PHILIPPIANS

In This Section:

PHILIPPIANS 2:12-13, PHILIPPIANS 3:10-14

PHILIPPIANS 2:12-13

"12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out [cultivate] your own salvation with fear and trembling, [awe and reverence] 13 because it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12-13)

According to the typical NEST interpretation of this passage, this Scripture is a warning that salvation is never ultimately guaranteed, but must be worked out in self effort in respect to a definition of worked out that is applied by those who believe in the NEST. Essentially it is the interpretation from a humanistic works based theory of salvation, where one is said to apply effort to gain salvation, or keep it secure.

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As we quickly dispatch of this reckless theory, we need to first notice that Paul does not mention any wording that resembles a reference to supposedly losing salvation. There is no loss even remotely mentioned, nor is there any form of damnation mentioned.

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Secondly, Paul encourages the Philippian Christians to do what they have already been doing. Paul encourages them to obey just as they have always been obeying, of which they are to do even more now that Paul is not there. This preaching makes sense because Paul is addressing saved people. Contemporary preachers also preach exhortations to obedience for saved people to heed, and like Paul, contemporary preachers do not preach obedience because they necessarily believe in the NEST. Like Paul, contemporary preachers preach obedience to saved people simply because God thinks His children need to be urged by preachers to obey.

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Thirdly, it is important that we notice that Paul does not say for anyone to work for a salvation, or work for salvation. Paul says to "work out your salvation." This plain fact should not be missed by any careful exegete. The salvation that Paul is talking about is "your salvation;" meaning it is the salvation that saved people already have. There is a big difference between working for something, and working out something. There is a big difference between working for God's salvation as a proposition, and working out your salvation that you already have, which is what Paul is talking about. The Greek word used here by Paul, that is typically translated as "work out," is katerthazesthe. The literal translation of its particular parts is "to work down." Katerthazesthe is found in the New Testament as being translated as "practice," "perform," "cultivate," and here; to "work out." The Literal Translation Bible, and the Amplified Bible, both render "work out" as "cultivate." The point is that Paul is telling the Philippians to "work out;" to put into practice; to cultivate, in their daily lives, what God has already worked in them by His Spirit. In other words, they are to work out the salvation that they already have. This is not a directive to saved people to work for salvation that they do not really have.

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Something else we must notice is that Paul says to do this in a particular attitude. He says to do it with fear and trembling. Paul is not saying that the Philippian Christians need to go around in a frenetic state of fright; shaking like a leaf at every given moment; trembling like they have a medical condition. Additionally, it is not plausible to expect someone to do something bizarre like shiver with fear; expecting them to turn it on like a switch. To do so is next to impossible, but secondly, it negates the peace that passes understanding that Paul tells these very same Philippians will exist when they pray. He says two chapters later,

"6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

With these things in mind, it is necessary to ask the question: "how can you have the peace of God, while at the same time, you have fear and trembling?" The answer is that this a common cultural idiom that Paul uses to urge toward high respect and reverence. For example, Paul uses this expression, when he tells Christian slaves to obey their masters saying,

"Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;" (Ephesians 6:5)

Paul is talking about high respect and reverence from a sincere heart, like to Messiah. Paul uses the expression in 2 Corinthians in describing how the Corinthians received Titus,

"15 His affection abounds all the more toward you, as he [Titus] remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling." (Titus 7:15)

The churches at Corinth had high respect and reverence for Titus. Though the fact that Paul is using a figure of speech to convey high respect, and reverence, there is another extreme view of this expression, and it is just as wrong. Some people have tried to reverse this idiom by saying that what is really meant is actually "exuberant Joy." Liberal scholar, J.B. Philips came up with that theory. We should reject this theory for a number of reasons. When Justin Martyr wrote to Trypho the Jew between AD 139 and 161, concerning the replacement of the Old Covenant with the New Covenant, he used this exact phrase, and he did not use it in a sense of "exuberant joy." Martyr wrote,

"Then I said again, 'Was not the old covenant laid on your fathers with fear and trembling, so that they could not give ear to God?' He [Trypho] admitted it. 'What then?' said I: God promised that there would be another covenant, not like that old one, and said that it would be laid on them without fear, and trembling, ..." (see footnote 1 below)

Clearly Justin Martyr is not arguing that the Old Covenant was given by God to people who could not give ear to God because they were in exuberant joy, nor the New Covenant to people in absence of "exuberant joy." Additionally, Paul the apostle said he was with the Corinthians in weakness and fear and much trembling in 1 Corinthians 2:3. Contextually, Paul is not possibly talking about exuberant joy. We see the same thing in Hebrews 12:21 Mark 5:33, and Acts 16:29.

