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Well, please turn in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 3. Our focus tonight will be verses 10 and 11, but I'll read beginning in verse 1 to verse 11. So Philippians chapter 3, beginning in verse 1. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation. For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so. Circumcise the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, of the Hebrews, concerning the law, a Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gained to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him. not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for your holy scripture, we thank you for the blessed gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and for what he has accomplished on behalf of all those whom the Father had given him. We ask now that you would guide us in our understanding of this text. We pray that the Holy Spirit would illumine our minds and our hearts. And again, forgive us now for all of our sins. Wash us afresh in that precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we thank you for that righteousness of Christ, imputed to us and received by faith alone. And we bless you in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, remember, we've come to the polemic section of the book of Philippians. The Apostle Paul is dealing with what's called Judaizing. The Judaizers came. They said it was good to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, but you must also obey the ceremonial law of Moses in order to be finally accepted by God. So what Paul has done in terms of setting this forth is used his own conversion. Notice specifically what he says in verse 2. He cautions the people of God against the Judaizers. He says, beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation. And then essentially, in contrast, in verse 3, he says, for we are the circumcision, or the true circumcision. He goes on to say, who worship God in the Spirit. We boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. And so he picks up on that last statement of having no confidence in the flesh, by which one is commended to or accepted by God. He then says in verse 4, "...though I also might have confidence in the flesh." So he sets forth himself as a specimen sample of what it looks like for a man to try to attain acceptance with God based on his own performance. So he looks back to his life before Christ. He goes on in verse 4 to say, So in other words, if there is a man out there that is able to gain acceptance with God based on his religious resume, Then it's the Apostle Paul, and he highlights that resume. He emphasizes his ethnic connection, his relation to the law as a Pharisee, his religious zeal in persecuting the church, and then his righteousness, his blamelessness in terms of external compliance with the law of Moses. After highlighting his past life, or his life before Christ, he moves on then to his conversion in Christ, or his conversion to Christ. Gives that contrast in verses 7 and 8. What things were gained to me, these I have counted lost for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things lost for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ. And then he explains how that can be. specifically in verse 9, and there he highlights the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Notice, and be found in him, so positionally he is found in Christ, and with reference to righteousness, it's not his inherent righteousness, it's not an infused righteousness, but rather it's an imputed righteousness, and that's what he maintains. not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith." So again, the doctrine of justification by faith alone. We looked at this in our study this morning in the Confession of Faith, chapter 11, of justification. So some of this will be repetitious for those who participated at 930, but this is that grand doctrine, that truth, that we're justified freely by God's grace. And justification is an act of God's free grace wherein He pardons all our sins and He accepts us as righteous in His sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone. Now, as long as this doctrine has been taught, which is from the very beginning, Abraham believed God and it was reckoned unto him or accounted to him as righteousness, Genesis 15.6, as long as this doctrine has been taught, there have been those who have suggested, well, if we believe this, then it really doesn't matter how we live. In other words, if we believe that we're justified freely by God's grace, that all our sins are forgiven, we receive this righteousness by which we may enter into the presence of God, then it really doesn't matter how we live. In fact, Paul counters such an objection in Romans 6 in verse 1. He asks the question, what shall we say? