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Philippians 3:4-6
Paul has expressed concern for the believers in Philippi about some itinerant false teachers that plagued the
assemblies he had founded on the gospel. These teachers were Jews, who feigned acceptance of the gospel
of Christ, but taught that it was still necessary to keep the Law - with the surreptitious goal of obtaining
converts to Judaism.

Although its unlikely the believers in Philippi would be deceived into thinking the Law could save them,
or sanctify them, they may have been considering it as a means of protecting themselves from persecution -
because if they took on a Jewish identity, their fellow citizens in Philippi would tend to accept them -
Judaism being a tolerated religion, in the Empire.

Paul is warning them of the danger that any religious system of works poses to a Christ One. Their
compromise will halt their progress in the faith and destroy their witness - by conduct that is unworthy of
the gospel of Christ.

Now, it could be that the believers in Philippi might attempt to rationalize their prospective plan in the flesh
- to conduct themselves as Jews under the Law - as just an alternative way to pursue righteousness - their
walk of faith.

But as Paul continues, well see that he takes his friends in Philippi by the hand and walks them through his
own personal experience as a religious Jew, so that they can understand for themselves that doing this
would never meet Gods standard of righteousness - they would make no progress in their faith, at all.
Ill read verses 3-11, but well only be looking at verses 4-6 today.

[Philippians 3:3-11]

So Paul was showing them what he himself discovered: that a religion of works like Judaism can never
meet the righteous standard of a righteous God; that standard of righteousness can only be met, in Christ -
by believing in Him, and then living through Him.

In this way, Paul creates a contrast between religious works, done by placing ones confidence in the flesh -
and trusting in Christ. And as Paul continues with his personal experience, he shows that once he saw this
distinction, he left his former manner of life forever and completely behind - for the surpassing greatness of
knowing Christ.

Paul will continue with his personal experience as a Christ One, through verse 14, and then conclude with
an exhortation, to the believers in Philippi. But this week, well just consider Pauls former manner of life,
in Judaism - and how his perspective on it changed, after he came to know the Lord.

In verse 3, Paul calls believers the circumcision. Having received the circumcision of Christ by being
joined to Him, through faith, believers have put off the body of the flesh, through death with Him.

So Paul says, believers therefore have no confidence in the flesh - not ever - but instead, believers serve
God in the spirit of life - eternal life for the body, which Jesus has shared with them.

They serve God by following the leading of the Holy Spirit, and walking in that spirit of life. They live,
trusting in Christ Jesus - putting all their confidence in Him.
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But the believers in Philippi were not trusting in the Lord, with their circumstances, in their city. They
were terrified of their adversaries (1:28), and appear to have been considering a plan of protection - self-
protection. They were thinking of putting their confidence in the religious system of Judaism - complying
with the Law, which the Jewish teachers held up as the way to live righteously.

And even though these believers had experienced living righteously through their faith in Christ, in their
desperate state of mind, the righteousness based on the Law may have started to look like a desirable
alternative for sanctification to them - and certainly, less troublesome in their city.

But theres just one problem with that. The Law cant sanctify a man, any more than it can justify a man.
Paul needs to drive this reality home to the believers in Philippi, so that they wont be able to rationalize
their plan for protection as a means of sanctification - trying to live righteously, by the Law. And for that
purpose, Paul calls upon a foremost authority on Judaism and the Law: himself.

If anyone could have confidence in the flesh - if anyone could boast in his standing, before God - trusting in
who he was, and what he did, to earn Gods approval - it was Paul. The Jewish teachers who came to
Philippi couldnt hold a candle, to Pauls credentials, and he goes on in verse 5 to record them.

Paul begins with what was conferred to him, by birth; and he starts with circumcision, which the Jewish
teachers held up as the initiation rite for a Gentile into the religion of Judaism.

Paul was circumcised the eighth day - showing that he was born a Jew - that his parents were Jews - and
that they complied exactly with the Law, since the eighth day became codified in the Law of Moses as the
proper day for male infants of the Jews to be circumcised (Lev 12:3) - as had been given to Abraham (Gen
17:12). Paul was showing that he was a Law-abiding Jew, from his birth! If there was any benefit towards
God in being circumcised, Paul had it.

