03.07. LESSON 7
LESSON 7 The general theme of the largely autobiographic book of Philippians is rejoicing. Php 1:30 shows Paul’s rejoicing in afflictions occasioned by both woridlings and false brethren; Php 2:1-30 shows his rejoicing in lowly, obscure service, unnoticed by the world; now, Php 3:1-21, which begins, “Finally, my brethren rejoice in the Lord,” shows his rejoicing in spite of imperfection because he hopes to become a perfect man when he receives at Christ’s coming a risen, spiritual body, “conformed to the body of his (Christ’s) glory.”
It may seem odd, near the center of the book, to find the word, “finally.” But the same thing is found in both of the Thessalonian letters. Romans closes with a postscript. Is it strange that a man who could write, “Out of many afflictions and anguish of heart . . . .with many tears” (2 Corinthians 2:4), and “My little children, I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you” (Galatians 4:19), and who warns these Philippians “even weeping,” finds tearing himself loose from his weak, misguided children in the Lord and bringing his letter to an actual close difficult? Tenderness and strength are not incompatible. No Confidence in the Flesh
Paul teaches in many scriptures that the flesh and the spirit are mutually antagonistic and exclusive. His depraved, self-sufficient “natural man,” who “receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:14) and “the flesh,” which is so corrupt that it must be born again, are equivalents. A Christian cannot carry “the flesh” with him on his pilgrimage through this world.
Obviously, Paul in writing, “Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the concision: for we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,” has Judaizers in mind. Some scholars think that this warning rather than the exhortation to rejoice is what he is pleased to teach repeatedly for their safety. The passage consists, first, of three stern epithets, which characterize legalists: they are profane dogs that tear asunder the body of Christ, carnal evil workers, and their circumcision (“concision”), since the inauguration of Christianity, is no more than heathen gashings and mutilations of the body, forbidden by Moses. Then follows a threefold comparison of Judaizers and Christians: the carnal worship of the former is contrasted with the spiritual worship of the latter; their glorying in the law with the glorying of Christians in Christ, and their “concision” with a “circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ” (Colossians 2:11). How utterly unworthy of confidence is the flesh! “The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other” (Galatians 2:17).
Scale of Values Upset
“If any man thinketh to have confidence in the flesh, I yet more.” After making this statement, Paul lists seven of his advantages of the flesh—the first four are hereditary and the others are personal acquisitions. In Galatians 2:14, he writes: “I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of mine own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.” He might have added that he was born a Roman citizen, and that in both Greek and Hebrew learning he was highly educated. If any man could plume himself on his pedigree, native endowments, training, ambition, industry, moral integrity, religious drive, and works; and apart from Christ save himself, it was Paul.
“Howbeit . . . I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ.” This passage shows that Paul named his advantages in order to teach what being a Christian means; to teach that having the mind of Christ so upset his scale of values that he counts all his fleshly advantages but refuse. Can words say that meritorious, legal righteousness is incompatible with righteousness by faith in Christ more plainly? More plainly say that confidence in the ability of the flesh to earn righteousness by keeping law must be surrendered before Christ can save? Since the very flesh itself competes with Christ for the soul’s confidence, it must be crucified. The grossest sins of the flesh are no more contrary to the principles of Christianity than is the spurious righteousness of the flesh. “The mind of the flesh is enmity against God . . . and they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:7-8). The statement is not “do not,” but “cannot,” please God. Who can have confidence in the flesh? And yet, it is much to be feared that some of us Christians are not so truly converted from self to Christ, from flesh to Spirit, as greatly to upset our scale of values. Had Paul not been so upset, what kind of a Christian would he have been?
Paul’s dying to every fleshly ambition and descending from the Pharisees, the popular Jewish sect, to the lowly “sect of the Nazarenes,” of whom probably three-fourths were slaves, is sufficient proof that he possessed the mind of Christ, who descended from highest heaven to lowest earth. With Christ and Paul in view, one might wonder if heaven is not for men who fail on earth.
Letting the World Go By The statement that the world owes most to those who renounce it, contribute little to its success, participate little in its activities, and reap few of its honors may seem false. But a little study of the Bible with the right key shows it to be true. Of course, Christ is the supreme example of this extraordinary truth. But glance at three men who probably stand next to Christ as mankind’s benefactors— Abraham, Moses and Paul. Abraham lived a full century among the Canaanites in a tent, confessing himself to be a stranger and a pilgrim. Moses apparently renounced the throne of the Pharaohs, forsook Egypt, and lived forty years a forgotten man in training for forty more years of service in the Wilderness. As we have just seen, Paul counted all that the world could offer but “refuse,” and reaped chains and death. Think of the world’s debt to these three! With a fulcrum and a lever long enough, Archimedes said he could lift the earth. But the fulcrum must have been outside the earth. God’s people are always “A people that dwelleth alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations” (Numbers 23:9)—a peculiar people who are content to let the world go by.
QUESTIONS 1.In what sense does Paul use the phrase, “the flesh”?
2. What relationship exists inherently between the flesh and the Spirit?
3. Give the substance of Paul’s contrast between legalists and Christians.
4. Summarize Paul’s attainments according to the flesh.
5. What caused Paul to lose all confidence in such exceeding wealth of the flesh?
6. Could Paul have been “born of the Spirit” and lived the Christian life without this upset of values?
7. What Is the difference between the righteousness “of the law” and the righteousness “through faith in Christ”?
8. Is the expression, “worldly Christian,” self-contradictory?
9. How do the lives of Abraham, Moses, Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus, all, throw light on this eighth question?