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? But he answers with a resounding, may it never be. And as I pointed out this morning in our study in the Confession, chapter 11, paragraph 2, is designed to counter this objection, that if we believe justification by faith alone, then it really doesn't matter how we live. So 11.2 says, faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness is the alone instrument of justification. Yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but works by love." Now I'll argue that this section of Holy Scripture, verses 10 and 11 specifically, set forth this truth. So we're justified by faith alone, according to verse 9, but that faith is not alone, but it's always accompanied with all other graces. And that's the emphasis in verses 10 and 11. Paul emphasizes sanctification in verse 10, and he emphasizes glorification in verse 11. Paul does this elsewhere in Romans chapter 8, specifically at verse 30. He says, moreover, whom he predestined, these he also called. Whom he called, these he also justified, and whom he justified, these he also glorified. So that's a skeletal framework of the order of salvation. We'd obviously insert from other portions of scripture sanctification, between justification and glorification. So verses 10 and 11 underscore Paul's communion with Christ. So his life before Christ in verses 4 to 6, his conversion to Christ in verses 7 to 9, and then his communion with Christ in verses 10 and 11. So faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness is the alone instrument of justification, verse nine. Yet it is not alone in the person justified but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces and is no dead faith but works by love, verses 10 and 11. So we'll notice first his present life in Christ, verse 10, and then secondly his future glory with Christ in verse 11. So sanctification and glorification are necessary consequences upon the doctrine of justification by faith alone. And this is a blessed truth that the God who has begun a good work in us will complete it unto the day of Christ. Philippians 1.6. God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Justification, sanctification, glorification. So notice his present life in Christ according to verse 10. After having described or declared or explained what justification by faith looks like, he says in verse 10, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings being conformed to His death. So there's a couple of things going on here. First, the knowledge of Christ generally, that I may know Him. Not that he doesn't know him presently, but that I may know him more and more as I continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is a knowledge of Christ that is experiential. It is a knowledge of Christ that is experiential. Experiential means received, known, acted upon, and enjoyed, versus cognitive, which is simply a mind apprehending truth in the gospel. Now, the cognitive is absolutely crucial as well. We cannot know that experientially what we don't know cognitively, and I would argue that the cognitive is greatly undervalued, greatly underrated. Churches should be about cognitive information. Churches, as the pillar and ground of the truth, should be declaring and teaching and exegeting the scriptures, which are the truth, so that the people of God have that knowledge, and then they can enjoy that knowledge and live in light of that knowledge. So, it is a knowledge of Christ that is experiential. I would argue as well it's a knowledge of Christ that is practical. Life in union with Christ, and that's what he's describing in verses 10 and 11, union with Christ, vis-a-vis sanctification and glorification. Union with Christ ought to look different than non-union with Christ. In other words, practically, the people justified freely by God's grace, like verse 9 says, should look markedly different. Now, it's going to differ from person to person. Paul is far holier than I am. Spurgeon is He's far holier than I am, but sanctification should be obvious. Sanctification or a newness of life in Jesus Christ, practically speaking, should look like putting to death the deeds of the body, putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, making no provision for the flesh to fulfill its loss. Pursuing holiness, without which no one will see the Lord, Hebrews 12, 14. Perfecting holiness in the fear of God, 2 Corinthians 7, 1. And so it's a practical knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein we are further conformed unto His image. But I would suggest as well the knowledge of Christ that is theologically correct. Prior to his conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul likely thought that Jesus was just another false messiah. Jesus was just another fake or fraud or deceiver. That Jesus potentially was a revolutionary, much like the common belief of Jews today. They look at Jesus and they say that he was a revolutionary. He was not the messiah promised by God in the Old Testament and come in the fullness of the times. So Paul probably had those kinds of thoughts about the Lord Jesus prior to his conversion. But once he's converted, he starts to think theologically correctly. He starts to understand and know that this Jesus, the word became flesh, is one person, two natures, both divine and human. So this knowledge of Christ that is theologically correct, in other words, what we believe about Christ, What we know concerning Christ is accurately informed by the Word of Christ. And then I would suggest, finally, with reference to the knowledge of Christ generally, it's the knowledge of Christ that is eternal life. Remember in the upper room, or high priestly prayer, rather, following the upper room discourse, Jesus says that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. And this is eternal life. That's what he says. This is eternal life. So eternal life isn't the blessing of heaven. I mean, it is. It's not the pearly gates. It's not the gold streets. It's all that. It's included, of course. But it's the knowledge of Jesus Christ. It's the knowledge of the true and living God. It is the essence, the very nature of eternal life. And I was reminded as I was working through this