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Philippians 3

  1. This chapter could be divided into two sections, verses 1-11 and verses 12-21, though this chapter flows very well as one section. Right at the beginning of the chapter, Paul gives two commands to the Philippians, what are they? Keep in mind that in the second half of the chapter there are two other commands (v15, v17), both have to do with imitating what Paul had just talked about in this chapter, so all of what Paul is saying, we are called to imitate.

  2. Read verse 2, read verses 17-19. How do these verses connect to each other?

  3. Verses 1-11 are a very encouraging section. In your own words, summarize this section in roughly 3 sentences.

  4. In this section, Paul shows humility in counting everything as rubbish for the sake of knowing Christ. We saw Christ's example of humility in Philippians 2:1-11. How do you think you could apply humility to your own life?

  5. What most interested you from this section (verses 1-11)?

  6. In verse 11, some of the more common Bible translations use the word "attain". Paul says, "that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." Paul does not mean that he did any work to earn this resurrection from the dead. The word attain here in the Greek means "to come, arrive; to result, happen." From verses 12-13 how does this attaining of the resurrection happen?

  7. As Christians we are called to good works (Phil 2:12, Titus 3:8, James 2). Paul in verse 15 commands us to think the way he describes in verses 12-14. Describe this way of thinking and why we are supposed to think this way.

  8. In this last paragraph, verses 17-21, Paul calls the Philippians to imitate the mature Christians. Verse 19 describes the end of the enemies of Christ, verses 20-21 describes the end of those who walk with Christ.

    Summarize these two different endings for the 2 different groups of people.

  9. What most interested you from verses 12-21?

  10. From verses 12-21 what lessons of pressing on toward the goal (verses 12-16) or imitating mature believers (verses 17-21) do you want to apply to your life?