Paul continues, that he was of the stock, or lineage, of Israel. He was of pure heritage - unmixed with any
of that unclean, lawless Gentile blood. He was a full member of Gods nation, Israel, which means prince
with God. They were the chosen people of God - the nation God made, for Himself.

And further, Paul was of a favored tribe - the tribe of Benjamin - which means, son of the right hand.
Israels first king came from that tribe, Saul - Pauls namesake. And the city of Jerusalem rested in the
territory of that tribe - the city where the LORDs name would dwell, forever (Psalm 132:13-14).

Paul had an illustrious pedigree. He sums it up by simply saying, he was a Hebrew of Hebrews. The term
Hebrew was how a Jew referred to himself.

Abraham was the first one to be called a Hebrew (Gen 14:13). It literally means man from the other side,
for Abraham had come from the other side of the Euphrates River, when God called him out of the land of
the idolatrous Chaldeans. The Canaanites viewed Abraham as a stranger, in their land - the man from the
other side.

So the word carries the thought of being separated from the world, separated unto God. But the Jews
simply viewed this as separated from the other nations; that is, the Gentile nations. Israel was uniquely
privileged, as Gods nation; and Paul viewed himself as particularly privileged, with his heritage.
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But that was just half of the picture. Indeed, Paul had an impeccable Jewish ancestry; but then there were
his many accomplishments. Paul wrote to the Galatians, I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my
contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers (Gal
1:14).

Paul began his religious education as a youth in Jerusalem - probably about five years of age. He testified
that he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3) - one of the most influential religious leaders in
his day.

As a disciple of Gamaliel, Paul would have received extensive training in the OT Scriptures as well as in
the oral traditions handed down from the elders. If Paul followed a typical course, he would have begun to
learn the Law in his fifth year, and oral traditions around his tenth year. Sometime after his thirteenth year,
Paul would have been considered qualified to teach the Law.

How do you think Gamaliel would have taught his disciple Paul? Well, Gamaliel was a Pharisee. The
word Pharisee means separated one. The Pharisees viewed themselves as separated from all that was
unclean - and it was the Law that upheld that separation.

The Pharisees were considered the legal fundamentalists of Judaism. Paul would have been taught the
strict letter of the Law - with utmost rigor and severity. And he would have been taught meticulous
observance of the complex maze of traditions and works, that came to be the Pharisees interpretation of the
Law. Law was life, to the Pharisees.

So when Paul says, concerning the Law, a Pharisee, he is saying someone who knew the Law inside and
out - and then some. Pauls comprehensive education in the Law gave him great confidence in the flesh,
that God approved of him.

Then there was also Pauls zeal toward God - surely God was pleased by that! But was it a genuine zeal for
God? No - it was misplaced religious zeal.

From his perspective in Judaism, Paul viewed Jesus as an imposter - a false Messiah, leading fellow Jews
astray. Paul would cite the manner of Christs death as a sure token of Gods disapproval of Him - for Jesus
had been put to death on a cross, and in the Law it is written, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree
(Gal 3:13, Deut 21:23).

Paul must have thought that was the end, for Jesus. But instead, it turned out to be the beginning - a new
beginning - as the followers of Jesus began to proclaim Him alive, preaching that He is the Messiah of
Israel - and the Savior of the world. And many, many Jews were believing it to be true. Something had to
be done.

So the zealous Paul did it. He spearheaded a movement to crush what he perceived to be a heresy - one
that was staining the pure religion of Judaism. In Galatians, he wrote, For you have heard of my former
conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it (Gal 1:13).

Paul saw to it that the disciples of Jesus in Jerusalem were arrested. Then he testified against them, and
even forced them to blaspheme (Acts 26:10-11), with the goal of ensuring that they were put to death.