section of Samuel Rutherford as he comments about Christ. He says, love by nature, when it seeth, cannot but cast out its spirit and strength upon amiable objects and good things and things love worthy. And what fairer thing than Christ? Some suggest it was these words that was the impetus for the writing of fairest Lord Jesus. I wasn't able to spend time tracing that down and verifying or confirming or affirming because I really don't care. But I think that there is some sort of a logical connection between what Rutherford writes here and what we just sang in terms of fairest Lord Jesus. So he goes on to say, O fair sun, and fair moon, and fair stars, and fair flowers, and fair roses, and fair lilies, and fair creatures, but O ten thousand times fairer Lord Jesus. He goes on to say, alas, I wronged him in making the comparison this way. O black sun and moon, but O fair Lord Jesus. O black flowers and black lilies and roses, but O fair, fair, even fair Lord Jesus. O all fair things, black and deformed without beauty, when ye are beside that fairest Lord Jesus. O black heaven, but O fair Christ. O black angels, but O surprisingly fair Lord Jesus. I would seek no more to make me happy forevermore, but a thorough and clear sight of the beauty of Jesus my Lord. Let my eyes enjoy his fairness, and look him forever in the face, and I have all that can be wished." I think that's the kind of knowledge that the Apostle Paul is talking about. It is experiential. It is practical. It is theologically correct. It is the very essence of eternal life. It is to see Christ as the bride saw the bridegroom as altogether lovely and chief among 10,000 in Solomon's song. So he speaks concerning the knowledge of Christ generally that I may know him, but then secondly the knowledge of Christ's resurrection specifically. Notice in verse 10, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection. That I may know him and the power of his resurrection. Now I would suggest the reference is not to the power exercised by God in the resurrection. It is not the power exercised by God in the resurrection. I mean, there's obviously overlap. It's not that they're, you know, completely different ideas altogether, but I don't think that's the point here. And with reference to the power of God exercised in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, remember the doctrine of inseparable operations. Whatever things done by God add extra, or outside of God are done by the one true and living God who exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They each have the whole divine essence, the same substance, power, and eternity, the same will. There's not three centers of consciousness in God. That would compromise who God is. There aren't three wills in God that would compromise who God is. The doctrine of inseparable operations teaches that the divine and infinite being who exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is responsible for everything outside of himself in terms of the power exercised. There is as well the doctrine of appropriation. Sometimes in Holy Scripture, Authors appropriate specific works to persons of the Godhead to shine the light upon them and to show different aspects or facets, rather, of the nature of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. With reference to the resurrection of our Lord, it is appropriated to the Father in various places in the book of Acts. When the apostles are upbraiding the Jews, they say, you crucified, but God raised him up. It's appropriated to Jesus in John 10, 17, and 18. He will raise himself up. It's appropriated to the Holy Spirit. But again, not three wills, not three centers of consciousness, but one divine infinite being who exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So every work, add extra, is inseparable operations. God Almighty does it. The doctrine of appropriation shines the light on the persons of the Godhead. As Owen says, with reference to the inseparable operations, the divine essence being the same in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, they must all work the same work with one will and by the same power, though in an order of subsistence and operation. So I just wanted to remind us of theology proper as I'm telling you that the reference is not to that particular power. So what is it? I would suggest the reference is to the powerful effect of the resurrection of Christ on Paul and on all other believers, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection. In other words, when Jesus was raised from the dead, that had positive, glorious effects and impacts upon the people of God. Turn back to the book of Romans in Romans chapter six. I'll just suggest three things here. First, the powerful effect of the resurrection of Christ. First, the newness of life as a believer in Christ. Notice in chapter 6 at verse 4. Therefore, we were buried with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. as well, Colossians chapter 3 and verse 1, 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 3. This idea being that at the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, there was certainly power expressed or exhibited or executed by God in the resurrection of our blessed Savior out of that tomb, but there is that power as an effect of the resurrection upon the people of God, and the first aspect is newness of life. We've died, we've been buried, we've been raised again, predicated on the fact that our blessed Savior was raised from the dead. I would suggest, secondly, there's an