Philippians 3:15-16

 

 

Home
Site Index
Inductive Bible Study
Greek Word Studies
Commentaries by Verse
Area Precept Classes
Reference Search
Bible Dictionaries
Bible Maps & Pictures
It's Greek to Me
Bible Commentaries
Discipline Yourself
Christian Biography
Wailing Wall
Bible Prophecy

Search by Verse
Word or Phrase:

 

 

Study Tools

 
 

INDEX
PREVIOUS NEXT

COLLECTIONS
Commentaries, Word Studies, Devotionals, Sermons, Illustrations
Old and New Testament.

   
  

   

 

Search Every Word on Preceptaustin  
PicoSearch
    Help

 

Philippians 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude  (1PPAS); and if in anything you have a different attitude (2PPAI) God will reveal (3SFAI that also to you

Greek: Osoi oun teleioi, touto phronomen; (1PPAS) kai ei ti heteros phroneite, (2PPAI) kai touto o theos humin apokalupsei; (3SFAI
Amplified: So let those [of us] who are spiritually mature and full-grown have this mind and hold these convictions; and if in any respect you have a different attitude of mind, God will make that clear to you also.
Barclay: Let all of you who have graduated in the school of Christ have the same attitude of mind to life. And if anyone is otherwise minded in any way, this too God will reveal to him.
KJV: Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
NLT: I hope all of you who are mature Christians will agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.
Phillips: All of us who are spiritually adult should set ourselves this sort of ambition, and if at present you cannot see this, yet you will find that this is the attitude which God is leading you to adopt.
Wuest: As many therefore as are spiritually mature [in a relative sense], let us be constantly of this mind. And if, as is the case, in anything you are differently minded, and that, in an evil sense, this also will God reveal to you.
Young's Literal:  As many, therefore, as are perfect -- let us think this, and if in anything ye think otherwise, this also shall God reveal to you,

REFERENCES ON PHILIPPIANS 3

Don Anderson
Paul Apple
Albert Barnes
Brian Bell
Brian Bill
Alan Carr
John Calvin
Rich Cathers
Oswald Chambers
Oswald Chambers
Steven Cole
Thomas Constable
Ron Daniels
Bob Deffinbaugh
Dwight Edwards
Explore the Bible
Bob Fromm
David Guzik
Bruce Goettsche
Bruce Goettsche
Greg Herrick
IVP Commentary
Jamieson, F, B
Guy King
John MacArthur
J Vernon McGee
J Vernon McGee
John Piper
John Piper
John Piper
Ray Pritchard
Grant Richison
Grant Richison
Grant Richison
A T Robertson
C H Spurgeon
C H Spurgeon
C H Spurgeon
A W Tozer
Marvin Vincent
John Walvoord
Steve Zeisler
Precept Ministries
Illustrations
Philippians - Q & A Format
Philippians Commentary
Philippians 3 Commentary
Philippians 3:12 -21
Philippians 3:12-4:1 Pressing On ...
Philippians 3:12-16 Running For The Prize
Philippians 3
Philippians 3:15-21
Philippians 3:12 Christian Perfection
Philippians 3:12 Apprehended by God

Philippians 3:12-16 Christian Growth Process - excellent
Philippians Expository Notes
Philippians 3:12-21
Philippians 3:12-21 Paul’s Perspective on Perfectionism
Philippians: Earthly Conduct of Heavenly Citizens
Philippians 3: Faithful Service
Philippians 3:2-4:1 Pressing On
Philippians 3 Commentary
Philippians 3:12-14 Focus of the Faithful
Philippians 3:15-19
Philippians 3:12-16 Nature of Paul’s Pursuit of Christ
Philippians 3: Commentary
Philippians 3 Commentary
Philippians 3:12-16 A Sporting Interlude
Philippians 3:12-16 Reaching for the Prize
Complete Book of Philippians - 57 Mp3's
Or Click here for individual verses
Philippians 3:1-14 Called to Suffer & Rejoice
Philippians 3:2-16 Going Hard After the Holy God
Philippians 3:4-14 The Discontented Christian Life

Philippians 3:12-21: Go for the Gold
Philippians 3:15 3:15b 3:15c 3:15d 3:15e

Philippians 3:15f 3:15g

Philippians 3:16 3:16b

Philippians 3: Greek Word Studies
Philippians 3:12 Paul Apprehended & Apprehending Pdf
Philippians 3:13,13 Onward! - Pdf

