Philippians 3
3
To Know Him Personally
1And that’s about it, friends. Be glad in God!
I don’t mind repeating what I have written in earlier letters, and I hope you don’t mind hearing it again. Better safe than sorry—so here goes.
2-6Steer clear of the barking dogs, those religious busybodies, all bark and no bite. All they’re interested in is appearances—knife-happy circumcisers, I call them. The real believers are the ones the Spirit of God leads to work away at this ministry, filling the air with Christ’s praise as we do it. We couldn’t carry this off by our own efforts, and we know it—even though we can list what many might think are impressive credentials. You know my pedigree: a legitimate birth, circumcised on the eighth day; an Israelite from the elite tribe of Benjamin; a strict and devout adherent to God’s law; a fiery defender of the purity of my religion, even to the point of persecuting the church; a meticulous observer of everything set down in God’s law Book.
7-9The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I’m tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God’s righteousness.
10-11I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.
Focused on the Goal
12-14I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.
15-16So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.
17-19Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I’ve warned you of them many times; sadly, I’m having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ’s Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.
20-21But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He’ll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
腓立比书 3
3
真正的义
1弟兄们,我还有话说,你们要靠主喜乐。我把这话再写给你们,于我并不为难,于你们却是妥当。 2应当防备犬类,防备作恶的,防备妄自行割的。 3因为真受割礼的,乃是我们这以 神的灵敬拜、在基督耶稣里夸口、不靠着肉体的。 4其实,我也可以靠肉体;若是别人想他可以靠肉体,我更可以靠着了。 5我第八天受割礼;我是以色列族、便雅悯支派的人,是希伯来人所生的希伯来人。就律法说,我是法利赛人; 6就热心说,我是逼迫教会的;就律法上的义说,我是无可指摘的。 7只是我先前以为与我有益的,我现在因基督都当作有损的。 8不但如此,我也将万事当作有损的,因我以认识我主基督耶稣为至宝。我为他已经丢弃万事,看作粪土,为要得着基督; 9并且得以在他里面,不是有自己因律法而得的义,乃是有信基督的义,就是因信 神而来的义, 10使我认识基督,晓得他复活的大能,并且晓得和他一同受苦,效法他的死, 11或者我也得以从死里复活。
向着标竿直跑
12这不是说我已经得着了,已经完全了;我乃是竭力追求,或者可以得着基督耶稣所以得着我的#所以得着我的:或译所要我得的。 13弟兄们,我不是以为自己已经得着了;我只有一件事,就是忘记背后,努力面前的, 14向着标竿直跑,要得 神在基督耶稣里从上面召我来得的奖赏。 15所以我们中间,凡是完全人总要存这样的心;若在什么事上存别样的心, 神也必以此指示你们。 16然而,我们到了什么地步,就当照着什么地步行。
17弟兄们,你们要一同效法我,也当留意看那些照我们榜样行的人。 18因为有许多人行事是基督十字架的仇敌。我屡次告诉你们,现在又流泪地告诉你们: 19他们的结局就是沉沦;他们的神就是自己的肚腹。他们以自己的羞辱为荣耀,专以地上的事为念。 20我们却是天上的国民,并且等候救主,就是主耶稣基督从天上降临。 21他要按着那能叫万有归服自己的大能,将我们这卑贱的身体改变形状,和他自己荣耀的身体相似。
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Chinese-Simplified Script: Chinese Union New Punctuation © United Bible Societies, 1989.