Philippians 3:15

Philippians 3:15. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect. The apostle uses the word ‘perfect,' as our Lord in the Sermon on the Mount: ‘Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect,' carries its own explanation on its face. The Christian is to set before himself the highest ideal, and to be ever striving after it. To those who are so striving, wherever they may be in the scale of spiritual advancement, St. Paul gives the name of ‘perfect,' just as he uses ‘saints' of those who aim at saintly life with all their powers, though they may at times fall short thereof.

be thus minded. Think as I have been setting before you my own thoughts first, that the righteousness of the law is to be counted loss for the knowledge of Christ; and next, that having been called to faith in Him, not to forget that faith is to be made manifest in the life, and that the prize is not won, because you know it to be before you at the end of the race-course. It is only bestowed on those who run to the end.

and if in anything ye are otherwise minded. To be thus minded is to have the right mind; so by otherwise minded we must understand ‘being in error.' As has been already said, though the Philippians might all be classed under the head of ‘perfect,' there were yet many gradations among them, and all of them would not have attained to the clear insight of St. Paul in spiritual things. These are the ‘otherwise minded;' but to them the apostle says, if they will but run in the race so far as it is set before them, if they will but be determined to advance further towards ideal perfection, then the Spirit will be given to enlighten their minds still more, and to make them aware of what, as yet, they know not.

even this shall God reveal unto you. The apostle here reminds them that the light which they already enjoy is the gift of God, As therefore He has given this, so will He also supply more to those who live according to what they now have. It is not of anything but the practical duties of the Christian life that the apostle here seems to be speaking, but his teaching is true to an extent farther than he pushes it. ‘If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine,' is of the widest application, and shows us also that it suits St. Paul's hearers, those who desire to be more perfect, for it is in its literalness, ‘If any man wisheth to do His will,' etc. And the light will come as a revelation. It will not necessarily be from human teaching. It may be from within that the beam shall first be seen. But in whichever way it is imparted, it is through the Holy God, and those who receive it may fitly be called ‘taught of God.'