Philippians 3 Exposition
The Pursuit of God
Philippians 3: Greek Word Studies
Philippians 3 We Look for the Savior
Philippians 3:12-4:1 Straining Forward, Standing Firm
Philippians: Download lesson 1 of 16 for inductive Study
Philippians Illustrations 3

LET US THEREFORE AS MANY AS ARE PERFECT (MATURE) HAVE THIS ATTITUDE: hosoi oun teleioi touto phronomen (1PPAS): (Ro 15:1 - note; 1Cor 2:6; 14:20; Col 1:28 - note; Col 4:12 - note; 2Ti 3:17 - note; Heb 5:14 - note; Js 1:4; 1 Jn 2:5) (Click John Macarthur's exposition Reaching for the Prize

Edwards explains that...

All mature believers are to have this same mindset. The therefore here also gives good support that Phil 3:10-14 is basically speaking about being "mature." We see here that one of the marks of being mature in the faith is that our great goal in life is holiness, not happiness. No man can claim to be a mature Christian if this isn't his primary goal! (Reference)

Thus in this section Paul is exhorting those who are spiritually mature ("perfect") to hold the same convictions as he does regarding the need to press on toward the goal of Christlikeness. In the last half of this verse, Paul expresses his recognition that some of the believers will not share his attitude. The implication is that the reason they do not share his attitude is because they are not spiritually mature.

As Steven Cole goes on to explain...

To those who disagree with him, Paul says, “Stay teachable and God will show you where you need to grow” (Sermon)

Perfect (5046) (teleios from telos = an end, a purpose, an aim, a goal) means complete, mature, fully developed, full grown, brought to its end, finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness, in good working order. Teleios signifies consummate soundness, includes the idea of being whole. Teleios does not refer to sinlessness but to spiritual maturity. Teleios conveys the ideas of reaching or accomplishing the goal for which we were saved (ultimately Christ- likeness).

Wuest helps understand how this statement can be rationalized with the statement in (Phil 3:12 - note) explaining that in Philippians 3:12...

...Paul is speaking of a finished process and absolute spiritual maturity beyond which there is no room for improvement, whereas in Philippians 3:15 he is speaking of relative spiritual maturity where there is room for development and growth. This is clear from the fact that in the former verse (Phil 3:12) he uses a verb in the perfect tense, whereas in the latter, he uses a noun. Paul therefore exhorts the Philippian saints who are spiritually mature to consider themselves so only in a relative sense, and to remember that there is much room for spiritual growth in their lives. The spiritual maturity spoken of here is as we have seen, not a state of sinlessness or flawlessness, but one of completeness, of a well rounded Christian character, a state opposite to spiritual infancy. (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans or Logos) (Bolding added)

Jamieson explains that those believers who are perfect are...

full grown (no longer “babes”) in the Christian life (Philippians 3:3, “worshipping God in the Spirit, and having no confidence in the flesh”)  1Co 2:6, fully established in things of God. Here, by “perfect,” he means one fully fit for running [Bengel]; knowing and complying with the laws of the course (see note 2 Timothy 2:5). Though “perfect” in this sense, he was not yet “made perfect” (Greek) in the sense intended in Philippians 3:12, namely, “crowned with complete victory,” and having attained absolute perfection.

Adam Clarke writes that...

The word teleioi, perfect, is taken here in the same sense in which it is taken 1 Corinthians 14:20 (Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be babes, but in your thinking be [present imperative = be continually becoming] mature [teleios = attaining to full development as opposed to immaturity]. Be ye perfect-thoroughly instructed, deeply experienced.

1 Corinthians 2:6:- Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature (teleios) among those who are fully instructed, adults in Christian knowledge.

Ephesians 4:13 (note) until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ.

Hebrews 5:14 (note): But solid food is for the mature (teleios), who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Here teleios means those who are thoroughly instructed and experienced in Divine things.

Let us therefore, says the apostle, as many as be perfect-as have entered fully into the spirit and design of the Gospel...

