Past, Present and Future
Philippians 3:1-17
Introduction: As we stand at the door steps of a new year, we need to consider looking back, where we were; looking inward – where we are; and looking ahead – where we are going. Paul in Philippians 3 provides us with an example of evaluating one’s past, present, and future. Let us examine his words.
I. Paul’s Past
A. His Heritage
1. Philippians 3:4-5 “If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews...”
2. Paul looking back could have allowed himself to be filled with pride. From birth he was a Jew, being circumcised at eight days old. He was from the tribe of Benjamin. Benjamin was the tribe described as the tribe beloved of the Lord. Saul, Israel’s first king, of whose name Paul bore was from the tribe of Benjamin. They were notable because they alone had joined Judah in loyalty to the Davidic covenant.
3. He was of pure Hebrew blood, there having been no cross marriage in his lineage to taint the descent. He was in every way a Hebrew and had the papers and pedigree to prove it.
B. His Position
1. Philippians 3:5b “…concerning the law, a Pharisee”
2. Acts 23:6 “I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees.”
3. Paul was not just your everyday, run-of-the-mill Pharisee. He was an ardent and impassioned adherent of the strictest Code and a member of the most elite religious society among the Jews, the Shammai sect of the Pharisees.
4. Paul said that he was more Jewish and more Judaistic than most of his peers. He had become the epitome of super-legalism. As a result Paul climbed the ecclesiastical or denominational ladder.
5. Galatians 1:14 “And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.”
C. His Motivation
1. Philippians 3:6a “concerning zeal, persecuting the church…”
2. Acts 26:5 “according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee.”
3. Acts 22:3 “…educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God ...”
4. Paul, in his religious fervor emulated a prophetic zeal for God, demonstrated an dogged dedication to destroying the emerging Christian movement.
D. His Integrity and Character
1. Philippians 3:6b “…concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”
2. In reference to Torah observance Paul’s observable conduct was faultless.
3. Paul has no "blemishes" on his record as far as keeping the law was concerned. He scrupulously adhered to the Pharisaic interpretation of the law
4. Anyone who watched his life couldn’t find anything to hold against him as a sin. Outwardly Paul lived according to the law an exemplary life.
E. His Assessment
1. Philippians 3:7-8 “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”
2. Paul had all the credentials. He had the heritage, the tradition. He had the ecclesiastical position and was a shaker and mover. He had the zeal and the works. But Paul says it was all the worthlessness of a life outside of Christ and His will.
II. Paul’s Present
A. His Desire
1. Philippians 3:8-11 “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; hat I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
2. To be found in Christ – Verse 8 – (AMP) - Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One),
a. Warren Wiersbe writes that knowing Christ means much more than knowledge about Christ, because Paul had that kind of historical information before he was saved. To “know Christ” means to have a personal relationship with Him through faith. It is this experience that Jesus mentions in John 17:3. You and I know about many people, even people who lived centuries ago, but we know personally very few. “Christianity is Christ.” Salvation is knowing Him in a personal way." (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor or Logos)
b. Unfortunately, a ’head’ (intellectual) knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, fully knowing and giving mental assent to the plan of salvation, without also a ’heart’ acceptance that brings the personal relationship that the Bible demands, avails nothing to any man. Christ wants your ’heart’, not just your head because "The Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." It is vitally important that you make sure it is not just head knowledge and mental assent you have given to Jesus Christ. He needs the complete surrender of your heart and life so that you may be truly born again. Eighteen inches can mean an eternity with Christ or an eternity without Christ. Are you sure of your personal relationship to Him? - copied
3. To have Christ’s righteousness – Verse 9 – “and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith”
a. J Vernon McGee notes that Philippians 3:9 was the verse that came to John Bunyan (Puritan author of Pilgrim’s Progress) as he walked through the cornfields one night, wondering how he could stand before God. He said that suddenly he saw himself—not just as a sinner, but as sin from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet. He realized that he had nothing, and that Christ had everything. (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson or Logos)
b. 2 Corinthians 5:21 God made Him Who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
4. To know Christ and His power – Verse 10 – “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death”
a. (AMP) “[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]”
b. One New Year’s Day, in the Tournament of Roses parade, a beautiful float suddenly sputtered and quit. It was out of gas. The whole parade was held up until someone could get a can of gas. The amusing thing was this float represented the Standard Oil Company. With its vast oil resources, its truck was out of gas. Often, Christians neglect their spiritual maintenance, and though they are "clothed with power" (Luke 24:49) find themselves out of gas. – Steve Blankenship in God Came Near by Max Lucado, Multnomah Press, 1987, p. 95.
