Title: Paul’s Passion Script: Phil. 3:8-11
Type: Expos Series Where: GNBC 7-24-23
Intro: People who are well known in their field of interest are passionate people. The name Caitlyn Clark is recognized in households across Iowa, if not the US because she is passionate about BB. The musical prodigy WA Mozart, though living only 35 yrs. wrote over 800 compositions of nearly every genre available at the time. Nearly everyone has heard of the actor Harrison Ford. Yet, when tried out for the role of Han Solo he was still going to work every day as a union carpenter! Took a lot to follow his passion to be an actor! (Raiders 38 is glad did!) The Apostle Paul was as passionate as any of these people when it came to his zeal for the OT law and traditions of the Pharisees. Yet, as we read in Acts 9, on the road to Damascus, in an attempt to silence the Church, he met the Lord Jesus Christ. All of a sudden, his old passion was overtaken by his new passion. What Paul found in a relationship with Jesus Christ was far superior to anything he had found in his devotion to the Law of Moses.
Prop: In Phil. 3:8-11 Paul’s Passion Is Expressed in 3 Essential Doctrines.
BG: 1. Phil. Is a “Prison Epistle” along with Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon.
2. Phil. Is the letter of “joy”. Paul takes great joy in 3 essential doctrines in these verses.
3. Phil. Is different from most other epistles. Not writing to correct behavior or doctrine. But rather to say “Thank you.” For generous gift. (Thank you and joy go hand in hand.)
Prop: In Phil. 3:8-11 Paul’s Passion is Expressed in 3 Essential Doctrines.
I. Paul Was Passionate about the Doctrine of Justification. Vv.8-9
A. Paul Begins by Stating How He Exchanged Spiritual Passions in Justification.
1. In these verses Paul outlines the Essential Doctrine of Justification.
a. One prominent theologian (Calvin) defined “Justification” as: “acceptance, whereby God receives us into his favor and regards us as righteous; and we say that it consists in the remission of sins and the imputation of the righteousness of Christ.”7 Justification is decisive for eternity, being in effect the judgment of the last day brought forward. Its source is God’s grace, His initiative in free and sovereign love, and its ground is the merit and satisfaction that is, the obedient sin-bearing death-of Jesus Christ, God’s incarnate Son. (Inst. II. xvii is)
b. Theologians have stressed both the objective and the subjective sides of justification. Objectively, we are actually made right with God by the work of Christ, which the sinner receives by faith alone. Subjectively, when we understand justification, we experience peace with God and growing confidence in living for God. Surely, this doctrine is absolutely central to Christian faith and life.
2. What was the Exchange that Paul Made in Experiencing Justification?
a. Illust: We have all most likely had this experience. We have set a date. People are coming to your house for dinner. You have all your meats to be grilled. You go outside 30 minutes before guest are to arrive. You go to turn on your grill…click, click, click! You mess with the valve, click, click, click. To your consternation you realize the LP tank is empty! Hop in car and run to Ace or Menards or HyVee. You take your empty LP tank and you EXCHANGE it for one that is full! Paul exchanged a hate-filled, works oriented, spiritual life with absolutely no assurance, and exchanged it for the perfect, finished work of Christ.
b. Before coming to Christ, Paul was trusting in his efforts, his pride, and his spiritual pedigree to be pleasing in the sight of God. Look back a few verses to vv.5-6. Paul lists the 7 proofs of what he was vainly trusting in before turning to Christ for justification. 1. Circumcised 8th day. 2. Of the nation of Israel. 3. Tribe of Benjamin. 4. Hebrew lineage and language. 5. Pharisee. 6. Persecutor of the Church. 7. Outwardly (Though not inwardly) adhering to the law. Paul was zealous. Paul had a lot to “proud” of in that system of beliefs. Illust – I hear a lot of nonsense today: “It doesn’t really matter what you believe as long as you are sincere in what you believe.” I want you to reflect again upon Paul’s spiritual pedigree. He was totally committed. He was faithful. He was zealous. He was outwardly keeping all the rules. Yet, by his own admission, he was utterly wrong and head on a road leading him straight to hell!