Have this attitude - The question is "what attitude" is Paul referring to? We have already mentioned it above, but to reiterate, if we observe the context, we see that Paul has just referred to pursuing the prize of Christlikeness (and all that is implied by this "race", the things he had mentioned in the preceding passages)

Guzik writes that...

Those who are really mature will have this mind. If they do not, Paul trusts that God will reveal the necessity of having it. Paul has great trust in the ability of the Lord to deal with His own people. He doesn't have the attitude that if he doesn't convince them, they will never be convinced.

J Vernon McGee says...

In other words, have the same mind as Paul. Get out on the racetrack with Paul and press on toward the same goal.

MacDonald explains that the mature ("perfect") believers at Philippi

should share Paul’s willingness to suffer and die for Christ and to bend every effort in the quest for likeness to the Lord Jesus. This is the mature view of the Christian faith. Some would call it extreme, radical, or fanatical. But the apostle states that those who are full-grown will see that this is the only sane, logical, reasonable response to the One who shed His life-blood for them on Calvary. (MacDonald, W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson or Logos)

Have this attitude - An exhortation to continually (present tense) set your mind on this. Keep on thinking this way, remaining focused on pursuing the goal of Christlikeness and more generally having the mind Paul had described in Philippians 3:7-14 (notes) where he began by explaining the things he had counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

MacArthur adds a slightly different aspect to the interpretation explain that Paul

could be referring to the mature believers who were like-minded with him in this pursuit or he may also have used “mature” here to refer sarcastically to the Judaizers, who thought they had reached perfection.

Have...attitude (5426) (phroneo from phren = literally the diaphragm and thus that which curbs or restrains. Figuratively, phren is the supposed seat of all mental and emotional activity) refers to the basic orientation, bent, and thought patterns of the mind, rather than to the mind or intellect itself (that is the Greek word nous). Phroneo includes a person’s affections and will as well as his reasoning.  In other words phroneo refers not simply to intellectual activity but also to direction and purpose of heart. Phroneo means to think, set one's mind or heart upon something and denotes the whole action of the affections and will as well as the reason. It describes a process of evaluating a situation and on the basis of our evaluation of adopting an attitude or disposition to act.

Paul is saying to those who are mature to continually (present tense) give careful consideration to what he has just stated. It is also notable that the word phroneo is one of those terms which is difficult to render in English because it includes at once thinking and willing. It expresses not merely an activity of the intellect, but also a movement of the will and thus it is both interest and decision at the same time.

Robertson adds that phroneo is in the

Present active volitive (pertaining to volition or relating to the will,  with subjunctive approximating the sense of a command) subjunctive... “Let us keep on thinking this,” viz.  (that is to say) that we have not yet attained absolute perfection." (Robertson, A.  Word Pictures in the New Testament)

Matthew Poole writes that...

from the instance of himself (Paul), imitating Christ, in loving condescension and lowliness of mind, Philippians 2:3, 2:5, worshipping God in the spirit, and not having confidence in the flesh, Philippians 3:3, in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, Philippians 3:10, pressing forward to absolute perfection, he here doth with himself encourage as many rulers and ruled who were settled in the fundamentals of Christianity, and who had made progress in holiness ("as many as are perfect"), to mind that main business of religion...“Be thus minded;” he would have them to be so minded as he himself was, in renouncing all carnal confidence, acknowledging their gradual imperfection, and still to be striving and contending to a fuller measure of holiness, till they come to be consummate in Christ. (Matthew Poole's Commentary on the New Testament)

AND IF IN ANYTHING YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE GOD WILL REVEAL THAT ALSO TO YOU: kai ei ti heteros phroneite (2PPAI) kai touto o theos humin apokalupsei (3SFAI): (Psalms 25:8,9; Proverbs 2:3-6; 3:5,6; Isaiah 35:8; Luke 11:13; John 7:17; James 1:5)

If presents, not a hypothetical case but a fulfilled condition or one that is assumed to be true. That is, it is true that some of the Philippians had a different attitude.

And if in anything you have a different attitude - In other words if you don't agree with what Paul has just stated about pursuing Christlikeness.

As alluded to above MacArthur raises the possibility that the different attitude was in fact the attitude of some that they had arrived at perfection, which may have also been a jab at Judaizers in the midst of the believers (cp the context - "enemies of the cross of Christ" - see  note Philippians 3:18).