emphasis on union with Christ. Notice in verse 5, for if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. So there's this newness of life, and there is as well an emphasis on union with Christ, all throughout the book of Romans, for sure. And I would suggest, thirdly, the definitive breach with sin. Notice in verse 11, likewise you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. So as Paul, back in Philippians chapter 3, speaks of knowing Him and the power of His resurrection, he's not looking at the historical fact necessarily of the empty tomb. He's not looking as we have recently in John chapter 20, the discovery of the empty tomb, 1 to 10. The appearance to Mary Magdalene, 11-18. The appearance to the disciples without Thomas in 19-23. The appearance to the disciples with Thomas in 24-29. That's not completely removed from the Apostle's thought process, but in this life of sanctification, I know the power of his resurrection. And I know the power of His resurrection because I have newness of life. I know the power of His resurrection because I have union with Christ. I know the power of His resurrection because I've had a definitive breach with sin. In other words, it's that power of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ that has blessed me tremendously. This is why he says or why he links resurrection and justification in Romans chapter 4. Christ was delivered up because of our offenses and he was raised for our justification. So resurrection power and justification go hand in hand. And then notice, thirdly, so in sanctification, he knows Christ generally, that I may know him. He knows the power of the resurrection specifically. And then he knows as well the fellowship of Christ's sufferings. In verse 10, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death. Now the fellowship of his sufferings is not redemptive. Paul is not suffering and being conformed to the death of the Lord Jesus Christ in order to somehow complete the justification that was specified in verse 9. These are not redemptive sufferings. It's not the case that all of us have to suffer a hundred units positively before we can ever enter into heaven. Yes, you've been justified freely by God's grace, verse 9, but now in the life of sanctification, if you don't suffer this much, then you're not going to go to heaven. That's not what he's talking about in this particular passage. Notice Philippians 1, 29. For to you, it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake. This is not redemptive suffering. Notice in 2 Peter, chapter 1. Second Peter chapter 1, same sort of an emphasis there. I'm sorry, first Peter chapter 1. Boy, 2 Peter 1, it was actually 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 2, 21. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps, who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth, who when He was reviled did not revile in return, but when He suffered He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. So I want to point out that when Paul speaks in Philippians 3.10, knowing the fellowship of his sufferings and conformity to his death, he's not suggesting for a moment that this is the lot for every Christian. You have to suffer this many units in order to be ripe for entrance into heaven. The fellowship of his sufferings is experiential. The fellowship of his sufferings is real. The fellowship of his sufferings is based on what Christ announces in the upper room in John 15, 18 to John 16, 4. Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. They hated me, they're going to hate you. There's going to come a time when they're going to kill you thinking that they've done service to God. There's going to come a time when they're going to put you out of their synagogues. There's going to be a time when you're going to be ostracized, when you're going to be insulted, when you're going to be persecuted, when you're going to be oppressed. Jesus speaks of this in Matthew 5 in that last beatitude. You're going to suffer for the cause of Christ. That's just a given. So it's not redemptive. It is experiential. Remember Saul of Tarsus when he meets Jesus on the road to Damascus in Acts chapter 9 and he asks the question, who are you? What is Jesus' response to Saul? He says, The Lord said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goats. Jesus identifies with his body in the suffering that they experience in this present evil age. Again, it's not redemptive. You've got to do X amount in order to be accepted by God. No, it's more, this is inevitable. This is consequential. When you leave the realm of the prince of the power who works in the air, When you leave the realm, by God's grace, of being a child of wrath, when you leave the realm of demon-possessed wretches that do the will of their father, the devil, all those people are going to oppose you. All those people are going to be like you see in Psalm 2. Why do the nations rage and the people plot of vain things? They take their stand against God and against His Christ. If that's true with reference to God and His Christ, it's going to be true with reference to God's people, His children, the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the general orientation of Christian discipleship. Turn back to Matthew's Gospel, Matthew chapter 16. So again, not redemptive in nature, but suffering as consequence for having been saved by God. If Jesus suffered, if Jesus was persecuted, if Jesus was oppressed, if Jesus was executed, if Jesus was crucified, you think you're going to get better