Philippians Student Commentary
Philippians 3:1–6
The Danger of Trusting in Ourselves
How to Use This Commentary
Go as deep as you’re ready to go.
Start by reading Philippians 3:1–6 in your Bible. Then choose how deeply you want to explore the passage.
The Big Idea
Our confidence before God cannot rest in our family, accomplishments, good behavior, Bible knowledge, or religious activity. Those things may be good, but they cannot save us. Our confidence must rest in Jesus.
Philippians 3:1–6 at a Glance
REJOICE: Christian joy is rooted in Jesus, not how impressive our lives look.
WATCH: Be careful about placing confidence in yourself instead of Christ.
REMEMBER: Even good things cannot do what only Jesus can do.
PAUL’S EXAMPLE: Paul had an impressive spiritual résumé, but it could not save him.
CONFIDENCE: God’s people boast in Christ Jesus rather than themselves.
Let’s Understand the Passage
Paul is about to compare everything he once trusted with the value of knowing Christ. But first, he asks us to think carefully about where our confidence really rests.
What Makes You Feel Good Enough?
Think about the things that can make you feel good about yourself.
Getting good grades.
Making the team.
Being good at something.
Having people like you.
Being known as the “good kid.”
Even spiritual things can make us feel impressive.
Going to church.
Knowing the Bible.
Serving.
Growing up in a Christian family.
Staying out of trouble.
Most of those things aren’t bad.
Some of them are really good.
But there’s an important question underneath all of them:
WHAT ARE YOU TRUSTING TO MAKE YOU RIGHT WITH GOD?
Paul knew what it was like to have an impressive spiritual résumé.
If anyone could look at his life and think, “God should accept me because of everything I’ve done,” Paul could.
But Paul discovered that even his best accomplishments could never do what only Jesus could do.
1. Rejoice in the Lord
Philippians 3:1
Paul begins this chapter with a command we’ve already heard in Philippians:
REJOICE IN THE LORD.
Those last two words matter.
Paul doesn’t say rejoice because everything is going your way.
He doesn’t say rejoice because you’re successful.
He doesn’t say rejoice because everyone likes you.
He says rejoice in the Lord.
Paul is a prisoner and his circumstances are uncertain.
Yet he can still have joy because Jesus—not Paul’s circumstances—is the source of his joy.
Christian joy isn’t built on how impressive our lives are. It is rooted in Jesus.
2. Be Careful What You Trust
Philippians 3:2–3
Paul’s tone suddenly becomes much stronger.
He warns the Philippians about teachers who wanted Christians to place their confidence in outward religious requirements instead of Christ.
Paul takes that seriously because the gospel itself is at stake.
If we can make ourselves right with God by doing enough religious things, then we don’t really need Jesus to save us.
But Paul says God’s people put no confidence in the flesh.
In this passage, “the flesh” isn’t simply talking about your physical body.
It includes all the things about ourselves we might point to as reasons God should accept us.
“My family is Christian.”
“I go to church.”
“I know a lot about the Bible.”
“I’m a pretty good person.”
“I’m not as bad as some other people.”
Those statements sound different, but they can all become ways of saying:
“GOD SHOULD ACCEPT ME BECAUSE OF SOMETHING ABOUT ME.”
The gospel tells us something completely different.
Our confidence is not in ourselves.
Our confidence is in Christ.
3. Good Things Can Become the Wrong Things to Trust
Philippians 3:3
This is where we need to be careful.
Paul isn’t saying church attendance is bad.
He isn’t saying knowing Scripture is bad.
He isn’t saying obedience doesn’t matter.
He isn’t saying growing up in a Christian home is something to be ashamed of.
Those can all be good gifts.
The problem begins when we trust those things to do something they were never able to do.
GOOD THINGS BECOME DANGEROUS WHEN WE TRUST THEM TO DO WHAT ONLY JESUS CAN DO.
Going to church cannot forgive your sin.
Your parents’ faith cannot save you.
Bible knowledge cannot make you righteous.
Serving cannot earn God’s acceptance.
Being better behaved than someone else cannot make you right with God.
We need Jesus.
4. Paul Had an Impressive Spiritual Résumé
Philippians 3:4–6
Paul isn’t criticizing people from the outside.
He knows exactly what it feels like to trust in your own spiritual accomplishments.
So Paul opens up his old spiritual résumé.
And it was impressive.
Circumcised on the eighth day — Paul had received the covenant sign according to Israel’s practice.
Of the nation of Israel — Paul belonged to God’s covenant people.
Of the tribe of Benjamin — Paul could point to his Jewish heritage.
A Hebrew of Hebrews — Paul had a strong Jewish identity and background.
A Pharisee — Paul belonged to a group known for serious commitment to the law.
Zealous — Paul had been so committed to what he believed that he persecuted the church.
Blameless according to outward righteousness under the law — Paul’s religious life looked incredibly impressive.
Paul wasn’t someone who ignored religion.
He had devoted his life to it.
If someone asked, “What have you done to prove you’re serious about God?” Paul had a long list.
But that list could not save him.
5. Your Spiritual Résumé Can’t Save You Either
Your résumé probably doesn’t look like Paul’s.
But you can still create one.
Maybe yours sounds something like this:
“I’ve been in church my whole life.”
“I was baptized.”
“I know the Bible.”
“I go to youth group.”
“I serve at church.”
“I don’t do the things some other kids do.”
“I’m basically a good person.”
Again, many of those things can be good.
But none of them can erase sin.
None of them can make you righteous before God.
None of them can replace Jesus.
The gospel doesn’t tell us to become impressive enough for God. It tells us to stop trusting ourselves and place our confidence in Christ.
6. Christianity Isn’t a Comparison Game
Trusting ourselves often leads to another problem:
comparison.
We start measuring ourselves against other people.
“At least I’m not doing what they’re doing.”
“I know more about the Bible than they do.”
“I go to church more than they do.”
“I’m a better person than they are.”
Comparison can make us feel spiritually strong while completely missing the point of the gospel.
The question isn’t whether you’re better behaved than the person sitting beside you.
The question is:
WHERE DOES YOUR CONFIDENCE BEFORE GOD REST?
Paul had plenty of people he could have compared himself with and come out looking impressive.
But standing next to someone else was never the standard.
Paul needed Christ.
And so do we.
7. Boast in Jesus Instead
Philippians 3:3
Paul doesn’t simply tell Christians what not to trust.
He tells them where their confidence should be.
God’s people boast in Christ Jesus.
When we think about why we can belong to God, our answer isn’t:
“Look at what I’ve done.”
Our answer is:
“LOOK AT WHAT JESUS HAS DONE.”
Jesus lived the righteous life we could never live.
Jesus went to the cross for sinners.
Jesus died and rose again.
Our hope is not that we’ve done enough.
Our hope is that Jesus is enough.
Don’t Miss This
This Doesn’t Mean Obedience Doesn’t Matter
If our good behavior doesn’t save us, does that mean it doesn’t matter how we live?
No.
We’ve already seen Paul call Christians to obedience, spiritual growth, humility, service, and becoming more like Jesus.
The difference is why we obey.
WE DON’T OBEY JESUS
TO MAKE HIM SAVE US.
WE OBEY JESUS
BECAUSE HE HAS SAVED US.
We read Scripture. We pray. We serve. We turn away from sin. We grow in obedience. But none of those things become our reason for boasting before God. Our confidence stays in Jesus.
Make It Personal
Paul isn’t only warning us about something people trusted two thousand years ago. His words invite us to examine what we’re trusting today.
Put the Whole Passage Together
Philippians 3:1–6 asks us to take an honest look at where our confidence rests.
Paul had almost everything a religious person in his world could have been proud of.
Heritage.
Knowledge.
Commitment.
Zeal.
Outward obedience.
Some of those things were genuinely valuable.
But they were never able to save him.
Your family background can’t save you.
Your church attendance can’t save you.
Your Bible knowledge can’t save you.
Your good behavior can’t save you.
Only Jesus can save you.
That doesn’t mean good things have no value.
It means they were never meant to save us.
The good news is that Jesus is sufficient.
You don’t have to build an impressive enough spiritual résumé to convince God to accept you.
You need Christ.
STOP TRUSTING IN
YOUR SPIRITUAL RÉSUMÉ.
PLACE YOUR CONFIDENCE
IN CHRIST.
Live It Out
Check Your Confidence
Imagine someone asked you:
“Why should God accept you?”
What immediately comes to mind?
FAMILY: “I grew up in a Christian home.”
BEHAVIOR: “I’m a pretty good person.”
RELIGION: “I go to church and know the Bible.”
COMPARISON: “I’m better than a lot of people.”
Thank God for every good gift in your life—but don’t make those gifts your confidence before Him. Let your confidence rest completely in what Jesus has done.
Think About It
1. What are some good things people can accidentally begin trusting instead of Jesus?
2. Which part of Paul’s spiritual résumé in verses 4–6 stands out to you? Why?
3. Why can’t being a good person or growing up in church make someone right with God?
4. Where are you tempted to compare yourself with other people so you can feel better about yourself?
5. If your confidence is completely in Jesus, how should that change the way you think about both your successes and your failures?
Remember This
Good things can be gifts from God, but they were never meant to save you. Your family, accomplishments, Bible knowledge, good behavior, and spiritual résumé cannot make you right with God. Don’t place your confidence in what you’ve done. Place your confidence in what Jesus has done.
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