REJOICING IN RIGHTNESS--Philippians 3:1-11

     Paul found many matters to rejoice about although he was in prison.  In chapter 3, verses 1-11, he comes to some warnings and concerns which are right.  He was REJOICING IN RIGHTNESS.  First, he looked at:

I. THE PRESENT SITUATION--vv. 1 -3
     A. The Rejoicing--v. 1
          1. It is in the Lord.
               a. Finally
                    (I) Means as for the rest
                    (II) "Evidently Paul was about to close his letter, when he thought was directed into another channel--the
                         Judaizing teachers, and their attempts to undermine his influence." (Vincent, III:442)
               b. Rejoice in the Lord.
                    (I) "To rest satisfied in the interest they had in him and the benefit they hoped for by him.  It is the character
                         and temper of  sincere Christians to rejoice in Christ Jesus.  The more we take of  the comfort of  our
                         religion the more closely we shall cleave to it: the more we rejoice in Christ the more willing we shall be to
                         do and suffer for him, and the less danger we shalt be in of  being drawn away from him." Henry, VI:737)
                    (II) "This is a conclusion from what goes before, for as Satan never ceased to distress them with daily
                         rumours, he bids them divest themselves of  anxiety and be of  good courage.  In this way he exhorts them
                         to constancy, that they may not fall back from the doctrine which they have once received." (Calvin, 85)
          2. It is for our good.
               a. To write the same things
                    (I) Literally, "The go-on writing the same things."
                    (II) Paul was afraid to use repetition.
                    (III) What things are referred to here?
                         (A) Hardly a previous letter--We know of  no other to the Philippians.
                         (B) Hardly dissensions--this church was almost free of  them (Cf. 4:2)
                         (C) It may be the false teachers he is about to mention--but where else did he talk about them except
                              possibly in 1:15,16.
                         (D) The one subject repeated in this letter is rejoicing or joy (These two words occur 15 times).
               b. It is not grievous to me.
                    (I) Means irksome or shrinking, unready; thus, it is a vexation that arises from weary waiting.
                    (II) "Ministers must not think any thing grievous to themselves which thy have reason to believe is safe and
                         edifying to the people." (Henry, VI:737)
                    (III) When this writer has to repeat somethings here on this web site, he is not grieved by it, because he
                         knows it is necessary.
               c. It is safe for you.
                    (I) When there is repetition, it is for your benefit and safety.
                    (II) "It is good for us often to hear the same truths, to revive the remembrance and strengthen the impression
                         of  things of  importance." (Ibid.)
                    (III) This statement also serves to introduce the caution he is about to present.
     B. The Warning--v. 2
          1. The dogs
               a. Beware
                    (I) Three times he uses this word in this verse.
                    (II) Literally, look to
               b. What dogs are
                    (I) Not the friendly animals that we are use to--"Dr. Thomson says of  the dogs in oriental towns; 'They lie
                         about the streets in such numbers as to render it difficult and often dangerous to pick one's way over and
                         amongst them--a lean, hungry, and sinister brood.  They have no owners, but upon some principle known
                         only to themselves, they combine into gangs, each of  which assumes jurisdiction over a particular street;
                         and they attack with the utmost ferocity all canine intruders into their territory.  In those contest, and
                          especially during the night, they keep up an incessant barking and howling, such I is rarely heard in any
                         European city." ("Land and Book," Palestine and Phoenicia, 593; quoted in Vincent, III:443)
                    (II) "The Jews so termed the Gentiles which Jesus uses in a playful mood (. . ., little dogs) to the
                         Syro-Phoenician woman (Matt. 15:26).  Paul here turns the phrase on the Judaizers themselves."
                         (Robertson, IV:451)
                    (III) "The prophet call the false prophets dumb dogs (Isa. lvi. 10), to which the apostle here seems to refer.
                         Dogs, for their malice against the faithful professors of  the gospel of  Christ, barking at them and biting
                         them." (Henry ,VI:737; italics are his.)
