Addresses on Philippians
Table of Contents
Addresses on Philippians: Philippians 1
There are a few thoughts at the close of the first chapter which might be well to consider. We didn't touch upon them last Lord's Day night, as the time was occupied considerably in connection with the gospel, but there is a very important line of things presented at the close which, I believe, gives character to the chapter. The apostle said, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." He has Christ evidently as the object before his own soul. All he is looking for; all he has before his eye now, is Christ. You will remember, he said he rejoiced that Christ was preached. He wasn't occupied with the fact that he was put in prison.; not so much with the difficulties the saints were passing through, but rejoicing in the fact that the gospel was being preached, and after that he breaks out with, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
The only object, therefore, it seems, that was-before the apostle's heart, was the Lord Jesus. So he can say, "Whether I live or whether I die, it is all well. If I live, it is to live Christ; and if I die, it would be gain." He would go to be with Him. So, to depart and be with Christ is far better, but he had the assurance given him that for the saints at Philippi, he could say, "For your sakes it was needful I should be left," and in this he was assured that he would be left here for their good. It is Christ to be manifested here, whether in living or in dying, and then he can say, "If I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor," or as a New Translation puts it, "It is worth while living." "I have a desire to depart, though it is worth while to live." Why? For their good.
Is this the natural man? No. If we were to think what the natural heart would bring out, we get that farther down. "For all seek their own, and not the things of Jesus Christ.”
Why is it we find so little in connection with the things of God? People say, "Where is the profit?" They say, "I haven't time for that. I have to attend to other things." We have our own desire, but has Christ His place in our hearts?
I don't mean that we should neglect what the Lord puts into our hands to do. For people to neglect their children or families,-things really their duty,-on the plea they have to serve the Lord, is wrong. The Lord doesn't give us one responsibility and overthrow it for another. Everything must be fulfilled, and done as for the Lord. But that isn't what we find in the heart. The natural heart is after his own things.
For the apostle, it was simply to live Christ. He says, "I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content." Do you think it was an easy place to be contented in prison? He might say, "I must get out, for I can't serve the saints as well." But he said in whatever place God saw fit to put him he was content. He has a desire. For his own good it would be better for him to be with that One he had seen in glory, but he is a strait betwixt two. For that which is dear to the heart of the Lord, is now dear to him; he said, "I am in a strait betwixt two, whether to be here for your good; or to go there for my good." But the assurance the Lord gave him, he was here for their good, and he would therefore abide.
Now, he says, "I want you to be like Christ, and your ways to correspond with what He is," and so he can say, "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”
What made the apostle to have such desires, so strange to man's natural heart? What a blessed manifestation of the result of the Spirit in him, and of the new life he had received. We all know full well, it never came from the natural heart. Just the opposite. Grace wrought it. He can say, "In nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God." He says, "Don't mind that adversary." Was he minding him? Not at all. He has still perfect confidence, and so he has the Lord before his heart, and although enemies put him in prison, he was not doubting at all about the gospel going out. He saw evidently there was a need to be striving together in the unity of the Spirit for the ' gospel, and not to be afraid of the adversary. Had there been a gift given to the Philippians? There was given to the apostle,-it was told him at the beginning what great things he must suffer for Christ's sake. "Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.”
Beloved, can we for a moment rejoice if we are given to suffer some? What is it for us? One is made to feel we are in a path of rejection, but if we can get the blessed Lord Himself before our hearts, and what joy He brings to us, then we can say there is a little suffering in rejection, but it is nothing when we think of what the apostles went through. They were persecuted. What were the trials for in the earlier days? It was to lead them out of the way. Satan tries us. Many things are brought to try us. What are these temptations for that he puts in our way? A little bit of the glory of this world for some. It was what was in Adam's heart, and ever since we are partakers of it. It is in one way and another the enemy comes with his trials upon us, and the object of his trials is always to lead us out of the path of faithfulness. It is given to us to suffer for Christ, and we have to suffer, although it may not be in the same way the saints did at that time.
God grant that we may have Christ before our souls, as our object, and that we may be over comers under the trials Satan brings upon us. Satan's trials are so subtle now, and that is why so many are led astray. He is lulling them to sleep. No doubt, if Christians were burned at the stake now, there would he more loyal hearts today.
