Christ is more important than anything

Paul warns about false teachers

Bible reference

Philippians 3:1-11

Introduction

Paul wants the Christians at Philippi to believe in Christ. He does not want them to believe in wrong things. So he tells them about two dangers.

First, he tells them about wrong teachers. These teachers say that Christians must keep the Jewish rules. The Jews would circumcise men and boys to show that they were God’s people. But now Christ has come. The Christians in Philippi are God’s people because Christ died for them.

To follow on from this, Paul reminds the Christians at Philippi about something important. Nothing we do can make us right with God. Paul uses his life as an example.

Questions to ask

3:1 ~ What should make the Christians at Philippi happy?

3:2 ~ What do the wrong teachers say?

3:3 ~ ‘We do not need to have marks on our bodies.’ Why not? We are God’s people. How can we know this?

3:4-5 ~ Paul had done everything that a good Jew could do. This was before he became a Christian. What examples does he write about?

3:6 ~ In Paul’s life, what was the result of all these things? And what was the result for the first Christians?

3:7 ~ What does Paul say about the Jewish rules? Why does he say this?

3:8 ~ What is important to Paul now?

3:9 ~ What can rules never do for us?

3:10 ~ What does Paul want in life now? (4 things)

3:11 ~ What does Paul hope for after this life?

Something to do

Rules can never make us right with God. What ‘rules’ are still part of our lives as Christians? (Look at what Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-18. If you have time, read some of Jesus’ examples.)

Are there Christian ‘rules’ today that we do not really need?

What one thing might you do to know Christ better?