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Righteousness through Faith in Christ

Verse1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.

Verse2Watch out for those dogs, those workers of evil, those mutilators of the flesh!

Verse3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—

Verse4though I myself could have such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more:

Verse5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;

Verse6as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.

Verse7But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ.

Verse8More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

Verse9and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.

Verse10I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death,

Verse11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Pressing on toward the Goal

Verse12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Verse13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

Verse14I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.

Verse15All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. And if you think differently about some issue, God will reveal this to you as well.

Verse16Nevertheless, we must live up to what we have already attained.

Citizenship in Heaven

Verse17Join one another in following my example, brothers, and carefully observe those who walk according to the pattern we set for you.

Verse18For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Verse19Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.

Verse20But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Verse21who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.