Philippians
Chp. 3
Vs. 1 Rejoice in the Lord. I do not get tired of telling you the same things. I am doing it for your own good.
Vs,2 Beware Watch out for “dogs” those men who preach that you must be circumcised to please God to be saved. Paul calls them “evil” and “mutilators” meaning someone who cuts the flesh.
Vs, 3 Those who have believed by faith are the true “circumcised”. We do not put our faith and confidence in the flesh. Our faith in Christ is our confidence.
Vs. 4 Paul is speaking: I could have confidence in the flesh, because I was circumcised when I was 8 days old like the Jewish laws say. I am of the tribe of Benjamin. I am a Hebrew. I am a true blooded Jew. I was a Pharisee. (A group of educated men that were leaders in the Jewish church.)
I was a Jew who obeyed the Jewish laws and went out to arrest “believers” who broke away from the Jewish church.
Vs. 7 All those things that people think make a person “good”, I now think those things have no worth. As far as faith in Christ goes, those things have no worth.
Vs. 8 Yes, all those things circumcision, being a Jew, being a leader of the Jews, etc.
Have no worth for me now. Only my faith and relationship and knowledge of and with Jesus Christ has worth. All those other things I think of as worthless so that I may have Christ.
Vs. 9 I want to be in Jesus Christ. Not having my own “goodness” and my own “righteousness” not because I followed the Jewish laws or did good deeds.
But I want the “righteousness” of Christ. That comes from having faith in Jesus. This righteousness comes from God through Jesus Christ.
Vs.10 I want to know him Jesus Christ. I want to know the power of His resurrection—that raises from the dead. I am willing to suffer for Him. I want to be like Him and follow in His ways even unto death.
Vs 11 I will do whatever I must do so that I will be resurrected for the dead someday.
Vs. 12 It is not that I have already reached that place of being “perfect”. No, I am still learning. I am still trying to learn and do better. I want to be all that Christ wants me to be.
Vs. 13 I have not reached the end goal. I am still learning and walking every day with Jesus.
This one thing I do I forget and put from my thinking those things in my past
(whether the good things I did or the bad things I did )
I look forward and keep going forward trying to reach the “mark” that God has for me.
This high calling to preach and to serve Him. Some day I will receive a prize for faithful service.
Vs. 15 Let all of us who are mature Christians have the same mind and understanding.
If there are those of you that do not agree God will show you by the Holy Spirit what is right.
Vs. 16 To those of us who have grown in the ways of the Lord and have maturity, let us all be in agreement in following the Lord.
Vs. 17 Follow my example. Give attention and respect to those who live and follow Christ as I have shown you.
Vs. 18 There are those teaching (that a man has to be circumcised to be saved) are “enemies of the cross”. They teach things that are not true. I have warned you about it before. I am warning you again with tears in my eyes, do not give attention to their teaching.
Vs. 19 Those teachers will end up in punishment. They are not true. Some of them are just out “preaching” to get money and food. They want glory and attention. They want wealth and the things money can buy.
Vs. 20 Our talking and preaching is about heaven. It is from heaven we look for our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Vs. 21 Jesus is the One who will change our evil wicked body and some day it will be like Jesus’ body, He will use the same power to change us that he has used to control and rule all things.