June 7
PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER 3
( The Process Of Salvation )
-What a wonderful journey that Philippians chapter 3 takes us on. It is the journey of salvation. It is the
journey of our full salvation! Full salvation? … Yes! FULL SALVATION!
-In Philippians chapter 3:1-6 the apostle Paul gives us a list of credentials that he had accumulated in his
years previous to his encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. He then goes on to say that these things were but dung compared
to the EXCELLENCY of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. He further states, that we are to have NO CONFIDENCE in the flesh, but
we are to worship God in the Spirit, and to rejoice in Christ Jesus. Paul then begins to speak of a process in which he finds
himself in. This process which he speaks of is the process of his salvation.
-Paul characterizes his salvation as being found in Him ( Christ ), not having his own righteousness, but having
the righteousness which is through the faith of Christ. He goes on to state his earnest desire to know Him in the power of
His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings. Paul acknowledges that he has not fully attained his goal, nor is
he perfect yet, but rather he determines to forget the things that are behind him, pressing toward the mark for the prize
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
-Paul makes it clear to us that he has not yet attained his final blessed state in Christ, neither is he already
perfect. SURELY WE CAN SEE THAT HE CONSIDERS HIMSELF TO BE IN THE PROCESS OF GOD’S SALVATION! It is a process
that brings us from recognizing our flesh, having no confidence in the flesh, and to worshipping God in the Spirit. Can we
be honest with ourselves in admitting that we have not fully attained to this, nor have we fully apprehended the One Who has
apprehended us? We are not fully saved yet! WE ARE BEING SAVED!!!
- The key to growing in the Lord is in realizing that you have much growing in the Lord to do. If Paul
had already arrived at the fullness of his salvation, then what was he pressing toward? Why was he saying that he counted
himself as not having apprehended the fullness of his salvation yet? Paul understood and taught that man was made up of spirit,
soul, and body. He knew that his spirit was saved, his soul was being saved, and that his body was yet to be saved. These
three aspects of salvation are referred to as justification, sanctification, and glorification. No wonder that Paul said that
he counted himself not to have apprehended. He knew that his salvation process would continue until the Lord Jesus Christ
did change his vile body, that it would be fashioned like unto His glorious body ( Philippians 3:21 ).
-Let us rejoice in our salvation. We have been saved, we are being saved, and we shall be saved.
-WHAT A HOPE!-
-WHAT A SALVATION!-