          2. The evil workers
               a. Means deceitful workers
               b. "He calls them evil workers, meaning, that, under the pretext of  building up the Church, they did nothing but
                    ruin and destroy everything; for many are busily occupied who would do better to remain idle." (Calvin, 86;
                    italics are his.)
          3. The concision
               a. Means incision or mutilation
               b. There is a play on words here.
                    (I) They called themselves the circumcision.
                    (II) Paul called them mutilators.
               c. "They rent and tore the church of  Christ and cut it to pieces; or contended for an abolished rite, a mere
                    insignificant cutting of  the flesh." (Henry, VI:737)
               d. The early church was constantly plagued by Judaizers.
                    (I) Those who insisted that the Mosaic Law needed to be kept as well as trusting Christ
                    (II) Paul answered them extensively in the epistle to the Galatians.
     C. The Worshipping--v. 3
          1. The true believers
               a. Negatively
                    (I) True believers are not those who have gone through some outward ritual.
                         (A) This referred then to the rite of  circumcision.
                         (B) Today, it would refer to baptism, holy communion, church membership, or any other ritual, none of
                              which saves.
                    (III) This does not mean that God is through with the Jews as a nation; for they are still God's chosen people.
               b. Positively
                    (I) The contrast here is between a mere fleshly rite and a spiritual reality.--"We believers in Christ, the children
                         of  Abraham by faith, whether Jew or Gentile, the spiritual circumcision in contrast to the merely physical."
                         (Robertson, IV:451)
                    (II) The true believer is one who has put his or her trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour; have you?
          2. The correct worship
               a. "They worshipped in the spirit, in opposition to the carnal ordinances of  the Old Testament, which consist in
                    meats, and drinks, and divers washings, &c.  Christianity takes us off  from these things, and teaches us to be
                    inward with God in all duties of  religious worship." (Henry, VI:737)
               b. "Paul uses the Jews' word which denoted their own service of  Jehovah as His peculiar people." (Vincent,
                    III:444)
          3. The best joy
               a. Rejoicing in Christ Jesus rather than their ceremonies (There is always the danger of  making the form of
                    worship the worship itself.)
               b. "They rejoice in Christ Jesus, and not in the peculiar privileges of  the Jewish church, or what answers to
                    them in the Christian church--mere outward enjoyments and performances.  They rejoice in their relation to
                    Christ and interest in him.  God made it the duty of  the Israelites to rejoice before him in the courts of  his
                    house; but that the substance has come the shadows are done away, and we are to rejoice in Christ Jesus
                    only." (Henry, VI:737-8; italics are his.)
          4. The right attitude
               a. The term flesh--"For under the term flesh he includes everything of  an external kind in which an individual is
                    prepared to glory, as will appear from the context, or, to express it in fewer words, he gives the name of
                     flesh to everything that is apart from Christ." (Calvin, 89; italics are his.)
               b. "They have no confidence in the flesh, in those carnal ordinances and outward performances.  We must be
                    taken off  from trusting in our own bottom, that we may build only on Jesus Christ, the everlasting foundation.
                    Our confidence, as well as our joy, is proper to him." (Henry, VI:738; italics are his.)
               c. This serves as a transition to the next section.

II. THE PAST POSITION--vv. 4-6
     A. His Confidence--v. 4
          1. He could boast in the flesh.
               a. "As Paul endeavored to show that the believer in Christ has no confidence in the (Phil. 3:3), he chose first of
                    all to reveal that he, more than any one else, might have confidence in the flesh." (Good News, 3/77, 37)
               b. "He does not speak of  the disposition exercised by him, but he intimates, that he has also ground of  glorying,
                    if  he were inclined to imitate their folly.  The meaning therefore is, 'My glorying, indeed, is placed in Christ,
                    but, were it warrantable to glory in the flesh, I have also no want of  materials.'  And from this we learn in
                    what manner to reprove the arrogance of  those who glory in something apart from Christ." (Calvin, 89)
               c. Some on this web site might be able to boast of  their ancestry.