“Having the same conflict. which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me." We don't have the same conflict. The apostle and the saints at Philippi had evidently the same trial. They were suffering then just as the apostle, and they were not discouraged because of the bonds of the apostle, but encouraged to stand more faithful and proclaim the glad tidings. But that which would keep them in faithfulness was what had filled the apostle 's heart, and that was Christ. So we might remark in the first chapter we have Christ as our object.
In the second, Christ as our pattern.
In the third chapter, Christ as our joy.
In the fourth, Christ as our strength.
Addresses on Philippians: Philippians 2
Now we turn to the second chapter, and find Christ brought before us as the pattern; and as a pattern He must be in contrast to the first Adam. He says: "If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels of mercies," etc. Why does he say that? If we bear in mind what we have been considering-there is suffering. They were sharing in his sorrow; now he says: "Fulfill ye my joy, that ye may be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”
Is it possible after getting Christ before us that there would be anything else but one mind? Yes. In connection with the saints who were looked down upon in the world, despised and persecuted on every side, could they be having such a thing before them as vain-glory? In being gathered to the Name of the Lord Jesus, there isn't the first thing to boast about. It is so surprising, in such a company as that, anyone would seek to be great. The very character of the company is nothing. The fact of being gathered around the Lord Jesus-everything in connection with the position and the manner, is making nothing of man, and yet there, in such a position, one finds the natural heart showing itself, and what does it show? What you get exhorted not to be done here. "Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves.”
Lowliness of mind is one of the most difficult lessons for us. I believe the only way we can ever manifest this in any measure, as I said before, is to get a blessed view of the new life and power of the Spirit, standing in contrast to what human nature is, in the first chapter. "Esteeming others better than ourselves" can only be by living Christ. When I find what a contrast there is between my own heart and Christ, and I find I am to put myself down in the lowest place, then it is easy to think of others as better than ourselves. Your failure isn't my failure, and mine isn't yours, although failure is failure. I mean we each have our own particular weak points.
Getting into the presence of the Lord is what brings about humility, and that is what enables us to esteem others better than ourselves. So he says, "Look not every man on his own things (qualities), but every man also on the things (qualities) of others." The moment I see Christ, if I look at myself at all, I see a contrast, and when I look at what there might be to praise myself for, then it is easy to think of one's self above others. Each one has his place to fill, and it is a blessed thing, dear friends, to be able to see in each one that the Lord is using and filling a place by that one, and I will never see this by looking at the person, but by remembering the Lord has put that one there. One may be there simply to manifest a lowly spirit, and one to try us and test us. One once said there was a brother in the assembly who was a real trial. I told him it might be what the Lord sees you need. To get this side, is a real joy. If everything were going on smoothly, how soon we would forget to look up. We get occupied with a company of nice people. If one were to say, "We have such a nice company of Christians," I would say, "Hold on, there is none of them good." The fact of the matter is, man is man, no matter where you find him, and one is going to be badly deceived in looking for a company that is all right. There is none such. Is the apostle giving these exhortations when there was no need of them? We need them today, and I am sure of this,-when the heart is in some measure in the presence of God, it will be made to feel how much we need these exhortations-to be down low, for that is our place.
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." He is not going to say, "I have certain people to bring you as an example.”
Christ is his object in the first chapter; now he says, "I want you to be like Christ. I will give Him as a pattern for you.”
Now notice, "Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." He was God, but made Himself of no reputation.
My dear friends, I know I am speaking to those who are the Lord's, and those who feel that every word in this book is a revelation from God. What man could ever have penned such words as these? At the beginning, we see Adam seeking to be lifted up from man to be God; and when this One comes upon the scene -He was God, equal with God-He empties Himself of His glory, and comes down here to be a man. Now, here is One changing positions. It was wrong for a creature to seek to change his place, but the Son of God had a right, if He saw fit, to take a low place. He came down here and became a man. Is not this a contrast? Is it not precious to our souls to meditate upon that Person, giving up all His glory and corning down into the midst of sinners!
