Philippians 3:12-4:3 - Let Go of the Past and Press On
How to Enjoy the Rest of Your Life (Part 8)
Let Go of the Past and Press On
Philippians 3:12-4:3
Jeff Garrett
The title of my message today is “Let Go of the Past and Press On.” Philippians 3 is basically Paul’s autobiography. Verses 1- 11 deals with his past and v.12ff deals with his present and future. Paul shared his five life goals in v.10-11. 1) I want to know Christ intimately. 2) I want to know the power of his resurrection. 3) I want to know the fellowship of his sufferings. 4) I want to become like him in his death. 5) I want to attain the resurrection from the dead i.e. one way or another I want to experience the resurrection from the dead. He compared the Christian life to a race and as you run the race you have to give it your all and press on and endure hardships and focus on the goal i.e. to be like Jesus Christ. As you run the Christian race there are five things you need to do.
1. Face your faults (3:12-13a)
3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. The legalist may have taught perfection was possible with circumcision and law-keeping but three times Paul said he hadn’t achieved it. Perfection it is not possible this side of heaven. James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. When you face your faults you become authentic and attractive. God loves humility and authenticity and people are attracted to you (not repelled by your honest admission that you don’t have it all together).
2. Forget the former (3:13b)
3:13b But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind … What was “behind” Paul?
His goodness
His religious credentials and his legalistic righteousness (3:4-8) - puffed up (example: Balloon -3:4 If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But then Paul met Christ and his life was totally changed. v.7 … whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ … “Rubbish” is an interesting word. It could mean waste or manure. It could also mean dog food - which is a play on his words in v.2 where he called the legalists “dogs.”
His guilt
1 Timothy 1:13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.
1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
His grudges
2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done.
Forget your goodness, your guilt and your grudges. Forgetting doesn’t mean amnesia or memory loss. I am trying to drink less diet Pepsi. I used to drink regular Coke but the older I got the more I struggled with weight. I walked 11 miles yesterday. I changed to diet Pepsi and it took awhile but I acquired a taste for it and started drinking more diet Pepsi. And I thought I can drink all the diet Pepsi I want. And I began to drink way too much diet Pepsi. During the 40 days lent I drank no diet Pepsi and it was difficult. Now I’m trying to cut back. I don’t know whether you knew this but there has been a recent study that suggested a possible link between diet sodas and short term memory loss – which is not good for a preacher I could end up repeating myself and not even knowing it. And there have been other studies that have suggested a possible link between artificial sweeteners and some kind of cancers. And there is no way all that carbonation and caffeine in my body everyday can be good for me. And I don’t know if you heard about this but there has been a recent study that suggested a possible link between diet sodas and short term memory loss – which is not good for a preacher or teacher I could end up repeating myself and not even knowing it.
The point is … forgetting does not mean amnesia or memory loss. Just stop dwelling on it on your goodness or your guilt or your grudges.
3. Fight to the finish (3:13b-15)
3:13b But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
“Straining toward” and “pressing on” means to give it all you got! Like a runner straining every muscle and fiber in her body as she advances toward the finish line. Give it your all. All mature Christians view agree that you need to strain press on toward the prize. And if you have something less than total commitment in mind God will clear up your blurred vision but until that happens let’s live up that want we have attained – hold on to the progress we’ve made and don’t let anybody pull you down. Go for it.
I read about an experimental study that involved monkeys. They started with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage was a pole and they hung bananas at the top of the pole. Before long, a monkey started to climb the pole towards the banana. As soon as he touched the pole, they sprayed all of the monkeys with cold water. After awhile, another monkey made an attempt with the same result – all the monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, when any monkey tried to climb the pole, the other monkeys attacked him.
Then they put away the cold water and removed one monkey from the cage and replaced it with a new one. As soon as the new monkey saw the bananas and started to climb the pole, to his surprise, all of the other monkeys attacked him. Every time he went for went for the bananas he was assaulted.
Then they removed another of the original five monkeys and replaced it with a new one. Who saw the bananas and started to climb the pole but was attacked. The previous newcomer took part in the punishment with enthusiasm!
Then they replaced a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey tried to climb the pole, he was attacked. The monkeys that beat him have no idea why they weren’t permitted to climb the pole or why they’re participating in the beating of the newest monkey. After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the pole to try for the banana.
Who are the monkeys in your life that are pulling you down? It’s time for you to press on Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
What’s the prize? The prize is the five life goals in v.10-11. 1) I want to know Christ intimately. 2) I want to know the power of his resurrection. 3) I want to know the fellowship of his sufferings. 4) I want to become like him in his death. 5) I want to attain the resurrection from the dead.