          2. If  other could boast, he could more.
               a. Paul's life before trusting Christ was well known.
                    (I) Galatians 1:14
                    (II) In verse 5, he summarizes it.
               b. He could boast more than all.
                    (I) "So as Paul spoke out against the heresies of  Judaism as he wrote to the Philippians, he listed his
                         qualifications, which would show anyone who wanted to boast in accomplishments that he had more
                         reason to boast than anyone else." (Good News, 3/77, 37)
                    (II) "Not satisfied with putting himself on a level wi th any one of  them, he even gives himself the preference
                         to them." (Calvin, 90)
     B. His Heritage--v. 5
          1. A covenant relationship
               a. Starts with circumcision
                    (I) The Jews were much concerned about this rite.
                    (II) "It is literally-- 'The circumcision of  the eighth day.'  There is no difference, however, in the sense, for
                         the meaning is, that he was circumcised in the proper manner, and according to the appointment of  the
                         Law.  Now this customary circumcision was reckoned of  superior value; and, besides, it was a token of
                         the race to which he belonged; on which he touches immediately afterwards." (Ibid.; italics are his.)
                    (III) "Probably many of  the Judaizers could not have boasted this, for some were no ,doubt Gentiles and had
                         been circumcised as adults.  For any who thought that circumcision was essential to salvation, Paul made it
                         clear that this amounted to turning circumcision into 'concision' (Phil. 3:2); that is, a mutilation of  the flesh."
                         (Good News, 3/77, 37)
               b. Shows observance of  the Law
                    (I) The Jews were also concerned about this.
                    (II) Cf. Leviticus 12:3
          2. A birthright privilege
               a. Stock of  Israel
                    (I) "Not a proselyte, but of  the original stock (. . .); not grafted into the covenant race.  A descendant of
                         Jacob, not an Idumaean nor an Ishmaelite." (Robertson, IV:445)
                    (II) "He did not have a mixed parentage as would have been true of  some of  the Judaizers.  Paul could trace
                         his lineage to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whose name was changed to 'Israel.'" (Good News, 3/77, 37)
               b. Tribe of  Benjamin
                    (I) "Not only could Paul lay claim to being an Israelite but he could also prove to which tribe he belonged.
                         Some were not able to do that because some of  the genealogical records had been lost or destroyed
                         during the Babylonian captivity after the temple was destroyed in 586 B. C." (Ibid.)
                    (II) "Not from one of  the lost tribes, but from that which gave to Israel its first king; which alone was faithful
                         to Judah at the separation under Rehoboam, and which had always held the post of  honor in the army."
                         (Vincent, III:445)
               c. An Hebrew of  Hebrews
                    (I) "The expression implies characteristics of  language and manners.  He might be an Israelite and yet a child
                         of  Greek-speaking Jews:  but his parents had retained their native tongue and customs, and he himself,
                         while understanding and speaking Greek, also spoke in Hebrew on occasion." (op. cit., 446)
                    (II) "A Hebrew of  the Hebrews, an Israelite on both sides, father and mother, and from one generation to
                         another; none of  his ancestors had matched with Gentiles." (Henry, VI:738; italics are his.)
          3. A learned position
               a. Touching the Law
                    (I) With reference or regard to the Law
                    (II) The Law of  Moses is particularly in view --"The validity of  that law was the principle upheld by the
                         Judaizers." (Vincent, III:446)
               b. A Pharisee
                    (I) In contrast to the Saducees who did not believe in the resurrection.
                    (II) "For learning, he was a Pharisee, brought up at the feet of  Gamaliel, an eminent doctor of  the law; and
                         was a scholar learned in all the learning of  the Jews, taught according to the perfect manner of  the laws of
                         the fathers." (Henry, VI:738)
                    (III) Was the son of  a Pharisee--Acts 23:6
                    (IV) "The Pharisees were the strictest sect of  Judaism.  They not only paid careful attention to the Mosaic
                         Law but also added many regulations of  their own." (Good News,  3/77, 37)
     C. His Life--v. 6
          1. Concerning zeal
               a. Zeal
                    (I) Great enthusiasm for a cause
                    (II) Sports fans illustrate zeal.