The point is that there are two extreme views of the old Greek expression "fear and trembling." One says you need to be vibrating in perpetual horror. The other says you need to be having exuberant joy. Neither are correct. The New English Translation helps us out here by translating the inspired Greek, phobou tromon, for fear and trembling like this,

"So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence," (Philippians 2:12, NET)

Reverential respect and awe for God is Paul's point. Additionally, even if one thinks that one should be trembling in fear as per this verse, such a view does not effect the fact that this passage is not talking about insecurity in salvation anyway! The important issue is the answer to the important question that needs to be asked, and that is "Why should the Philippians work out the salvation that they already have with fear and trembling?" Instead of answering this question with some philosophical view, what we need to do is look at Paul's answer in the text. Paul states it next. Paul plainly says, "because," as he states,

"13 because it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

Instantly, in recognizing the importance of all of Paul's words, the whole passage is cleared up. Philippian Christians are to obey as they always have, because they are saved. In their eternal salvation, they are to cultivate, as in, work out their salvation (they already have), and they are to be doing it with awe, respect, reverence; fear and trembling because it is Jehovah Himself who is working in saved people, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. This fact should bring reverential fear and trembling in the intended sense of the expression. This only applies to saved people. Further, the glaring fact of the matter is that no where does God working in a saved person even remotely equate with losing salvation! Paul shares something similar in his prayer of thanksgiving to God for these same Philippians. He says,

"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now." (Philippians 1:3-5)

[Paul is joyfully thanking God as the author and finisher of the Philippian's faith. There is no other reason to thank God for people, if in fact God is not the one responsible for what you are thanking God for. Paul thanks God for the Philippian Christians in view of their participation in the gospel. We need to keep that thought in mind as we look at what Paul says in the next sentence,]

"6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)

This statement in Philippians 1:6 is the consistent expression of what Paul means in Philippians 2:12-13. God begins the good work in the saved people in Philipi, and He will perfect it. God is the one Who is working in His saved ones to will and work, and He will perfect the good work He began in His saved ones until the day of Christ Jesus. This is the good news of being Once Saved In Eternal Spiritual Salvation.

With these considerations, we recognize that this passage does not remotely suggest that one can lose one's salvation that one already has, gain salvation by meritorious effort, or maintain keeping it secure by meritorious effort. This is a passage that expresses the opposite; it indicates that God is continually operating in the life of all Christians.

(1) Chapter LXVI, (67) Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho. http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/justinmartyr-dialoguetrypho.html

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PHILIPPIANS 3:10-14

"10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude [mind]; and if in anything you have a different attitude [think otherwise], God will reveal that also to you; 16 however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained."

According to the typical NEST interpretation concerning this passage, Paul thinks he needs to press on to attain his immortality through self effort. Further, Paul is said to be trying to secure salvation through perfecting himself. The NEST interpretation goes on to assert that Paul says he has not attained security in salvation yet, but rather through struggle he is reaching, and pressing toward the goal for the prize, which is his eternal salvation.

The NEST is wrong.

Let us look at why the NEST interpretation is wrong by backing up and reading the three verses prior to this one for a very enlightening detail about Paul's contextual flow. In speaking of all His past humanistic effort in trying to attain perfection by keeping Mosaic Law codes, and doing rituals and so forth, Paul says,

"But what things were gain to me, ..." (Philippians 3:7)

[The "things" that Paul mentions here are all his so-called righteous actions as a blameless Jewish leader serving Jehovah. Paul says,]

"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things, and count them as dung, so that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God on the basis of faith;" (Philippians 3:7-9)

Paul counts all his Mosaic Lawism, and religious zeal of the past as loss in comparison to attaining Christ. Actually, we notice that Paul adds that "all things" are loss in comparison to attaining Christ, and that Paul has, in fact, already lost all things ("all things" being the futile gains of Judaism). Paul knows that to be righteous, which is to be in a state of eternal salvation, he must be found in the infinite value; Christ. It is the great doctrine that Paul lays out in just about every letter he writes. Righteousness is Christ, so Christ must be in us, and we must be in him to attain His unsurpassed righteousness, and that righteousness is appropriated by grace through faith in Christ; the righteousness which is from God and not from us.

