Session Six

Review
After identifying himself as a servant Paul identifies the Christians in
Philippi as saints.

Philippians 1:1b
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi
 One Unified Story
The word used for “saints” means “holy ones”. In order to
understand what Paul is getting at it will help us to think about this
concept in the Old Testament.

The NT writers do not develop their theology apart from the story of
the OT. Israel’s story becomes Jesus’ story and Jesus’ story
becomes our story. All of the promises and identity given to Israel
are fulfilled in Jesus and become ours because we are in Christ.

Israel’s Story Jesus’ Story Our Story

(Old Testament) (Gospels) (Acts/Epistles)
 One Unified Story
Let’s take a look at two aspects of Israel’s story that are fulfilled in
Jesus which also become true of us. One relates to identity and the
other to a promise:

1. Being a son of God (Identity)

2. The promise of the Spirit (Promise)

 A Son of God
Israel’s Story Jesus’ Story Our Story
(Old Testament) (Gospels) (Acts/Epistles)

Exodus 4:22 Matthew 3:17 Galatians 3:26

Then say to Pharaoh, And a voice from You are all sons of
'This is what the heaven said, "This is God through faith in
LORD says: Israel is my Son, whom I love; Christ Jesus,
my firstborn son, with him I am well
pleased."
Also see Galatians
4:6-7
 The Holy Spirit
Israel’s Story Jesus’ Story Our Story
(Old Testament) (Gospels) (Acts/Epistles)

Joel 2:28 Matthew 3:16 Galatians 4:6

"And afterward, I will As soon as Jesus was Because you are
pour out my Spirit on baptized, he went up sons, God sent the
all people. Your sons out of the water. At Spirit of his Son into
and daughters will that moment heaven our hearts, the Spirit
prophesy, your old was opened, and he who calls out, "Abba,
men will dream saw the Spirit of God Father."
dreams, your young descending like a
men will see visions. dove and lighting on Also see Acts 2:4
him.
 “Saints”
“Saints” is one of several Old Testament terms used to designate
Israel that was appropriated by New Testament writers for the
people of God newly constituted by Christ and the Spirit. Its origins
can be traced to the covenantal setting of Exodus 19:6, where God
addresses Israel as his people, "a holy nation"—a people
consecrated and subject to Yahweh and his service.”
 “Saints”
“Its New Testament usage most likely derives from Daniel 7:18,
where God's end-time people, who receive the kingdom as an
eternal inheritance, are called "the saints of the Most High." A
preferable translation might be "God's holy people," which keeps
both dimensions of the term intact—believers in Christ as
constituting God's people, who are by that very fact also called to
be his holy people, set apart by the Holy Spirit for God's purposes
and distinguished as those who manifest his character in the
world.”
 “In Christ”
“Their becoming "God's holy people" is the direct result of their
relationship to Christ Jesus; they are the saints in Christ Jesus.
Christ Jesus is responsible for them becoming the people of God.  
As the crucified and risen one, he also constitutes the present
sphere of their new existence. They live as those who belong to
Christ Jesus, as those whose lives are forever identified with
Christ.”

Gordon Fee
Philippians
IVP Press
 “Holy Ones” = set apart
Exodus 19:5,6
Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you
will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will
be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you
are to speak to the Israelites.

Leviticus 20:26
You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you
apart from the nations to be my own.

1 Pete 2:9,10
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people
belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you
out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but
now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now
you have received mercy.
 Set Apart
Israel’s Story Jesus’ Story Our Story
(Old Testament) (Gospels) (Acts/Epistles)
Israel was to be holy Jesus has complete Because we are in
(set apart) so that and perfect “set- Christ, we are set
God would have a apartness”. apart in order to
people on the earth declare God’s
to reflect his nature (John 17) praises.
and character.
Israel’s story (1 Peter 2:9,10)
(Lev 20:26) becomes Jesus’ story
but he completes it
and brings it to its
fullest expression.
 “In Christ” = New Creation
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone,
the new has come!

Galatians 6:15
Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts
is a new creation.

Let’s think about the “old creation”. What role did the planets play
in their coming about? What role did the animals or plants play?

One of the trigger thoughts associated with creation would be that it

was totally dependent on a sovereign creator . . . the creation had
nothing to do with it. As a new creation in Christ we have to keep in
mind that we have nothing to do with it either!
 “In Christ” through the Spirit
We are placed in Christ through the baptism of the Holy Spirit
 Baptism of the Spirit
Romans 6:3-5
Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus
have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with
Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead
through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For
if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we
shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,

1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or
Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Galatians 3:27
For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with
Christ.
 Baptism of the Spirit
SPIRIT BAPTISM
An invisible act of the Holy Spirit that places someone who has
received Jesus as their Savior into union with Jesus and other
believers.

WATER BAPTISM
A visible act of the person that identifies them with Jesus and other
believers and symbolizes what has happened to them in Spirit
baptism.
 Performance Based Creatures
Why is it so hard for us to realize that our being found in Christ is
what gives us our identity and our standing before God . . . not our
actions?
 Performance Based Creatures
Right after the first sin humans became performance driven in their
relationship with God. Instead of throwing themselves upon the
goodness and mercy of their creator they performed . . . they sewed
leaves and made a covering, supposing that their efforts would
somehow make things better.

Our society enforces this performance based existence. In our

jobs, education, and recreation, we are accepted and rewarded for
our performance. Its easy for us to take think this way about God
and be deceived into a performance-based relationship with him.
 I’m trying so hard to stop
trying so hard.

Just let You be who You are

Lord, who You are in me

Jesus, I’m trying so hard to

stop trying so hard

Just let You be who You are

Lord, who You are in me

(see lyrics handout)

 “DO” vs “DOne”
RELIGION: I obey-therefore I’m accepted.
THE GOSPEL: I’m accepted-therefore I obey.

RELIGION: My prayer life consists largely of petition and it only

heats up when I am in a time of need. My main purpose in prayer is
control of the environment.
THE GOSPEL: My prayer life consists of generous stretches of
praise and adoration. My main purpose is fellowship with Him.
RELIGION: My self-view swings between two poles. If and when I
am living up to my standards, I feel confident, but then I am prone
to be proud and unsympathetic to failing people. If and when I am
not living up to standards, I feel insecure and inadequate. I’m not
confident. I feel like a failure.

THE GOSPEL: My self-view is not based on a view of my self as a

moral achiever. In Christ I am simultaneously sinful and yet
accepted in Christ. I am so bad he had to die for me and I am so
loved he was glad to die for me. This leads me to deeper and
deeper humility and confidence at the same time.
 Sow What?
Our status as a “saint” has nothing to do with our
performance and everything to do with our position. Since
we don’t earn the status, we can’t lose the status. When
we sin we don’t fall out of sainthood but we do act
inconsistent with who we really are in Christ.
1. Develop the habit of thinking “gospel” when you are
considering your spiritual growth, its not just related to
initially “getting saved”.
2. The next time you sin, confess it, seek forgiveness, and
then thank God that your sin does not effect your
status.
3. Be diligent to only accept thoughts about your identity
that come from God’s word, reject the other ones by
referring to Scriptural truth (out loud if necessary).