The Epistle of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Philippians is so pure a source of spiritual insight, understanding, and wisdom that it is presented verbatim in its entirety below.
With gratitude that the Spirit of the Living God is in our hearts and impacting our world, here is my interpretation for Philippians, Chapters 3-4:
Paul was a man of the flesh, leading a blameless life under Jewish Law, that was directly converted and saved by Jesus Christ himself on the Road to Damascus… now has only one goal in mind—to attain the resurrection from the dead… the prize of God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
“If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, yet more may I: circumcised the eighth day, of race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as regards the Law, a Pharisee; as regards zeal, a persecutor of the Church of God; as regards the justice of the Law, leading a blameless life.”
“But the things that were gain to me, these, for the sake of Christ, I have counted loss.”
“Nay more, I count everything loss because of the excelling knowledge of Jesus Christ, my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I count them as dung that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a justice of my own, which is from the Law, but that which is from faith in Christ, the justice from God based upon faith; so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings: become like to him in death, in the hope that somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
Paul is still on a journey with the right mindset…
“Not that I have already obtained this, or already have been made perfect, but I press on hoping that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of me.”
“Brethren, I do not consider that I have laid hold of it already. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind, I strain forward to what is before, I press on towards the goal, to the prize of God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.”
“Let us then, as many as are perfect, be of this mind; and if in any point you are minded otherwise; this also God will reveal to you. Still in what we have attained let us be of the same mind, and let us also continue in this same rule.”
Paul is a man of Joy and Gratitude and one that is self-sufficient through his faith and belief in Jesus Christ:
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety, but in every prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God. And may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
“For the rest, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever honorable, whatever just, whatever holy, whatever lovable, whatever of good repute, if there be any virtue, if anything worthy of praise, think upon these things.”
“And what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, these things practise. And the God of peace will be with you.”
Not that I speak because I was in want. For I have learned to be self-sufficing in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to live humbly and I know how to live in abundance (I have been schooled to every place and every condition), to be filled and to be hungry, to have abundance and to suffer want.
I can do all things in him who strengthens me.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Day 178: NT Philippians C3-4 (END); Paul is a Man of Joy and Gratitude by Faith in Jesus!
Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Epistle of Saint Paul to the Philippians, Chapters 1-2.
Bible Notes:
Saint Paul, while a prisoner at Rome, had received a sum of money from the Christians at Philippi to take care of his needs. This is the letter he wrote to thank them for their kindness, to give them news of himself, to urge them to preserve unity among themselves, and to warn them against false teachers.
Philippians Chapter 3: The Christian Spirit; Renunciation for the Sake of Christ; Exhortation; Followers and Opponents of the Cross.
The Christian Spirit:
For the rest, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write you the same things indeed is not irksome to me, but it is necessary for you.
Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the mutilation. For we are the circumcision, we who serve God in spirit, who glory in Christ Jesus and have no confidence even in the flesh—though I too might have confidence in the flesh.
If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, yet more may I: circumcised the eighth day, of race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as regards the Law, a Pharisee; as regards zeal, a persecutor of the Church of God; as regards the justice of the Law, leading a blameless life.
Renunciation for the Sake of Christ:
But the things that were gain to me, these, for the sake of Christ, I have counted loss.
Nay more, I count everything loss because of the excelling knowledge of Jesus Christ, my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I count them as dung that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a justice of my own, which is from the Law, but that which is from faith in Christ, the justice from God based upon faith; so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings: become like to him in death, in the hope that somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained this, or already have been made perfect, but I press on hoping that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of me.
Brethren, I do not consider that I have laid hold of it already. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind, I strain forward to what is before, I press on towards the goal, to the prize of God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
Exhortation:
Let us then, as many as are perfect, be of this mind; and if in any point you are minded otherwise; this also God will reveal to you.
Still in what we have attained let us be of the same mind, and let us also continue in this same rule.
Followers and Opponents of the Cross:
Brethren, be imitators of me, and mark those who walk after the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ.
Their end is ruin, their god is the belly, their glory is in their shame, they mind the things of the earth.
But our citizenship is in heaven from which also we eagerly await a Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, who will refashion the body of our lowliness, conforming it to the body of his glory by exerting the power by which he is able also to subject all things to himself.
Philippians Chapter 4: Two Matrons are Admonished; Peace and Joy in the Lord; Example and Teaching of Paul; Gratitude for Their Gifts; Farewell and Blessing.
Two Matrons are Admonished:
So then, my brethren, beloved and longed for, my joy and my crown, stand fast thus in the Lord, beloved.
I entreat Evodia and I exhort Syntyche to be of one mind in the Lord.
And I beseech thee also, my loyal comrade, help them, for they have toiled with me in the gospel, as have Clement and the rest of my fellow-workers whose names are in the book of life.
Peace and Joy in the Lord:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety, but in every prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God. And may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Example and Teaching of Paul:
For the rest, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever honorable, whatever just, whatever holy, whatever lovable, whatever of good repute, if there be any virtue, if anything worthy of praise, think upon these things.
And what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, these things practise. And the God of peace will be with you.
Gratitude for Their Gifts:
I have rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your concern for me has revived. Indeed you were always concerned, but lacked opportunity.
Not that I speak because I was in want. For I have learned to be self-sufficing in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to live humbly and I know how to live in abundance (I have been schooled to every place and every condition), to be filled and to be hungry, to have abundance and to suffer want.
I can do all things in him who strengthens me.
Still, you have done well by sharing in my affliction. Bit Philippians, you yourselves also know that in the first days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church went into partnership with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you only.
For even in Thessalonica, you sent once and twice something for my need. Not that I am eager for the gift, but I am eager for the profit accumulating to your account.
I have all and more than enough. I am fully supplied now that I have received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a sweet odor, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
But may my God supply your every need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory for endless ages. Amen.
Farewell and Blessing:
Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren with me here greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
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