Staying the Course
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Staying the Course
Staying the Course
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
pphil 3.1-3
Without faithfulness to God there can be no Christian life.
Christianity is based first on faith that God is, and then that through Christ Jesus we can be forgiven and are saved.
Our faithfulness is a commitment to adhere to the One God who is true and supreme and to keep His commandments.
In fact, the first two of the Ten Commandments (), deal directly with our being faithful to God.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
An idol can be in the form of anything that you might place in a higher priority over God. This includes false images of worship or placing anything in our lives that has preeminence over God.
it took only forty days from when Moses went to talk with God on Mount Sinai for the Israelites to fall into idolatry.
Even after witnessing the miracles that freed them out of Egypt, they demanded that Aaron make a new god for them to worship. ()
We can think: “How is that possible after they’d so strongly experienced God’s goodness?”
As long as they were faithful to serve God things went well for Israel. As soon as they turned to other idols things started to go seriously downhill. And yet, again and again the Israelites turned from God. They were deluded by riches, by other customs and different teachings.
The Old Testament is rich with examples, both good and bad, that remain just as relevant in the present day. They serve as a cautionary tale for our own lives.
Modern Day idolatry – more than golden calves
Modern Day idolatry – more than golden calves
Today idolatry remains a powerful tool that the devil uses to turn us away from God. However, now it has taken many different forms.
Just like in the stories from the Old Testament, there are many pleasures of life or material goods that divert our attention away from serving God.
Achieving these earthly Refers to everything of this earth, as opposed to heavenly things.
Example: Earthly treasures/heavenly treasures.
The earthly things pass away (are temporal), but the heavenly things are eternal. (;... goals can consume us. Many would quickly do whatever immoral deed it takes to satisfy their desires.
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Even smaller, more “harmless” things can twist our attention away from God. It can be very easy to get completely wrapped up in earthly matters.
1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
But shouldn’t that, as a Christian, actually be my only true concern? To fill myself with the word of God so that I have a clear guideline by which to live my life? The Bible gives us incredibly clear direction about how we are to take this.
Introduction:
“But lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do no break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Introduction:
Introduction:
6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
We always take time for things that we are interested in. My hope is eternal life with the Father and the Son! My whole being should be focused on such a glorious future. If my eyes are really open to see that a life that is pleasing to God is what really matters, then all the temporary distractions will fade away. They will no longer have any value. I should be able to say with Jesus, “My kingdom is not of this earth.” .
Take a look back at your past week and ask yourself, “Where were my thoughts? What was I busy with?” If you have an honest and pure desire to serve God, then you need to take up a battle so that your thoughts are not on a wandering, back-and-forth trail, but that your mind is set firmly on things above! God will bless such a heart that is wholly for Him, just as He blessed the Israelites when they were faithful to Him.
Read also: You only live once!
What is the root of idolatry?
What is the root of idolatry?
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
The dangers of serving two masters
Here we can clearly see what is behind idolatry: covetousness. When the things of earth become great to you and divert your mind and heart from the guiding voice of the Holy Spirit.
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
All too often, the biggest idol in our lives is the one that looks us right in the mirror each and every morning. We are by nature egocentric, self-involved people. Our thoughts naturally go in one pattern: me, me, me. This spirit, which is promoted by every form of media available today, is the same spirit that filled the devil when he challenged God. () This spirit is horribly destructive and can only be countered by humility – by placing our lives in God’s hands and yielding completely to His will.
The dangers of serving two masters
The dangers of serving two masters
Someone who tries to play the balancing act of serving both God and earthly idols is doomed to fail. We receive a very clear warning about this in : “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
says that a double-minded man is “unstable in all his ways.” Even if we begin with a pure desire to serve God alone, this determination can drift away if we allow ourselves to be distracted by earthly “idols” instead of seeking the things above. This determination is something worth fighting to hold onto! We will find that, just as in the days of the Israelites, God richly blesses a faithful singleness of purpose, and there is still a curse over idolatry. Let us fix our vision firmly on the eternal and we will experience God’s goodness and power in our lives.
Our faithful allegiance to Almighty God is the only thing that we can really count on; He is our hope in a fallen world. His provision of forgiveness and salvation through Jesus is the greatest benefit of all if we are faithful believers. 1
[1] Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring Ephesians & Philippians: An Expository Commentary (). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.
Introduction:
Have you ever had a counterfeit bill? That’s never happened to me.
