contextual relation to the passage which parallels the "out-resurrection", namely, his

desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

Let us now consider The Negative (3: 17-21). "Brethren, become joint imitators of

me, and mark those thus walking, according as ye have us for an example. . . . for our

citizenship is in heaven".

The negative section is a parenthesis, and occupies verses 18, 19. The apostle is still

speaking of the walk. It is not a question of warning against imitating the unsaved; no

believer who had attained the degree of sanctity indicated in Phil. 3: would need a

warning not to imitate the unsaved. No, these enemies of the Cross of Christ are such by

their walk; instead of gaining the prize, their end is loss; instead of suffering loss in this

life, their belly is their God, and their mind instead of being like that which was in Christ

Jesus is set on earthly things; these are not the true circumcision, they, though saved,

have not yet learned to suffer; though redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, they

have not yet learned the meaning of the cross*; for such the prize is out of the question;

they shall be saved "so as by fire", their works being burned up, and their building

destroyed; they fail to "work out" their own salvation.

The meaning we are to attach to the "fear and trembling" with which the salvation is

worked out is very apparent from this third chapter. When writing to Timothy in his

second epistle the apostle says, "If any one contend in the games, he is not crowned

unless he contend lawfully"; the mere eagerness to win the prize is not sufficient, rules

must be kept, otherwise the crown will be forfeited. Phil. 3: indicates the flesh and

earthly things, all that is opposed to the Cross of Christ, as being disqualifying elements.

II Tim. 2: speaks of not being entangled with the affairs of this life if one would be a

good soldier of Jesus Christ, while I Cor. 9: 24-27 shows us the apostle buffeting his

body, lest after having preached to others, he himself should be disqualified" (a castaway,

While the most spiritual believer will confess with "fear and trembling" that he has

not "already attained" or that he is not yet "perfected", those who cannot say with the

apostle that they count all things loss, that they buffet their bodies, that they do not

entangle themselves in the affairs of this life, such can well say that they have not yet

started upon this wondrous race at all. Oh that we may seek the mind that was in Christ

Jesus, becoming a joint imitator of the apostle, being occupied with one thing, and

counting the fellowship of His sufferings and conformity to His death not too high a price

to be paid for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. May we ever keep in

view "the mark".