treatment? You don't think there's going to be fellowship with his sufferings? You don't think there's going to be conformity to his death? Of course there is. Notice in Matthew 16, 24. Then Jesus said to his disciples, if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. And as I've tried to explain on many occasions, the cross there isn't a difficult child. It isn't a difficult work partner. It isn't a difficult situation that you face in this present world. It's death. Cross in this context meant death. And if you're not willing to die for the Lord Jesus Christ, then he says, you're not worthy of me. If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will reward each according to his works." So in 310, when Paul is talking about sanctification, he's talking about the knowledge of Jesus Christ generally, the power of his resurrection specifically. And we would suggest, or we would think, those are positive aspects of sanctification. Yeah, but there's some hardship too. There's the fellowship of his sufferings and conformity to his death. Sanctification isn't a constant walk in the park. Sanctification isn't a day at Disneyland. Sanctification isn't a day at Stanley Park. Sanctification can be tough. There's people that hate you just because of your commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. There's people that despise you because you're pro-life. There's people that abhor you because you think that sexual ethics should be rooted in the seventh commandment. There's people that despise the very notion of righteousness and godliness and holiness, and we live in the midst of them. You don't think there's going to be fellowship of His sufferings and conformity to His death? Absolutely, positively, there will be. Most certainly, and Paul experienced that. Remember, the specific instances of persecution in his Christian life. The persecutor had become the persecuted. All you gotta do is read the book of Acts. He's stoned, he's brought before civil government. He has to testify, he has to go to jail. He's in jail while he's writing this book to the Philippians. So Paul didn't have a walk in the park every single day of his life. Yeah, he knew Christ. Yeah, he knew the power of his resurrection. But he also understood the fellowship of his sufferings in conformity to his death. We need to embrace that reality. We need to know Philippians 1.29, for to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake. This brings Paul to the conclusion in 2 Timothy 3.12, yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Again, it's not redemptive. You got to suffer X amount so that God will accept you. No, it's just consequential. It is inevitable. It is the reality that when we, by grace, side with the Lord Jesus Christ, that one who was hated and despised by the world, that man of sorrows, that man who was ultimately crucified, even though he was wholly harmless and undefiled, when he had never committed any sin whatsoever, if they did that to the master, they're going to do that to the servant. And Paul knew that. Paul understood that. I think the specific point here, I think Zanke sort of nails it. He says, steadfastness in enduring afflictions for the glory of Christ and the well-being of the church. And so perseverance and piety to the end of life, which is followed by the resurrection. So that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death. That's sanctification. Yes, there's the joy of the knowledge of Christ, the joy of the knowledge of the power of the resurrection. There is that. But there is, on the other hand, the difficulties associated with faithfulness in a faithless age. There are the difficulties associated with being the only Christian in your class, being the only Christian on your block, being the only Christian in your family. Those are challenges. There is the fellowship of sufferings. There is conformity to his death. If there was opposition against the master, settle it in your minds and hearts, there's going to be opposition against the servants of the master. It is inevitable. It is the way that it is. And then notice with reference to his emphasis on future glory with Christ in verse 11. Notice what he says, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead, you should see the pattern, you should see the pattern, the cross always precedes the crown. That's fundamental in biblical religion. The cross always precedes the crown. Go back to Philippians chapter 2, specifically at verse 8. There's the cross. And then comes the crown, verse 9. You see that same pattern at work here in 3, 10, and 11. We've got the life of sanctification. We've got the fellowship of his sufferings. We've got conformity to his death. But we also have the resurrection from the dead. Turn back to Matthew's gospel in Matthew chapter 20. This is a mistake, probably putting it lightly, an error, probably a little bit more strong. or just the foolhardiness of most of God's people to think that it's only ever going to be crowned. Notice in Matthew 20 at verse 20, then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from him. And he said to her, what do you wish? She said to him, grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right hand and the other on the left, in your kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, you do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink? It's just here that at times pastors want to say, okay, everybody take out your paper and your pen and answer the simple question. What is he referring to here with reference