But sometimes, today, people can get scammed into buying a counterfeit ticket to a sporting event or concert or even buying a counterfeit product that was cheaply made to look like the real thing.
The Bible teaches that Satan is a master counterfeiter, trying to pass off on people a version of Christianity that looks good but will not be accepted by God in Heaven.
It would be embarrassing to be trying to use a counterfeit bill or a counterfeit ticket, but it will be much worse to stand before God one day and hear him say that your Christianity is counterfeit.
This is Paul’s warning in these verses. Make sure you don’t accept a counterfeit Christianity.
Soon after the Gospel began to spread among the Gentiles, some Jewish men who claimed to believe in Christ began teaching the Gentile converts that they could not be saved unless they also were circumcised according to the Law of Moses.
The issue was debated and resolved at a council of church leaders in the church at Jerusalem where it was decided that Gentiles do not have to become Jews or be circumcised to be saved. Every person, Jew or Gentile, is saved by grace through faith in Christ alone. You can read about this council in .
However, that decision did not cause Satan to give up his efforts at distorting the truth of the Gospel.
He continued his work through a group of false teachers known as the Judaizers.
These men followed Paul around on his missionary journeys like a pack of dogs, infiltrating the newly founded churches and new believers with their false teaching that a person had to be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses if they were to be truly saved.
Staying the Course Means:
Staying the Course Means:
I. To Rejoice
I. To Rejoice
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
Rejoice is a safeguard...
rejoice is a safeguard...
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
In , Paul says “let these false teachers be accursed and let anyone who perverts the true Gospel be accursed.”
He exhorts them to rejoice in the Lord.
The Christian can always find real joy in the Lord, no matter what his circumstances may be.
“The source of all his singing is high in heaven above.”
Nothing can really affect his joy unless it first robs him of his Savior, and this clearly is impossible.
Natural happiness is affected by pain, sorrow, sickness, poverty, and tragedy. But Christian joy rides high over all the billows of life.
Proof of this is found in the fact that Paul gives this exhortation from prison. Surely we can take the advice from such a man as he![1]
Rejoice we have truth and changed lives ...
Why is it so important that we rejoice in the Lord?
Because it is a safeguard against the subtle danger of trusting in human merit. When we rejoice in the Lord, we are rejoicing in His salvation. We are rejoicing that He chose us, that he sent His Son to die for us, that He paid our sin debt, that He rose from the grave and made it possible for us to be right with God.”
Our source of truth is heaven above
Paul has mentioned “rejoicing” six times and “joy” eleven times in the first two chapters of Philippians. He will remind them again in 4:4 when he says “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.” It is no trouble for him to hammer on this theme.
Our culture encourages us to pursue joy. We are increasingly becoming aware of the many benefits of gratitude and joy.[1]
The Bible also encourages us to pursue joy but grounds that pursuit in the reality of God. A striking example of this is in , where we see that rejoicing in the Lord is a safeguard for us. But how exactly is rejoicing a safeguard?
Rejoicing Safeguards Psychological Stability
Rejoicing Safeguards Psychological Stability
Think with me about the apostle Paul’s context as he pens the letter to the Philippians: imprisonment, possible death, malicious ministry rivals, the threat of false teachers plaguing his churches, and ongoing sacrificial ministry.
Its keeps you from stinking thinking
Yet, in the midst of all of this, Paul modeled stability; he stood firm in suffering and opposition. And Paul called the Philippians to stand firm (, ).
Now, in , Paul says that his command to rejoice in the Lord is designed to give them stability: “Further, my brothers and sisters, 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.”
But how does this work psychologically? How does rejoicing act as a safeguard? How does joy promote psychological stability?
When we rejoice in the Lord, we are strengthened by Him.
Another aspect to this, I think, is that rejoicing inevitably displaces negative and unfruitful thoughts.
To rejoice in the Lord is also a decision to not dwell on things that are untrue or unhelpful. Bible scholar Steven Runge says, “It’s like the old saying that ‘the best defense is a good offense.’
Choosing to go on the offensive by rejoicing in the midst of hardship is the single greatest defense from the things that make us turn away from God.”[2]
In other words, rejoicing in the Lord acts as an umbrella, protecting us from the rainfall of negative thoughts that might hinder our stability.
Rejoicing Safeguards Relational Unity
When we choose to rejoice, we choose to turn away from these things because we simply cannot grumble and rejoice at the same time. These things are mutually exclusive: I will either grumble in my circumstances or rejoice in the Lord—but I cannot do both at the same time. Joy will inevitably displace negativity, and thus safeguard our stability.
