Rejoice, Beware, Be watchful: Meditation for November 23-29
Philippians 3:1-6 (NASB)
This is the Word of God. May the Spirit of Truth give us wisdom and insight to receive what has been conveyed through His Word by His Inspiration.
Who or what can separate us from the Love of God?!
3:1-2
1Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.
2Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;
Paul continued to show his tireless and selfless care for the Philippians. He would not relent from exhorting them because truth was very important to their spiritual security, growth, and perseverance. He encouraged them to endure in the Joy of the Lord. To be sure, he also alerted them about the danger lurking around them.
He cited three distinct designations which he used to identify the enemies of the Gospel. These are: "dogs", "evil workers", and "false circumcision." He warned the Philippians to beware of evil in all of its forms. Dogs attack while the workers of evil always seek to undermine the truth. The propagation of false circumcision as true doctrine draws our attention away from the true circumcision of the heart. Therefore, Paul alerted the Philippians to beware of the enemies of the truth who seek to diminish the exclusive significance of Christ's finished work and the Grace of God our Father.
3:3-6
3for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,
4although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:
5circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee;
6as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
Paul wanted the Philippians to understand the difference between circumcision in the flesh and circumcision of the heart: that is, false circumcision and true circumcision respectively. God instituted circumcision as a mark of His covenant with abraham and his descendants. It was a visible reminder to the people of Israel that they are the people of God.
However, the propagators of falsehood advance physical circumcision as the means to salvation. They seek to place our confidence on the flesh. They speak against the truth. They are indeed workers of evil.
True circumcision is spiritual in nature and takes effect in the heart of the redeemed child of God. The Holy Spirit regenerates the heart of the sinner and transforms the redeemed into a new man in Christ. The confidence of the redeemed is in Christ not in a circumcised flesh. The redeemed worship God in spirit and in truth. They glory in Christ, not in circumcision.
So Paul warns the Philippians to beware of the enemies of the Gospel. He unmasks the falsehood that the workers of evil preach. Paul was well aware of the truth. He was informed and inspired.
He was a prominent Pharisee until he was rescued by God s irresistible grace. He was a zealous defender of the laws and traditions of Judaism, until he was brought to his knees by the blinding light of Christ s overwhelming Glory. He was a man of fervent religious zeal and a Jew of unblemished heritage.
He was born of Jewish parents whose lineage could be traced back directly to Benjamin, Jacob, Isaac, and even to Abraham, the patriarch himself. He was a pure-blooded Hebrew from the warrior stock of Benjamin, one of two tribes which committed itself to defending and preserving the Jewish heritage. He kept the law from his youth. He was circumcised on the eighth day.
He zealously observed the Mosaic law and jealously defended its precepts. He was a high-minded and self-righteous Pharisee who believed in persistently fulfilling the demands of the Mosaic law in order to earn his rewards and qualify for a spot in heaven. In his compliance to the rabbinical law and in his knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures, he surpassed all of his compatriots.
Paul was uncompromising in his zeal to defend Judaism. He was relentless in his self-discipline. By his own admission, Paul was enthusiastically brutal against anyone who did not observe Judaic norms. Convinced that he was earning God s approval, he subjected himself to the rigors of perfect compliance to the Law. Paul knew! Indeed, Paul was once the enemy of the Gospel. But now he speaks as the bondservant of Jesus Christ for Whose sake he is in prison. He warns the Philippians, he warns Christians against workers of evil and teachers of falsehood.
Notes/Applications
Paul s instructions are characterized by encouragement and practical admonitions. He fosters confidence and caution as he urges believers to be joyful in Jesus Christ while, at the same time, warning us to be aware of the hostile world in which we are commissioned to live for God and serve Him. Here, the significance of Paul's message is not merely his reiteration of the profound truth about our security in Christ and the hostilities we face. It is rather the conscious choice of responsive obedience we should make, without denying the hard facts of the cost of discipleship.
Paul s instructions confront our uninformed confidence which causes us to wallow in a world of self-righteousness and feel-good denial of the truth we know and the reality of our experiences, due to complacency. Such incognizance of the truth about our new life in Jesus Christ and the reality of the evil forces which seek to undermine our faith, often drive us into a life of indifferent or aimless disposition. It is with that in mind that Paul encourages God s redeemed people to rejoice in our salvation and be well grounded in faith and knowledge of the truth, discerning the hostilities surrounding us.
By recalling the details of his own heritage and religious background, Paul effectively teaches us that the evil which once plagued our lives is now behind us. We now continue in our journey with Christ rejoicing in the Lord our Savior. Our new life in Christ is characterized by a responsive obedience which the Holy Spirit cultivates in our new heart. We respond to the work of the Holy Spirit with obedience.
Paul's inspired words encourage us therefore, to be firmly established in God's redemption, to live a godly life cultivated by the Joy of God's salvation, to discern truth from error, and to rest in our Father's gracious goodness. The dogs, the workers of evil, and even falsehood may make noise around us. But they cannot touch us if we remain anchored in Jesus Christ Who set us free. My bretheren, rejoice in the Lord.
