"True Christians”
Paul’s letter to the Jesus followers living in a Greek city called Philippi contains the necessary ingredients of a life of “Maintaining the Joy of the Lord No Matter What”. The first ingredient is found in the first chapter where Paul calls us to adopt the
I. ADOPT THE RIGHT AXIS -- SUPERIOR PERSPECTIVE
The Exaltation of Christ in Everything -- Passion to Praise Jesus
II. MAINTAIN THE RIGHT ATTITUDE -- SUPERIOR PATTERN OF LIVING
Humble Obedience modeled by Jesus -- Passion to Please Jesus
III. PURSUE THE RIGHT AIM – SUPERIOR PURSUIT 3:1-21
Knowing Christ -- Passion to Pursue Christ above all else
Introduction
as we move into chapter 3 I want to first provide you with an overview of the flow of Paul’s argument.
• Paul warned against false Christianity 3:1-2
• Paul affirmed genuine Christianity 3:3
• Paul confirmed his Christian credentials 3:4-8
• Paul shared his own pursuit of Christ. 3:9-14
• Paul invited the Philippians to join his pursuit of Christ 15-17,20,4:1
• Paul lamented those not pursuing Christ 3:18-19
People and groups are known by particular characteristics. Whether it is a nationality trait a regional trait a religious trait, each stands out from the rest according to particular traits.
A. Paul warned against false Christianity 3:1-2
Paul began this section of the letter by issuing a warning against false Christianity.
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3:1-2
The regular theme in this letter is joy in rejoicing. Almost of the transition Paul again calls them to rejoice in the Lord. This is not a rejoicing out of a vacuum but rejoicing that stems from a relationship with God. Out of a passion to praise him and a passion to please him based on the encouragement that comes from him we are able to maintain the joy of the Lord no matter what. Paul justifies repeating truth that he has shared with them previously. We are no different today. We need constant reminders of truths that can easily fall along the wayside; especially in the midst of difficulty. Paul has a severe warning against some false teachers promoting a teaching guaranteed to rob one of their joy.
Dwight Pentecost in his commentary on Philippians:
"The apostle is facing a very dangerous and devious doctrinal defection as he writes this word to the Philippians. He is dealing with a false teaching that would set aside Jesus Christ from His rightful place of preeminence in a believer's life and would make the Believer himself the center of life. While these false teachers would not be so crass as to state it that way, that is the heart of their doctrine. Will a man glory in Christ or will a man glory in himself -- in what he is and what he has attained?"
Paul is so disgusted with these gospel polluters that he resorts to name-calling. Dogs, evil workers, flesh mutilators. These Jews taught that Salvation in Christ was only intended for Jews and that in order to come to Christ, a Gentile must enter though Judaism; including circumcision and keeping the Mosaic laws. It amounts to a salvation by merit or works teaching. They teach that a person can find favor with God through external ritual and ceremonial practices. Paul solemnly warns against this heretical teaching:
Continually Beware of the dogs.
Interestingly, "dogs" was a term used by Jews about Gentiles. Paul used this term that carried the image of an undisciplined, scavenger whose appearance was dirty and repulsive to refer to Jews who were stripping the essential meat off the bones of the gospel.
Continually Beware of the evil workers
EVIL = Evil in nature and purpose; that which is inherently evil but not always outwardly expressed. These Jews were hard workers but their work was destructive by nature. The wickedness was not always apparent on the surface but brought devastation to the faith of many.
Continually beware of the false circumcision
Jews were good at word plays. They would alter the sound of a word just slightly so as to change the meaning of the word significantly. Paul altered a word having spiritually rich meaning namely Biblical circumcision to actually refer to the terrible practice of mutilation. It is what these Jews were doing to the Gospel. They were distorting it beyond what was revealed by God and producing a painful distortion of the truth. In denouncing this bogus bunch and their focus on externals, Paul then affirmed the essential internal characteristics of the real thing.
B. Paul affirmed genuine Christianity 3:3
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…
Circumcision was an external ceremony identifying the people as a people set apart for God. It was the sign of the covenant between the Israelites and God. Eventually it had no corresponding spiritual significance.
Paul capitalized on the concept of a covenant people by expanding and explaining.
In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful flesh, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. Col 2:12
Paul was clear that the physical ceremonial act was not the point.
But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. Galatians 6:14-15
Paul claimed to be the real thing along with the Jesus followers at Philippi. He identifies two characteristics of a true Christian. People today claim to be Christian. They point to any number of things that verify the fact.
Today there is a distinct disconnect between faith and practice. What we embrace on Sunday evaporates on Monday. No longer do our activities distinguish us from the “pagans” around us. What was once a shining light on a lampstand has been stuffed under a basket. Paul identifies two foundational characteristics. There are three things but one he presents both the positive and negative side.
1. Who WORSHIP by the Spirit
A.W. Tozer charged that, "Worship is the missing jewel of the evangelical Church."
First, the true Christian actually worships.
Second, the genuine Christian’s worship is Holy Spirit generated.
Not everything labeled worship today is actually worship. Allen and Borrer offer a definition of worship in their book, "Worship: Rediscovering the Missing Jewel."
"Worship is an active response to God whereby we declare His worth. Worship is not passive, but is participative. Worship is not simply a mood; it is a response. Worship is not just a feeling; it is a declaration."
Worship means to "attribute worth" to something or someone. To worship God is to ascribe to Him supreme worth, for He alone is worthy. Worship is the celebration of God! When we worship Him, we celebrate Him: We extol Him, we sound His praise, we boast in Him.