5. To know fellowship with Christ – Verse 10 – “the fellowship of His sufferings”
a. Too many are willing to follow Christ through beds of ease and convenience but are in willing to follow the moment the path gets rough.
b. The true life in man, which comes through the acceptance of Jesus as the Son of God, consists in fellowship with God and with man. (Vincent, M. R. Word Studies in the New Testament)
6. To meet Christ in the rapture – Verse 11 – “if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
a. Paul longs to be with the Lord and to return with Him to glory!
b. A conversation between a Christian missionary and a Muslim illustrates a great point. The Mohammedan wanted to impress the missionary with what he considered to be the superiority of Islam. So he said, "When we go to Mecca, we at least find a coffin, but when you Christians go the Jerusalem, your mecca, you find nothing but an empty grave." To this the believer replied, "That is just the difference, Mohammed is dead and in his coffin. And all other systems of religion and philosophy are in their coffins. But Christ is risen, and all power in heaven and on earth is given to Him! He is alive forevermore and is coming again!
c. Revelation 20:6 “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”
B. His Status – Verse 12a & 13a – “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; ... Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended”
1. Paul said that he did not consider himself to have "arrived" spiritually, nor do he consider himself already perfect.
2. Perfect = to be or become complete, mature, fully developed, fully grown, brought to the end (goal), finished, wanting nothing necessary for completeness or that which assures it will be in good working order.
3. Perfection in an absolute sense is not for this life. No one reaches the stage of sinless perfection before they have been transformed through death or rapture.
III. His Future
A. His Attitude – Verse 13 – “…but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead”
1. One man said to his friend: “Say, you look depressed. What are you thinking about?” “My future,” was the quick answer. “What makes it look so hopeless?” “My past.” - Christian Medical Society Journal, Winter, 1978, p. 2
2. It’s difficult to go forward when you keep looking back. Paul had a forward look. Yesterday’s successes and failures are irrelevant. Yesterday’s successes belong to yesterday with all yesterday’s defeats and sorrows.
3. Complacency is a blight that saps energy, dulls attitudes, and causes a drain on the brain. The first symptom is satisfaction with things as they are. Like water, complacent people follow the easiest course—downhill. They draw false strength from looking back.
B. His Endeavor – Verse 14 – “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
1. To press on is to pursue with earnestness and diligence in order to obtain.
2. 1 Corinthians 9:24 “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.”
3. "Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." --Inventor Thomas Edison
C. His Invitation – Verse 17 – “Brethren, join in following my example”
1. Literally – “continuously be co-imitators of me” – mimic
2. "None preaches better than the ant, and she says nothing." – - Benjamin Franklin
3. Follow my example. He says I’m going to be a model.
4. 1 Corinthians 11:1 “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”
5. The Christian walk of Will Houghton, a preacher who became the president of Moody Bible Institute during the 1940s, played a large role in the conversion of an agnostic who was contemplating suicide. The skeptic was desperate, but he decided that if he could find a minister who lived his faith he would listen to him. So he hired a private detective to watch Houghton. When the investigator’s report came back, it revealed that this preacher’s life was above reproach; he was for real. The agnostic went to Houghton’s church, accepted Christ, and later sent his daughter to Moody Bible Institute. - H.V.L. - Our Daily Bread, September 29
