Filipljanima 3:16

Croatian Bible

Samo, držimo se onoga do čega smo stigli!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

whereto: Galatians 5:7, Hebrews 10:38, Hebrews 10:39, 2 Peter 2:10-20, Revelation 2:4, Revelation 2:5, Revelation 3:3

let us walk: Romans 12:16, Romans 15:5, Galatians 6:16, Ephesians 5:2-8, Colossians 2:6

let us mind: Philippians 1:27, Philippians 2:2, Philippians 4:2

Reciprocal: John 7:17 - General Acts 13:43 - persuaded Romans 13:13 - us 1 Corinthians 1:10 - that ye 2 Corinthians 13:11 - be of one Philippians 1:9 - your Philippians 3:12 - I had 1 Thessalonians 5:21 - hold 1 Timothy 4:6 - thou hast Hebrews 10:32 - call 1 Peter 3:8 - be 2 John 1:8 - that we lose

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained,.... Whatever degree of knowledge of Christ, and the truths of his Gospel, is attained to, let it be retained, and not departed from:

let us walk by the same rule; either the doctrine of justification by Christ's righteousness in particular, which is a rule of judgment concerning other things; for so far as they agree or disagree with this, they are to be received or rejected; or the Scriptures of truth, which are the rule of faith and practice, and the standard and test, to which all are to be brought and tried:

let us mind the same thing; be of one heart and affection to each other, Romans 12:10, and of the same judgment in the doctrines of the Gospel, 1 Corinthians 1:10, and pursue the same measures; particularly press towards the same mark, and for the same prize the apostle did, Philippians 3:14, and be followers of him, as is exhorted to in Philippians 3:17.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule - This is a most wise and valuable rule, and a rule that would save much difficulty and contention in the church, if it were honestly applied. The meaning is this, that though there might be different degrees of attainment among Christians, and different views on many subjects, yet there were points in which all could agree; there were attainments which they all had made, and in reference to them they should walk in harmony and love. It might be that some had made much greater advances than others. They had more elevated views of religion; they had higher knowledge; they were nearer perfection. Others had had less advantages of education and instruction, had had fewer opportunities of making progress in the divine life, and would less understand the higher mysteries of the Christian life. They might not see the truth or propriety of many things which those in advance of them would see clearly.

But it was not worth while to quarrel about these things. There should be no angry feeling, and no fault-finding on either side. There were many things in which they could see alike, and where there were no jarring sentiments. In those things they could walk harmoniously; and they who were in advance of others should not complain of their less informed brethren as lacking all evidence of piety; nor should those who had not made such advances complain of those before them as fanatical, or as disposed to push things to extremes. They who had the higher views should, as Paul did, believe that God will yet communicate them to the church at large, and in the meantime should not denounce others; and those who had less elevated attainments should not censure their brethren as wild and visionary. There were common grounds on which they might unite, and thus the harmony of the church would be secured.

No better rule than this could be applied to the subjects of inquiry which spring up among Christians respecting temperance, slavery, moral reform, and the various doctrines of religion; and, if this rule had been always observed, the church would have been always saved from harsh contention and from schism. If a man does not see things just as I do, let me try with mildness to Teach him, and let me believe that, if he is a Christian, God will make this known to him yet; but let me not quarrel with him, for neither of us would be benefited by that, nor would the object be likely to be attained. In the meantime, there are many things in which we can agree. In them let us work together, and strive, as far as we can, to promote the common object. Thus we shall save our temper, give no occasion to the world to reproach us, and be much more likely to come together in all our views. The best way to make true Christians harmonious is, to labor together in the common cause of saying souls. As far as we can agree, let us go and labor together; and where we cannot yet, let us “agree to differ.” We shall all think alike by-and-by.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 16. Whereto we have already attained — Let us not lose that part of the race which we have already run, let us walk by the same rule-let us keep the white line continually in view, let us mind the same thing, always considering the glorious prize which is held out by God through Christ Jesus to animate and encourage us.

The MSS., versions and fathers of the Alexandrian recension or edition, and which are supposed by Griesbach and others to contain the purest text, omit the words κανονι το αυτο προνειν, and read the verse thus: Whereunto we have already attained let us walk; or, according to what we have already attained, let us regulate our life, There is so much disagreement about the above words in the MSS., c., that most critics consider them as a sort of gloss, which never made an original part of the text. Dr. White says, Certissime delenda "Most certainly they should be obliterated."