Philippians 3

Paul urges believers to rejoice in the Lord and warns against false teachers who promote reliance on fleshly circumcision. He recounts his own impressive Jewish heritage, which he now considers worthless compared to the surpassing knowledge of Christ, through whom he seeks righteousness by faith. Paul expresses his ongoing pursuit of Christ, pressing toward the heavenly prize, and encourages believers to follow his example, focusing on their heavenly citizenship.

Paul begins by exhorting the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord and to beware of those he calls "dogs," "evil workers," and "the concision," who advocate for physical circumcision and legalistic works. He asserts that true believers are the spiritual circumcision, worshipping God in the Spirit and trusting in Christ, not in human accomplishments. Paul then details his own extensive Jewish credentials, including his lineage, tribe, and status as a Pharisee, all of which he now counts as loss, even "dung," for the excellency of knowing Christ Jesus. His ultimate desire is to be found in Christ, possessing God's righteousness by faith, to know Christ's power, and to share in His sufferings and resurrection. He humbly admits he has not yet attained perfection but presses forward toward the high calling of God. Paul encourages others to adopt this same mindset and follow his example, contrasting it with those who mind earthly things. He reminds believers that their citizenship is in heaven, from where they await the transforming Savior.

Paul opens by reiterating the call to rejoice in the Lord, assuring the Philippians that repeating these truths is safe for them. He then issues a strong warning against those he calls "dogs," "evil workers," and "the concision," identifying them as individuals who promote a false gospel centered on physical circumcision and human effort. In contrast, Paul defines true believers as the spiritual circumcision, characterized by worship in the Spirit, rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh. To illustrate this point, Paul meticulously lists his own impressive Jewish heritage and legalistic achievements: he was circumcised on the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, from the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee concerning the law, zealous in persecuting the church, and blameless according to legal righteousness. However, he emphatically declares that all these former "gains" he now counts as utter loss, even "dung," for the sake of the surpassing knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord. His supreme desire is to "win Christ" and be found in Him, not relying on his own righteousness derived from the law, but on the righteousness that comes from God through faith in Christ. This pursuit includes knowing Christ intimately, experiencing the power of His resurrection, sharing in His sufferings, and being conformed to His death, with the ultimate hope of attaining the resurrection of the dead. Paul humbly confesses that he has not yet fully attained or been made perfect, but he actively presses forward, forgetting past accomplishments and reaching toward future goals. He strives for the "prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus," urging all mature believers to share this mindset. He advises that if any are otherwise minded, God will reveal the truth to them, but they must continue to walk by the truth they have already attained. Finally, Paul exhorts the Philippians to imitate him and observe those who follow his example, contrasting them with many, whom he tearfully identifies as "enemies of the cross of Christ," whose focus is earthly, whose god is their belly, and whose end is destruction. He concludes by reminding believers that their true citizenship is in heaven, from where they eagerly await the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform their humble bodies into the likeness of His glorious body through His divine power.