Paul went after both men and women; and when believers fled the persecution in Jerusalem for other cities,
Paul obtained letters of extradition from the religious rulers, and then he pursued them. In his religious
fanaticism, Paul persecuted those who believed into Jesus to the death.
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Remarkably, Paul lays this out here as the height of zeal, for his religion of Judaism. His intent is to show
that Judaism, pursued with fervency, is completely and utterly opposed to Christ and His church -
something for the Philippians to think about! When Paul the persecutor encountered the risen Lord on the
road to Damascus, the Lord asked him, Why are you persecuting Me? (Acts 9:4).

Paul had achieved the height of learning, and the height of zeal, in his religion of Judaism. But there was
one more thing which gave Paul confidence, that he basked in the approval of God - his righteousness.
Concerning that, Paul says, he was blameless - without any fault.

But what could Paul have meant, by that? Could Paul have meant that he never sinned? Thats not
possible. In fact, the very Scriptures Paul knew by heart include the statement by the Psalmist, there is
none righteous; no, not one (Ps 14:3).

The clue comes from how Paul qualifies his righteousness - its righteousness which is in the Law - the Law
of Moses, which Paul strictly adhered to, according to Pharisaical interpretation.

Paul is referring to observable conduct - outward conformity to rules and regulations. Sabbath-keeping,
food laws, ritual cleanliness - these were the chief concerns of the Pharisees. And if you break one of the
rules, then make the offering that the Law demands - and that way, you remain blameless. No one has any
ground to accuse you of being in violation of the Law of Moses; youve seen to it.

This is how religion works - it gives you a system, by which seemingly, you can make yourself right with
God - and you can keep yourself that way. And at one time, Paul was fully confident in his flesh, in that
system. He knew the system, and he knew how to work it.

The only problem was Pauls heart. While his religion was telling him he was blameless, his heart was
telling him he was indeed to blame. And when he had his personal encounter with the risen Lord on the
road to Damascus, his heart was exposed - the light exposed the darkness. Paul would later say that he
could not see, for the glory of that light (Acts 22:11).

All that Paul saw before, he could no longer see. But what he could see now was the Lord of glory - in His
righteousness. And Paul, who has always viewed himself through his religious lens as righteous, now came
to see that he was in fact the chief of sinners (1 Tim 1:15) - utterly unrighteous.

Paul came to see that his religion held up the Law as the means to become righteous before God, and to
then live righteously. But Paul related to the Roman assemblies that the Law could do neither of these
things; Judaism had deceived Jews into thinking thats what the Law was for.

Turn to Romans chapter 7. In Romans chapter 3, Paul spoke about justification - right standing with God.
He established that by the deeds of the Law, no flesh can be justified in the sight of God - because by the
Law is the knowledge of sin (Rm 3:20).

Paul meant by this that doing the Law doesnt make men righteous before God; its how men come to see
that theyre unrighteous; that theyre sinners. So much for the Jew, trying to by justified by the Law!

Now Paul has moved on to the issue of sanctification - righteous living. In chapter 7, Paul is specifically
addressing those who know Law - who would that be? The Jews.
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Jewish believers, who had tried to keep the Law their whole lives in order to be live righteously, had
difficulty in seeing that they were now free from the Law - in Christ. In the first part of the chapter, this is
exactly what Paul makes clear to them - that when they united themselves to Christ by faith, they died - not
just to sin and death, but also to the Law; Christ delivered them from it (Rm 7:6).

But if theyre free from the Law, how will they keep from sinning? Paul reveals this, through his own
personal testimony - first, his experience as an unbelieving Jew, trying to keep the Law; then, his
experience as a new believer in Christ, trying not to sin.

Well begin with verse 7.

[Romans 7:7-8:2]

v. 7 Paul often raises rhetorical questions, in order to refute them - as he does, here. He has just said that
Jewish believers have been delivered from the Law of Moses; they died to it (7:6). But that doesnt mean
that theres something wrong with the Law; that its evil, or sin. Its just that for those who are in Christ,
the Law no longer serves the purpose that God intended it for.

