Philippians 3In Philippians 3 Paul tells us about how he is sold out to Christ and how he presses on to reach his goal and then encourages us to follow in his footsteps as we follow Christ. Your learning comes from reading and studying the Bible. After you have read the Scripture passage below, answer the following questions. It's a good idea to do them every day.
Philippians 3 (New International Version) 1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh- 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. 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. 7 But 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 9 and 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. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. 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. 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. 17 Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 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. 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.
Questions for Philippians 3Click here to download these questions for Philippians 3 as a PDF file Philippians 3 - Day One 1. Why did Paul state that writing the same things was no trouble and why was it a safeguard to the Philippians? 2. Paul tells the Philippians to be wary of those dogs, men who do evil and mutilators of the flesh. In Matthew 7:6 Jesus tells us not to give dogs what is sacred. What types of people are characterized as dogs in Revelation 22:15? 3. Which of the types of people or “dogs” described in Revelation 22:15 are also present in Philippi according to verses 2 and 3 and Acts 16:16?
Philippians 3 - Day Two 1. What do the following scriptures teach us about circumcision? Considering the explanations given regarding circumcision, what error seems to have taken place in Philippi regarding it?
What was the error? 2. Paul says in verses 3 through 6 that although he has seven reasons to put his confidence in the flesh, he does not. Why are these reasons cited here in Philippians and who do you think that he was appealing to in reciting them?
Philippians 3 - Day Three 1. How do we as Christians today rely on traditions or things we do for our salvation? 2. Here is The Living Bible translation of verse 7: “But all these things that I once thought very worthwhile-now I've thrown them all away so that I can put my trust and hope in Christ alone.” What did Paul gain instead from reading verses 8 and 9 in this third chapter of Philippians when he threw away the things he once thought worthwhile? 3. The word “know” in verse 10 means to have personal acquaintance or experience with. What did Paul want to experience, and what did he seek to gain in getting more knowledge of Christ from the experience?
Philippians 3 - Day Four 1. In verse 12 what is Paul pressing on to take hold of? 2. What is the message to the Philippians and to the church today in verse 15? 3. What can you do to run a better race for the goal?
Philippians 3 - Day Five 1. What does verse 19 tells us about these aspects of the enemies of the cross?
2. Verse 20 says we are citizens of heaven. What do you look forward to the most in heaven?
Philippians 3 - Day Six 1. What do we learn about the body of the resurrected Christ from the following verses:
2. What does a reading of 1 Corinthians 15:35-54 teach us about our own resurrected bodies?
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