With chapter 3 of Philippians, Paul begins a new but related topic. While his major concern is still that the Philippians sincerely embrace the gospel and so find eternal life, he now warns them against the false teaching of the Judaizers. While warning against legalism, Paul explains his view of his own “accomplishments” under the law.
Paul answers the question: “So if the Law multiplies our sin, is the Law sinful?”
If I am no longer under the threat of the Law, then I have no incentive not to sin? So if I have no threat of punishment, why can’t I “eat dessert first?”
No compromise is possible. You either seek salvation by keeping the whole law or by grace through faith in Christ. You can’t mix and match law and grace.
For we judge between the plate that is unclean and the plate that is clean, saying first, if the plate is clean, then you shall have dessert. But of the unclean plate, the laws are these:
The law teaches us that we are sinful and we need a savior. But having learned that lesson, we should graduate from law-keeping to the maturity of faith.
When you wake up each day do you see yourself as a child of promise or a slave to a deal?
How does justification relate to atonement? What’s the difference between expiation and propitiation? Find out.
Krisan Marotta is a Bible teacher and host of Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.