The Call to Rejoice and the Warning Against False Teachers
The Call to Rejoice and the Warning Against False Teachers
1Finally , my brethren , rejoice in the Lord . To write the same things to you , to me indeed is not irksome, but for you it is safe . 2Beware of the dogs , beware of the evil workers , beware of the concision : 3for we are the circumcision , who worship by the Spirit of God , and glory in Christ Jesus , and have no confidence in the flesh :
Paul's Personal Testimony
4though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh : if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the flesh , I yet more : 5circumcised the eighth day , of the stock of Israel , of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews ; as touching the law , a Pharisee ; 6as touching zeal , persecuting the church ; as touching the righteousness which is in the law , found blameless. 7Howbeit what things were gain to me , these have I counted loss for Christ . 8Yea verily , and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord : for whom I suffered the loss of all things , and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ , 9and be found in him , not having a righteousness of mine own , even that which is of the law , but that which is through faith in Christ , the righteousness which is from God by faith :
The Pursuit of Christ
10that I may know him , and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings , becoming conformed unto his death ; 11if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead . 12Not that I have already obtained , or am already made perfect : but I press on , if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus . 13Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold : but one thing I do , forgetting the things which are behind , and stretching forward to the things which are before , 14I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus .
Living as Citizens of Heaven
15Let us therefore , as many as are perfect , be thus minded : and if in anything ye are otherwise minded , this also shall God reveal unto you : 16only , whereunto we have attained , by that same rule let us walk . 17Brethren , be ye imitators together of me , and mark them that so walk even as ye have us for an ensample . 18For many walk , of whom I told you often , and now tell you even weeping , that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ : 19whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly , and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things . 20For our citizenship is in heaven ; whence also we wait for a Saviour , the Lord Jesus Christ : 21who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation , that it may be conformed to the body of his glory , according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself .