THE REAL THING (PART 2)
PHILIPPIANS 3:3
05/11/95
Two weeks ago we took at look at those people the apostle Paul referred to as "dogs, evil workers and the mutilation". We noted that Paul give a server warning to the Philippian people when it comes these false teachers.
We also took a look at some modern day judizers, modern cults and religious movements that Paul would certain classify as dogs, evil workers, and mutilators, as we saw how these groups mutilate the Gospel. And we too must be warned concerning the doctrine which these groups bring to us.
While Paul warns us, and give us the marks of these false teachers, he also, as we will see today, gives us the marks of the truth. The marks of what a true Christian is. Those who states are of the true circumcision. You see while it is important to know what is false, it is even more important to know what is true.
There are banks who train their people on how to detect counterfeit bills, and they do this having them handle real bills. So they become so familiar with the real thing, that they know automatically when a counterfeit bill comes their way.
The same needs to be true concerning Christianity. We need to be so knowledgeable in the truth, so knowledgeable in the real thing which is Christ, that when someone comes knocking at our door with some new teaching that we know automatically that is is another gospel. We need to know and live the truth according to the Word of God, that we can pick up on what is false instantly. But unfortunately this is not always that case with Christians. Because they neglect learning the truth.
Today we are going to take a look at the marks of a true believer as listed here by Paul. There are of course more then what Paul states here but for our study today we will only be looking at those listed here.
Please turn with to page 1018 of your pew Bible, as we look at Philippians chapter 3, verse 3. There we read;
Philippians 3:3 "For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,"
Here Paul write that we are "the circumcision". The week before last we mentions how Paul calls the circumcision of the Judizers nothing more then mutilation, because they were doing in hopes that it would make them righteous before God, yet there are not works that we can do that will make us right before God.
So here Paul is saying we are the true circumcision, not that which is done in the flesh the circumcision of the spirit. He also makes mention of this in:
Colossians 2:11 "In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,"
This is the true circumcision, the circumcision of Christ. When we cut off from our lives the sin which dwells in us, and commit ourselves to live Godly lives through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Now this circumcision Paul notes as certain marks, the first mark he mentions is that we "worship God in the Spirit". Which is to say that those who have put their trust in Jesus, and been filled with the Holy Spirit, worship God by the power of that Spirit. Reading this passage I am reminded of the account in the Gospel of John of Jesus and the Samaritan woman when they meant at the well. After speaking with one another the woman tells Jesus;
"Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
The basic thing which Jesus is telling this woman, and what Paul is telling us is that the Worship of God is a Spiritual thing it must be because is Spirit.
Worship is not just external religious rites. It is not just raising your hands, it is not just saying the Our Father, or singing your favorite hymn, anyone can do that. Anyone can raise their hands, or say the Our Father, or pick up that hymnal and join right in singing a hymn. But only the true Christian can worship God, only those who have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit can worship God as He has commanded us to Worship Him.
Jesus also points out that it does not matter where you worship. The Samaritin worshipped God on Mount ger’-uh-zim, and the Jews of course worshipped God in Jerusalem. Jesus stated that the where really did not matter it was whether you are worshipping God in Spirit and truth that mattered.
To Worship in truth means we worship the one who is true and that is God, through is Son Jesus Christ. If you are not worshipping the triune God of the Scripture, you are not worshipping in truth.
To worship in the Spirit means as I stated before that you must have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you. And in order for that to happen you have to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Also realize that there can be no other way to worship God. If you do not feel something in your Spirit when you worship God you need to look at your relationship with Him. Because there is no other way to worship God then what is prescribed here. Jesus stated "you MUST worship in Spirit and in truth" there is no other way. And this is the only way by which you receive the mark of the true circumcision.
The second mark Paul notes is the way "rejoice in the Lord". Some translation of the word "rejoice" translated "glory" some translate it "boast". I like the way the amplified Bible puts this verse it reads, "For we (Christians) are the true circumcision, who worship God in the spirit and by the Spirit of God, and exult and glory and boast in Jesus Christ"
In other words, if we need any other words, what Paul is saying that we have nothing to boast in other then Jesus Christ. He is the one we should brag about. We need to have total dependence on Jesus. The Bible has a word for those who boast in themselves, that word is "fool".
We should always keep in mind the word of Paul in;
Galatians 6:14 "But God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."
Christian have nothing else to boast about other then Jesus Christ. The work done on the cross by Jesus, on our behalf is our boast. Because it is by that work alone that we have salvation. Nothing that we have done has ever nor can it ever secure us a place in heaven. Another verse that shows the foolishness in boasting in ourselves;
Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
This verse removes any boasting we may have. We cannot boast in our salvation because in is a gift of God. We cannot boast in the works in which we do after our salvation because they come from the fact that God is at work in us. We have absolutely nothing to boast about, other then Jesus Christ. He gave us salvation, and gives us the strength to do good works in His name.
The Judizers in Paul’s day were boasting that they had been circumsized for the Lord to make them more righteous, yet they had no boast at all. And we can see what it is that modern day Judizers are boasting in as well, and it is not the Lord Jesus Christ.