From here, we go into the passage that is misinterpreted according to the NEST, (Philippians 3:7-9). The main key to understanding our passage is the doctrine of suffering as the ground of spiritual growth. Unless we understand the doctrine of daily conformity to Christ through suffering after we are already saved, then we will not get what Paul means. Paul says right after the declaration of being found in Christ as having the righteousness which is from God on the basis of faith; and beginning our section,

"10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; (Philippians 3:10)

Paul wants to know the risen, living Christ that he experiences already, but in a deeper and more life-changing way. We must keep in mind that Paul already knows Christ. He first met Him on the road to Damascus, where Christ introduced Himself to Paul (Saul) in a violent and dramatic way. Jesus blinded Paul and then commissioned Paul to serve Him. Paul's commission is why Paul is writing this letter. Paul knows Christ--and he's writing Philippians while imprisoned for the Christ he knows. It is imperative that we understand that Paul the apostle already knows Christ. If this be the case, then we must ask what Paul means by making this whole statement, where he says, "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death." The reason that Paul says this is because Paul is already eternally spiritually saved, but Paul wants to know the power of Christ's resurrection right then. In other words, Paul wants to know the power of Christ's resurrection right here, right now, on earth while alive in the mortal body as an apostle, and Paul knows that suffering is a big part of the road to that full experience. Paul speaks of God's power toward all Christians in Ephesians. It is the power that all who are spiritually saved experience. Paul calls it the,

"... exceeding greatness of [God's] power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 1:19-20)

While alive in his temporal mortal body, Paul wanted to manifest God's power in a unique way. Paul knows that the way God has arranged for Christians to experience and manifest the power of Christ that is already in them, is to first be weakened. Christ Himself demonstrated this same pattern. First He suffered and died on the cross. Afterward, came the power of His resurrection. It is the basis of the principle that Paul declared, saying,

"... power is perfected in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

[Paul goes on to make a key statement in the same verse,]

"Most gladly, therefore I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

This is how Paul wants to know Christ in our Philippians passage. Paul is stating the principle; before the power, there's personal weakness and suffering. This explains why Paul says next that he wants to know the fellowship of Christ's sufferings. "Fellowship" means that Paul wants to share and commune in the pain of Christ's sufferings. Paul is indicating a doctrine in this passage that is not very popular in contemporary Christianity. It is the doctrine of suffering for the body of Christ while being in the body of Christ, which is His church. This doctrine has amazing implications. Paul says to the Colossians,

"I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church" Colossians 1:24.

Paul rejoices in his sufferings, and describes what is happening as fulfilling in his own body what he says is lacking in Christ's sufferings. This is a principle of knowing Christ in an experiential way of suffering as one of Christ's body members. This special fellowship occurs for saved people who suffers for Christ. Paul tells the Philippians here,

"... to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake" (Philippians 1:29)

The first grant from God is the supernatural ability to "believe in" Christ. This is according to God's effectual call in predestination. The second grant from God in Philippians 1:29 is the blessing of suffering for Christ's sake. This is also according to God's predestination. With these things in mind concerning suffering and the power of God, we must recognize that there is a reason why Paul wants to experience the power of Christ's resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, and he tells us what the reason is,

"11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:11)

Paul wants to be conformed to Christ's crucifixion in such a way, so as to attain to resurrection life in its fullness, right there, right then in Paul's earthly life. Paul proclaims the same doctrine in 2 Corinthians,

"11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, ..." (2 Corinthians 4:11)

[It is the blessing of the suffering. It is for Jesus' sake. Paul is going to continue to give the reason why, saying,]

"... so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh." (2 Corinthians 4:11)

2 Corinthians 4:11 states the principle well; through suffering, resurrection power and life are manifested in our mortal flesh, right here and right now--not meant (in this context) to be a reference to later on in an actual post-death resurrection in a glorified state. We must understand that this is a biblical principle and it is one of Paul's consistent ambitions that he conveys in his epistles. Paul knows that the resurrection life of Jesus is made manifest in a Christian's mortal flesh in suffering. What is unfortunate for the church today, is that this is an aspect of our present tense of salvation that is rarely taught anymore, so this is why it sounds so strange to contemporary Christian ears. The consequence is that when many Christians see or hear scriptures that deal with suffering as the ground for spiritual growth, they are repulsed. There is another area of salvation that is closely connected with the doctrines of suffering. It is the connection that Christians have in their identification with Christ, where all who are spiritually saved have already gone through a type of spiritual affliction with Christ in initial salvation. It is expressed in Romans 6:8, where Paul says

