Philippians 3:1 | Pastor Burns' Study Notes

Paul begins this section with the word finally, which carries the idea of “as for the rest.” It is a common way for Paul to move toward the close of a letter, yet here the Holy Spirit gives him another important thought. Paul says that writing the same things again is not grievous to him, because repetition is a form of emphasis. We learn by repetition, and repetition makes truth safe for us.

The repeated command here is simple: rejoice in the Lord. Paul does not tell them to rejoice in their circumstances, but in the Lord of their circumstances. The word rejoice carries the idea of being gladdened or cheered. In Luke 16:19, the same word is used of the rich man who “fared sumptuously every day.” That kind of rejoicing is tied to earthly things and can disappear when those things are gone. But rejoicing in the Lord is stable, because He does not change.