                    (III) "He showed that he was in good earnest though he had a zeal without knowledge to direct and govern
                         the exercise of  it." (Henry, VI:738)
               b. Persecuted the church
                    (I) "The Jews were particularly zealous against those who claimed that Jesus Christ was the Messiah.  Paul
                         indicated he had evidenced more zeal than his countrymen in this regard because he persecuted the
                         church." (Good News, 3/77, 38)
                    (II) cf. Acts. 9:1!2
                    (III) "No Judaizer could boast of  more zeal directed against the Christians than could Paul." (Ibid.)
          2. Concerning righteousness
               a. The righteousness which is in the Law
                    (I) Could refer to the letter of  it--"As far as the Pharisees' exposition of  the law went, and as to the mere
                         letter of  the Law and outward observance of  it, he could acquit himself from the breach of  it and could
                         not be accused by any." (Henry, VI:738)
                    (II) Could refer to the entire Law--"There can be no doubt he means by this the entire righteousness of  the
                         law for it were too meagre a sense to understand it exclusively of  the ceremonies.  The meaning,
                         therefore, is more general--that he cultivated an integrity of  life, such as might be required of  the part of  a
                         man that was devoted to the law." (Calvin, 92)
                    (III) Galatians 3:19-25
               b. Blameless
                    (I) Idea is found or proved blameless.
                    (II) "He knew and practised all the rules of  the rabbis.  A marvellous record, scoring a hundred in Judaism."
                         (Robertson, 453)
                    (III) "Paul was so zealous in the Jewish religion before his conversion to Jesus Christ that he had met all the
                         requirements of  the Law.  Surely this was something that not all Judaizers could claim." (Good News,
                         3/77, 38)

III. THE FUTURE GOALS--vv. 7-11
     A. The Loss--vv. 7, 8a
          1. What was gain--v. 7a
               a. The gain
                    (I) Literally gains showing the things done using the Judaizers standards
                    (II) "Paul had a natural pride in his Jewish attainments.  He was the star of  hope for Gamaliel and the
                         Sanhedrin." (Robertson, IV:453)
               b. Gain to him
                    (I) "He says, that those things were gain to him, for ignorance of  Christ is the sole reason why we are puffed
                         up with a vain confidence.  Hence where we see a false estimate of  one's own excellence, where we see
                         arrogance, where we see pride, there let us be assured that Christ is not known." (Calvin, 93; italics are
                         his.)
                    (II) You and I out of  Christ might think we have gain.
                         (A) Worldly pleasure
                         (B) Worldly prestige
                         (C) Worldly fame
                         (D) Worldly wealth
          2. What was lost--vv. 7b, 8a
               a. I have counted
                    (I) Means to think or to consider
                    (II) "It is significant that Paul used this word in the Greek perfect tense--referring to a completed act with
                         continuing effect.  That is, at some time in the past Paul had considered all these gains to really be losses--
                         and he still considered them to be losses." (Good News, 4/77, 16)
                    (III) In a sense he has turned his back on them.
               b. Loss for Christ
                    (I) Means damage
                    (II) "'I should have reckoned myself an unspeakable loser, if  to adhere to them, I had lost my interest in Jesus
                         Christ.'  He counted them loss; not only insufficient to enrich him, but what would certainly impoverish and
                         ruin him, if  he trusted to them, in opposition to Christ." (Henry, 738)
                    (III) The loss of  everything earthly is a small loss indeed!
               c. All things lost
                    (I) Here he uses the word count in the present tense emphasizing continual action.
                    (II) All things include those in verses 5, 6.
                    (III) Yea, doubtless
                         (A) He compounds the forcefulness of  his conviction with 5 particles.
