TEACHING NOTES Introduction In this series, the apostle Paul has been teaching us how to “work out our salvation” or live out/exercise our salvation. Each week we are learning another way to practice what we say we believe. Today, Paul is going to teach us how to focus forward and leave the past behind. ‌ How to Live Out Your Salvation: ‌Phil. 1:1-11 — Partnership in the Gospel ‌Phil. 1:12-26 — Live for Christ and Others ‌Phil. 1:27-30 — Work Together as a Family ‌Phil. 2:1-11 — Live Like Christ ‌Phil. 2:12-18 — Exercise Your Salvation ‌Phil. 2:19-30 — Follow Godly Examples ‌Phil. 3:1-11 — Live for Eternity ‌Phil. 3:12-21 — Focus Forward ‌ Philippians 3:12–14 12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ‌ Not that I obtained this or am perfect = Although we think of Paul as a kind of superhero apostle in the early church, Paul did not think of himself this way. Paul admits that he has not “obtained this” referring to fully knowing Christ and the power of His resurrection (Phil. 3:10-11). Paul was humble enough to know that he was not perfect (Grk. teleioo - complete, finished). ‌ I press on to make it my own = Paul believed and taught that the entirety of a Christian’s life is pressing on to “attain the resurrection of the dead” (Phil 3:11). Faith is not a one-time decision followed by waiting for Christ to return. Faith is about active faithfulness in worship and service to God daily. ‌ Jesus has made me his own = The only reason we can press forward to obtain what God has for us is because Jesus had made us His own. We must remember that “made me his own” is slavery language. In Exodus, the Israelites were enslaved to Egypt and its demonic gods/spirits. God conquered those demonic spirits and set Israel free. But they were not totally free because they now belonged to God and were called to serve Him alone. Christ has accomplished a New Exodus, setting us free by conquering sin, satan, and death. And we now belong to Christ and are called to serve Him alone. ‌ Forgetting what lies behind = “Forgetting” (Grk. epilanthanomai) is a present tense verb, meaning that is a continual practice. Anyone who struggles with their past knows that this is a continuous issue. Paul is teaching us to keep on forgetting what lies behind. Why? Because tomorrow you may remember the past and need to forget it again. ‌ Straining forward = Why should we continually forget our past? So we can strain forward in God’s will for now and the future. The Greek word for “straining forward” is the present tense verb epekteinomenos, which means “to stretch or reach toward something.” It is much more difficult to stretch toward something in front of you while also looking back in the opposite direction. Recall the story of Peter walking toward Jesus on the Sea of Galilee (Matt. 14:22-33). Peter was doing fine as long as he was focused on Jesus. But Peter began to sink when he diverted his attention to the storm and waves. Peter stopped “straining forward” and began to focus on things outside of his control. ‌ The goal/prize of the upward call = The goal and prize of the Christian life is to be like Christ and be with Christ forever. ‌ Philippians 3:15–17 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained. 17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. ‌ Let the mature think this way = This implies that living in the past is a sign of immaturity. Why? Because a mature person understands that the past is over and outside of our control. An immature person dwells on the past as if they can do anything about it. ‌ If you think otherwise = This is Paul’s somewhat humorous way of saying, “If you disagree with this, pray and God will show you that you’re wrong.” ‌ Hold true = Grk. stoicheo - This verb is in present tense and active voice, meaning it is a continual action. It means “to conform, follow, stay in line, walk in step.” Paul also uses this word in Galatians 5:25 “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step [stoicheo] with the Spirit.” ‌ Join in imitating me = As we learned in Phil. 2 Paul presented Christ, Timothy, and Epaphroditus as godly examples that we should follow. Now Paul presents himself as an example to imitate. “Join in imitating” (Grk. symmimetai ginesthe) refers to a relational cooperation. As we learned from Phil. 1, the church is a family of disciples who are helping each other as partners in the Gospel. ‌ Keep your eyes on those = Everyone needs help in their journey of faith. We must decide for ourselves to follow Christ, but we cannot follow Christ by ourselves. We need to keep our eyes on the godly examples around us. ‌ Philippians 3:18–19 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. ‌ Many walk as enemies of the cross = Notice that Paul says “many” walk (live) as enemies of the cross of Christ. Who were these enemies? Paul describes one group of enemies in 2 Corinthians 11:13 as “false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.” Even in the early church, there were fake Christians who only claimed faith for selfish reasons. Paul could also be referring to a group called “the Judaizers” who claimed to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, but they also taught that Gentiles had to follow all the Jewish rituals to be saved. This group struggled to believe that the sacrifice of Christ was sufficient. Many of the Judaizers later turned back to Judaism, rejected Christ, and led others to do the same. ‌ Their end is destruction = Those who have heard the Gospel, actively reject it, and make themselves enemies of God have only destruction coming. The Bible is clear that those who know the truth and reject it, along with those who know the truth and refuse to live by it, will be judged and separated from God forever. Their destruction is their own choice and this choice ends with destruction in the lake of fire, which is called “the second death” (Rev. 20:11-15). ‌ Their god is their belly = Paul uses the same idea in Romans 16:18 “For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.” Worshiping your belly is an image of worshiping your own selfish desires. ‌ They glory in their shame = They brag about things of which they should be ashamed. We see this in our own culture. Even people in the church glory in things that the Bible says is shameful. ‌ Minds set on earthly things = Their focus is not on the things of God, but on the things of this sinful world. Instead of being focused on God’s kingdom coming to earth, these enemies of the cross are focused on earthly kingdoms. ‌ Philippians 3:20–21 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. ‌ Our citizenship is in heaven = Christians are commanded to be in the world but not of the world (John 17:14-16). Our citizenship (state of being) is in heaven. The kingdom of God and the church is described as a massive city called “the New Jerusalem” (Rev. 21:9-14). ‌ We await a Savior = Although Christ is present on earth through the Holy Spirit indwelling believers, Christ is physically present at the right hand of God in heaven. But Christ is not staying in heaven forever. Christ will physically return to earth and transform it into a new creation. That is the prize that we are waiting to receive. ‌ Transform our lowly body = When Christ returns, the dead will be raised and those who are still alive with be “transformed” (Grk. metaschematizo - changed into something else)—see 1 Cor. 15:35-58. At the resurrection, we will receive a body “like his glorious body” meaning we will have the same indestructible life that Christ has. ‌ The power that enables him = The same power that raised Christ from the dead is the same power living in us and the same power that will raise us from the dead (Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 6:14). ‌ Subject all things to himself = If God has the power to defeat death, the He also has the power to defeat every other enemy. 1 Corinthians 15:24–26 “24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” ‌ The past is over and no longer exists. To live in the past is to live in unreality. ‌ Worry is allowing an imagined future to rule the present. ‌Regret/guilt is allowing the past to rule the present. ‌ Luke 9:62 ‌ Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” ‌‌ How to Respond ‌Prayer: Ask God to reveal what needs to change. ‌Repentance: Agree with God and repent of sin. ‌Worship: Thank God for what He is doing in you. ‌Communion: Take Christ in and renew faithfulness.