“The Exploring Philippians” event with N.T. Wright was organized by Admirato.org.
12 I’m not implying that I’ve already received “resurrection,” or that I’ve already become complete and mature! No; I’m hurrying on, eager to overtake it, because Messiah Jesus has overtaken me. 13 My dear family, I don’t reckon that I have yet overtaken it. But this is my one aim: to forget everything that’s behind, and to strain every nerve to go after what’s ahead. 14 I mean to chase on towards the finishing post, where the prize waiting for me is the upward call of God in Messiah Jesus.
15 Those of us who are mature should think like this! If you think differently about it, God will reveal this to you as well. 16 Only let’s be sure to keep in line with the position we have reached.
17 So, my dear family, I want you, all together, to watch what I do and copy me. You’ve got us as a pattern of behavior; pay careful attention to people who follow it.
18 You see, there are several people who behave as enemies of the cross of the Messiah. I told you about them often enough, and now I’m weeping as I say it again. 19 They are on the road to destruction; their stomach is their god, and they find glory in their own shame. All they ever think about is what’s on the earth.
20 We are citizens of heaven, you see, and we’re eagerly waiting for the savior, the Lord, Messiah Jesus, who is going to come from there. 21 Our present body is a shabby old thing, but he’s going to transform it so that it’s just like his glorious body. And he’s going to do this by the power which makes him able to bring everything into line under his authority.
1Well then, my dear family—I miss you so much, you’re my joy and crown!—this is how you must stand firm in the Lord, my beloved people.
– Philippians 3:12-4:1
This passage is about how Jesus people need to be in the present moment.
The resurrection is worldview defining for Paul! The Creator will one day put everything right!
God is the good and wise Creator and the just and loving covenant partner so then the promise is resurrection.
Creation plus justice equals resurrection.
We have proof of this in the resurrection of Jesus.
“We are citizens of heaven” does not mean “Jesus is coming to get us to take us there.”
The Philippians were citizens of Rome where they were! They were not supposed to actually go to Rome.
This phrase is more about our vocation. This is in line with Jesus’ prayer “on earth as it is in heaven.”
Psalm 8 is being quoted pointing towards Jesus, the One True Human, raising up other true humans in His image.
Phil. 3:12-16
Paul is talking about Christian maturity in the present time.
Paul says his point in vs. 12, expands on it with an athletic metaphor in vs. 13-14, and then applies his point in vs. 15-16.
Our present life must drawn our future reality as resurrected Messiah people.
Paul has not already attained or received resurrection is what he means in Phil. 3:12 but this is obvious when we look at Phil. 3:20-21.Even in the midst of our suffering and trouble, we are to draw on this resurrected life to help us through it all.
The mature among us know they are not yet mature.|
Once again Paul reminds us this is all about changing how we think so that we think like the Messiah.
“Stand firm” and keep in line with the message we have and the identity we have.
Phil. 3:17-4:1
As the new covenant people, we are to imitate Paul rather than the people who play fast and loose with ethics.
If there comes a clash between their loyalty to the civic authorities and their loyalty to Jesus, we need to go the way of Jesus.
Humility, chastity, and generosity are the virtues of Messiah people even though this was not part of the Roman culture.
Paul’s heart was broken by those who were headed towards destruction. Perhaps he was thinking of the pagan society or the Judaizers.
Most likely, his heart was broken by those who were supposed to be following Jesus but had turned away and were drifting back into a pagan lifestyle. In their thinking they set their mind on earthly things rather than the ways of Jesus and His Kingdom.
They were living as if there was no heavenly kingdom.
The created world is good as God’s creation, but we are not to worship the creation.
We must be careful to avoid “easy-believism” or offer assurance of salvation to all who raised their hand in an emotional moment as a child.
We want to communicate clearly what the invitation of following Jesus means – becoming Messiah people who experience new life and bring new life.
Jesus is the Savior, the Lord, and the King.
Jesus will come to deal with the problem not to take us away from it! He will come to complete the work of new creation!
When He comes, He will transform those who are Messiah people who are still alive and resurrect those have been with Him waiting for this glorious day of the Lord!
Christology opens up to give us a vision of humanity becoming what God had always intended.
God already has our new body ready!
God already knows the glorious and unique person He created me to be!
Because of the promise of the resurrection and new creation, we are currently just a shadow of our future selves.
We will be “glorified” which means installed as the royal priesthood of God’s new world.
“Glorified” does not mean far away from earth in a far off place as glowing souls.
And then the reality of this broken world interrupts this beautiful vision of the new heaven and new earth…
2 I have a special appeal which goes jointly to Euodia and Syntyche: please, please, come to a common mind in the Lord. 3 (And here’s a request for you too, my loyal comrade: please help these women. They have struggled hard in the gospel alongside me, as have Clement and my other fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.) – Philippians 4:2-3
Though we don’t know why Euodia and Syntyche are in conflict, we absolutely know this situation as we have all faced this.
Paul wanted them to reframe how they are thinking and think more like Jesus.
4 Celebrate joyfully in the Lord, all the time. I’ll say it again: celebrate! 5 Let everybody know how gentle and gracious you are. The Lord is near.
6 Don’t worry about anything. Rather, in every area of life let God know what you want, as you pray and make requests, and give thanks as well. 7 And God’s peace, which is greater than we can ever understand, will keep guard over your hearts and minds in Messiah Jesus.
8 For the rest, my dear family, these are the things you should think through: whatever is true, whatever is holy, whatever is upright, whatever is pure, whatever is attractive, whatever has a good reputation; anything virtuous, anything praiseworthy. 9 And these are the things you should do: what you learned, received, heard and saw in and through me. And the God of peace will be with you.
– Philippians 4:4-9
The God of peace wants people to be reconciled as He is the God who reconciles! (See also Romans 15:33)
The eschatological reality of Jesus being with us should shape how we live.
Get the transformed mind and other things will fall into line; therefore, rejoice! Celebrate!
Followers of Jesus are to be celebration people!
Celebration rinses the mind of the nagging doubts and fears.
Celebration opens new neural pathways for God to do His new thing in us and through us!
The world around should know us gentle and gracious!
Paul tells us not to worry about anything (even though he often expresses his anxieties in his letters).
This is a spiritual discipline we need to continue to work out in our lives.
God will translate our stumbling prayers into what we really need. He is with us! He is the Source of our peace!
Phil. 4:8-9
There are lots of virtues we should pursue.
Celebrate God’s goodness wherever we find it in our world AND have a commitment to the holy way of Jesus as Paul was trying to live out as an example to them. Both are important!
We can become slaves to our screens. Most of the world is telling us other things to be thinking about (fake news and conspiracy theories) other than the One who is Truth.
Paul’s example (along with Timothy and Epaphroditus) includes holiness, kindness to the poor, a knowing of Jesus, and a witness to the world.
