Philippians 3:12-4:1 V. 12. “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. V. 13. “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.

V. 14. “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. V. 15. “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. V. 16. “Nevertheless, whereunto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

V. 17. “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. V. 18. (“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. V. 19. “Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

V. 20. “For our conversation (citizenship,” NKJV) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: V. 21. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself. Philippians 4:1: “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.”

Outline of the Text: Pressing toward the Prize, Phil. 3: Walking by “the Same Rule,” Phil. 3: Following Paul’s Example, Phil. 3:17. “Enemies of the Cross of Christ,” Phil. 3: Our Heavenly Citizenship, Phil. 3: “Therefore…stand fast in the Lord,” Philippians 4:1.

Pressing Toward the Prize, 3: :12, “Not as though I had already attained.. 3:13, “this one thing I do, forgetting… – Single-minded determination. Not like Martha! – “Forgetting” things he had given up – “full of movement, onward, and upward.” 3:14, “I press toward the mark…high calling.. – Imagery of an athlete. I Cor. 9:24-27; 2 Tim. 4:6-7 – The “calling” is a “High calling!” 2 Thess. 2:14; Hebrews 3:1; Colossians 1:5.

Walking by the Same Rule, 3: “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded,” Philippians 3:15. – “Us,” referring to Christians in contrast to others. – “as many as be perfect,” or mature. I Cor. 14:20. “..Let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing,” Philippians 3:16. – “Walk” refers to our manner of life; it must conform to the “rule” of God. – “mind the same thing.” Note vs. 15,16,19.

Following Paul’s Example, 3:17 “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so…” Phil. 3:17. – “Followers” (mimetes), from which we get the word “mimic.” – “Mark” (skopeo) used in sense of fixing one’s eyes upon. “Mark” in order to imitate, in contrast to marking in order to avoid! Romans 16:17 Fix eyes on people we have “for an example,” or pattern. Cf. Acts 7:44; Hebrews 8:5.

Enemies of the Cross, 3: :18. “For many walk, of whom I have told you often…they are the enemies of the cross. – These “walk” in a different manner than that of Paul and faithful saints! Cf. v. 19; Jude 4. – Their Condition described: Their “god is their belly,” v. 19. Their “glory is in their shame,” v. 19. They “mind earthly things,” v. 19, in contrast to Colossians 3:2; Romans 8:5,6!

Our Heavenly Citizenship, 3: :20. “For (gar) our citizenship is in heaven” – In contrast to the “enemies of the cross..” – “We,” the ones cited in verse 17. 3:21. “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body – “We” were conformed to His death, v. 10; we shall be transformed like unto His glorious body – “according to the working whereby He is able to subdue all things..” If Jesus had power to create the universe, He has power to change our vile body!

“Therefore!” Philippians 4:1: “Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.” – In View of What Christ shall do for us: “So stand fast in the Lord!” We must “stand;” we must “stand fast;” we must “stand fast in the Lord” there is no excuse for giving up!

Some Practical Lessons: Christians must Practiced Blessed Forgetfulness, 3:13. There are good examples of people whom we should follow. There are bad examples of people we must not follow. Our Citizenship is in heaven. Christ is able to change our vile body! – Illus. tomb in Hanover, Germany over 150 yrs. old

Conclusion: The “saints in Christ…at Philippi” (1:1) were “saints” because they had obeyed the gospel of Christ, Acts 16: They were “in Christ” because they had been scripturally “baptized into Christ,” Acts 16:15; Galatians 3:27. They were also “saints” because they, like Paul, were pressing “toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God…,” 3:14.