to the cup? And I would do this based on our studies in John's gospel. Remember John 18 11, shall I not drink the cup that my father has given me? Matthew 26, Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, Father, not my will, but thine be done. What is the cup? It's the cup of God's wrath. It's the cup of God's fury. It's the cup of God's judgment. It's all throughout the Old Testament. When the prophet Jeremiah speaks concerning the fall of Babylon, they're gonna drink the cup of God's wrath. You see it in the Psalms as well. You see it all over. It's the cup of God's wrath. See, you gotta get the point here. The sons of Zebedee are jockeying for position. Lord, when you come into your kingdom, we wanna be one on your right and one on your left. We wanna be right there with you. And Jesus, with incredulity, asks them the question, or rather, declares to them the problem. You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink? Are you able to drink the cup of God's wrath and curse and fury and judgment and all manner of penalty? And then he goes on to say, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with. Now Jesus had already been baptized by John in chapter three of Matthew's gospel. So what baptism is he talking about here? I think it's clear in Luke's gospel in Luke 12, not clearer, but clear, Luke 12 50. Luke 12 50, but I have a baptism to be baptized with and how distressed I am till it is accomplished. It's his death. See, baptism doesn't mean sprinkle. Baptism means immerse. He is going to be immersed with. He's going to be overwhelmed by the judgment, the wrath, and the fury of God. It's not just a bit of a sprinkling upon him or a bit of an effusion, a bit of washing. Rather, he will be capsized under it. Baptism was used when ships were sunken. And so when he speaks here concerning the cup that he must drink and the baptism that he must undergo, he is telling them, you're jockeying for position. You want the crown, but you don't want the cross. Christ says, I've got to go through the cross in order to get the crown. But then he says, or rather they say, look at that in verse 22. And you know, we're not picking on these poor brothers, right? We're not picking on them. But man, isn't that us? We are able. Oh, really? You're able to drink the cup of God's wrath? You're able to be overwhelmed by the fury and judgment of God? You're able to do that? Now Jesus goes on to tell them, you will indeed drink my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with. So James loses his head in Acts chapter 12. John, according to Revelation 1, is exiled on the island of Patmos for the Word of God and the testimony of the Lord Jesus. So they will know something of that cup. They know something of that baptism, or to use Paul's language in Philippians 3.10, the fellowship of his sufferings and conformity to his death. They will know that, they will understand that, not to the degree that Christ does in terms of redemptive suffering. He goes on to say, but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by my Father. So the Lord Jesus underscores, in terms of teaching or doctrine, that the cross always precedes the crown. But Jesus' life, the paradigm, the pattern of Jesus' life shows the very same thing. It's the cross and then the crown, Philippians 2, 8 and 9. So Paul says that, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Now, when he says if by any means, is there a question as far as Paul is concerned? Does 3.9 not avail to your acceptance with God? Is it the case, Paul, that there's a potentiality that you may not? Because it sounds like that, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. We might also read, if by any means I don't attain to the resurrection of the dead. Well, the context is obviously against a hypothetical salvation. Philippians 3, Philippians 3, 9, and be found in him. Positionally, he's safe. Not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith. So the no confidence in the flesh motif in verses three to nine for salvation means it's not because of his inherent righteousness or an infused righteousness that he will attain to the resurrection of the righteous. It is rather what Christ has done, active and passive obedience. I think the language, if by any means, is not to think or rather to get us to think that, you know what, maybe he won't make it. I think it's in light of the fellowship of his sufferings in conformity to his death. I think it bespeaks that the life of sanctification, which ends in glorification, it's going to be tough. There's no way around it. I wish I could just, you know, Benny Hinn you all and say, it's only ever gonna be great. Or Joe Lowstain, I'd smile and, you know, you'd see a spark from my tooth and my hair would be lush and full and big and, you know, happy. Those guys are liars. Deceptive, demonic liars. In this world, you will have tribulation. All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Look at the end of the book of Hebrews chapter 11. Some were sawn in two, the prophet Isaiah. The fellow under the Spirit who gave us Isaiah 53, at least that's who commentators tell us is the one that was sawn in two, was Isaiah. Who saws Isaiah in half? I mean, you gotta be demon spawn. You've gotta be, you know, walking in the pattern of your father, the devil. To saw Isaiah in half? Again, the idea that you're only ever gonna have Friday afternoons as believers in Christ, it's just wicked deception. The emphasis is on perseverance. Perseverance in sanctification, Again, not so that