Philippians Study 3: 3:1-21

Dear Student of the Word,

I know I sent an installment last week, but I am trying to get back on schedule so that we can finish Philippians, move on to Acts and finish it this year.  I hope a study in consecutive weeks isn't too much for you!

This week we move on to Philippians 3, which contains so much great material, just like the previous chapter.  This week I wrote in Part Five of a seven-part study:

Study Three, Part Five

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, 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. 15 All of us 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.

3:12&13 – There were some who believed that the resurrection had already taken place and Paul had this to say about them:

Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some (2 Timothy 2:17-18).

This was the second doctrinal error Paul addressed in this letter, the first being the affects of those who insisted on circumcision for believers.  Paul had to counter the work of deceivers and he had to do it without rapid transit or the Internet.  The work of an apostle is to preserve the purity of the faith and teaching, being careful only to impart to people God’s Word as explained by Jesus and the apostles.  A regular and fervent prayer of mine is, “Lord, keep me from deception and doctrinal weirdness.”  I don’t want to get and teach strange ideas that don’t build people up in the knowledge of Christ.

Paul talked about forgetting the past, and most apply that principle to those bad things that happened or mistakes that were made in their own lives.  You must also apply that principle to your past success.  You must forget what you have done lest you begin to rely in the present or your past history and become irrelevant or puffed up with pride.  Do you have amnesia where your past is concerned, whether it was good or not so good?

It does seem, however, that Paul was referring to the resurrection and that the past was made up of his fleshly credentials outlined in 3:5-6.  What parts of your past, good and bad, do you need to put behind you?  What is the goal for which you are pressing on?

3:14 – Paul pressed on.  That indicates there was something pressing against him and he needed to press against it with greater force if he was going to make any progress.  To help him do that, Paul had a goal he was pursuing.  That is the power of a goal.  It enables you to press through the inertia that tends to keep you at rest in order to attain the prize. What goals are you pursuing at this point in your life?  Are these goals upward?  Do they bring you closer to God and godliness? Are you pressing on or simply holding on?

3:15 – While Paul was a great overseer and teacher, he still realized it was up to God to make things clear to people.  Paul declared the truth, but God was the one to open the hearts of people to that truth.  It took me quite a few years to figure out I could not be the Holy Spirit to the people I served as pastor.  I had to deliver truth, but I could not make people respond or obey it—only God could do that.  When God showed me that truth, I became a different pastor, set free from trying to do an impossible task.

Also, Paul referenced those who are mature.  You cannot fault anyone who is immature, unless they should be mature and have refused.  When my son was five years old, I could not expect him to mow the lawn.  It was beyond his capacity, and wasn’t a matter of obedience or disobedience.  When he was 16, however, it was a different story.  Be careful not to expect mature results from immature believers, even from yourself.  There is a growth and maturation process that everyone must encounter as he or she matures in Christ.  At the same time, be careful not to endorse irresponsible behavior from people who should know better.

As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. For additional Bible studies, check out my website archive, which contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse New Testament studies, along with the unpublished volumes of The Faith Files.

Download Philippians Study 3

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I WANT MONEY FOR MY ANNIVERSARY: No, it's not my wedding anniversary, but in the first week of March, the Monday Memo will turn ten years old!  In the first week of March, I will write Memo 492, which means I have missed only four weeks per year in writing the Memo since 2001. Thank You, Lord, for your help!

So what do I want for the Memo anniversary?  I want money, cold hard cash, dollars and cents.

Don't worry, the money is not for me, it's for the children and widows in Kenya.

This past week I received a $3,000 check toward THE BIG GOAL of $10,000 I set last November.  That makes my total raised $8,000!  That is fantastic, but it's not $10,000.

So I am asking you for money to celebrate the Monday Memo.

If the Monday Memo has been a blessing to you, can you send something for the children?

If the daily Proverbs devotionals have been a blessing, can you you send something for the widows?

If the weekly Bible studies have been a blessing, can you send something to feed those who don't have the wherewithal to feed themselves?

If my daily quotes on Facebook have been an encouragement, can you sow some seed with those in need?

Often in my life, I have not done a little because I could not do a lot.  I have not given $100, because I could not give $1,000.  I have not given $50, because it wasn't $100.  You get the idea - I haven't done what I could because I wanted to do more.

If that's how you think too, then stop thinking like that and give $5, $10, anything to help me with THE BIG GOAL.

You can give through my website or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA  15221-0882.  I know there is someone out there who is supposed to invest in this project.  Maybe it's you?  But if it isn't you, don't let that stop you from sending what you can and sending it today.  Thank you and God bless you.

P.S.  If you need to read more about my initiatives in Kenya, you can go here to read them in their entirety.

Comments

[Samuel k. Nene]

Always great to te read such inspired messages from your desk. Am in Nairobi and the place is very hot currently. May God bless you always.