Philippians 3:1-11

Read through Philippians 3:1-11. To help you keep the “big picture” of Philippians in mind, go ahead and outline what we’ve studied so far.

A Closer Look:
Observation #1: It seems as if Paul is getting sidetracked… What does any of this have to do with what he has been writing about?

• Remember the ways to live as a citizen of heaven? First on the list was “to live in unity.”
• We’ve already mentioned that some of the believers in the Philippian church were arguing and fighting among themselves. But there were also men who pretended to be Christ-followers (they were called Judaizers). Their teachings didn’t line up with what Paul had taught.
• Paul warns them to stay on guard against these false teachings so that they won’t split the group. He wants them to remain faithful to the truth.

Observation #2: Paul mentions having “confidence in the flesh”. What does he mean?

• Basically, the Judaizers were trying to convince the Philippian believers that they were saved by their good works, that they had to earn their salvation.
• Paul reminds the Philippians of the truth: “No… it’s not through our effort that we are saved. It’s only by God’s grace that we are saved.”
• Paul uses his own life as an example in order to show the Philippians that the Judaizers were wrong. In essence, he says, “If anyone can get to heaven based on their good works and on their character, it’s me.” Then he says, “But none of that matters. Without Christ, I am nothing.”

Observation #3: Paul writes, “I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ.” What is he saying?

• The word for “garbage” (or “rubbish” as some translations put it) is actually the word for “dung.” Imagine changing a nasty diaper, or cleaning up after your dog or horse. It can get pretty gross…
• Paul is saying that everything else is dung compared to knowing Christ. “It doesn’t matter what I’ve done, what I’ve accomplished. Knowing Christ far outweighs the best this world has to offer.”

In this section, Paul encourages the Philippians to live with unity, but he also reminds them of the basic truth of the Gospel: We are saved by grace through faith. In other words, we cannot earn our way into heaven.

Read through Philippians 3:1-11 again.

Questions:

1. How do we try to earn our way into heaven? (In other words, what does a “good Christian” look like?)
2. Read James 2:14-26 and compare it to Romans 4:5. Is James contradicting what Paul taught? What is James really saying?
3. In your own words, what does it mean to “live as a citizen of heaven”?
4. What does it mean to “know Christ”? (See Philippians 3:9-11.)
5. What can we learn about God from this passage?

Challenge: Meet with someone you trust (a friend, parent, or mentor) and talk about Question #2 above.