4. Follow godly examples (3:17-21)
3:17 Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. We need godly examples to follow. Paul told them to join with others who were following his example and to avoid bad examples. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. Who are these “enemies”? They could be the legalist he warned them about in 3:2.
But I think, based on v.19, that this is another group - the libertines.
I heard about a father who tested his 21 year old son to see what he would become. He went into his bedroom and placed four items on his dresser. A Bible. A $100 bill. A bottle whiskey. Playboy Magazine. If he picked up the Bible it meant that he was going to be a preacher. If he picked up the money he was going to be a business man. If we picked up the whiskey he was going to be a drunk. And if he picked up the Playboy he was going to be a womanizer. His hid behind the door and waited for him. As soon as he walked in the room he picked up the Bible and the father thought “He’s going to be a preacher.” But when he put the money in his pocket and took a swig of whiskey and started looking at the magazine his father thought - “He’s going to be a libertine.”
That’s what a libertine is. They are the opposite of legalists. They believe in justification but they are not concerned about sanctification. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
5. Forgive and love each other (4:2-3)
4:1 Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! 2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Have you ever wished your name was in the Bible? It would be far better to have your name in the Bible than in the paper. We’ve had a number of members whose pictures and stories have recently been in the paper which is great but can you imagine having your name and story record in the Bible? If you ever had such a wish you probably want your name mentioned in a positive way. But you probably wouldn’t want your name mentioned the way these two godly women in Philippians 4:2 are mentioned. That is, to rebuke you because you are having a fight with one another. Can you imagine how it must feel to be known for 2000 years as the two women in Philippi whose argument disrupted the church?
This argument was so bad and widely known that Paul mentioned them by name. Let’s say Susie May and Janet Johnson were arguing and it continued for weeks and caused such a disruption that I called them by name and ask you to help them settle their disagreement. That’s basically what happened. Can you imagine how they felt the first time this letter was read aloud in church?
But Paul knew that he had to deal the with problem openly and directly because these women should not be arguing, they should “agree in the Lord” and love each other. Paul modeled this love in the verse preceded it by saying 1 Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! Look at all these terms of affection – my brothers, I love you, I long for you, you are my joy and crown, stand firm together. Take up for each other. Protect each other.
Come with me to a third grade classroom..... There is a nine-year-old kid sitting at his desk and all of a sudden, there is a puddle between his feet and the front of his pants are wet. He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened. It's never happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they'll never speak to him again as long as he lives. The boy believes his heart is going to stop; he puts his head down and prays this prayer, 'Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I'm dead meat.'
He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered. As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water. Susie trips in front of the teacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy's lap. The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself, 'Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!' Now all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher rushes him downstairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out. All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy is wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his has been transferred to someone else - Susie. She tries to help, but they tell her to get out. You've done enough, you klutz!'
Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, 'You did that on purpose, didn't you?' Susie whispers back, 'I wet my pants once too.'
What do you do when someone messes up? Do you run to their rescue or ridicule. We need to face our faults, forget our failures, fight to the finish, follow good examples, and forgive and love each other.
Prayer Time
____________________________
Small Group
Let Go Of The Past And Press On
Ice Breaker
In your dream of an ‘ideal lifestyle’, are you more like the pioneer (always pushing on) or the settler (fixin’ to settle down)?
Text - Philippians 3:12-4:3
Discussion Questions
Paul uses the imagery of a track race, where does he picture himself in his spiritual life?
How is he going to reach his goal?
After repeating the fact that Paul has not yet laid hold of the goal, we read, “…one thing I do, forgetting those things which are ahead and reaching forward to those things which are ahead…” Discuss the meaning and application of this text?
Twice the apostle says “…I press on…” what thought does this phrase convey?
Why does Paul press on….what makes him let go of the past and focus on what is ahead?
If the Philippians imitated this attitude how would that contribute to their unity?
In verse 15 what mind set does Paul call on the mature to have?
Paul acknowledges that people differ in their level of maturity as Christians. What is the instruction for all in verse 16?
Paul identifies enemies of Christ in descriptive ways:
………whose end is destruction
……….whose god is their belly
……….whose glory is their shame
………..who set their minds on earthly things
Why do you believe Paul reminds them of these views?
Discuss the transformation which will occur at the Lord’s coming in 3:20-21?
Compare your spiritual life to a race… are you:
Sitting out due to an injury
At the starting blocks
Going full tilt
Ready to give up
Discuss what we can learn from this study about letting go of the past and pressing on?
Last week we discussed v.1-11 where Paul said to rejoice in the Lord and to v.2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. He was talking about the legalists who require circumcision and put confidence in the flesh.