Remember, Paul has already written, by the Law is the knowledge of sin (3:20). Theres one of its chief
purposes - to come to know sin. Paul wasnt saying men get to know what things are sinful, through the
Law (even though they might); Paul meant thats how they become acquainted with sin and its power over
them - that theyre a slave to the Sin. They see this, through the Law.

Paul gives an example - one that had a personal impact on him, as an unbelieving Jew. The Law says, You
shall not covet. What is coveting? Desiring something - strongly. Wanting something.

Now, Paul was a Pharisee - he knew the Law; he certainly knew that commandment, about coveting. But
as a Pharisee, he had never thought much about it; he was too busy minding his external conformance, to
the Law of Moses.

But once Paul thought about coveting, he realized it was something he did, all the time. Everyone does it.
Coveting is done with the heart, and the hearts of men in Adam are full of their own will - desires for self.
The commandment simply brought to Pauls attention how this sin of coveting had power over him - and as
Paul tried to control it, he found it only caused him to covet the more. As he wrote earlier, the Law makes
sin abound (Rm 5:20).

Paul uses colorful imagery to explain what happened to him.

v. 8-11 Paul is personifying the Sin here. Before Paul really understood coveting, it was as if the Sin was
dead, to him - he didnt even notice that he coveted. But once Paul started to think about the command not
to covet, and the fullness of what it meant, it was as if the Sin came alive in him - he discovered he coveted,
repeatedly.

And that just killed Paul; because, unlike his outward conformity, which he could always manage to make
himself do - dont eat this or that, keep the Sabbath - Paul found he just could not control the desires of his
heart. He stood guilty of breaking the Law - continuously. So the Sin kept paying Paul the wages he
earned - death. This is how Paul came to recognize he was not righteous, but an unrighteous sinner.
But that didnt mean there was anything wrong with the Law. And so Paul affirms its goodness.
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v. 12 The Law was doing exactly what God intended - making men acquainted with the fact that they stand
before God as condemned sinners.

v. 13 The Law didnt cause the unbelieving Paul to be subject to death - Gods condemnation. The Sin did
that, in Paul. What the Law did is show sin for what it really is - lawlessness, right within Pauls heart. Paul
was a rebel at heart, even though he outwardly conformed to the Law, as a Pharisee. And now, he
recognized this.

This was the conclusion of Pauls testimony, as an unbelieving Jew - marked by his use of the past tense, in
vv. 7-13. So he ends with the answer to his rhetorical question, from verse 7 - is the Law sin?

v. 14a the Law is not sin; quite the opposite. The Law is spiritual. It is a revelation of the will of God.

Then Paul continues, on a new note.

v. 14b But - I am carnal; better translated, I am of flesh - sold under sin. Paul is saying, I am in a flesh
body, which is a slave to the Sin.

Notice that the statement is in the present tense. And as Paul continues, it becomes evident he is continuing
his testimony, but now, as a believer - having placed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This was Pauls
initial experience, as a believer. He is showing how he struggled with sin - and then how he learned to
overcome it.

When Paul believed into the Lord, the Lord delivered Paul from sin; and Paul was justified; God declared
him, not guilty; he imputed Christs righteousness to Paul. But Paul had to learn how to live that
righteousness, in sanctification. Paul was still in that same body that he was born in - the one in which he
used to sin. And that created a conflict, in Paul.

v. 15 At first, Paul couldnt understand what was going on. For the first time in his life, he knew the will
of God; and he had every desire and intention, of doing it. But then he found that he didnt actually do
Gods will; he still chose to sin, instead.

v. 16 Paul is just saying that he has positioned himself with the Law, here - he finds himself exposing his
own sin, and condemning it - the very thing the Law does.

Then he had a realization.

v. 17 Do you think Paul is reneging personal responsibility, here? Hardly. Paul is again personifying the
Sin, to show how it seems to commandeer his body, against his true wish - which was to do the will of God.
This is a colorful way of expressing the struggle that goes on in all Christ Ones, when we first believe - and
are surprised to find that we still sin.