Jameison takes this latter view writing that those with a different attitude refer to those...

having too high an opinion of yourselves as to your attainment of Christian perfection. “He who thinks that he has attained everything, hath nothing” [Chrysostom]. Probably, too, he refers to those who were tempted to think to attain to perfection by the law (Gal 3:3): who needed the warning (Philippians 3:2), “Beware of the concision (the circumcision),” though on account of their former piety, Paul hopes confidently (as in Gal 5:10) that God will reveal the path of right-mindedness to them. Paul taught externally God “reveals” the truth internally by His Spirit (Mt 11:25; 16:17; 1Co 3:6).(Philippians Commentary)

God will reveal - Paul is saying if you don't agree, the only thing he can do is turn the case over to God.

As Guzik puts it...

Paul has great trust in the ability of the Lord to deal with His own people. He doesn’t have the attitude that if he doesn’t convince them, they will never be convinced. (Philippians 3 Commentary )

Ryrie paraphrases it...

If you don't agree, God will give you light on the subject. (The Ryrie Study Bible)

MacDonald comments that...

 Paul realizes that not all will agree with him in adopting such a dangerous philosophy. But he expresses the confidence that if a person is really willing to know the truth of the matter, God will reveal it to him. The reason we have such an easy-going, complacent Christianity today is because we do not want to know the truth; we are not willing to obey the demands of ideal Christianity. God is willing to show the truth to those who are willing to follow it.

Edwards explains that...

If their minds were set on anything else, any other goal in life, God would reveal it to them. It would seem that this revelation must come through the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit. It is comforting to know that when we get off the track God will point it out to us so that we can get back on (Reference)

MacArthur explains that...

Those who refuse to heed Paul’s message will hear that same message from God. He will correct them through His Word, His Spirit, or through chastening. God will do whatever it takes to make believers recognize their need to pursue the prize of Christlikeness. He will also provide the resources they need to do that (see note 2 Peter 1:3). (MacArthur, J. Philippians. Chicago: Moody Press or Logos)

Barnes explains that God is able to...

correct your erroneous opinions, and disclose to you the importance of making this effort for the prize. This is the expression of an opinion, that to those who were sincere and true Christians, God would yet make a full revelation of the nature of religion, or would lead them on so that they would fully understand it. They who are acquainted with religion at all, or who have been truly converted, God will teach and guide until they shall have a full understanding of divine things. (Philippians 3)

Will reveal (601) (apokalupto from apó = from + kalúpto = cover, conceal, English = apocalypse) literally to remove the cover from and thus remove that which conceals something.  Apokalupto means in essence to "take the lid off" and thus to remove the cover and expose to open view that which had heretofore not been visible, known or disclosed. The idea is to make manifest or reveal a thing previously secret or unknown, in this case God's will regarding spiritual maturity.

To whom would God reveal the truth? Or asked another more general way how is the will of God revealed to believers? Jesus alluded that one comes to know God's will not just by hearing but by doing (obeying the truth one has heard)...

(First the condition) If any man is willing to do (present tense = not perfectly but as the general direction of one's life) His will, (Then the promise) he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself. (John 7:17)

 

Philippians 3:16  however, let us keep living (PAN by that same standard to which we have attained (1PAAI)  (NASB: Lockman)

Greek plen eis o ephthasamen, (1PAAI) to auto stoichein. (PAN
Amplified:  Only let us hold true to what we have already attained and walk and order our lives by that. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
Barclay: Only we must always walk according to that standard which we have already reached. (Westminster Press)
KJV: Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
Lightfoot: Only let us remember one thing. Our footsteps must not swerve from the line in which we have hitherto trodden.
Phillips: It is important that we go forward in the light of such truth as we have ourselves attained to. (
Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: Only one thing, so far as we have come, let us keep our lives in the same path. (
Erdmans
Young's Literal: but to what we have come -- by the same rule walk, the same thing think;

HOWEVER, LET US KEEP LIVING BY THAT SAME STANDARD TO WHICH WE HAVE ATTAINED: plen eis o ephthasamen (1PAAI), to auto stoichein (PAN): (Ro 12:16 - note; Ro 15:5 - note; Gal 6:16; Eph 5:2-8 - note; Col 2:6 - note) (Gal 5:7; Heb 10:38,39 - note; 2Pe 2:10-20 - note; Rev 2:4,5 - note; Rev 3:3 - note)  (Phil 1:27 - note; Phil 2:2 - note; Phil 4:2 - note) (Click John Macarthur's exposition Reaching for the Prize)

However (plen) means more than, over and above, hence, besides. In the present verse Paul is saying now let me tell you one more thing. Plen is a word that is often used at the end of a paragraph to express a final thought.

