Philippians 3 1 11 Confidence in Christ Further

Philippians 3: 1 – 11 Confidence in Christ

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. 1

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3: 1 – 11) 7

BEWARE OF THE FLESH • The Flesh: Pride of physical descent cherished by the Jews. • 1 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved. ” (Acts 15: 1) • Jesus to Nicodemus: “You must be born again. ”

CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART • • • Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, circumcise your hearts, you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 4: 4) 25 “The days are coming, ” declares the LORD, “when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh— (Jeremiah 9: 25) 6 The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. (Deuteronomy 30: 6) 4

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CHRISTIAN? Christ like l e p s Go Christian Circu t i r i p S mcis ion Flesh Jewish

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CHRISTIAN? Opponents Believers Beware of dogs Serve God by the Spirit Those evildoers Who boast in Jesus Christ Those mutilators of the flesh Who put no confidence in the flesh

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CHRISTIAN? Flesh Circumcised 10 Of Israel, Tribe: Benjamin 10 Law: Pharisee 10 Zeal : Persecuted the Church 10 Righteousness based on the law : Faultless 10 Nothing 0 Jesus Equality with God; Not used for own Made Himself nothing Taking the nature of a servant Made in human likeness Humbled Himself Died on the cross Every Knee shall bow 0 0 0

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CHRISTIAN? • Is there anything that we can do that will enable us to stand acquitted (innocent) before God ? • Having all these qualifications is not evil. • Putting your trust on these qualifications is evil. • 20 so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it. (Isaiah 41: 20)

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CHRISTIAN? Paul – Flesh Christ 7 But whatever were gains to me for the sake of Christ. I now consider loss What is more, I consider loss because of the surpassing everything a loss because worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CHRISTIAN? Paul – Flesh for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, Christ that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CHRISTIAN? • not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. (Philippians 3: 9) • and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. ” (Genesis 12: 3) • I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. ” (Isaiah 49: 6)

THE MESSIAH • For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. (Ephesians 2: 14 – 18) 14

JESUS THE MESSIAH Not the privileges of being a Jew (without a Messiah). But rather: • To gain the Messiah • To know the Messiah • To be found ‘in’ the Messiah • To be defined by the Messiah’s faithfulness, • To participate in the Messiah’s path suffering and death • To know the power of his resurrection,

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CHRISTIAN? l e p s Go Christian Christ like t i r i p S ? Flesh ? ? ?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CHRISTIAN? Flesh How 10 do 10 we 10 keep 10 score? Nothing 10 0 Jesus Equality with God; Not used for own Made Himself nothing Taking the nature of a servant Made in human likeness Humbled Himself Died on the cross Every Knee shall bow 0 0 0

REJOICE IN THE LORD, IT IS A SAFEGUARD Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. (Philippians 3: 1) 1 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3: 10 – 11) 10

REJOICE IN THE LORD, IT IS A SAFEGUARD 1. Our hope is not placed on how deserving we are but on how loving Jesus is. (Good things happen to bad people) 2. In Jesus Christ alone , we the guilty will find all the love we need. “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life”. John 3: 16