we might get saved, but consequential to our justification by faith. And for Paul, it's probably an emphasis on perseverance with reference to remaining corruption, that internal threat, that problem we all face all the time. Well, how do we know Paul understood remaining corruption? Well, Romans 7, Galatians 5, spirit lusts against the flesh, the flesh against the spirit. These are contrary to one another so that you don't do the things that you want. Paul in Romans 7, the good that I wish to do, I don't do. The evil I don't want to do, I find myself doing. Who will deliver me, a wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death? Paul understood remaining corruption, brethren, and it would be a battle for him, and he understands that. So the if by any means isn't I may not make it. 3.9 is not accurate. No, it's going to be tough. I'm going to have to persevere. I'm going to have to endure. I'm going to have to be steadfast. I would suggest it's an emphasis on perseverance with reference to continual opposition. So you've got the internal threat, your own remaining sin, but then you've got this external opposition. The unbelieving Jews, the Roman Empire, everybody hated Paul. Everybody wanted to see Paul dead. Everybody wanted to see Paul either in prison or dead. He's in prison as he's writing this. But I would suggest as well the emphasis is on perseverance with reference to ministerial faithfulness. Ministerial faithfulness, it occurs to me, maybe it's just because I'm getting older, but at least the guys that I'm reading in terms of prayer letters and whatnot, they all are saying that. I want to make it. I want to make it to the end, faithful as a minister. The attrition numbers for pastors are pretty high. You know, guys end up shipwrecked after five years or whatever. So making it to the end for the Apostle Paul was certainly necessary. In 1 Corinthians 9, verse 24, he says, do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus, not with uncertainty, thus I fight, not as one who beats the air, but I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. It's that should preach, or lest when I have preached to others, that seems to indicate something of a desire for ministerial faithfulness to the very end, to the bitter end. So he's got the external threat of opposition and persecution. He's got the internal threat, his own remaining corruption. And then he's got internal and external threats with reference to ministerial faithfulness. It's not just your own heart. It's not just the people that hate you from without. It can be people that, you know, are supposed to love you within. He speaks of that in 2 Corinthians 11, the concern that comes upon me daily with reference to the church. So the if by any means I may attain is not, you know, this is a hypothetical justification, it's a hypothetical salvation. As long as Paul is good, then he'll be accepted by God. No, I think it highlights the difficulties involved in the life of sanctification. And then notice, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. And here I think he's speaking specifically to the general resurrection with a specific emphasis on the resurrection of the righteous. So it's not figurative. Verse 10, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection. Again, that's more the power affected by God in the lives of his people by virtue of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Here he wants to know that resurrection from the dead, the promise of future glory in Emmanuel's land. Listen to Gil, not in a figurative sense, the resurrection from the death of sin to a life of grace, of which Christ is the efficient cause. For this the apostle had attained to, unless the consummation of that spiritual life and perfect holiness should be intended, than which nothing was more desirable by him. nor in a representative sense, for this also he enjoyed in Christ his head, being risen with him and in him when he rose from the dead, but in a literal sense and designs, not the general resurrection of the just and unjust, which he believed, for he knew that everyone must and will attain to this, even Pharaoh, Judas, and the worst of men. but the special and particular resurrection of the righteous, the better resurrection, which will be first and upon the personal coming of Christ and by virtue of union to him and in a glorious manner and everlasting life and happiness. He's justified freely by God's grace, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is from God by faith. that he then enters into this life of sanctification, verse 10, and then glorification is his glorious promise with reference to reigning and ruling with Christ, world without end, amen. So that faith that justifies us is alone. But it's always accompanied with all other saving graces, such that makes us know Christ, know the power of His resurrection, and know as well the fellowship of His sufferings and conformity unto His death. So in conclusion, we've got the life of sanctification in verse 10. Good stuff and challenging stuff. Good stuff and challenging stuff. Knowing Christ, the power of His resurrection. Hey, sign me up. Oh yeah, but there's this fellowship of his sufferings as well. Oh, does that mean I have to suffer thus amount so that I can get into heaven? No. It just means siding with the Savior means opposition from the world. It always has meant that, and it will always mean that. All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. So with reference to sanctification, there is difficulty. and