B. Justification is Manifest in our Knowing Christ.
1. Justification is Found in “Knowing Christ”.
a. When did Paul come to “know Christ”? Did he always know Christ? Did his circumcision help him to know Christ? Was he baptized as an infant to help him know Christ? Was he born into a “good family”? No! Paul came to now Christ in Acts 9! As he was traveling on the Damascus Rd, Paul was hell bent on destroying the Church, persecuting Christians when Jesus kicked the stool of Paul’s spiritual pride right out from under his feet. Paul had a crisis whereby he was confronted with the Person of Jesus Christ. Let me be very clear about this, there must come a place in your and my life where we are confronted with the claims of Christ and we must by faith trust in those claims.
b. Illust – Thursday of this past week, I was reading in my QT in I Chron. 28. David has made all the preparations for the building of the temple. Collected all the materials. However, has been told by God that since he has been a man of violence and bloodshed, he will not be allowed to build the temple. Has commissioned his son, Solomon, to succeed him and charges him with the building of the temple. In v. 9, he says this to son: “And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind.”
2. The Justification We Find in Christ Credits us with an Imputed Righteousness.
a. Look at v. 8 – A lot of accounting terms. Paul had put a lot of confidence in his supposed “spiritual credits” – his pedigree and performance. However, after seeing his sin and Christ’s righteousness, he moves these supposed credits across the spiritual ledger to the debit’s column. In fact, he doesn’t simply account these things as neutral, but rather, he considers them to be absolute rubbish! v. 9 Paul recognizes that this justification results in a righteousness that is imputed. It comes from outside of one’s own self but it comes into one’s self. Our righteousness is not internal and based in or on our effort, but rather, it is external and “put into us” by Christ when we believe in faith on what He has done for us.
b. Illust: End of WWI US Gen. Blackjack Pershing going to lead a victory parade of US soldiers in the streets of Paris. Sent out order throughout the US Expeditionary Force that any GI measuring 186 cm could apply to take part in this great celebration of victory. As is today, more so 100 yrs. ago, US didn’t use metric. One platoon was very excited with idea to take part in the parade. Began to line up tallest to shortest. “Shorty” was picked on! Not you! Tallest men took great pride in their stature. They would be in the parade! Finally, their Lt. came into barrack and scribed a mark on the wall designating 186 cm so as to determine which men qualified. No one did! 186=6’1”. Tallest was 6 ft! Yes, some taller than others. Some of the taller mocked some of the shorter, but everyone missed the mark! Same is true for us in Christ. We miss God’s standard of righteousness.
C. Applic: Paul was passionate about the doctrine of Justification because what he had trusted in so passionately and so long before his conversion to Christ, he later realized was simply spiritual “dung”. What are you trusting in today my friend?
II. Paul Was Passionate about the Doctrine of Sanctification. V.10
A. Paul Continues by Stating How He Exchanged the Means of Spiritual Growth.
1. In this verse Paul outlines the Essential Doctrine of Sanctification.
a. What do I mean when I say: “Sanctification”? First, sanctification is the gracious work of God. Sanctification is not the unaided work of a human being. It is the ongoing work of God in and through a human being. This work begins at effectual calling and regeneration, when God “creates” “a new heart” and “a new spirit” in a person (Westminster Confession of Faith 13.1). Second, sanctification begins with a change of lordship. Sanctification begins with God’s transferring a person from the reign of sin to the reign of grace. Third, the power in sanctification is that of the Holy Spirit, who applies the work of Christ to our lives. Sanctification is the work especially of God the Spirit (2 Thess. 2:13). Fourth, God’s goal in sanctification is our renewal after the image of God in Christ. God is renewing each of His children “in their whole man after the image of God” (WCF 13.1).