Paul said, after my conversion to Christ I just want to v.9 be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
Let Go of the Past and Press On
Philippians 3:12-4:3
Jeff Garrett
The title of my message today is “Let Go of the Past and Press On.” Philippians 3 is basically Paul’s autobiography. Verses 1- 11 deals with his past and v.12ff deals with his present and future. Paul shared his five life goals in v.10-11. 1) I want to know Christ intimately. 2) I want to know the power of his resurrection. 3) I want to know the fellowship of his sufferings. 4) I want to become like him in his death. 5) I want to attain the resurrection from the dead i.e. one way or another I want to experience the resurrection from the dead. He compared the Christian life to a race and as you run the race you have to give it your all and press on and endure hardships and focus on the goal i.e. to be like Jesus Christ. As you run the Christian race there are five things you need to do.
1. Face your faults (3:12-13a)
3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. The legalist may have taught perfection was possible with circumcision and law-keeping but three times Paul said he hadn’t achieved it. Perfection it is not possible this side of heaven. James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. When you face your faults you become authentic and attractive. God loves humility and authenticity and people are attracted to you (not repelled by your honest admission that you don’t have it all together).
2. Forget the former (3:13b)
3:13b But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind … What was “behind” Paul?
His goodness
His religious credentials and his legalistic righteousness (3:4-8) - puffed up (example: Balloon -3:4 If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But then Paul met Christ and his life was totally changed. v.7 … whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ … “Rubbish” is an interesting word. It could mean waste or manure. It could also mean dog food - which is a play on his words in v.2 where he called the legalists “dogs.”
His guilt
1 Timothy 1:13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.
1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
His grudges
2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done.
Forget your goodness, your guilt and your grudges. Forgetting doesn’t mean amnesia or memory loss. I am trying to drink less diet Pepsi. I used to drink regular Coke but the older I got the more I struggled with weight. I walked 11 miles yesterday. I changed to diet Pepsi and it took awhile but I acquired a taste for it and started drinking more diet Pepsi. And I thought I can drink all the diet Pepsi I want. And I began to drink way too much diet Pepsi. During the 40 days lent I drank no diet Pepsi and it was difficult. Now I’m trying to cut back. I don’t know whether you knew this but there has been a recent study that suggested a possible link between diet sodas and short term memory loss – which is not good for a preacher I could end up repeating myself and not even knowing it. And there have been other studies that have suggested a possible link between artificial sweeteners and some kind of cancers. And there is no way all that carbonation and caffeine in my body everyday can be good for me. And I don’t know if you heard about this but there has been a recent study that suggested a possible link between diet sodas and short term memory loss – which is not good for a preacher or teacher I could end up repeating myself and not even knowing it.
The point is … forgetting does not mean amnesia or memory loss. Just stop dwelling on it on your goodness or your guilt or your grudges.
3. Fight to the finish (3:13b-15)
3:13b But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
“Straining toward” and “pressing on” means to give it all you got! Like a runner straining every muscle and fiber in her body as she advances toward the finish line. Give it your all. All mature Christians view agree that you need to strain press on toward the prize. And if you have something less than total commitment in mind God will clear up your blurred vision but until that happens let’s live up that want we have attained – hold on to the progress we’ve made and don’t let anybody pull you down. Go for it.
I read about an experimental study that involved monkeys. They started with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage was a pole and they hung bananas at the top of the pole. Before long, a monkey started to climb the pole towards the banana. As soon as he touched the pole, they sprayed all of the monkeys with cold water. After awhile, another monkey made an attempt with the same result – all the monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, when any monkey tried to climb the pole, the other monkeys attacked him.
Then they put away the cold water and removed one monkey from the cage and replaced it with a new one. As soon as the new monkey saw the bananas and started to climb the pole, to his surprise, all of the other monkeys attacked him. Every time he went for went for the bananas he was assaulted.
Then they removed another of the original five monkeys and replaced it with a new one. Who saw the bananas and started to climb the pole but was attacked. The previous newcomer took part in the punishment with enthusiasm!
Then they replaced a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey tried to climb the pole, he was attacked. The monkeys that beat him have no idea why they weren’t permitted to climb the pole or why they’re participating in the beating of the newest monkey. After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the pole to try for the banana.
Who are the monkeys in your life that are pulling you down? It’s time for you to press on Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
What’s the prize? The prize is the five life goals in v.10-11. 1) I want to know Christ intimately. 2) I want to know the power of his resurrection. 3) I want to know the fellowship of his sufferings. 4) I want to become like him in his death. 5) I want to attain the resurrection from the dead.