Look at the Mormon, were is there boast? In the Lord Jesus, no in Joseph Smith. If you take Joseph Smith out of Mormonism you have no Mormonism. He is there boast not the Lord Jesus Christ.
Look at those who preach a social gospel, where is their boast? In their own good works. Do good things and you get to heaven, be a nice person, kind to your fellow humans, and you can have eternal life. They boast in their own efforts.
Listen to how foolish this is. They will have to get to heaven and brag about themselves. They will have to say Lord let me in because I have done this, and I have done that, I, I, I. But this is not the mark of a true Christian.
The true Christian gets to heaven and says Father, Jesus did it all, get that word ALL, on my behalf, and it is in Him that I will boast.
Then there is the Jehovah’s Witness. Where is there boast? In Jesus? No. There boast comes from the fact that they belong to the Watchtower, that they when door to door for so many hours, and they keep track of all that information because it is there that they have there boast. But our boast must be in the Lord.
Finally another modern Judizer we mentioned was the New Age movement. Where is there boast? Again, in themselves? They are god, they are controlling their own destination. Yet one more time it is an empty boast. A boasting full of self deception.
So the those of the true circumcision, those who are truly Christian glory in the Lord Jesus, they boast in the Lord Jesus Christ, because it is He who gave us salvation, it is Jesus who sustains us, who works in us to perform good works, and it is Jesus who provides for us. Without Him we would be nothing, and have nothing of eternal value.
Has Jesus tells us in, John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
The last item that Paul mentions as being a mark for those who are true Christians is that they "have no confidence in the flesh". This of course goes hand in hand with the fact they we have nothing to boast in save Jesus Christ.
There is popular saying that I know you have all heard, some I have talked have even credited this saying to the Bible, "God helps those who help themselves". While it may be a very cute and catchy phrase it simply is not the truth. We need to realize the we cannot in any way shape or fashion help ourselves, we are unable to do it. God has done, and continues to do it all when it comes to salvation and to good works.
Without Christ we can do nothing, if we could do something without Him then we could boast in the flesh but we can’t.
In our flesh we can do nothing to help ourselves. The problems is not that we do not try the problem lies in the fact that we are not able. Listen to one of my favorite verse from one of my favorite books of the Bible;
Romans 7:18 "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find."
You see why we have no boast in the flesh, because no good can come from the flesh. You cannot get good from evil. A non-Christian cannot do good in the sight of God regardless of what we has humans see as good. The flesh nature of man cannot produce good, it is impossible. Paul states right there, "that in me, (that means you and me), in our flesh nothing good dwells". They only way we can do good is through the Holy Spirit of God working in us.
It is against our very nature to do good in the sight of God. (Begin flapping arms). Do you know what I am doing? I am trying to fly up to the ceiling. But you know as well as I no matter how much I flap my arms I cannot fly on my own power. Why? because it is not in my nature to fly. And that is the very same reason that we in our flesh cannot do good, it is just not in our nature.
That is why we need a new nature. That is why we need to be born again of the Spirit of God, so that we can do good works by His power, that we will be found righteous in His sight. And this only comes through the real thing which is Jesus Christ.
So for the believer all his confidence, all is boasting must be in Jesus Christ not in themselves. We must be able to say with Paul, "for me to Live is Christ". We show the marks of the true circumcision, mark that only come through a loving relationship with Jesus Christ.
So let me ask you a question. Do you have the marks of a true believer?
Do you just go through the motions of worship? Or do you feel in your Spirit that you are worshipping God? When you sing His praises do feel closer to God? When you read His word to feel His presence? These are signs of worshipping in truth and Spirit. And remember Jesus stated that you MUST worship this way.
Ask yourself where is my boast? Is it in the flesh? Have you put your confidence in the flesh and not in Jesus? Are you counting on good works to get to heaven?
Listen to Titus 3:5-6 "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,"
There is no boasting in our good works because without Christ they are not really good. Is your boast in some religious group or some person.
All our boasting, all our confidence must be in the Lord Jesus Christ. He told us that he alone is "that way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Him." There is nothing else to boast in.
Say you are driving down the highway when you come to a sign that reads, "Dangerous Curve ahead". You are immediately confronted with making choice. One you can observe the warning and slow down. Two, you can ignore the warning and maintain your rate of speed. Or three you can defy the warning and speed up. Whatever choice you make will not change the truth of the sign. The curve remains dangerous whether you acknowledge it or not.
God has given us a sign, or warning. He tells you that judgement is coming. And we have three choices. We can ignore His warning and continue to live our lives as we please, maintain speed if you will. We defy the sign He has given us by mocking Him, and committing evil just to spite Him. Or we can get on our needs and heed His warning. Asking forgiveness, and acknowledging Jesus as our personal Lord and Saviour.
Now no matter which you choose it does not change the truth of what is coming. God will judge you whether you believe in the sign or not.
Let me close by saying that we all need the real thing. We all need Jesus as our Saviour. The is no other way. And ask each person today to trust in Jesus, and manifest those signs of a true believer.
SHALL WE PRAY