                         (B) "but, indeed even also do I count all things but loss." (Henry, VI:739; italics are his.)
                         (C) "He means, that he continues to be of  the same mind, because it often happens, that, transported with
                              delight in new things, we forget everything else, and afterwards we regret it." (Calvin, 94)
                    (IV) All things--this is an advance on and more exclusive than the things of  verse 7.
     B. The Gain--vv. 8b, 9
          1. Have Christ--v. 8b
               a. The knowledge of  Him
                    (I) "He extols the gospel in opposition to all such notions as tend to beguile us.  For there are many things that
                         have an appearance of  excellence, but the knowledge of  Christ surpasses to such a degree everything
                         else by its sublimity, that, as compared with it, there is nothing that is not contemptible." (Ibid.)
                    (II) "The knowledge of  Christ to which Paul referred was a personal knowledge, because he had now trusted
                         Him as personal Saviour.  Being in right relationship with Christ by knowing Him personally far surpassed
                         anything Judaism offered.  And remember, Paul was one of  the most zealous people of  his time in the
                         Jewish faith (Gal.1:13,-14)." (Good News, 4/77, 17)
                    (III) Do you have this knowledge of  Him?
                    (IV) "Observe Paul's manner of  referring to Jesus Christ in Philippians 3:8--'my Lord.'  No longer was Jesus
                         Christ just a person who lived at a certain time in history as far as Paul was concerned, He was now Paul's
                         'Lord.'" (Ibid.)
               b. The suffering of  loss
                    (I) "He had quitted all his honours and advantages, as a Jew and a Pharisee, and submitted to all the disgrace
                         and suffering which attended the profession and preaching of  the gospel.  When he embarked in the
                         bottom of  the Christian religion, he ventured all in it, and suffered the loss of  all for the privileges of  a
                         Christian." (Henry, VI:739)
                    (II) "Imagine the way his family may have responded when Paul made it known that he believed Jesus Christ
                         was the Messiah that Israel had been waiting for.  Paul's stand for Christ probably cost him everything in
                         the way of  social standing among his family and relatives, as well as in the Jewish community.  But Paul
                         was more than willing to pay this price because of  what he had found in Christ." (Good News, 4/77, 17)
                    (III) Even to this day in some Jewish circles, when a Jew receives Christ, they hold a funeral for him and
                         count him as dead.
               c. The counting as dung
                    (I) This is the third time he uses the word count in these verses.
                         (A) Verse 7--have counted and still do
                         (B) Verse 8a--am continually counting
                         (C) Verse 8b--same as first part of  verse
                    (II) Counts them but dung
                         (A) The word dung can mean refuse or simply manure.
                         (B) "Paul, . . ., declares, . . ., that he had not merely abandoned everything that he formerly reckoned
                              precious, but that they were like dung, offensive to him, or were disesteemed like things that are throw
                              away in contempt." (Calvin, 96; italics are his.)
               d. The winning of  Christ
                    (I) The word win is similar to the word gain in verse 7.
                    (II) "Paul considered the greatest gain to be a right relationship with Jesus Christ, and no one can come into
                         that relationship unless he realizes that he is a sinner and has fallen short of  God's glory (Rom. 3:23).  Paul
                         was not referring to working for salvation but was contrasting what the world considers gain with what is
                         really gain." (Good News, 4/77, 17)
                    (III) "Paul was never satisfied with his knowledge of  Christ and always craved more fellowship with him."
                         (Robertson, IV:453)
          2. Be in Him--v. 9a
               a. Be found
                    (I) Discovered or proved to be
                    (II) The verb here is passive.
                         (A) He does not find himself.
                         (B) He is found, particularly when Christ comes.
               b. In Him
                    (I) "Paul commonly referred to believers as those 'in Christ,' and here he refers to being 'in Him.'  Paul viewed
                         each individual as either in Christ or not in Christ." (Good News, 4/77, 17)
                    (II) This is our position as believers.
