Philippians 3:15

perfect An adjective, not a perfect participle, as was the kindred word (" perfected") in Philippians 3:12. Is there a contradiction between this place and that? On the surface, but not really. The Apostle appears to be taking up the favourite word of teachers who upheld some phase of "perfectionism," and using it, with loving irony, on the side of truth; as if to say, "Are you, are we, idealChristians, perfectChristians, all that Christians should be? Then among the things that should bein our character is a holy discontent with, and criticism of, our own present attainment. The man in this sense -perfect"will be sure to think himself not perfected." And it is important to remember that the Greek word rendered "perfect" is an elastic word. It may mean "adult," "mature," as against infantine; cp. Hebrews 5:13-14. A "perfect" Christian in this respect may have spiritual facultywell developed, and yet be very far from "perfected" in spiritual character. Such considerations, in the light of this whole passage, will do anything for such a Christian rather than teach him to tolerate sin in himself; they will at once keep him humble and contrite, and animate him to ever fresh developments in and by Christ.

be … minded The same word as that in Philippians 1:7; Philippians 2:2; Philippians 2:5, where see notes.

God shall reveal by the action of His Holy Spirit on heart, mind, and will, amidst the discipline of life. There need not be any new verbal revelation, but there would be a new inward revelation of the correspondence of the inspired Word with the facts of the soul, and so a fresh light on those facts. Such language implies the Apostle's certainty of his commission as the inspired messenger of Christ; it would otherwise be the language of undue assumption. Cp. Galatians 1:6-12.