Philippians 3:1-21
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
20 For our conversationa is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
This is the great chapter of the autobiography of Paul. First, he emphasized the story of his past in a most remarkable way. Then referring to these things as gains (the word in the original is plural) he declared he counted them loss. The vision of Christ immediately showed him the worthlessness of everything in comparison. He then brought up the story of his life to the time of his writing. It would then be about thirty years after meeting the risen Lord that he counted his gains but loss. He now wrote, "I count all things to be loss." After thirty years of tribulation and trial such as few men have known, there was no regret in his heart.
The supreme passion of his life was that he might "know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings." Having thus looked at his past and declared his present attitude, he spoke of his sense of limitation, and declared that there remained for him but one thing, which was to press toward the ultimate realization of conformity to his Lord spiritually, mentally, and physically.
He then urged those to whom he wrote to walk by the same rule. Referring to the false walk of certain people, he described the true walk as inspired by the consciousness of heavenly citizenship, and having as its direction the complete realization of salvation at the Advent of the Lord. Those referred to as walking in a false way are seen as diametrically opposed to this idea. In their case the Cross is made of none effect, and the whole mind is materialized and sensualized. The end of such conduct is perdition, and the apostle, even with tears, warns the saints at Philippi against the peril of such conduct.