“Who made Himself of no reputation." Is it not sad to find the opposite in man's heart? It will show itself, and very likely in a way that makes one ashamed afterward. Christendom is so full of this. Some fine speaker is hired to go to a certain place, and great efforts are put forth to get a crowd together; or they say, We will hire an evangelist to come and get up a revival. Think of these words, "Who made Himself of no reputation." Perhaps we needn't throw stones at the outside, but come closer to one's self, and take the truth home to his own soul. He sought no reputation. Are we willing to be nothing? It is needful for Him to withhold from us, or there would be the seeking of a high place. He makes no mistake as to what He does with us, so if He has seen fit to make nothing of us, rather let us rejoice. The blessed Lord who had a right to be everything, is the only man who has glorified God, and He makes Himself of no reputation in doing so, and took upon Himself the form of a servant. Would we like to be a servant? The blessed Lord has seen fit to be a servant, doing that which was needed for others. Where He saw need, He was ready to go, and the more we are occupied with the Lord, the more we shall be seeking to meet the need of this one and that one. We might be in a position that we could not meet all the need. It might call for strength of body, or a big pocketbook, or ability in the gospel, and so on, but if we have Christ before us, it will be our desire to serve others, and it will be wonderful to see how the Lord will enable us to, as we feel the need. He became a servant. That was a low place.
(To be Continued)
Addresses on Philippians: Philippians 2, Part 2
I used to wonder when I was quite young why it was that the Lord Jesus chose the death of the cross. Why not some other? Death had to be the wages of sin-death was separation, and we had to be separated from God on account of sin. Holiness and sin cannot dwell together, and so the Lord Jesus took what sin had brought in upon the world, although there was no sin in Him. He could have gone back to the glory as a man, but He was going there not alone; but to take others with Him, and seeing He was willing to make Himself of no reputation, and take that low place before the eyes of men, God says, "For that reason, I will exalt Him.”
Man at first said, "I want to be exalted," and he fell. The race is down. The Lord Jesus comes into that into which man fell-death, separation from God-and chose the death of the cross. There was no place lower. Men put Him there, but they could not have put Him there if He had not been willing to go. Was there ever a man like that before? Look at Him as He is going there-what a manifestation of divine life! Instead of reviling, He says nothing. When they say to Him, "I adjure Thee," etc., He would answer when put to such a test. Is that like your heart and mine? We hear some one saying something against us which is not true. How we are ready to stand up for ourselves; this is not like the Lord. How one's heart melts when he thinks of it. "When He was reviled, He reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously." How do we take the harsh things said about us? Do we pray for those who say such things? This is what the Lord did, and He exhorts the disciples to pray for their enemies. Who could write such words as these? No one. It is a revelation from God; not man's thoughts.
Only to be a little while longer here, and then I shall be with my Lord, and I shall be like Him. I shall not have this body in which I fail so much now, but a body even like unto His own body of glory-like Himself, then, in every way; and then the desire must come from the heart to be like Him down here. He humbled Himself when He was a man down here, and became obedient, even to death, and that the death of the cross. The One, the lowliest Man who ever trod this earth, is the One to whom every knee must bow; and we can say, He is the only One worthy of it.
Do you think for one moment the apostle could have rejoiced that Christ was being preached in contention? He as much as says, I don't care if Christ is preached in contention; that is all right, Christ is being preached. Isn't it blessed to get Christ so before the soul? Now he can say to them (13th verse), "Wherefore, by beloved," etc. I am absent from you, and not able to help you any longer, but I want you to work out your own salvation. "Your own" stands in contrast to his helping them in the past. Do this with fear and trembling. Why? Just because of these wretched hearts of ours. How am I to be able to manifest Christ? With a good deal of self-confidence, getting up in the morning and saying, "I am just going to see today how much I can manifest Christ"? No, that would not be with fear and trembling. Take the blessed Lord, as man, and what does He say? "Preserve me, O God, for in Thee do I put My trust." If the blessed Lord could take that place as man, how much more should I? The old Adam nature never could do it. It is the opposite in every particular. I have Christ-He is my life-and I have the Spirit of God, and am therefore responsible to work out my salvation with fear and trembling. Where is my strength? "For it is God that worketh in you," etc. So it isn't my strength; it is God that worketh in me. Then I may again utter these words, "Preserve me, O God," etc.