"we have died with Christ." (Romans 6:8)

The initial identification is found in Colossians 2:20, where Paul says,

"you have died with Christ." (Colossians 2:20)

The principle is found described in Galatians 2:20, where Paul says,

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20)

This is the positional state of salvation of all who are saved, where we who are saved, die to the old man and live in the "one new man" of Ephesians 2:15 of the body of Christ. What we need to see in respect to properly interpreting Philippians 3:10-14, is that Paul brings these doctrines together, here in Philippians, into a harmonious theological marriage. The doctrine is that of being conformed in our daily thoughts and actions to Christ's death that we have attained positionally, so that we will act it out experientially. In other words, Paul is laying out a rule for practically manifesting the crucifixion and resurrection that we already experienced spiritually in Christ. Though this classic doctrine is somewhat neglected in our day, it is a powerful principle of spiritual growth. Paul repeats the rule. The rule is that God molds us by His Spirit through our circumstances. God weakens us, and so it is through the weakness that power dwells, (as Paul says), where power is being perfected in weakness, so Paul most gladly, therefore will rather boast about his weaknesses so that the power of Christ may dwell in him (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:9). The rule is what brings the filling up, where Paul speaks of rejoicing in Christ's sufferings for the Colossians, and filling up in his flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, (cf. Colossians 1:24). The rule is the deliverance over to death, so that the life of Christ is brought out in the body where Paul and the other apostles with Him are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in their mortal flesh (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:11). The rule is our Philippians 3:10-14 passage; that Paul may know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that he may attain to the resurrection from the dead. This is the key to understanding our passage. Again, it is the weakness in suffering that Paul craves so that the power of Christ will dwell in him. Paul is not saying that he must suffer to have eternal life. He already has eternal life. Paul the apostle is already saved. He already knows he will be resurrected after his body dies (cf. 2 Timothy 4:8). Paul is simply saying that suffering humbles Christians in conformity to their Leader, and brings about the fruits in us now of what we will be like someday in our perfection in the actual resurrection. Paul is wanting all of that power-experience now, and so he calls it "the upward call." But there is a problem that Paul recognizes is part of his state of existence in the mortal body. We see the problem stated in verse 12. Paul knows that he is not as perfect as someone who has actually risen from the dead, so he says:

"12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect [complete], but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-14 emph. mine)

Paul knows his own self, and he is honest about himself. Paul wants to be more like Christ right here right now, and he knows he is not yet perfected like the perfection that lies ahead in the resurrection where he will experience to the fuller degree, his citizenship that is in heaven--a citizenship that all saved people have right now, (cf. Philippians 3:20). Nevertheless Paul wants that perfection. Paul wants what John describes,

"Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, [which is perfect in all ways] because we will see Him just as He is." (1 John 3:2).

In the actual resurrection, Paul describes that we who are saved will be like Him;

"20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep ... 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." (1 Corinthians 15:20; 42-44)

Even though Paul knows that stage of his existence is coming, Paul wants to know Christ, and that power, by experiencing that perfection now. He does not want to wait until after he dies. He wants it in the time he has left. So, he says he "presses on" so that he may grasp that which Christ grasped him for. He calls it, "the goal" and he calls it "the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Paul the apostle is already seated in a positional state of being in the heavens with Christ at the right hand of the Father, (Ephesians 2:6). Paul is there in positional identification with Christ, but the actual state is yet to come--when Paul, or any Christian is really there after death and resurrection. In the meantime, Paul is pressing on to exist, right now on earth, in the same type of sinless perfection as a raised up person who is actually living in heaven. Heaven is where Christ is right now. Paul said in Ephesians 1:20, that the power of God raised Jesus from the dead and "seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places." It is God's power that seats Christ there. All saved people are positionally there right now as we see expressed in Ephesians where Paul says,

"4 But God ... when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus," (Ephesians 2:4-6)

Paul says, (past tense), we have been seated with Christ in heavenly places. When we look over to Colossians, we discover that what Paul states in Colossians 3:1-4, has to do with the principle of the upward call we find in Philippians 3:10-14. Paul says here in Colossians;]

"1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. [ie. the upward call] 3 For you have died [ie. an already positional] and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life [right now], is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." Colossians 3:1-4.