there's great blessing. And even the difficulty is surrounded by great blessing, right? The fellowship of his sufferings in conformity to his death, usually are the times when we draw closer to Christ. If everything's always great, why do we need Jesus? I mean, I think of the words of the Proverbs, give me neither poverty nor riches. If I'm poor, I'm tempted to go out and steal. If I'm rich, I'm tempted to forget God. So keep me in the medium. Well, the same thing. If there's no fellowship of his sufferings and no conformity to his death, we'll probably forget about him before long. These are good means in the hand of God to keep us close to him. They tether us to that grace. They tether us to that God. They tether us and they cause us to constantly reflect. Now with reference to verses 9 and 10, I mentioned this morning Westminster Larger Catechism number 77. It asks the question, where in do justification and sanctification differ? So verse 9, justification. Verse 10, sanctification. I mean, we'd say that they're connected, they're linked. You don't get a verse 9 without verse 10. You don't get verse 10 without verse 9 and 11. It's a package deal. For whom he foreknew these, he predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. The ones he predestined, he called. The ones he called, he justified. The one he justifies, he will glorify. So salvation, it's a deal. It's a given gift by God. So that justification and sanctification are linked. Nobody would argue. But wherein do they differ? In justification, God imputes the righteousness of Christ, verse 9. In sanctification, His Spirit infuses grace, verse 10. In justification, sin is pardoned. In sanctification, it is subdued. In justification, all believers are equally free from the revenging wrath of God, and that perfectly in this life. In sanctification, it is not equal in all, nor in this life perfect in any, but grows up to perfection. Again, I commend Westminster Larger Catechism number 77. It is good to think through these things. It is good to see the inextricable connection between justification and sanctification. But it's also necessary, lest you become a Roman Catholic, lest you become new perspective on Paul, lest you become federal vision to not see the distinctions, to not see the differences, to not see a definitive act versus progress, to not see a one-time good deal with reference to justification and the progress of growth in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You can find Westminster Larger Catechism online. Used to be you had to order books. We're going to have a bookstore right here in Chilliwack. They'll probably sell Westminster Catechism and Confession. You can go buy your own copies, and I would suggest buy hard copies. You never quite know what's going to happen, and everything tied up on that internet may be like that vapor James speaks about. I'm not a prophet or the son of a prophet, but hard copies are probably a good idea. I would suggest sanctification, justification is the basis of our acceptance with God, and of course, inevitably, there will be sanctification. We will live in light of what God has done. And then in terms of glorification, that blessed statement, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead, just a couple of thoughts. It is the confident hope of the believer. We all have that. It's the blessed hope, the return of our Lord Jesus and His second coming in glory and the judgment of all men, the righteous taken up into heaven. We live in light of that reality. I would suggest as well, it's the resurrection of the body. We're not Gnostics. We're not Gnostics, brethren. Physical isn't bad. Physicality was created by God. God's not at war with nature. He's at war with our sin. The Apostles Creed says, I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. As well, glorification is the restoration of paradise forfeit by Adam and secured for us by our Lord Jesus Christ. And I would suggest finally that glorification is an impetus for us to pursue holiness. It's an impetus for us in the life of sanctification. 1 John 3, 1 to 3, behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God. Therefore, the world does not know us because it did not know him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when he is revealed, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Blessed thought concerning glorification. Blessed thought concerning glorification. Listen to what John goes on to say. And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure. Living in light of that glory to come ought to affect us in the present, with reference to sanctification, living in light of what God has done for us in the doctrine of justification, or in the reality of justification. He has freed us, he has forgiven us, he has given us a righteousness, and he has called us to live in light of that blessed reality. Look forward to future glory as a help now to pursue holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. Well, let us pray. Our Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for its clarity here in Philippians 3, 9 to 11, and we look forward to that glory in our future. We thank you for what Christ has done on the cross, in his life, at his resurrection, and now in his current session. We look forward to his return again in glory and to that judgment. And we pray that everyone here would be clothed in his righteousness, cleansed in his blood, and ready to enter in to that blessed land of Emmanuel. And we ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.