Emmaus Saturday Morning Men’s Bible Study Ý
Copyright 2004 by William Meisheid

Philippians: Chapter 3:1-11                             Saturday, March 6, 2004

Today’s theme: The flesh will not sustain us.

Scriptural background: 2 Chronicles 32:8 “With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

Quotes to think about

"The savage bows down to idols of wood and stone: the civilized man to idols of flesh and blood." - George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), Irish-born British playwright, founder "Fabian Society," Nobel

“But this contentment of the flesh, to which the soul must not be given over to be enervated doth oft beguile me, the sense not so waiting upon reason as patiently to follow her; but having been admitted merely for her sake, it strives even to run before her, and lead her. Thus in these things I unawares sin, but afterwards am aware of it.” Saint Augustine. (354–430).  The Confessions of St. Augustine.

Review

1.  Name one thing you learned from the first two chapters that will cause you to be different in your Christian life. Why?

2.  How can you use what you learned in the first two chapters to make to your experience of Lent more successful?

Chapter 3:1-11

¹Finally, 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.

1.  Why is writing the same things a safeguard to the Philippians? What does this verse tell us we should be doing?

²Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.

2. Who is Paul talking about here?

³For 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--

3.  Why does Paul say believers are the true circumcision?

⁴though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵circumcised 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; ⁶as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.

4. What is Paul’s purpose in detailing his history here?

⁷But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸What 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

5. What does this say about worldly accomplishments? Then what really matters in life?

⁹and 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.

6. What underlying truth is Paul expressing here that ties back to the previous verses?

¹⁰I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

7. There is an implication in Paul’s words. What is it?

Assignment

Read Chapter 3 verses 12-21 and think about perseverance, of staying the course. Isn’t that half the battle?