To paraphrase Paul is saying

One more thing, by the way, let us keep living by that same to which we have attained.

Vincent translates it

Notwithstanding the minor points in which you may be otherwise minded. (Vincent, M. R. . Word Studies in the New Testament. Vol. 3, Page 1-451)

Jamieson writes that...

The expectation of a new revelation is not to make you less careful in walking according to whatever degree of knowledge of divine things and perfection you have already attained. God makes further revelations to those who walk up to the revelations they already have (Ho 6:3).

Keep living by the (same) standard (4748) (stoicheo from stoichos = row, line, rank; see word study of stoicheion = elements, basic foundational things like letters of the alphabet) is literally to walk in line, walk in a straight line, proceed in a row, to follow in someone’s footsteps. To keep in rank and file. To march in in file or in battle order. The word was used for movement in a definite line, as in military formation or dancing.

Figuratively stoicheo means to behave properly, to conduct one’s life, to live in conformity with some presumed standard or set of customs (cf Acts 21:24). To live in harmony or agreement with, to live in conformity with (eg, with the Spirit, as in Galatians 5:25 - see note).

Stoicheo is in the present tense which points to continual and habitual action in the believer's life.

BDAG writes that stoicheo means...

to be in line with a person or thing considered as standard for one’s conduct

Matthew Poole writes...

let us, or we ought to, walk in obedience to Christ, love to him and each other, according to the light we have already received, trusting he would make known his mind more clearly to us. Our using the light we have well, is the ready way to have more: it behoves us, then, to live suitably to that degree of the knowledge of Christ we have attained, 1 John 2:3–5 but still within our lines, with regard to the same rule. (Matthew Poole's Commentary)

We have attained (5348) (phthano) is a different Greek word from that translated obtained in  (see note Philippians 3:12) which meant “to take or appropriate.” Phthano originally meant to come before or to anticipate (as used in 1Thessalonians 4:15 -note) but over time begin to lose the idea of priority and to mean simply to come to or to arrive at, and so thus to come to a particular state or to arrive at. Phthano pictures progress along a road to a certain point. Paul is thinking of the Philippian saint's progress along the path of Christ-likeness. His idea is, “so far as we have come.”

Robertson comments that...

Paul means simply this that, having come thus far, the thing to do is to go “in the same path” in which we have been travelling so far. A needed lesson for Christians weary with the monotony of routine in religious life and work.

Vincent explains that Paul is saying in essence...

Whatever real Christian and moral attainment you may have made, let that serve as a rule for your further advance. The character of this standard of attainment is illustrated by the words in Philippians 3:15, be thus minded (KJV), and by those in Philippians 3:17 (note), as ye have us for an example. The individual variations are not considered. He regards rather the collective development, and assumes the essentials of Christian attainment on the part of his readers.

DOWNLOAD InstaVerse for free. It is an easy to install and simple to use Bible Verse pop up tool that allows you to read cross references in context and in the Version you prefer. Only the  KJV is free with this download but you can also download a free copy of Bible Explorer which in turn offers free Bibles that work with InstaVerse, including  the excellent, literal translation, the English Standard Version (ESV). Other popular versions are available for purchase. When you hold the mouse pointer over a Scripture reference anywhere on the Web (as well as offline in Word for Windows, email, etc) the passage pops up immediately. InstaVerse can be disabled if the popups become distractive. This utility really does work and makes it easy to read the actual passage in context and not just the chapter and verse reference.

 

Home | Site Index | Inductive Bible Study | Greek Word Studies | Commentaries by Verse | Area Precept Classes | Reference Search | Bible Dictionaries | Bible Maps & Pictures | It's Greek to Me | Bible Commentaries | Discipline Yourself | Christian Biography | Wailing Wall | Bible Prophecy
Last updated: 07/20/08.

E-Mail us

Hit Counter