Philippians Class Schedule 1 Phil 3 12 16

Philippians Class Schedule 1

Phil 3: 12 -16 The call of God in Christ Jesus #1 12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; 16 however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained 2

12 a Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, obtained - lambanō - to take, to receive, to make acquisition - aorist/ indicative /active see Matt 13: 20, Gal 3: 2, John 3: 11 already – ede - is always used of time in the NT and means now, already, by this time Lit: Not that I have by this time made acquisition of it What is “it” referring to in this passage ? 3

Philippians 3: 8 -13 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 4

12 a Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, perfect - teleioō - to bring to an end by completing or perfecting lit: bringing to completeness - perfect /indicative /passive lit: or have been carried to a goal --- see Luke 13: 32, John 17: 23 Who is performing the action here ? Paul describes his lack of becoming perfect Romans 7: 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 5

12 b but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. press on - diōkō - to put to flight, pursue, to go after with the desire of obtaining - present/indicative/active see the following Rom 14: 19, 1 Tim 6: 11, 1 Cor 14: 1 so that – or “if indeed” What should the order be! I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus (passive voice) so that I may lay hold of that* (active voice) * all that I am and will be in Christ 6

12 b but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. lay hold of - katalambanō - to lay hold of so as to posses as one's own, to appropriate; note NASB translation “win” in 1 Cor 9: 24 How has Christ Jesus appropriated us ? see Eph 1: 4, 2 Thess 2: 13 How are we to appropriate what we are in Christ Jesus ? see Col 2: 6, Gal 5: 16 7

13 a Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; Brethren – fellow believers regard - logizomai - to reckon, take into account, to count see 1 Cor 4: 1, 2 Cor 11: 5, 2 Cor 12: 6 as having laid hold of it yet I am not counting myself yet as one who has in an absolute and complete way laid hold of it (Wuest) 8

13 b but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, but one thing I do or I do one thing forgetting what lies behind lit: forgetting the things behind forgetting – epilanthanomai - to forget, not to remember with epi, "upon" used intensively see James 1: 24 behind - opisō - a looking back, referring to former pursuits and accomplishments 9

13 b but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, reaching forward to what lies ahead lit: stretching forward to the things ahead reaching forward - epekteinō - to extend, to reach towards; a metaphor probably from the foot race - used intensively with “epi” see Matt 12: 13 (root word) ahead - emprosthen - is used of place or position only, signifying “in front” - in the plural “things ahead” in Phil. 3: 13 10