Tag: Philippians 3:20-21
Alive in Christ!
Scripture reading for September 9: Colossians 2
“In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the powerful working of God, Who raised Him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.” Colossians 2:11-15
Paul wanted to insure that the Colossian believers had a full understanding of the will of God working in their lives through repentance and faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. He used the image of circumcision to describe God’s surgery done on each person who repents and believes. The old covering of flesh and sin is cut away without human hands by the Holy Spirit in the removal of the old nature from man’s heart. This is acted out by faith in water baptism when we symbolically are ‘buried’ in the water in identification with Christ’s death and burial. In baptism we are then raised up out of the water in identification with Christ’s resurrection to life. We are buried in sin’s deadness but raised in eternal life’s promise of a future glorified body.
Legally, the satanic rulers and authorities, had accusations of sin written up against us and these accusations stood before God. But God in His justice, took these accusations and nailed the record of our debt to the cross of His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus died taking the punishment for our sins, thus disarming these rulers and authorities and making a show of them openly. We now have victory over our sins and their penalty of death through faith in Christ’s blood and sacrifice on the cross. In Christ’s resurrection we have the guarantee of eternal life and a glorious body like unto Christ’s body. (Philippians 3:20-21)
Does your world view include an invisible element of demonic forces against us? Does it include the invisible realm of Heaven and God’s throne where Jesus is seated awaiting His return? Have you taken advantage of the forgiveness of your debts nailed to Jesus’ cross?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for defeating the rulers and authorities of Satan’s false kingdom of accusers through the cross of Jesus Christ. I have and now identify with Jesus’ through water baptism and through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. I await Jesus’ soon return in power and glory! Amen!
Once for All!
Scripture reading for August 18th: Hebrews 9
Key Scriptures: Hebrews 9:24-27 “For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then He would have had to suffer repeated since the foundation of the world. But as it is, He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.”
The Hebrews Jewish believers were familiar with the Old Testament sacrifices which had been offered by priests for hundreds of years. They had to be offered over and over because they were imperfect and just a type of the final sacrifice. They were offered in an earthly tabernacle and then the temple at Jerusalem. This was also a type or model of the true temple in Heaven where God Himself was enthroned. The writer of Hebrews states that the resurrected Jesus Christ entered heaven itself with His own blood once for all to offer the last and perfect Sacrifice for the sins of the world. This sacrifice would be efficacious for all time, available for access by faith in Jesus Christ, the enthroned High Priest Who ever lives to make intercession for us. Jesus Christ is coming again! He will not deal with sin but will fulfill His promise of eternal life and a transformed body to all who are eagerly waiting by faith for Him!
Hebrews 9:14 “. . .how much more will the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, thank You for sending Jesus Christ as the final Sacrifice for the sins of all the world. You left no one out and included all who would repent and believe! I am a citizen of heaven and await my Savior Jesus Christ and my full salvation of a glorious body like His glorious body. Fill me with the Holy Spirit today to empower me to be ready and share Christ’s great love and Good News!
Philippians 3:20-21 “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself.”
Knowing the Savior!
Scripture reading for June 3rd: Philippians 3
Key Scriptures: Philippians 3:7-11 “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith--that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”
Paul’s letter to the Philippians from jail contains amazingly insight into his own thinking in light of possible death by execution. Paul’s clearly stated desire was to know Jesus Christ in a deeper and fuller way. He had suffered the loss of his freedom and possessions, but desired to obtain that which could not be taken from him. He longed for righteousness that came from faith in Jesus. The righteousness he sought was a gift from God, not obtained by works of the law or human effort. Paul was willing to share in Christ’s sufferings becoming like Him in His death so that, like Jesus, he also would be raised from death. He hadn’t yet laid hold of this, but he was pressing on to know Christ Jesus and by faith trusting Christ’s promise of eternal life!
Philippians 3:13-14 “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what likes behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for revealing Yourself to me and all who know You. Help me to hold the things of this world lightly and to lay hold of that for which You have laid hold of me. I stretch my heart towards knowing You and the fellowship of Your sufferings and the prize of eternal life in Your presence. Give me open doors to share this Gospel with the lost.
Philippians 3:20-21 “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself.”
Vision to Stand Firm!
Scripture reading for September 4th: Psalm 147-150, Philippians 3
Key Scriptures: Philippians 3:20-4:1 “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body. Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!”
As Paul was concluding his letter to the Philippians, he cast vision of Christ’s return and the expectation of believers. Christ’s return would bring the ultimate transformation of human flesh to those who trusted in Him. Lowly earthly bodies will be transformed into eternal heavenly bodies, just like Christ’s. This is vision that enables faith and a firm stand.
Psalm 148:13-14 “Let them praise the Name of the Lord, for His Name alone is exalted; His splendor is above the earth and the heavens. He has raised up for His people a horn, the praise of all His saints, of Israel, the people close to His heart. Praise the Lord!”
Prayer: Lord, we praise You and Your Horn, Jesus Christ our Savior. We look forward to Your return for us and the transformation that will take place at that time! Amen.