Worship is the Spirit generated response of the heart of men to the revelation and realization of the, person, purpose and presence of God.
WORSHIP BEGINS IN THE SPIRIT BY THE SPIRIT
Worship begins as a work done in our spirit by the Spirit of God.
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." Joh 4:24
God quickens our spirit to worship at conversion, but our developing inner person is in need of continual renewal by the Spirit to adequately express that worship. The Holy Spirit impacts the inner man which causes a response in the heart--mind, will, emotions which in turn may manifests outwardly. Worship must not be drummed up or manipulated by some slick entertainment that merely appeals to our flesh. Worship has to be more than just a warm emotional feeling or a tingling sensation externally manipulated by beautiful music or a moving speaker or even by a demonic spirit masquerading as the Holy Spirit. There is a great deal of activity that goes on in our churches labeled worship that is nothing more than flesh generated responses to things other than a deeper realization of the person, purpose and presence of God. True Worship must be Spirit generated.
WORSHIP MUST BE TRUTH BASED
Worship is based upon a Spirit-imparted revelation and realization of God in all of His majesty to our heart. Just as there is no genuine worship without the Spirit, there is no genuine worship apart from truth. As the Spirit imparts revelation and realization of God's majesty to a heart and that heart through the Spirit responds in prayer or song or declaration, or testimony or service, the rest are drawn to ascribe supreme worth to God as we see Him manifest through that person as well as respond in a different way to that manifestation.
WORSHIP IS AN ACTIVE RESPONSE
Worship takes place when the Spirit of God draws my heart to a deeper realization of God and I can't help but respond to Him in some way. Worship is active. Worship is a verb. The response of our heart to greater revelation and the deeper realization of God will then manifest in any number of Spirit directed responses.
These are only a few recorded responses from Scripture:
singing, shouting, playing instruments of all kinds loudly and softly, bowing, crying, laughing, standing, silence, ritual, walking, marching, dancing, feasting, fasting, praying, giving, working, obeying, sharing, declaring, kneeling, falling on one's face, lifting one's face, raising hands.
How easy it is to get reversed the God directed order of things. We think that if we develop better worship methods, we will realize more meaningful worship. Only deeper relationship will inspire better expressions of worship. When worship is mechanically generated rather than Spirit generated, we will settle into a meaningless routine. It is my hope that as we become sensitive to the Spirit of God and our heart hears revelation and comes to a deeper realization of our God, that we will also discover greater freedom in our response to Him that will draw others to know Him as we have come to know Him and inspire them to worship Him.
WORSHIP MUST BE GOD CENTERED NOT MAN CENTERED
It is not what I get out of worship or how I felt about my devotional time, but what did God get out of it, how did He feel about it. Too much of our modern worship focuses on how I’m feeling. I appreciate the song about coming back to the heart of worship; it’s all about You, it’s all about You Jesus. We gather here, we are not the audience. God is the audience. It is not necessarily what we like but does He like it.
Like the Psalmist sung.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14
Worship is the highest form of love.
Worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God." William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury
Form and methods may enable the heart to better respond to the Spirit generated revelation and realization of God. But form without heart can never please God.
"The multitude of your sacrifices - what are they to me?" says the Lord. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. Isa 1:11
Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations - I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. Isa 1:14
The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. Isa 29:13
God seeks those who will worship Him according to His design. Genuine Christianity worships by the Spirit.
Worship as a Spirit generated response from the heart of men to the revelation and realization of the person, purpose and presence of God.
2. Who glory in Christ Jesus
To glory in something is to boast take pride, fully embrace.
Jeremiah 9:24; Gal 6:14; 2 Corinthians 10:12; ho is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. 2Co 10:18
The genuine believer finds their significance in their connection to Jesus. We are taught today to build self-esteem by embracing the things that cannot last. Looks, talents, heritage, possessions, education, IQ, relationships. Not of that is secure in this hostile world.
We cannot build self-esteem; it can only be REALIZED through our relationship with Jesus Christ.
He determines our importance. He determines our competence. He determines our worth. It is based on Him and Him alone. The true Christian find ultimate worth in Christ Jesus.
3. Who put NO confidence in the flesh.
This actually is the flip side of glorying in Christ Jesus. The false teachers were demanding a confidence in some fleshly ceremony. What do you trust to feel good about yourself? What brings you a satisfaction? If it is anything other than confidence and boasting in Jesus, there’s a problem. You don’t understand the basics of genuine Christianity. If such things were reason for boasting, Paul outclassed them all.
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.
He cited an impressive list of qualifications none of which he put confidence.
Circumcised the 8th Day – exemplary religious upbringing
Of the nation of Israel – proper descendant of Abraham
Of the Tribe of Benjamin – favored son of Jacob
A Hebrew of the Hebrews – culturally refined with all the right customs
A Pharisee – a conservative and keeper of the truth
Zealous – not a pew sitter
Blameless – kept the code perfectly
What do you count on to distinguish you? Yet in spite of this impressive resume, what did Paul hold most dear.
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Philip 3:7
Nothing was more important that praising Christ, pleasing Christ and pursuing Christ. The outworking of glorying in Christ and putting no confidence in the flesh will be expanded upon in the next section of his letter.
Paul told the Corinthians to examine themselves to see if they really be in the faith. How do you measure up to these distinctive markers of the genuine Christian?
• Worship by the Spirit
• Glory in Christ Jesus
• Put no confidence in the flesh.