“Do all things without murmurings and disputings." Did the Lord do things with murmurings and disputings? The forty days in the wilderness, tempted of Satan, never brought a word of complaint from the Lord. It was that which enabled the apostle Paul to say, "I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." When in trial, the moment you bring the Lord in, the thought is: He has something to say to me, and then seek to know what He has for me to learn in the trial. When I think of that, I can't murmur. Murmuring comes when we forget to bring the Lord in.
“In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation," etc. What a contrast there ought to be with us and the world, and if this is laid hold of by our souls, and there is a manifestation of it in our general walk, no matter where we are, whether in meeting our brother, or in connection with a lot of ungodly people at work, Christ will shine out. When one thinks of all the Lord has done, we can't help saying, "Lord, preserve me." I know my heart is just the opposite, but I desire to manifest Christ in my ways and conversation. I am responsible, and have to answer for myself.
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Addresses on Philippians: Philippians 3, Part 1
Those of us who have been present the past evenings, have' noticed the character of truth that is brought before us in this Epistle, Christ being the subject. The first chapter presents Christ to us as the object for' our souls; and the second presents Christ to us as our pattern. So we get Christ as the One down here in His path of lowliness, and for us to follow for the little while we are left in this wilderness; but we get in the third chapter Christ as our joy, and we have Him as our joy, not as a man here upon earth, but as the One in the glory.
Now these saints were in danger, evidently, from what we get in the first verse of this chapter, of being led astray, in part, by Judaizing teachers, and so he says to them, "Finally, my brethren," etc. Those Judaizing teachers were not occupying them with the Lord Jesus, but with ceremonies; and you will always notice when you get Christians occupied with ceremonies, Christ is necessarily left out. The apostle has only Christ before His own soul, and ever did, I believe, from the time the blessed Lord spoke to him from heaven, and he was struck to the earth, hearing that voice, knowing it was the Lord in glory, the very One against whom he had been showing out the hatred of his heart; and no doubt with a good conscience, too, because he thought he was doing right in persecuting the very Church of God,-that which was dear to the heart of the Lord Jesus,-so dear, that when the Lord Jesus struck him to the earth, He said to him, "Why persecutest thou Me?" Not "Why persecutest thou My people," but "Me!”
Those people were dear to His heart, and just like a mother, if one would touch her child. She could bear persecution easier perhaps for herself, than to have her child bear it. It is a blessed thing for us to realize that we have such a place in the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ. While He is up there in the glory, He is concerned about us; watching over and thinking of us in every step of our path, and not allowing one thing to take place with us but what He sees is for the best. So He had allowed Saul to be a persecutor of His own people for a time, and He was using it for blessing, but He also had to say to him for the hatred that was in his heart. When he saw Christ in the glory, it changed his whole life, and gave character to the rest of his life down here, so much so that we get him writing much about Christ. The more we ponder over Him, the more we are made to rejoice, if we have found Christ as our Savior. It was not only the One in the glory, but it was the "Lord," so he can say, "What wilt Thou have me to do?”
He says it isn't a grievous thing to write again the words of exhortation to them. We were noticing some of the exhortations he gave, in the previous chapter, as to lowliness of walk, and following the blessed Lord in the path no man had ever walked before. We are enabled to see the abundance of grace bestowed upon the apostle, but he came short. No, one has ever been like the Lord in His low path. Now he is speaking of Epaphroditus in the close of the previous chapter, and about his being troubled because they had found out he was sick. He said he knew they were troubled. It was the work of the Spirit in Epaphroditus' soul.
Now he says, "Beware of dogs." Is that becoming to a man who is standing in such a position as Paul, to use such an expression, "Beware of dogs"? O, yes, here were those coming in, who were teaching doctrines that were contradicting the position which God had brought them into. He had brought them into a position of absolute grace, and not law. Was he, to stand aside, and allow those teachers to come in and use their doctrine, robbing the saints of their blessing? What shall he say then, as the expression of love to them? He says, "Beware." They want to rob you of your blessing. All that the Jews could have given was to the flesh, and this we get in the Old Testament, by the law. It simply appeals to man in the flesh;-God asking something from man in his natural condition, and man was unable to rise to it.