b. Illust: Listen to What Dr. Paul Tripp says about the Doctrine of Sanctification: “That's a beautiful, beautiful thing. It's like, you join a swim club, and someone says, “Well, now you're a swimmer,” but you don't know how to swim. And you need to be taught and empowered, so that you can actually live as a swimmer. And so, I'm a child of God, but I'm not naturally still living as a child of God because sin is still with me; and so, God meets me with sanctifying, empowering grace. He uses the indwelling power of the Spirit inside of me to convict me of sin, so sin bothers me and that's a good thing. Conviction isn't judgment. Conviction is God wrapping His arms around me and drawing me nearer. He uses His Word to move me along, to set goals of grace for me, to remind me of what I should love and what I should hate, and what I should desire and how I should speak. And He uses His church with the teaching and preaching of His Word to move me along.” (PT Ministries Website: Sanctification)
2. What was the Exchange Paul Made in Experiencing Sanctification?
a. Essentially, Paul exchanged the futility of spiritual self-effort and self-growth for the inward, Divinely powerful working of Christ. Illust – In our culture, if surviving loved ones are having an open viewing of a deceased person at a visitation, they usually lay the body out in nice clothes. Maybe a suit. Maybe a dress. Go to a lot of work of embalm the body and put on makeup. Why? Because the body is dead! The effects of death begin to work on the body immediately. Ultimately, we are simply dressing up the remains for the viewing so people won’t be horrified. We need to remember, the Bible states that outside of Christ we are all “dead in our trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). So, outside of Christ, there is no spiritual growth. There is no real power at work. “But Pastor Chris, what if I meditate?” What if I practice yoga?” “What if I read spiritualized devotions?” “What if I send people positive thoughts and light?” You are simply putting lipstick and rouge on a corpse! You need life! That same resurrection power is necessary to sustain the believer as he walks in victory over sin.
b. Sanctification is basically our growing internally in our life in Christ.
B. How Do We See Paul’s Passion and Desire in These Verses?
1. Paul passionately proclaims his Purpose: “to know Christ and the power of His resurrection” a. We need to grow to know both Christ and the power (dunamis) of his resurrection. Let me tell you, because there is some confusion on this point. There are a lot of people who feel as though spiritual maturity has to do with the circumstances of one’s conversion. Some people have what appear to be spectacular conversions. This does not equate with spiritual maturity! Growth in Christ is not based on personality, individual inheritance, experience, or service. Rather, it is reduced to one word: appetite!
b.Moses was a giant in the OT. But if you remember, started off in ministry pretty feebly. Now Moses had a lot of great experiences with the Lord. Ex. 33 God spoke to Him face to face. But even that was not the cause of Moses’ growth. Rather, in v. 13, after the experience, Moses declares: “Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now Thy way, that I may know Thee.” Moses was characterized by the same passion of Paul: He wanted to know God more deeply. You and I will NEVER outgrow opportunities to know God better.
2. Paul Passionately proclaims his : the fellowship of His sufferings”. Our Savior came to suffer for our sins on the cross. His entire ministry was marked by misunderstanding, opposition, betrayal, and death. While we can never enter into His sufferings in the same way that He suffered on the cross, there is a sense in which we can never be like Him if we do not go through suffering and learn to entrust our souls to a faithful Creator
3. Paul Passionately proclaims his Destination: “conformed to His death” Illust: When we were flying home from Europe a couple of weeks ago my ticket was booked in two stages: Prague to Munich. Munich to ORD. I got on the plane in Prague but not final destination. I landed in Munich, but that was not my destination. Our final destination, when it comes to sanctification is conformity to Christ. Now that is seen initially, progressively, and finally, in our glorification. Paul looked forward to being freed from the chains of this life.
C. Applic: You and I will NEVER be more justified than at the moment we trust and believe in Christ. However, you can and will be more sanctified, and one day you will be perfectly sanctified!
