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29 May, 2017

Search The Scriptures —Study 5 — Philippians 3:1-11

Study   From the Book of Philippians is: Philippians 3:1-11

Paul now turns to another subject—possibly, as some think, resuming his writing after a break.  His subject now is the essential character of the Christian life from its beginning in justification by faith to its glorious consummation at the coming of the Lord; and he illustrates the theme from his own life.

1.     What three characteristics of the true people of God are given in verse 3? How far are they true of me?
2.     Examine carefully the reasons for ‘confidence in the flesh’ which Paul enumerates in verses 4-6. Are there not many church-goers today who are relying for salvation on just such grounds as these? What, in contrast to all this, is the position of the true Christian? What choice does Paul show needs to be made in order to become one?
3.     Faith in Christ as the sole ground for acceptance with God led, in Paul’s case, to intense desire to know Christ; nothing else seemed to him of any value (verses 8, 9). Along what two lines in particular did he want a deeper knowledge (verse 10), and to what end (verse 11)?
Notes
1.     Verse 2. Note the empathic ‘look out’, repeated three times. A word meaning ‘incision’ or ‘mutilation’ is here used instead of ‘circumcision’, because the circumcision on which they insisted was harmful rather than helpful to spiritual well-being. Cf.  Gal. 5:2-4; 6:12-15.
2.     Verses 3, 4. ‘Confidence in the flesh’: i.e., reliance upon outward privilege and personal merit. ‘We are the true circumcision’: i.e, the true people of God. Cf. Rom. 2:17, 23, 28,29.


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