I. The Christian’s Standing (Phil. 3:1-9)

The prominent thought in the first nine verses of this chapter is not that of a guilty sinner
appropriating to himself the blood of Jesus for pardon, but rather of a law-keeper casting aside,
as dross, his own righteousness because he has found a better. We need hardly say that Paul was
a sinner and that, as such, he availed himself of the precious blood of Christ and in that found
pardon, peace, and acceptance with God. This is plainly taught us in many passages of the New
Testament. But the special point here is not a sinner getting his sins pardoned, his guilt cleared,
and his shame covered, but a legalist laying aside his righteousness, a scholar casting away his
laurels, and a man abandoning his vain glory, simply because he had found true glory, unfading
laurels, and an everlasting righteousness in the Person of a victorious and exalted Christ. It was
not merely that Paul, the sinner, needed a righteousness because, in reality, he had none of his
own; but that Paul, the Pharisee, preferred the righteousness which was revealed to him in Christ,
because it was infinitely better and more glorious than any other.

It is not merely that my sins drive me to Christ; but His excellencies draw me to Him. True, I
have sins and therefore I need Christ; but even if I had any righteousness, I should cast it from
me and gladly hide myself "in Him." It would be a positive "loss" to me to have any righteousness
of my own, seeing that God has graciously provided such a glorious righteousness for me in
Christ. Adam was naked, and therefore he made himself an apron; but it would have been a loss
to him to retain the apron after the Lord God had made him a coat. It was surely far better to have
a God-made coat than a man-made apron. So thought Adam, so thought Paul, and so thought all
the saints of God whose names are recorded in Scripture. It is better to stand hi the righteousness
of God which is by faith, than to stand in the righteousness of man which is by the works of law.
It is hot only mercy to get rid of our sins through the remedy which God has provided, but to get
rid of our righteousness and accept, instead, the righteousness which God has revealed.

Thus, then we see that the standing of a Christian is in Christ. It is not partly in Christ and partly
in law; partly in Christ and partly in ordinances. If anyone teaches a standing other than "found
in Him," he is not teaching Christianity at all. To be found in Him is proper Christian standing.
This is the great foundation of true practical Christianity.

II. The Christian’s Object (Phil. 3:10-17)

The Greek philosophers had a motto, "Know thyself.” Christianity has a loftier motto, pointing
to a nobler object. It tells us to know Christ_to make Him our object. This, and this alone, is the
Christian’s object. To have any other object is not Christianity at all. The true Christian’s desire
will be embodied in these words, "That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and
the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death" (verse 10). It is not that
I may get on in the world, make money, attain a high position, or be popular. No, not one of these
is a Christian object. It may be very well for a man who has got nothing better to make such
things his object. But the Christian has Christ. It may be well enough for a man who does not
know Christ as his righteousness to try to work out a righteousness for himself; but to one whose

standing is in a risen Christ, the fairest righteousness that could be produced by human efforts
would be an actual loss. So it is in the matter of an object. The question is not, What harm is there
in this or that? but, Is it a Christian object?

Now Paul’s one object was Christ. Whether he was stationary or traveling, whether he preached
the gospel or gathered sticks, whether he planted churches or made tents, Christ was his object.
At all times and in all places he could say, "One thing I do." This was not merely Paul the apostle
or Paul the raptured saint, but Paul the living, acting, walking Christian_the one who addresses
us, "Brethren, be ye followers together of me." We should never be satisfied with anything less
than this.

We have in Philippians 3 a model of true Christianity; let us ever and only aim thereat. If we find
our hearts going after other things, let us judge them. If we are always occupied with our proper
object, we will have our character formed, for it is the object which forms the character. If money
is my object, my character is covetous; if power, I am ambitious; if books, I am literary; if Christ,
I am a Christian. It is not here a question of life and salvation, but only of practical Christianity.
If we were asked for a simple definition of a Christian, we should say, "A Christian is a man who
has Christ for his object." This is most simple. May we enter into its power, and thus exhibit a
more healthy and vigorous discipleship.

III. The Christian’s Hope (Phil. 3:20,21)

The standing of the Christian is to be found in Christ; the object of the Christian is to know
Christ; and the hope of the Christian is to be like Christ. How beautifully perfect is the connection
between these three things. No sooner do I find myself in Christ as my righteousness than I long
to know Him as my object; and the more I know Him, the more ardently shall I long to be like
Him, which hope can only be realized when I see Him as He is. Having a perfect righteousness
and a perfect object, I just want one thing more, and that is to be done with everything that hinders
my enjoyment of that object.

Now putting all these things together, we get a complete view of true Christianity. We would ask
the reader to pursue this marvelous theme for himself. Let him rise above all the imperfections
and inconsistencies of Christians and gaze upon the moral grandeur of Christianity as exemplified
in the life and character of the model man presented in this chapter. May both the writer and the
reader say, "Let others do as they will, as for me, nothing short of this model man will ever
satisfy my heart. Let me turn my eye from men altogether and fix it intently upon Christ Himself,
and find all my delight in Him as my righteousness, my object, my hope.”
(From Miscellaneous Writings, Vol. 1.)