                    (III) Illus:  being in a room
          3. Have His righteousness--v.9b
               a. Negatively
                    (I) "Not thinking that my outward observances and good deeds are able to atone for my bad ones, or that by
                         setting the one over against the other I can come to balance accounts with God." (Henry, VI:739)
                    (II) Cf. Isaiah 64:6
                    (III) "So as Paul wrote the Philippians, he made it clear that a righteousness which is based on the Mosaic
                         Law is not a sufficient righteousness.  Of  course, the Judaizers were those who based their claim of
                         righteousness on their faithfulness to the Law.  The purpose of  the Law, however, was never to make a
                         person righteous, or to justify him; rather, it was to make him conscious of  his sin." (Good News, 4/77,
                         18)
               b. Positively
                    (I) A righteousness through faith in Christ
                    (II) "Here Paul made it clear to the Philippian believers and also to the Judaizers that God's righteousness was
                         not to be obtained through works, but through faith in Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for sin." (Ibid.)
                    (III) "No, the righteousness which I depend upon is that which is through the faith of  Christ, not a legal,
                         but evangelical righteousness:  the righteousness which is of  God by faith, ordained and appointed of
                         God." (Henry, VI:739; italics are his.)
                    (IV) By faith
                         (A) "Resting upon faith, or on the condition of." (Robertson, IV:447; italics are his.)
                         (B) "Faith is the ordained means of  actual interest and saving benefit in all the purchase of  his blood."
                              (Henry, VI:739)
                         (C) Cf. Romans 3:24-26
     C. The Goal--vv. 10, 11
          1. The knowing of  Him--v. 10a
               a. "To have personal acquaintance or experience with.  This is Paul’s major passion, to get more knowledge of
                    Christ by experience." (Robertson, IV:453)
               b. "To Paul, salvation was only the beginning, not the end.  This is why he said, 'That I may know him.' Salvation
                    had delivered him from condemnation, but now Paul, desperately wanted to know more about Jesus Christ,
                    who died in his place so that he could have salvation through faith in His shed blood." (Good News, 4/77, 40)
               c. Once you have trusted Jesus Christ as Saviour, God wants you to go on to maturity--"God feeds His children
                    in response to an appetite and a desire, and apart from that desire, there is no feeding.  And apart from that
                    feeding, there will be no growth, and apart from that growth, there can never be spiritual maturity.  Spiritual
                    giants are not born, they are made." (Ibid.)
          2. The power of  His resurrection --v. 10b
               a. This is the second thing Paul wants to know by experience.
               b. "Notice, it is not just 'resurrection' he wants to experience; rather, it is the 'power' of  Christ's resurrection that
                    he wants to experience.  The word translated 'power' (. . .) refers to power in the sense of  'ability.'  Paul
                    realized that the same power operable in raising Christ from the dead was the only power that could give him
                    the ability he needed for living the victorious Christian life." (Ibid.)
               c. This has to do with our sanctification--the process of  being made holy --"Observe, The apostle was as
                    ambitious of  being sanctified as he was of  being justified.  He was as desirous to know the power of  Christ's
                    death and resurrection killing sin in him, and raising him up to newness of  life, as he was to receive the benefit
                    of  Christ's death and resurrection in his justification." (Henry, VI:740)
          3. The fellowship of  His sufferings--v.10c
               a. Partnership or participation in Christ's sufferings
               b. "Faith makes a believer one with a suffering Christ." (Vincent, III:448)
               c. The nature of  it
                    (I) For Paul
                         (A) Cf. Acts 9:16
                         (B) "Paul had not drawn back form this suffering; in fact, the Book of  Philippians was written several
                              years after his conversion, and even then Paul was still considering it a privilege to fellowship in the
                              sufferings of  Christ." (Good News, 4/77, 40)
                    (II) For believers--1 Peter 4:12-14
          4. The conforming to His death--v. 10d
               a. The phrase being made conformable
                    (I) One word in the Greek and indicates the action is going on at the same time as the knowing.
