Philippians 3:15-16

Passage

As many as are whole, we should think like this.  And if in anything you all should think differently, even God will reveal this to you.  In any case, into that which we attained conform into this same thing.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Whole.  Mature.  Complete.  Perfected.  There are many ways to get at Paul’s point in the first clause.  Remember that yesterday was about realizing that we arrive at salvation through the cross and respond out of the grace of God that we find at the cross.  Therefore, if we are wholly with God, we should think like this.  If we want to be mature in Christ, we should think like this.  If we want to be complete, we should think like this.  The mature in the faith are willing to come to the cross first and let salvation be about the cross.  The mature in the faith don’t put any basis of salvation on any works of mankind.  Instead, we work because we have been saved.  In fact, we anticipate much effort because it is through much effort on God’s behalf that we are saved.

In what way is maturity demonstrated by allowing salvation to be only God’s work?  Why does it take maturity to accept that salvation can only come through Jesus and not through our own work?  Why does it take maturity to put aside all of our human works and traditions and believe that God works salvation only through the cross?

Second Thought:

We need to be careful with the verse in this section regarding thinking differently.  Remember, Paul is talking here about how faith and works balance and work with each other.  Paul isn’t saying that in all things we must think exactly alike and do exactly alike.  Rather, Paul is saying that with respect to salvation through Christ and our calling to respond out of salvation we need to think this way together.  But there is absolutely freedom in that we all may be called to different ministries through our united salvation in the cross of Christ.  Paul is saying that if any of us think differently about salvation or that God desires much effort in response to salvation that God will reveal to such a person that they are wrong.

Why is it important to understand that we need to be united in our understanding of how salvation comes to us?  Why is it likewise important to understand that there is freedom in how God may ask us to respond to that salvation?

Third Thought:

We are to conform.  Conform doesn’t mean that we stay the same and rationalize ourselves.  To conform means that we change to become like something else.  Specifically, Paul is saying that as we see the great effort that God put into our salvation, then we conform to the same thing.  We are conforming to what we see in the cross.  We are striving and reaching out to be like what we see in the cross.

What does it mean to you to be conformed to the cross?  Are you conforming your life to the cross?

Passage for Tomorrow: Philippians 3:17-21