When we come to Christianity, God doesn't ask anything from us, but says, "I will give you what you need." So that which we get from God, comes from a source higher than ourselves, and necessarily rises to the source from whence it comes; but the law came from God, and came to say to man, "Come up here;" but it was not giving anything to man. Evil was in his heart; lawlessness was there, and so instead of anything to come from man to God, it only proved his inability.
In Christianity, it is just the opposite. God has come, in love to us, and that love has flowed from the heart of God into our hearts, and we love Him because He first loved us; not because He told us in the commandments to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart," etc. That never produced love in man. Now, He says, "I will come out and give you the love." Would it do for the apostle to allow these teachers to come in and rob these Christians? Where is the strength for those who are the Lord's, if not in the knowledge that God has come out to us? May we drink in afresh of what He has done, and thus overflow in praise and thanksgiving.
So he can say, "We are the circumcision," etc. Was that how they were worshipping, with ceremonies? No, that couldn't be. God has sent forth His Spirit into our hearts whereby we cry, "Abba Father." What does that mean? I know there are not many Christians today that are understanding the blessed privilege which is ours to be able to say, "Abba Father." You hear them saying; "Our Father which art in heaven," etc. A Jewish prayer, God at a distance, they down here; but one now, in the Spirit, brought right into the very Presence of God, and as in His presence, is able to say, "Abba Father.”
May we, while knowing this truth before, take it afresh into our souls, and rejoice in the abundance of grace that has put us into this position, we who are no better than those who were at a distance. It is a place of nearness. Therefore, by the Spirit we can worship God.
Could they, in the Old Testament times, have been rejoicing in Christ Jesus? Had the fullness of the heart of God been told out? No, the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Who shall we rejoice in? Christ Jesus. In whose name shall I present my prayers? In the name of the Lord Jesus? We worship God in His presence, and rejoice in Christ Jesus. This is something new. That is, I mean, in contrast to Judaism. These saints needed to be warned in regard to that. They were separate from the world.
(Continued from Page 75)
(To be continued)
Addresses on Philippians: Philippians 3, Part 2
The Jews had put Paul in prison, and it was through them the saints at Philippi were suffering. It is impossible that the apostle Paul could have done anything else, when he saw they were taking away from the Church, and bringing in that which never could satisfy and bring peace to the heart. Then he says, "Rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh.”
You say, "O, I believe in the ten commandments as applying to us at the present day." Then I say you have some confidence in the flesh. The law says to me to love the Lord my God with all my heart and with all my mind, etc., and a great many things it tells me to do. If I say that appeals to me, it appeals to man in the flesh, and I must have some confidence in the flesh. He says, "We are the circumcision." We are those separated from the world, and we have no confidence in the flesh. I am not going to put myself in that position where the law applies, and then find myself a failure, but perfection is to be found in Christ. This is very blessedly brought before us in Philippians, because he is showing all the way through, Christ as the portion for us in one way and another.
“Though I might also have confidence," etc. What was it he had to rejoice in the flesh If anybody could, he could. The fact was, he was a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin. He was as far as the law was concerned, blameless. That is, the law as before man's eyes. They couldn't find a flaw in the apostle Paul, although he was a murderer, for he was taking Christians to Jerusalem to have them suffer for the name of Christ. He thought he was doing God service. So he says, "I have more to rejoice in than any one of you, but shall I rejoice in that?" O, no. He says, "I have no confidence in the flesh." The flesh is set aside completely, and he says, "What things were gain to me" (all this position in Judaism that was gain to him), "I count but loss for Christ.”
The Christians that are here tonight might not be troubled much in regard to Judaism or Judaizing teachers. We are clear in regard to the contrast between Jews and Christians, and are really set free from the law, but has this no application to us? Yes, can we all say we "count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord"? With the apostle, his place of honor and glory was in connection with the religious Jews. Some seek their glory and honor in connection with religion today, and when they do, it is not an honor to the Lord. Others say, "I despise religion," and say, "I want my glory and honor in another line of things.”
Whatever may be the natural disposition of the heart, there is a desire for some glory here on earth, while it might not be a question of religious glory, but in another line. "I count all things but loss," etc. Let us think of what that is.
What was it that caused the apostle to have his heart so filled with Christ, that very One the masses of the people despised, and for which religious Jews put him in prison? While there, instead of saying, "I must have made a mistake," and that his belief was nothing, he says, "I have Christ for my gain." What had filled the heart of the apostle to cause him to speak like that? It was this: there was no one who could so fill the universe as the Lord Jesus. He had found that One-the center of all God's thoughts. Heaven and earth had been created by Him and for Him, and seeing that all things were for Him, no one could stand higher than the Lord Jesus, and now he says, "He is my lot, and all I want is Christ.”
If you turn to the Epistle of John it is very precious. There you get the source of this in connection with the Person of Christ. But if you turn to Peter you have the thought of the glory. It is "the glory that should follow," with Peter; but here, and in John, you get the Person of the Lord Jesus brought before the soul. I believe, dear friends, we cannot appreciate this in our souls, if there is a hankering after things down here. We need to get nipped, and it is grace on the part of God to do so for us, letting us taste of this poor world, and after all to be able to say there is nothing here, and when we get there, glad are we to turn to Christ, and say, "O, think of the glory of that Person.”
He has been a man; He has been down here, as we noticed in the previous chapter; now He
is up in the glory, and as a Man He is in the glory. What does that mean to your heart and mine? Man was made for the earth. Angels were there in the presence of God, but no man was there. Angels were created for that scene above, but now there is a Man in the presence of God and how came He there'? As we noticed before, He was with God before the world was, and He emptied Himself of that glory. He was equal with God, but He came down into this world, emptied Himself of all His glory and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted Him. He doesn't say in the second chapter, "Rejoice in the Lord." But after presenting Christ as the One risen and ascended, he can say, "Rejoice.”
Lowliness, humility, meekness of character is what becomes us, and in order to be that, it is to see Christ on earth. But if I want my heart to be filled with joy, I have to see a Man up in the glory, and that is Christ who was down here, exalted to that scene above, and I rejoice that there is a Man in the glory. What does it bring to us? It means this,-man is lifted from a scene where he deserves nothing but death, and now man can be taken from the depths of ruin, above the angels into the presence of God. Can our hearts rejoice in that? Who has gained it? Christ Jesus. Therefore, the apostle can say, "I count all things but loss," etc.
This world is going to be melted with fervent heat. We may get something here, or our hearts may go out after something in this poor world, but the time is not far distant when we shall be separated from this scene,-taken to the scene of glory, and shall be with that blessed One who has gone up there;-as we get in the close of this chapter, we shall be like Him. This is just like a tent to dwell in for a little while. Soon the stakes are going to be pulled up, and we are going to leave it, and we are going to be with Christ, and like Him. What shall I say? All things (whatever the character of glory down here), I will count but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.
There is a Man that has gained a victory over Satan; there is a Man that has been down into the depths where sin had plunged us; He has gone triumphant above the angels. Well may that blessed, glorious Person fill the apostle's heart to such an extent that he counts everything but loss.
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(To be continued)
Addresses on Philippians: Philippians 3, Part 3
What would you think of a man continuing to work on a salary of $500 a year, when he was offered a position at a salary of $5,000 a year? You would think him very foolish. He says, "I would have to give up my old position in order to take the new one." That is just like a poor sinner. May that blessed One fill our hearts more and more, so that we may say, with the apostle, "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.”
Now the apostle, as it were, has not reached there yet; that is, he has not landed in the glory, not obtained Christ-he has Him in his heart,-but he is pressing on, he says, toward that mark for the prize of the calling on high, and forgets those things he had before, or the things that are behind. If he were to think of those things he had before, he might have a hankering after them, just as the children of Israel did.
They had heard of Canaan, that wonderful land into which God was going to put them, but they had their minds on things they had left behind; they remembered those things, so they longed to go back, rather than to go on. The apostle says, "Forgetting those things," etc. Paul was living down here in this world, with his thoughts in eternity. He was living, I might say, in the atmosphere of heaven. That is our portion. I doubt not, if there were only a little more of this with us, we would soon find a bright light, as we noticed last night, shining in the dark scene.
He says, "I don't want to be found in my own righteousness, but in Him." That is what we have. Is not that better than the righteousness of the law? How much better. It is God's righteousness that meets all the claims of God, and glorifies Him. I can say, I have His righteousness. Why? Because I am in Christ Jesus. He can say, "Not as though I had already attained," etc.