And why do we still do that? Because we are used to living by the senses of our body, processing its input,
and choosing for ourselves what we want - or dont want - according to our own will. Thats how we
always lived; we never knew the will of God before, nor did we care about it. But even when we come to
know it, as believers, we dont find any way to do the will of God - at first.

As Paul continues, he well expresses this struggle - and his search to find the power to do Gods will.
v. 18-20 So the flesh body is weak (Mt 26:41, Rm 6:19); it has no power in it, to do the will of God; and
mind over matter wasnt working. The Sin in Paul was stronger.
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As Paul continues, he switches his imagery to laws.

v. 21-23 Paul is talking about two laws, which he describes in various ways. In verse 21, Paul says, I find
a law, that evil is present with me. This law is further qualified in verse 23: it is another law, in the
members of Pauls body; and then later, he qualifies it further as the law of sin, in the members of his
body. What we see is that Paul is adapting his personification of the Sin, showing it to be like a law that
the body of flesh obeys.

Then Paul speaks of the law of God, in verse 22 - which is further qualified in verse 23 as the law of my
mind. As we have seen up until this point, what is in Pauls mind, what he desires to do, is the will of
God. But here Paul calls the will of God the law of God because he wishes to draw on a concept related to
laws. And this concept? That in cases where more than one law applies, the greater law will overrule the
lesser law.

So Paul shows these two laws - the law of sin, and the law of Pauls mind - are warring in the members of
his body. Which one wins? The law of sin. Paul cannot overpower sin with his mind, even though what he
has in mind is the will of God. The Sin wins, every time.

And of course, this was very distressing to Paul, as a new believer.

v. 24-25 Paul finally realized that he needed to stop looking in - and start looking up. He couldnt deliver
himself; he needed a Deliverer. Well, he already had one! - the Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ had not only delivered Paul from the penalty of sin; but also from the power of sin. And as Paul
began to more fully understand his complete deliverance from sin, he was enabled to serve the law of God -
that is, to do Gods will - all the while that the law of sin resided in his flesh - as it always will, until the
body of flesh is redeemed. Paul now had the victory over sin.

But wait a minute - he didnt tell us how he did it! We find that in the next chapter.

8:1 The latter part of this verse is not in the original manuscripts; it actually belongs down in verse 4,
where it is repeated. Paul is saying, to begin with, that theres no condemnation to believers in Christ -
now - while theyre learning to live their righteousness, in sanctification. Jesus took care of all sin, for all
time.

That frees the believer up for learning to live righteously. And finally, Paul passes on how he learned to
have the victory over sin.

v. 2 Remember the concept - that in cases where more than one law applies, the greater law will overrule
the lesser law. The spirit of life in Christ Jesus is the eternal life that He has given each believer for their
body - which will one day bear the fruit of a glorified body.

The law of the spirit of Life is a higher law - a heavenly law - that overrules the law of sin and death. All
the believer needs to do is to put that the higher law into effect - by believing it. The power to overrule sin
is there - but the believer must access it; and use it. And he does so by practicing.

I like to use the example of a hang glider. A hang glider uses the law of aerodynamics, to overrule the law
of gravity - aerodynamics is the higher law. But that wont do you any good unless you get in the hang
glider, and take a step of faith, will it? You have to practice; and practice makes perfect.
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Paul practiced, and learned to overrule sin. And in this way, he learned what it was to be truly righteous -
by faith, to live by the righteousness that he had received, from Christ.

And thats how Paul came to see how his religion had deceived him, concerning the Law. Judaism was a
false way to the true God, that beguiled its adherents into thinking the Law could make them righteous -
when the Law was intended to show them they were sinners. One cannot be obtain righteous standing, by
the Law, and one cannot live righteously by the Law.

A Christ One should never consider an exchange of his liberty - for legalism - for any reason. And from his
position of authority - as a Hebrew of Hebrews - Paul could say this to his friends, with confidence!

Reading: Romans 5:6-21, 2 Cor 5:17-21, Rm 10:1-4.