Philippians 3:2-6 says,...
Today's verses are Philippians 3:2-6, which read,
v.2 - Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;...
Beware, beware, beware! Dogs were filthy animals that the Jews of Paul's day would use as a reference to non-Jews. It was a slang term for them. Evil workers gives the sense that someone is working but what is behind the work is evil. False circumcision refers to someone having the sign of the covenant but not the spirit of the covenant. This is a physical sign that has been performed but the spiritual relevance is not there. Because of this reference to the circumcision, which was part of the covenant with the Jews, Paul is speaking to the Jews when he says dogs, evil workers, and false circumcision. There were Jews, called "Judaizers" who where trying to tie circumcision to salvation. In their opinion, you could not be saved if you were not circumcised. Your salvation was not based on Christ alone but also this added physical act. This has been duplicated in our day as many want to add requirements to salvation beyond the cross of Christ and the result is that the added requirement or requirements are actually more important that the sacrifice of God's only Son for our sins.
v.3 - ...for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,...
The Jew who was circumcised under the old covenant would be looking for the coming Messiah prophesied who would bring a new covenant. Paul is saying that those who are not false circumcision but true are those Jews who worship Jesus as the Messiah. Their faith is in the One who came and not in the flesh mark that they received. The sign of the circumcision was just a sign of the covenant that prophesied of a coming Messiah and the true circumcision are those who accept Jesus as the Messiah to the world. The past sign is no longer needed or there is no longer confidence in it because Jesus, the Messiah, the Savior of the world has come.
v.4-6 - ...although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
I envision this as Paul pulling out his possible duffle bag of "pride" trophies. If anyone could have confidence in the flesh providing salvation, it was Paul. He was circumcised on the prescribed day, not the 7th or the 9th or whenever they got around to it but the 8th day. He was of the nation of Israel, a direct descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was of the tribe of Benjamin who along with the tribe of Judah were loyal to the Davidic dynasty of the two tribes of the southern kingdom. He was a Hebrew of Hebrews meaning that he maintained all the Hebrew traditions and language. He was a Pharisee which was a group that was characterized as zealous to keep the Law. He defended the Jewish faith against these Christians who proclaimed Jesus was the Messiah and risen from the dead. He defended the Jewish faith to the point of seeing these Christians thrown in prison and watching some of them be stoned to death for proclaiming such things. He keep all the Law requirements. He was an A+ student, in the honors course, acing AP classes when it came to the Law.
If anyone could stand upon his own merits for salvation, it was Paul but he is going to tell us something different tomorrow that he stands upon that is not of his doing, not in his duffle bag of human "pride." Do you carry around a duffle bag of "pride?" You know the Sunday School answer of how to be saved by Christ alone but you have all these other things that you have just in case that is not enough? And maybe the duffle bag has become more important that Christ's sacrifice on the cross. You pull out your Christian spiritual heritage or training or perfect attendance pin or previous human acts as more than validation of your faith in Christ but your contribution to your faith in Christ. Paul says, "Beware." Let's pray.
"Lord, I don't want to downplay what You have provided to me through any spiritual help and experience of my walk with You but I don't want to elevate it either as something of my accomplishment to take the focus off of You alone for salvation. My "spiritual" pride can get in the way of Your gospel coming out of my lips and my life onto others. Help me to evaluate what they are hearing and seeing in me. Is it me and my spiritual accomplishments and training and heritage or it You on the cross for sinners? Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.2 - Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;...
Beware, beware, beware! Dogs were filthy animals that the Jews of Paul's day would use as a reference to non-Jews. It was a slang term for them. Evil workers gives the sense that someone is working but what is behind the work is evil. False circumcision refers to someone having the sign of the covenant but not the spirit of the covenant. This is a physical sign that has been performed but the spiritual relevance is not there. Because of this reference to the circumcision, which was part of the covenant with the Jews, Paul is speaking to the Jews when he says dogs, evil workers, and false circumcision. There were Jews, called "Judaizers" who where trying to tie circumcision to salvation. In their opinion, you could not be saved if you were not circumcised. Your salvation was not based on Christ alone but also this added physical act. This has been duplicated in our day as many want to add requirements to salvation beyond the cross of Christ and the result is that the added requirement or requirements are actually more important that the sacrifice of God's only Son for our sins.
v.3 - ...for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,...
The Jew who was circumcised under the old covenant would be looking for the coming Messiah prophesied who would bring a new covenant. Paul is saying that those who are not false circumcision but true are those Jews who worship Jesus as the Messiah. Their faith is in the One who came and not in the flesh mark that they received. The sign of the circumcision was just a sign of the covenant that prophesied of a coming Messiah and the true circumcision are those who accept Jesus as the Messiah to the world. The past sign is no longer needed or there is no longer confidence in it because Jesus, the Messiah, the Savior of the world has come.
v.4-6 - ...although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
I envision this as Paul pulling out his possible duffle bag of "pride" trophies. If anyone could have confidence in the flesh providing salvation, it was Paul. He was circumcised on the prescribed day, not the 7th or the 9th or whenever they got around to it but the 8th day. He was of the nation of Israel, a direct descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was of the tribe of Benjamin who along with the tribe of Judah were loyal to the Davidic dynasty of the two tribes of the southern kingdom. He was a Hebrew of Hebrews meaning that he maintained all the Hebrew traditions and language. He was a Pharisee which was a group that was characterized as zealous to keep the Law. He defended the Jewish faith against these Christians who proclaimed Jesus was the Messiah and risen from the dead. He defended the Jewish faith to the point of seeing these Christians thrown in prison and watching some of them be stoned to death for proclaiming such things. He keep all the Law requirements. He was an A+ student, in the honors course, acing AP classes when it came to the Law.
If anyone could stand upon his own merits for salvation, it was Paul but he is going to tell us something different tomorrow that he stands upon that is not of his doing, not in his duffle bag of human "pride." Do you carry around a duffle bag of "pride?" You know the Sunday School answer of how to be saved by Christ alone but you have all these other things that you have just in case that is not enough? And maybe the duffle bag has become more important that Christ's sacrifice on the cross. You pull out your Christian spiritual heritage or training or perfect attendance pin or previous human acts as more than validation of your faith in Christ but your contribution to your faith in Christ. Paul says, "Beware." Let's pray.
"Lord, I don't want to downplay what You have provided to me through any spiritual help and experience of my walk with You but I don't want to elevate it either as something of my accomplishment to take the focus off of You alone for salvation. My "spiritual" pride can get in the way of Your gospel coming out of my lips and my life onto others. Help me to evaluate what they are hearing and seeing in me. Is it me and my spiritual accomplishments and training and heritage or it You on the cross for sinners? Amen."
Pastor Adam
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