Do you realize his thought of reaching on toward the goal, and his thought of being in Christ Jesus? If it is the thought of being in Christ Jesus, we have His righteousness, not we are going to have it, but we have it now, and are perfect, because we are in Him. The object before the apostle is this, that he is passing through the wilderness, and reaching on to the goal, and the nearer he gets, the brighter it gets.
Christ Jesus has laid hold of him; and beloved, Christ Jesus has laid hold of you and me, and that to put us in glory. The apostle says, "I want to get hold of that which I am laid, hold of for," so he presses on to it. If I know I am in Christ, the thing for me is to be like Him while down here, and pressing on toward that mark. "Be followers together of me," etc. The apostle had Christ so before him, and so presented Christ to them, that he can say, "Follow me." Others might not be able to say that, but I believe truly the apostle had a right to say it, for no one had such a view of Christ, and so presented Him as we get in this Epistle, and nothing is going to keep our hearts against all the efforts of the enemy, and the attractions of this world, but Christ for our souls.
The 18th and 19th verses are a parenthesis. That is a solemn word for Christians. I don't say these are Christians. Why does he bring that before them? The principle of it surely is to come home to our own hearts. Am I seeking gain, and at the expense of honor and glory to the Lord, to get along in this world? If I am, that 19th verse in principle, should come home to my heart and conscience.
“Our conversation (or citizenship) is in heaven from whence we look (not for the Savior, but) for the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior." That is, He is to come as Savior, hut not for the salvation of the soul. He has accomplished that. He shall appear the second time apart from sin. The first time He came in connection with sin, and was dealt with on account of our sins, and He will never come again for that; but what we get here is, He will come as Savior. In what way will He come as Savior for us? Notice the next verse. "Who will change (not our vile bodies, but) our bodies of humiliation," etc. God lets us into His thoughts and it is this: When He put man here on earth there was no such thing as corruption; but sin came in. What a creature Adam must have been when he came fresh from God, perfect in wisdom and knowledge! He had a perfect body, but sin came in, and he was mortal and corruptible, and now, dear friends, this is all the result of sin upon us, and it is a humiliating thing to us.
As an illustration; Suppose a man has lived a life of drunkenness, and sown the seed of corruption in his body, and in his old age he is converted. He still has in his body the result of his own folly. He carries it with him. It is a humiliating thing to him. Sin brought death in. Instead of being lifted up with pride and rejoicing, it is just to take the low place and say, "Yes, we are poor sinners, so have bodies of humiliation; death will take us if the Lord doesn't come." Satan would try to make us believe there is no such thing as sickness. The fact is, we have now a body of humiliation, but the Lord Jesus Christ is coming as Savior, and will change our bodies of humiliation, and fashion them like His own body of glory.
One once said she had a revelation from God that it was wrong to be sick. I said, "Are these the bodies we will have in glory?" Thank God, I am not going to have this body up there. I am going to have a body like His own body of glory. It is a body of humiliation now, but it is going to be changed like unto His own body of glory, and so He is going to come as Savior for this purpose. I am going to have my body fashioned like unto His own, and so if I am laid away in the grave, this corruption shall put on incorruptibility; and if living, this mortal shall put on immortality. Then shall be brought to pass (not now) the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory." The blessed Lord gained that victory when He arose; He gained it for me and He has gone up there into the presence of God, and I rejoice and look forward to the moment which is not far distant, when I shall have my body changed like unto His body of glory, and be forever with Himself.
How precious to find that in this way Christ is so presented to us as the joy of our hearts. God grant we may thus take every part as it is given to us, and see Christ down, here on earth as we get in the second chapter, and say, "That is the pattern for me.”
Meekness and lowliness is my path, but for the joy of my soul, it is to see Him up there, and know He is coming for me, and will change my body of humiliation, and fashion it like His own body of glory. What a comfort I Shall we then be seeking after earthly things? Not if that truth lays hold of us, and, as the apostle says, "When I am laid hold of for that." God grant we may lay hold of it, and easily forget the things that are behind.
(Continued from page 129)
(Concluded.)