                    (II) "The most radical conformity is thus indicated: not merely undergoing physical death like Christ, but
                         conformity to the spirit and temper, the meekness and submissiveness of  Christ; to His unselfish love and
                         devotion, and His anguish over human sin." (Vincent, III:448)
               b. To His death
                    (I) "That he might be conformable unto him, and this also is meant of  his sanctification.  We are then made
                         conformable to his death when we die to sin, as Christ died for sin, when we are crucified with Christ, the
                         flesh and affections of  it mortified, and the world is crucified to us, and we to the world, by virtue of
                         the cross of  Christ.  This is our conformity to his death." (Henry, VI:740; italics are his.)
                    (II) Some of  the Scriptures
                         (A) Romans 6:1-11 deals extensively with it.
                         (B) Galatians 2:20
                         (C) Galatians 6:14
                         (D) Colossians 2:20
                    (III) "There is, however, twofold participation and fellowship in the death of  Christ. The one is inward--what
                         the Scripture is wont to term the mortification of  the flesh, or the crucifixion of  the old man, which
                         Paul treats in the sixth chapter of  the Romans; the other is outward--what is termed the mortification of
                         the outward man.  It is the endurance of  the Cross." (Calvin, 99; italics are his.)
                    (IV) "'The agony of  Gethsemane, not less than the agony of  Calvary, will be reproduced however faintly in
                         the faithful servant of  Christ.' (. . .).  'In this passage, we have the deepest secrets of  the Apostle's
                         Christian experience unveiled.'" (Robertson, IV:454)
          5. The attaining of  the resurrection--v. 11
               a. If  by any means
                    (I) Not an expression of  doubt
                    (II) It is a modest hope or humility.
                    (III) "Paul’s words 'if  by any means' is literally 'if  somehow.’  Paul was not sure of  the means, but he had his
                         eyes fixed on the goal, which was that he might 'attain unto the resurrection of  the dead.'" (Good News,
                         4/77, 41)
               b. The resurrection of  the dead
                    (I) Literally, the out resurrection from the dead.
                    (II) "The happiness of  heaven is here called the resurrection of  the dead, because, though the souls of  the
                         faithful, when they depart, are immediately with Christ, yet then happiness will not be complete till the . . .
                         resurrection of  the dead at the last day when soul and body shall be glorified together."  Resurrection
                         "sometimes signifies the future state.  This the apostle had his eye upon; this he would attain." (Henry,
                         VI:740)
                    (III) "Some say this is a reference to Romans 6 where the believer is said to have died with Christ and has
                         also been raised with Christ to walk in newness of  life.  Taking this parallel, one would see Paul's basic
                         desire as wanting to daily experience the resurrection life that Christ had intended for every believer."
                         (Good News, 5/77, 41)
                    (IV) "There is a sense that the out resurrection from the dead could also refer to the physical resurrection
                         inasmuch as only believers will be resurrected when Christ appears in the air at the end of  the Church Age
                         (I Thess. 4:16, 17).  Since the unsaved are not resurrected at that time, it could be said that the Christians'
                         resurrection is an 'out resurrection from the dead.'" (Ibid.)
                    (V) This writer takes it that this is in view--"It is not that Paul doubted whether he would be living when Christ
                         returned or would have died by that time." (Ibid.)

     The apostle has been in this section of  Philippians, 3:1-11, REJOICING IN RIGHTNESS.  He examined The Present Situation in verses 1-3.  He considered The Past Position that was his in verses 4-6.  He then looked forward to The Future Goals in vv. 7-11.  Verse 10 gives the key to the passage as well as to Christian living.
     If  you know Christ as your personal Saviour, then you desire should be to know Christ, the power of  His resurrection in your life, and the fellowship of  His sufferings.  You should desire to be more conformable to His death--cf. Romans 6: 11ff.
     None of  this is possible to you if  you have not trusted Christ; go to How to be Saved; then, believe on Him now!