On what basis do people believe they will go to heaven?
~church attendance
~baptism
~ministry/service
~history
~Bible knowledge
~good works
Read verses 1-6:
“Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh-though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.”
Paul has so much concern for the church at Philippi that he wants to make sure that they are on their guard against false teaching. One of the problems facing the church of that day were Jews that had accepted Jesus teaching but that felt that they were somehow more complete because they had been circumcised as God had commanded according to the Abrahamic covenant. So they were encouraging other gentile believers to be circumcised as well.
Paul uses an interesting turn of phrase here. He refers to false teachers as dogs and that is what Jews would commonly refer to Gentiles as, gentile dogs, but here he turns the table and calls false teachers dogs to make a point. He also calls them mutilators of the flesh. A colorful phrase to describe circumcision.
Paul attacks this thinking head-on.
He describes 4 attributes that should be exhibited by all believers.
- “We who are the circumcision”
What does he mean by this?
The Jewish nation began with Abraham when God chose Abraham to start a dynasty of a chosen nation. When God entered into covenant with Abraham the proof of the relationship was that on the eighth day after birth a Jewish male was to be circumcised. The significance of this was that this life was being set apart for God. When Jesus came He said He didn’t come to destroy the law but to fulfill it. Therefore circumcision was no longer necessary. Jesus began a new covenant with believers. He says that during the last supper. That he has established a new covenant.
So what circumcision is Paul referring to if not to the Old Testament circumcision?
Let’s take a look at Romans 2:25-29
“25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the[a] written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.”
What Paul is trying to get them to see is that the act of circumcision alone had little to do with true relationship with God, it was an outward sign of relationship but unless they were evidencing their heart relationship with God with their actions, their circumcision was of no real value.
Man looks on the outside but God looks on the heart. Just as a circumcised Jew is only a real Jew if he is one from the heart so is a Christian a real Christian if he is one from the heart.
What is a circumcised heart?
A circumcision of the heart is done through the power of the Holy Spirit and it is a cutting away of the sin and evil in our hearts.
So the first attribute that should be present in all believers is:
- A circumcised heart.
A heart that has accepted the gift of salvation and a heart that is fully yielded to God, His will and His way.
The second attribute of a believer is those who:
- Worship by the Spirit.
1Peter 2:9 says it this way:
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
- Glory in Christ Jesus.
4. Put no confidence in the flesh.
Hebrews 4:15 says: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that confess his name.”
Do you know how rare it is for someone to give credit to someone else when they are praised? Our sin nature would like to take all that praise and glory for ourselves. But our circumcised heart recognizes that all that needs to go to God. For it is God who wills in us to work for His good pleasure.
I think this whole section can be summarized by Galatians 6:12-15:
“Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.”
What counts is a new creation.
Those are weighty words.
A Circumcised heart, worship by the Spirit, glory in Christ Jesus and no confidence in the flesh. No confidence in our own righteousness. No confidence in our works, our church attendance, our heritage, our history, our baptism, our walking forward during an altar call.
Paul goes on to talk about if anyone could have confidence in the flesh it would be him. He had it all, Jewishly speaking. But he recognizes that it was of no value.
He willingly gave up his position for Christ. He goes on to say that he gives up everything for Christ.
Let’s read together.
“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”
“Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law…”
What is the difference of a righteousness that comes from the law and a righteousness that comes from God?
Law: depends on me
I get the glory
Insecure reward
God: depends on Him
He gets the glory
Secure reward
There is nothing on this earth more valuable than knowing Jesus Christ personally. Nothing else can give a person salvation and eternal life. Only by knowing and accepting Christ as our personal Savior can we obtain salvation.
I heard an illustration that may help you picture this.
Imagine a boat. The boat is loaded with valuable goods. The boat is crossing the sea when a great storm comes up. The boat begins to sink. What must the sailors in the boat do to be saved? They must throw all those valuable goods overboard. Yes, the goods are valuable; but because of the weight of the goods, the boat is sinking and the men are about to drown. In the same way, Paul has had to “throw overboard” all his old religious goods so that He might gain Christ.
What are you hanging onto?
What are you afraid to throw out of the boat?
Paul is so single-minded in his desire that he says in verses 10,11:
“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so somehow to attain to the resurrection of the dead.”
Paul’s desire is to so know Jesus that he is willing to even share in His suffering. He is not only willing to outwardly suffer trouble and persecution but also willing to die to self, die to the sin nature. That is what he means about attaining the resurrection of the dead.
How does one become this single-minded?
Application:
See if you can identify things/people/circumstances/dreams/desires that you are hanging onto that may be interfering with single-minded pursuit of Jesus.
What are some ways that you can be more intentional in your relationship with Him?
Challenge Questions:
What steals your joy? As you find yourself "losing it" try to determine what is stealing your joy and start a Joy Stealers List.
What are you hanging onto that is interfering with your relationship with Christ?
How can you become more intentional in your relationship with Him?
