Philippians 3:1-6

Worship, Glory, Confidence

June 24, 2012

Howard Buck

3:1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

ESV version

3:1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

Who are Paul’s brothers?All believers!!!

Paul encourages us to rejoice 1 Thess 5:16 Rejoice always

Phil 2:18 And you too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me

Phil 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!!

Strong’s # 5463 chairo: be cheerful, i.e. calmly happy or well-off; a salutation, be well, farewell, be glad,

God speed, greeting, hail, joy, rejoice!!

We are to be cheerful in the Lord Add up all of these words and excited comes to mind

3:1 Continued …To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you

This sentence actually should belong with the next verse:

3:2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.

This is what Paul wants to repeat by “writing the same things to you”

In a letter that is primarily an epistle of joy, Paul takes a time out to address and literally attack the enemy,

the Judaizers

His reason “and is safe for you”Paul seeks to protect them and repeats a warning

apparently communicated somehow to them at an earlier time

You may remember our old friends, the Judaizers from Galatians, but here is a refresher

Definition is: to live like Jews, to live as do the Jews

Their heresy was to compel Gentile converts to be circumcised, observe feast days, new moons, Sabbaths, and

Sabbatical years

Paul calls this a “different gospel”, and a retreat from trusting in the Spirit of God - to trust in the flesh

Interestingly, they thought they knew more about the Law and the Gospel than Paul!

Acts 15:1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are

circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

They came from JudeaAnd spread this false teaching from Galatia to Rome,

Colossae, Corinth and Philippi

It was a big deal

2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.

Dogs: the literal translation is hounds!You will note three comments about these guys

Dogs, evildoers and mutilators

In 2Cor. 11:13 he calls them deceitful workmenThe word dogs to the Jew meant: ‘the most despised, insolent and miserable’ of creatures and as unclean

(Tyndale)The primary dog to the Jew was a Gentile!!

…look out for the evildoersI believe the NAS is better here:

beware of the evil workersAs in 2Cor 11:13: deceitful workers

The emphasis is on the word “workers”, these guys were active, like our Mormon and JW friends today

They work hard at spreading a false gospel

There is an underlining double meaning here as the “workers” are proclaiming a “works” oriented gospel!!

look out for those who mutilate the flesh

Mutilators: First I think there is a little sarcasm here on Paul’s part, he certainly didn’t have any issues with

circumcision (The word he uses can also mean castration!)

The problem he has is with circumcision being REQUIRED in receiving salvation through Christ

He equates it to mutilation of the flesh

Salvation is a free gift just needing to be asked for..

3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no

confidence in the flesh In support of the fact Paul doesn't have an issue with

circumcision, he turns around and calls BAG Christians the “circumcision”

The difference is that a circumcised Christian is a person whose HEART is circumcised, Jew or Gentile

doesn’t matter:

Col. 2:11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of

the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,

Col. 2:13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together

with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

Paul is clearly referring to regeneration

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

We are no longer under Law but instead we are under God’s grace!!

Paul had three points in his criticism of the Judaizers; dogs, evil doers and mutilators

Here he counters with three points for the saved:

worship by the Spirit of God glory in Christ Jesus

put no confidence in the flesh

worship by the Spirit of God Worship Strong’s # 4352 proskun:

(Like a dog licking his masters hand); to fawn, or crouch to, i.e. prostrate oneself in homage (do

reverence, to adore): worship

Really, a dog loving his master?

YES, YES, YESThat is exactly what our worship should be, the same

excitement and adoration a puppy/dog shows his master!!!

Do you ache to worship God like your dog aches just to see you when you have been gone?

Think about that for a moment…

Part of our definition said: to adore

Do we really ADORE the worship of God?

Worship should literally be a craving in our heart that drives our mind to fall spiritually prostrate in a

passionate worship of our Holy God!!!!!

Clearly, we can worship God at any time and if our love for Him is true, we are worshipping constantly anyway

Yet the true test is: Heb. 10:25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the

more as you see the day drawing near

There is NO SUBSTITUTE FOR CORPORATE WORSHIP Church, as we call it is the best place for worship but also a

place where we can “love and be loved, serve and be served. There is no better place to come all the way to faith in Jesus Christ, or to hope

continually in Him, than the church, His body” (John MacArthur)

REASONS WHY BELIVERS DON’T GO TO CHURCH

Do we have a good reason for forsaking corporate worship????

glory in Christ Jesus

Glory Strong’s # 1391 doxa: In a wide application, dignity, glory, honor, praise,

worship. Glory can also mean “to boast”

Christians being encouraged to BOAST?????

Check this out:

Jeremiah 9:23-2523 Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

…put no confidence in the fleshSimply put this means to count on our self or any other means to achieve salvation outside of Jesus

Jer. 9: 25 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will punish all those who are

circumcised merely in the flesh—

To place confidence in any thing or any one other than Jesus is a disaster

Biblically, to be outside of Christ is to be “in the flesh”

Why should we:worship by the Spirit of God

glory in Christ Jesus put no confidence in the flesh

BECAUSEWe are to give Him ALL honor, ALL praise,

ALL our worship and the DIGNITY He deserves, after all;

He is God!!!!!!!!!!!

4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for

confidence in the flesh, I have more:

Paul’s Autobiography (Tyndale)Why is this “testimony” here…

Paul is showing the Philippians that he isn’t jealous of the Judaizers supposed position of strength

In other words, he rejects their position not because of any lacking on his part in fact, he is a “Hebrew of Hebrews” and this short statement proves his point

5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of

Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;

Per the instructions given Abraham in Gen 17:12, Paul was circumcised as a Jewish boy

Born of Israelite stock – not a convert, the blood of Jacob flowed in his body!

He was of the tribe of Benjamin – the only tribe to stick with the Davidic throne at the time of the division of Israel

Hebrew of Hebrews by blood, upbringing and language

a PhariseeThe ruling parties of the day:

Pharisee, Sadducee, Essene, Zealot

Pharisee: Known for their exact observance of the Jewish religion, accurate exposition of the law,

handing down of extra biblical customs and traditions, moderate position with regard to the interplay of fate

and freewill, belief in angels and the coming resurrection

Almost all forms of modern Judaism trace their lineage through the Pharisees (Eerdman’s Bible Dictionary)

6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

Pharisees has become one of the generalized designations for the opponents of Jesus because of the zeal with which they opposed Him and His church, this was probably to basis of

Paul’s actions

Acts 9:13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your

saints at Jerusalem Acts 9:21 And all who heard him were amazed and

said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come

here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?”

…as to righteousness under the law, blameless

Paul perfectly practiced the Jewish life especially as a Pharisee and can state here that “as to the law” he is bound blameless

– simply, he followed God’s law to perfection, at least in his own mind!

With this in mind that is what he meant in verse 4… If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the

flesh, I have moreBecause he led this life of adherence to the law, Paul could

make this claim

WHAT DO WE TAKE HOME?

Worship the LordGlory in the Lord

Put no confidence in the fleshWe are the true circumcision