the world and do nothing for Christ and expect God to shower you with gifts when you get to heaven.

If you’ve been resting on the sidelines, regardless of your age or your circumstance, it’s time to begin running the race. Paul wrote the epistle to the Philippians when he was in jail. Yet, he could still say that he was pressing toward the mark. Then you can have the comfort of knowing that God is pleased with you, and you’ll be rewarded when you see Him in heaven.

To learn more about Philippians 3, follow this link.

Philippians 3:12 “Not 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.”

Throughout the epistles, we read how one is sanctified when they become converted. We learn how when we are saved, we become joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. While we are joint-heirs with Christ, we are not spiritually mature; we have not yet attained the wisdom which the Bible offers through the study of It. The mistake that a lot of Christians make is that they assume the race is over once they become a Christian. After you become a Christian, the race has just begun. There’s a video game manufacturer whose tag line is “get in the game.” Christians need to remember this line. We need to get in the game of living for Christ. Being saved is a great thing; but there are responsibilities which God expects you to fulfill after you become a Christian. Consider the words of Paul from verse 12 (him writing these things after his conversion): “Not as though I had already attained”. He had just been writing about knowing Christ in the verses leading up to this one. When he became converted, he didn’t see himself has having “already attained” or “already perfect”.

I read that phrase “already perfect” in the same way that a metal is refined. A block of ore is worked over and over; it is blasted in the furnace and all the impurities are removed in this process, till the final result is that this metal is in a perfect state. When you become saved, you are not already perfect. God has a lot of work to do with you; God has a plan for you in order for you to become perfect (in the future). Our responsibility is to be pliable and workable in the hands of God, so He can make us perfect. We do this by reading God’s Word, and finding out in the Bible what God wants to do with us. Upon finding this out, we obey! Our obedience to God will yield this perfection, as Paul calls it. The last part of verse 12 explains this perfect state: “that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus”. That is a confusing fragment. I broke it into sections to help myself understand it. “That I may apprehend”; in other words, “that I might get”. What does Paul want to get? “that which I am taken hold of by Christ”; in other words, the same thing that Christ did for me.”

Christ took hold of us before we looked for Him. He made the first move, not us. We were in a lost state and hopeless before He gave of Himself for us. Now, Paul strives to replicate this very act in his own life. The thing that Paul strives to apprehend is to be like Christ. That is the essence of being a Christian. What a great attitude for us to have. Not resting on our laurels because we’ve been Christians, but actively striving to be like Christ after our conversion.

To learn more about Philippians 3, follow this link.

Philippians 3:10,11 “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”

Jesus asked His disciples a similar question, regarding who people thought that He was.

Mark 8:27-29 “And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? And they answered, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets. And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.”

If you ask a similar question today, “Who is Jesus?”, you’re bound to receive many different answers. You’ll get answers like what the disciples heard. Some would say He was a prophet. Some will say He is the founder of Christianity. I heard on television the other day a respected person labeled Jesus as a philosopher, as if He were no different than Plato or Socrates. Jesus Christ, and His power goes beyond all these things. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. We will not fully understand the love of Christ, or what He did for us till we meet Him in heaven.

Paul touches on a couple things about Jesus in verse 10. He mentions the “power of His resurrection.” With the resurrection of Jesus Christ, He conquered sin and death.

1 Corinthians 15:55 “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

A Christian has to have no more fear of death because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is because of His resurrection that we can look forward to the day of His coming — to the rapture — where the dead in Christ will be raised up to be with Christ forever. What a glorious thought to keep in our mind!

1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

In Philippians 3:11 when Paul says “the resurrection of the dead”, he’s talking about the same thing he was talking about in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. To know Christ is to know the power of His resurrection and to understand how He suffered for us. Each Christian should spend time in God’s Word, learning more about Jesus Christ, His nature and His accomplishments. He is the blueprint for the life we are to live for God.

To learn more about Philippians 3, follow this link.

Philippians 3:9 “And 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:”

Paul refers to righteousness twice in this verse. He first refers to “mine own righteousness” and then he refers to “the righteousness which is of God.”

That pretty much sums up two ways which man tries to reconcile himself to God. Some people rely upon their own works. Certainly to the people around them they are good, and they do good works. Some people give lots of money to charity in hopes that it will gain them favor with God. I read a news report earlier today where 40 different billionaires in the world had pledged to give half of their belongings to one charity or another. No question about it: this is a very good thing they are doing. But does this generous gift gain them anything in the eyes of God?

There are others in the world who will care for the sick, and look after those who cannot care for themselves. This is a tremendous thing that they do. But will this act by itself offset any sins which they may have committed in their lives?

Any good act that we do can be classified as Paul does as “mine own righteousness”. When Paul says “mine own righteousness”, he’s talking about all the good deeds which WE may do. But a lifetime of good deeds does nothing to forgive even one sin. A person can work for a charity their entire life and die in sin and out of favor with God. Sometimes this is hard to understand; but we need to go back to verse 9 and review what Paul says about it.

At the first part of verse 9, Paul’s objective is to “be found in Him”, referring to Jesus Christ. When Paul is judged, he wants to be found in a favorable light with respect to God and His requirements. Paul immediately points out how this is NOT done. One is not “found in Christ” by “mine own righteousness.” While decent living, kindness, charity, and decent living is a good way to live, but it gains you nothing in relation to the forgiveness of your sins. I am reminded of a verse I learned when I was a kid:

Ephesians 2:8,9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

It is not of ourselves which we are saved. It is not our own righteousness which forgives our sins. It is the faith that we have in Jesus Christ which saves us. Note how the apostle Paul points this out in the last part of Philippians 3:9.

Philippians 3:9 “…but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

We are “found in Christ” through faith in Christ. It is this faith that one may obtain the “righteousness which is of God.” The righteousness which is of God is one that is able to forgive sins. The source (God) of this righteousness is one that is absolutely pure. Whatever flows from this source is by its own definition pure. How can something impure flow from something that is pure? That doesn’t happen. When we see a stream of water that is pure, we can gather from that that the source of the water is pure. The purity of God yields a pure righteousness, and one that is able to cleanse all sins.

To learn more about Philippians 3, follow this link.