Philippians 3-4…

Morning!

Raises his cup of coffee

It is Friday May 9th of 2025.  We have a rainy cool morning here in the nation’s capital with a high of 66 forecast and the rain is supposed to go through most of the day.  It’s an umbrella day and maybe some rubber boots too.

The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

The Lord is good.  The Lord is eternal.  The Lord is sovereign.  The Lord is one.  Who are we?  To put a finer point on it—who are we in Him?  For it is by grace through faith that we are saved—not because of works.

None of us who call ourselves Christians should be boasting in works.  And that truth continues throughout our lives; it does not change once we become believers.  Our good works are laid out for us to walk in, predestined by God, so that no man may boast.

Our identity is found in Jesus Christ so that…

James 1: 9-11

“Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.   For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes.  So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.”

Today we are picking our study back up in Philippians and we are turning to Chapter 3 where we will be finding Paul talking about our identity in Jesus.

So.

Let’s start today with a question.

Who are we?

Identity: (Noun)

- The distinguishing character or personality of an individual: Individuality, the relation established by psychological identification.  (Questionable)

- The condition of being the same with something described or asserted

- Sameness of essential or generic character in different instances, sameness in all that constitutes the objective reality of a thing: Oneness

- An equation that is satisfied for all values of the symbols

- Identity element

Do we look at the outer selves to determine who we are?

It is something of the rage today to talk about identity and there are a lot of people out there who want to claim their identities not based on truths.  So where do we as Christians look to ground ourselves in our identities?  We look to Scripture.  Let’s open up to Philippians 3.

Philippians 3: 1-11

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.  For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.  Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!  For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh.  If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.  But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.  Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Paul opens this chapter with a reminder to rejoice in the Lord, and I think we would do well to heed his reminder.  What Paul is talking about in this passage is coming to a truthful understanding of who he was before Jesus saved him—and who he is after.  We are one and the same person before and after salvation.  The difference, I’ve found, lies in our understanding—in recognizing who we are without Christ, and just how much we need Him.  The thought itself tempts me to switch out my coffee with something stronger.  Let’s not forget what Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians…

1 Corinthians 2: 13-16

“These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.  For who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?  But we have the mind of Christ.”

Paul states that we, as Christians, are to worship God in the Spirit.  We are to rejoice in Christ Jesus.  And we are to have no confidence in the flesh—and this is where things get even more interesting.  Paul goes through the list of things he used to identify with before he was saved.  He defined himself along the lines of race, taking pride in his heritage as a Jew.  He defined himself through family lineage, an important point of identity for most people in one way or another.  He defined himself through his religious beliefs and doctrine, mentioning his status as a Pharisee.  And then he does something particularly interesting: He defines himself according to what he did—his works.

Racial identity.

Familial identity.

Works identity.

All things that, when taken without Jesus as the context, lead to nothing good—according to Scripture.  Paul explains that all of the things he once found so important—all the ways he used to define himself—he now counts as loss.  Worthless.  Useless.  He leaves them behind for the excellence of knowing Jesus Christ.  More than that, Paul tells us that the way he used to define himself before Jesus saved him was rubbish.  Trash.  To be discarded.  A stumbling block to understanding his identity in Jesus.

Jesus taught us in Matthew 12…

Matthew 12: 46-50

“While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.  Then one said to Him, ‘Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.’  But He answered and said to the one who told Him, ‘Who is My mother and who are My brothers?’  And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.’”

We, as Christians, understand that none of us have righteousness of our own.  Our righteousness comes from Jesus.  Every single one of us is a wretched sinner in our own ways.  If we are indeed part of the vine of Jesus Christ, we can do nothing without Him.  We lay down our works—our personal works, the works we do for ourselves—and we replace them with works for Jesus.  Paul explains the reason he does this.  He tells us that he lays these parts of himself down in order to know Jesus Christ— more specifically, to know Him and the power of His resurrection.  Paul tells us that he strives to understand the sufferings of our fellowship with Jesus, so that he may live forever with Jesus.

So.

Here comes the question.

How are we doing with that?

Paul continues…

Philippians 3: 12-21

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected ; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.   Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.  Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.  Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.  For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame- who set their mind on earthly things.  For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”

Paul starts with a statement that gives me great hope: He did not consider himself to be perfected.  The great teacher and apostle Paul considered himself a student of Jesus as well.  He admits that there are things he does not apprehend—but he shows us how to stand fast on the things we do understand.  He reminds us to keep our sights on the upward calling of Jesus.  We are to seek out and pursue the things Jesus has for us to do for Him.

So.

How are we doing with that?

Paul continues…

Philippians 4: 1-9

“Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.  I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind, in the Lord.  And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.  Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I will say, rejoice!  Let your gentleness be known to all men.  The Lord is at hand.  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through christ Jesus.  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy- meditate on these things.  The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”

As Paul teaches: therefore, we stand fast in the Lord.  As we head out today to work out our own salvation, let’s take Paul’s reminders here to heart: Rejoice in the Lord—and rejoice always!  Let’s not forget today that blessed is the man or woman who endures temptation, for when we have been approved, we are promised the crown of life.  We do not have reason to fear our gentleness being exposed.  Instead, we are to let our gentleness be known to all.  And let us remember not to let anxiety—as much as we are able—rule our lives, but instead, let us rest in the peace of Jesus Christ.

Pray without ceasing.  Be thankful in everything.  As we go throughout our day, let’s not forget to take that which is good, that which is lovely, that which is just, that which is noble— and present these things to God in prayer.  Let’s roll them around with Jesus in our minds and allow the Holy Spirit to change us from within— because, as we should always remember…

Romans 12: 1-2

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

I think that’s a good place to start for the day.