Ian & Jocelyn Barker

It is probable that this final section is the main reason for Paul’s writing to Philippi. He is writing to express his appreciation for the gift that they gave to him after he left Philippi. He is saving his thanks for last so that it would have the most impact upon their hearts. |inline

Our world is filled with things that we can think about and fixate our minds upon. We live in the information age where knowledge is increasing at a blinding rate. In light of the wealth of information, Paul warns us that we are to think about those things that are worthy and pure. Doing so will move us into the peace of God. |inline

Paul ends chapter 3 by pointing the believers towards the reality that our citizenship is in heaven. What this means is that we are waiting for Christ to return to clothe us with the robes of heaven that we might be with Him forever. The powerful thing about this is that Christ will exert His power, and our salvation is by faith worked out in deeds (cf. 3:13-14). Our salvation and fullness of our salvation is the work of Christ. |inline

Paul exhorts the Philippians to follow his pattern of godly living. Evidently there are those in their midst who walk in a way that is not to be followed. Paul weeps because of these people as they are “enemies of the cross of Christ”. Their end will be destruction but those who set their minds on heaven will be transformed into the likeness of Christ’s body of glory. |inline

The resurrection is the privilege of the saints and the hope of our faith. The pathway to the resurrection is the pathway that Jesus took (2:5-11), humiliation and obedience before resurrection and glorification. Paul’s desire is to “attain” to the resurrection, and he will not cease pressing on towards this eternal reality until he meets the Lord. |inline

We looked at how Paul did not consider his salvation to be complete in any way but was still pressing forward in order to “attain to the resurrection from the dead”. His life was a constant press toward eternity as he grappled with the tensions of wanting to dwell in eternity but living in the present now. |inline

Paul is relating his experience of the unsurpassed value of knowing Christ, not based upon his own effort but based upon the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ. Paul has gone down the road of trying to impress God, and has seen that it has failed and it is worthless. He is seeking to know God’s righteousness now and in the resurrection. |inline

We have seen that Paul is concerned about certain men in Philippi who have been advocating a “false circumcision”. These were most likely Jewish men who believed that it was required that Christians be circumcised according to the Jewish law and live under the law in order to be in the church. Paul considered this to be putting confidence in the flesh, and Paul knew from experience that no work of the flesh can earn salvation. |inline

Following Paul’s demonstration of the kind of servant that they should follow, Timothy and Epaphroditus, he now warns them of the kind of “servant” that they should not follow. These so-called servants place their confidence in the fleshly efforts of man and seek to be justified through works. But Paul’s exhortation is that our righteousness comes from Christ who has died for us. |inline

Paul is telling of his plans to send two individuals to see the saints in Philippi, but he also uses them as an example of what he means by community and love for one another. Timothy is an example of someone who is of “kindred spirit” with him and who served him as a child serves a father. He has laid down his own ambitions to serve Paul. |inline