4. Follow godly examples (3:17-21)
3:17 Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. We need godly examples to follow. Paul told them to join with others who were following his example and to avoid bad examples. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. Who are these “enemies”? They could be the legalist he warned them about in 3:2.
But I think, based on v.19, that this is another group - the libertines.
I heard about a father who tested his 21 year old son to see what he would become. He went into his bedroom and placed four items on his dresser. A Bible. A $100 bill. A bottle whiskey. Playboy Magazine. If he picked up the Bible it meant that he was going to be a preacher. If he picked up the money he was going to be a business man. If we picked up the whiskey he was going to be a drunk. And if he picked up the Playboy he was going to be a womanizer. His hid behind the door and waited for him. As soon as he walked in the room he picked up the Bible and the father thought “He’s going to be a preacher.” But when he put the money in his pocket and took a swig of whiskey and started looking at the magazine his father thought - “He’s going to be a libertine.”
That’s what a libertine is. They are the opposite of legalists. They believe in justification but they are not concerned about sanctification. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
5. Forgive and love each other (4:2-3)
4:1 Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! 2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Have you ever wished your name was in the Bible? It would be far better to have your name in the Bible than in the paper. We’ve had a number of members whose pictures and stories have recently been in the paper which is great but can you imagine having your name and story record in the Bible? If you ever had such a wish you probably want your name mentioned in a positive way. But you probably wouldn’t want your name mentioned the way these two godly women in Philippians 4:2 are mentioned. That is, to rebuke you because you are having a fight with one another. Can you imagine how it must feel to be known for 2000 years as the two women in Philippi whose argument disrupted the church?
This argument was so bad and widely known that Paul mentioned them by name. Let’s say Susie May and Janet Johnson were arguing and it continued for weeks and caused such a disruption that I called them by name and ask you to help them settle their disagreement. That’s basically what happened. Can you imagine how they felt the first time this letter was read aloud in church?
But Paul knew that he had to deal the with problem openly and directly because these women should not be arguing, they should “agree in the Lord” and love each other. Paul modeled this love in the verse preceded it by saying 1 Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! Look at all these terms of affection – my brothers, I love you, I long for you, you are my joy and crown, stand firm together. Take up for each other. Protect each other.
Come with me to a third grade classroom..... There is a nine-year-old kid sitting at his desk and all of a sudden, there is a puddle between his feet and the front of his pants are wet. He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened. It's never happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they'll never speak to him again as long as he lives. The boy believes his heart is going to stop; he puts his head down and prays this prayer, 'Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I'm dead meat.'
He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered. As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water. Susie trips in front of the teacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy's lap. The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself, 'Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!' Now all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher rushes him downstairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out. All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy is wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his has been transferred to someone else - Susie. She tries to help, but they tell her to get out. You've done enough, you klutz!'
Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, 'You did that on purpose, didn't you?' Susie whispers back, 'I wet my pants once too.'
What do you do when someone messes up? Do you run to their rescue or ridicule. We need to face our faults, forget our failures, fight to the finish, follow good examples, and forgive and love each other.
Prayer Time
____________________________
Small Group
Let Go Of The Past And Press On
Ice Breaker
In your dream of an ‘ideal lifestyle’, are you more like the pioneer (always pushing on) or the settler (fixin’ to settle down)?
Text - Philippians 3:12-4:3
Discussion Questions
Paul uses the imagery of a track race, where does he picture himself in his spiritual life?
How is he going to reach his goal?
After repeating the fact that Paul has not yet laid hold of the goal, we read, “…one thing I do, forgetting those things which are ahead and reaching forward to those things which are ahead…” Discuss the meaning and application of this text?
Twice the apostle says “…I press on…” what thought does this phrase convey?
Why does Paul press on….what makes him let go of the past and focus on what is ahead?
If the Philippians imitated this attitude how would that contribute to their unity?
In verse 15 what mind set does Paul call on the mature to have?
Paul acknowledges that people differ in their level of maturity as Christians. What is the instruction for all in verse 16?
Paul identifies enemies of Christ in descriptive ways:
………whose end is destruction
……….whose god is their belly
……….whose glory is their shame
………..who set their minds on earthly things
Why do you believe Paul reminds them of these views?
Discuss the transformation which will occur at the Lord’s coming in 3:20-21?
Compare your spiritual life to a race… are you:
Sitting out due to an injury
At the starting blocks
Going full tilt
Ready to give up
Discuss what we can learn from this study about letting go of the past and pressing on?
Last week we discussed v.1-11 where Paul said to rejoice in the Lord and to v.2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. He was talking about the legalists who require circumcision and put confidence in the flesh.
Paul said, after my conversion to Christ I just want to v.9 be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
posted by Jeff Garrett at 5:01 PM
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