Philippians Explained | I Can Do All Things Through ChristSample

Philippians 3 | Self Righteous (Attack of the Joy Killers)

Host: Welcome to Through the Word, leading you on a journey through the entire Bible, one chapter at a time. Today Kris Langham guides us through the New Testament book of Philippians. Now to Pastor Kris.

Welcome back friends! Philippians chapter 3 today, and the attack of the joy-killers. Chapter 3 is a warning against a joyless and miserable sort of Christianity. How is it that Christianity makes some people joyful, kind-hearted, and awesome to be around – and turns others into judgmental, self-righteous trolls? Chapter 3 has the answer, and the solution. Let’s start in verse 1:

“Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord!” (Philippians 3:1).

Stop there. I like this command. Rejoice! Remember, Philippians is a joyful book, but it’s not about joy. Joy is just a result. The book is much more about how you think: mindset and attitude. Chapter 2 was a call to unity, by thinking of others above yourself. Humility. The Jesus attitude. And it is a joyful way to think.

So chapter 3 starts with a call to rejoice, but then a warning. There is another mindset that can steal your joy faster than the Hamburgler steals hamburgers. What is it? Verse 2:

“Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh” (3:2).

Now when Paul says to watch out for dogs, he’s not talking about my little terrier, George McDuff. These are rabid dogs with sharp fangs and a vicious disease that’s ready to infect. The disease is self-righteousness.

Righteousness means doing the right thing, and standing rightly before God. Self-righteousness then means making myself right – by my works, my strength, my…self. Now the problem with self-righteousness is that it destroys all of that beautiful humility and joy you just got in chapter 2. You can’t be self-righteous and others-centered.

Try to climb your way to heaven, and you’ll step on too many friends on the way up. And you’ll look down with scorn at all the folks at the bottom. It’s a miserable Christianity, wavering between pride, guilt, and judgmentalism. And it’s a false humility – anything focused on self is not humble.

How it happens is legalism: following rules instead of following Jesus. Now the big rule these guys were about was circumcision. That’s why Paul calls them mutilators of the flesh. So in verse 3:

“For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh” (3:3).

Paul reminds us that God doesn’t want us to serve Him by following a big checklist of do’s and don’ts. Jesus said that the Father is seeking those who worship in Spirit and in truth. And the key here is where you put your confidence. Self-confidence may seem like a good idea. But remember, Goliath was self-confident. David, on the other hand, was God-confident. When it comes to being good, self-confidence won’t work. As Paul says, we put “no confidence in the flesh” (3:3). But then in verse 7:

“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ” (3:7).

This is the great trade. Life in Christ is a massive trade-in. Many things you give up, many things you gain. I like to compare it to the game of Life. Remember that game? You’re playing Life, and all the kids are bickering and arguing and cheating – all to get fake money in a worthless game. And then your Dad walks in, and he whispers in your ear, “For every dollar in play money that you give away, I’ll give you a real dollar when the game’s over. Anything you give away in the game, I’ll match it in reality.” Suddenly everything changes. Suddenly the game is a joy! That’s following Jesus. Only the game is this life, and the reality is heaven.

Philippians is all about that big trade. In chapter 1, we traded this life for the next, “To die is gain” (1:21). In chapter 2, we traded self-centered life for the others-centered life. In chapter 3, we trade self-righteousness for Jesus-righteousness. And for Paul, the best part of that trade was knowing Jesus. Verse 8:

“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (3:8).

Host: Thanks for joining us for today’s quick audio guide. You can find the full audio guide for this chapter and hundreds more on the Through the Word app and website. Our apps are free and free to share, so tell your friends and take the journey together. And remember, faith comes by hearing, and hearing Through the Word (Romans 10:17).

Bible quotes in NIV unless otherwise stated.