III. Paul Was Passionate about the Doctrine of the Believer’s Resurrection. V.11
A. Paul Concludes by Stating How He Exchanged His Eternal Destiny.
1. In this verse Paul outlines the Essential Doctrine of the Believer’s Resurrection.
a. This is an incredible verse. Actually interesting to translate. Literally, the verse states: “if somehow I may attain to the out-resurrection from among the dead ones.” The word “out-resurrection” occurs here only. Two possible interpretations, and it is difficult to decide between them. Paul may be expressing his hope that he will fully realize what it means in this life to experience what he has just stated, namely, the resurrection life of Christ being lived out fully through him. (Don’t think this is the case. Paul has been Christian 25 yrs. if he can’t experience this by then, who could?)
b. The other view is that Paul is referring to the future resurrection of the righteous at the return of Christ, when our mortal bodies will be transformed into the likeness of Christ’s resurrection body, free from all sin. We will then share in His glory throughout eternity. “If somehow” would then not reflect uncertainty, since Paul is absolutely certain about the future resurrection (1 Cor. 15)
2. What was the Exchange Paul Made in Experiencing the Believer’s Resurrection?
a. As a Pharisee, before Christ, Paul (Then Saul) certainly did believe in a Resurrection of the dead. But this was most likely simply a spiritual resurrection of the souls of “good people”. Don’t forget, Paul is the same man who wrote Rom. 3:10ff, “There is no one righteous, no, not one…” Well, that shoots the Pharisee’s theory on the resurrection. Beyond this , Paul believed in ad taught that the believer would have not only a spiritual, but a physical resurrection as well with a resurrected body.
b. But whatever this verse means, other verses make it clear that the process of sanctification will be completed. We will be like Him, totally apart from sin, sharing in His glory throughout eternity (Rom. 8:17-21, 30; 9:23)! John applies this wonderful truth, “Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:2, 3).
B. How Do We Experience Paul’s Passion as We Look forward to the Believer’s Resurrection?
1. “But though we experience the power of our Lord’s resurrection today, we still wait for that final day when this power will be consummated in our resurrection and glorification. This is what Paul is talking about in Philippians 3:10–11, a passage that is exceedingly difficult to translate into English. The Apostle is not revealing doubt about his future reward in the new heaven and earth when he expresses his hope to attain the resurrection “by any means possible” in verse 11. Instead, the uncertainty involves the physical route by which he will be prepared for resurrection. At the time he wrote, Paul did not know if he would gain his resurrection body at the final judgment after dying as a martyr, after dying of natural causes, or by being alive when the Savior returned. But he did know that the righteousness imputed to him by faith in Christ alone guaranteed that resurrection would be his.” (Ligionier , 12-7-2011)
2. The heavens will change when God creates a new heaven and a new earth. That will be a dramatic implosion of the universe as we know it in a divinely atomic holocaust to be replaced by a new heaven and a new earth, no doubt with the same speed that we will be changed. I Cor. 15:53 reminds us, “For this perishable must put on the imperishable, this mortal must put on immortality.” You have to have a different body to be in heaven, this one’s no good there. I like the idea of put on, put on – the normal word for getting dressed, the normal word in the Greek language for putting on clothes. Illust: “Benjamin Franklin’s tombstone in Christ Church, Philadelphia. I was stunned when I read it, because this is what it said: “The body of Franklin, printer, like the cover of an old book, its contents torn out and stripped of its lettering and gilding, lies here food for worms. But the work shall not be lost, for it will appear once more in a new and more elegant edition, revised and corrected by the Author.”
C. Applic: Have you ever noticed when you buy a new vehicle, all of a sudden, you notice them everywhere?! If you will set before yourself each week this goal, to know Christ and be like Him, you will see opportunities all over the place to apply it. You will have temptations where you need to rely on the power of His resurrection. You will face trials where you come to know the fellowship of His sufferings. You will encounter irritations where you must learn to be more conformed to His death. View it all as an opportunity to know Christ and to remind you that it is preparing you for that great day when He comes and you will be raised up in glory with Him for all eternity. Like Paul, that can be our passion!