This is precisely what Paul has been talking about in pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. When Paul says, "... keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God," Paul is repeating the same ambition of what he wrote in the Philippian passage. It is pressing on to attain right now in our present earthly condition, what we already are positionally, and what we shall be forever; holy, dedicated, consumed, separated, and perfected people. The principle is to be trying to act perfectly, right here, right now, in the midst of an imperfect world. And so Paul says,

"not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on ..." (Philippians 3:12)

Paul wants to forget what lies behind--particularly all the Jewish religious activity that he banked so much on for perfection. He was rich, prestigious, accepted, and protected. He says in 3:6,

"... as to the righteousness which is in the Law, [he was] found blameless." (Philippians 3:6)

Paul was religiously rich but lost. Now, at the writing of Philippians, Paul is in prison, impoverished, despised, rejected, and no longer protected by Jews or Romans. Paul is in chains, but now he is in Christ and saved. So, now Paul wants to forget his futile past. He wants to forget his self condemning works and mistakes as a hard hearted Pharisee, and reach forward to what lies ahead. Paul presses on toward the authentic goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. The Greek word Paul uses here that we translate into "perfect" is teleioo. It is indicative of being perfected in the sense of completion. Paul is saying that in his daily condition on earth, he has not already been completely perfected yet. But Paul wants to forget all the junk of his past--all the mistakes made at any given time, even right now. Paul hates the world, and the sinfulness of the world. So, Paul wants to act, as much as is currently possible, as the heavenly perfect actually is (the perfect he will be in his immortal body for eternity).

What Paul says next is an enlightening revelation concerning this whole point because it shows (proves) that Paul is talking to people who are already perfect, yet urging them to be perfect. In other words, Paul is talking to perfect people in Christ, which means they, including himself are already perfect people positionally, and Paul is urging perfect people in Christ to be seeking that daily perfection of the resurrected lifestyle. Listen to it,

"15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, ..."

[This is Paul's identification of people who are already Once Saved In Eternal Spiritual Salvation. He goes on,]

"15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude [are thinking otherwise], God will reveal that also to you; 16 however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained." (Philippians 3:15-16)

What Paul says here really causes a particularly glaring problem for interpretations of this passage that are hatched out of the NEST. The reason is because Paul starts out saying that he has not attained perfection (cf. Philippians 3:12); that he presses on toward it. But now Paul says:

"Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this mind;" (Philippians 3:15 emph. mine)

Using a wrong method of interpretation, it would seem that Paul is contradicting himself. Nevertheless, Paul is making perfect sense when we take Paul's view. We must recognize that Paul purposely nuances the Greek word for "perfect" in two different ways. The first one he used is "teleioo." He uses it where he says he has not already been completely perfected yet. The word that "perfect" is translated from here in this second place, in verse 15 is "teleios," and it essentially means, now complete; more perfect; now mature, or now perfect. This perfection is what we as spiritually saved people, are now in, in our position in Christ where we are once saved in eternal spiritual salvation. Paul is saying here what he has always said about what we are as Christians; we are seated in the heavenlies in Christ; we are Christ's infinite righteousness; we are Christ's infinite perfection right here and right now. Again, Paul is talking about positional righteousness in Christ, where Christ's righteousness is imputed to all the elect by grace through faith. It is the miracle work of the cross and the resurrection.

Paul knows that we do not always think perfect thoughts. We do not always have perfect motives. We do not always do perfect acts of the upward call, but we know that we are perfect in Christ. Only perfect people are seated at the right hand of the Father. And so it is from salvation's starting point of judicial, spiritual, and positional perfection in Christ, that Paul says we are to have the attitude of: knowing Christ and the power of His resurrection; the fellowship of His sufferings; being conformed to His death; in order that we may attain to the resurrection from the dead; not thinking that we have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but we press on so that we may lay hold of that for which also we were laid hold of by Christ Jesus, and we do not regard ourselves as having laid hold of it yet (but one thing we do): forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, we press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude.