腓立比書3:1-14

 

3:1 弟兄們，我還有話說，你們要靠主喜樂。我把這話再寫給你們，於我並不為難，於你們卻是妥當。
3:2 應當防備犬類，防備作惡的，防備妄自行割的。
3:3 因為真受割禮的，乃是我們這以上帝的靈敬拜、在基督耶穌裡誇口、不靠著肉體的。
3:4 其實，我也可以靠肉體；若是別人想他可以靠肉體，我更可以靠著了。
3:5 我第八天受割禮；我是以色列族、便雅憫支派的人，是希伯來人所生的希伯來人。就律法說，我是法利賽人；
3:6 就熱心說，我是逼迫教會的；就律法上的義說，我是無可指摘的。
3:7 只是我先前以為與我有益的，我現在因基督都當作有損的。
3:8 不但如此，我也將萬事當作有損的，因我以認識我主基督耶穌為至寶。我為他已經丟棄萬事，看作糞土，為要得著基督；
3:9 並且得以在他裡面，不是有自己因律法而得的義，乃是有信基督的義，就是因信上帝而來的義，
3:10 使我認識基督，曉得他復活的大能，並且曉得和他一同受苦，效法他的死，
3:11 或者我也得以從死裡復活。
3:12 這不是說我已經得著了，已經完全了；我乃是竭力追求，或者可以得著基督耶穌所以得著我的（所以得著我的：或譯所要我得的）。
3:13 弟兄們，我不是以為自己已經得著了；我只有一件事，就是忘記背後，努力面前的，
3:14 向著標竿直跑，要得上帝在基督耶穌裡從上面召我來得的獎賞。

 

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. ² Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. ³ For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— ⁴ though I myself have reasons for such confidence.

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

⁷ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in^[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

 

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    保羅在這裡說明真正的敬虔不是外表的規矩或禮儀，而是在心裡尊主耶穌為大，正如這裡所說：「因為真受割禮的，乃是我們這以上帝的靈敬拜、在基督耶穌裡誇口、不靠著肉體的。」

 

    這也就是說一切的資格不是人靠著在肉體上做了甚麼，而是要人在基督裡得著因信基督而有的義才有的。換句話說，人要服事和敬拜上帝的資格是來自上帝的恩典，不是個人的意願或別人的要求。

 

    也因為這樣，我們服事上帝，是來自被上帝恩典所感動。所以，我們服事是心被恩感，是在聖靈的帶領！而上帝也應許我們服事祂，將以基督為我們的獎賞，基督的王權和榮耀也是屬於我們的，我們更是要為此讚美上帝！