Today was Week 107 of Rightly Dividing the Word of truth…our study / overview of Paul’s epistles to believers in this dispensation of the grace of God. Paul has given us a pattern in his life for us to study and to seek to emulate. He laid out four clearly defined phases of growth and development in his pursuit of knowing Christ.
Philippians 3:10-14: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
The four phases of growth in Paul’s life are:
- His struggle with the flesh – Romans 7:7-25
- His commitment to his mission – 1 Cor 9:19-27, Romans 8:28-30, Hebrews 12:1-3
- His growth through suffering – 2 Corinthians 4:7-12, 11:23-30, 12:7-12
- His final victory through faith – 2 Timothy 4:6-8
As we studied out a couple weeks ago in Hebrews 11:1-6, a simple layman’s definition of faith is “Believing what God says!” May we all exercise this simple definition in our personal lives each day, as we seek to be conformed to Christ!
We will continue our study of Philippians 3 this coming Sunday.