Rejoicing in the Lord acts as a psychological safeguard because as we rejoice in the Lord we are strengthened by faith. And as we rejoice in the Lord we inevitably turn our attention away from unhelpful and fruitless thoughts towards things that are noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable (). Rejoicing in Jesus, rather than fretting about circumstances, gives us resilience in the midst of dealing with those difficult circumstances.
But it gets even better! Rejoicing in the Lord doesn’t just safeguard psychological stability, it also safeguards social stability in the church.
Rejoicing Safeguards Relational Unity
Rejoicing Safeguards Relational Unity
In the cultural context of Paul’s day, appeals to rejoice demonstrated friendship love, because only true friends would share in one another’s joys and sorrows.
Friends laugh and cry together; “a friend is one who shares in another’s joys and sorrows.”[3] Thus there is a social dimension to joy; joy in the Lord is not just me praising alone in my room, it is a community celebration!
As Bible scholar Walter Hansen says, “Joy in the Lord is a corporate experience, a community celebration.
Paul has just informed the Philippians that he is sending Epaphroditus back home so that when they see him they may rejoice (2:28), and he has implored them to welcome him in the Lord with great joy (2:29).”[4] The joy of the Lord holds us together.
If you are familiar with the letter to the Philippians, you will know that the church was experiencing internal relationship problems.
Paul exhorted them to strive together as one (), a command that he explicitly reinforced to Euodia and Syntyche (). When our churches grapple with relational breakdown, one part of the solution is to rejoice in the Lord together. When we encounter conflict, we need to celebrate in the Lord. The joy of the Lord acts as a relational safeguard by fostering unity.
II. To Recognize
II. To Recognize
One of the things that struck me from is that joy has a protective function. In these verses, Paul has given us an insight into life that we simply must not miss: rejoicing is a safeguard. The joy of the Lord is our strength; the joy of the Lord holds us together.
How wonderful, then, to remember that there was someone who always said: “The Sovereign Lord is my strength” (). And for the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross, scorned its shame, and now sits at the right hand of the throne of God (). Let us fix our eyes on Him! And as we fix our eyes on Him, we will find that rejoicing in the Lord acts as a safeguard for us.
[1] MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1970). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
While the Judaizers don’t really exist under that name today, the core of their teachings is still going strong. There are many counterfeit gospels being taught today where people are trying to add to what Christ accomplished on the Cross for man’s salvation.
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
Look out for the false teaching that you are right with God because of your heritage.
1. Look out for the false teaching that you are right with God because of your heritage.
Who are these “dogs” Paul is talking about? They are the Judaizers.
“Dogs” was a racial slur used by the Jews towards the Gentiles. he is turning the phrase on them!
It referred to packs of wild dogs that used to raid the garbage and eat anything they could find. In Bible times, dogs were not pets. Dogs were scavengers.
They were not picky about what they ate. They ate garbage. They ate dead animals. Sometimes, they would eat human corpses, and even ate their own vomit.
Since the Gentiles were not concerned about clean and unclean foods or about purifying themselves according to the Jewish rituals, the Jews viewed them as unclean dogs. Gentiles were not allowed into the Temple to worship because they were deemed “unclean.”
So by excluding the Gentiles from being part of God’s people because they had not been circumcised, the Judaizers were basically calling the Gentiles “dogs” even though the Gentile believers were saved and followers of Christ.
They were regarded as unclean because they did not get circumcised.
When a Jew called a Gentile a “dog”, he was showing ethnic pride and acting as if he was better because of his heritage.
Paul is taking that slur and turning it back on the false teachers. He is saying “You Judaizers are not right with God just because of your Jewish heritage.”
There are some people I have met who think they are going to Heaven because they are a Baptist. They were raised in a Baptist church, and they think that earns them some favor with God.
If you are trusting in being a Baptist, a Methodist, a Presbyterian, a Lutheran, or a Catholic, you have a counterfeit Christianity.
Your church heritage does not gain you any favor with God.
Your family heritage doesn’t either. You are not saved because you had Christian parents.
God doesn’t have grandchildren, only children. Just because you have a godly heritage of parents and grandparents doesn’t mean you are right with God. You have to personally be saved.
Religious pride, family pride, racial pride, national pride, is all offensive to God and it often keeps people from being saved.
We have to humble ourselves and admit that we are sinners and that we must trust Christ for our salvation and repent of our sins to be saved. It doesn’t matter what church we grew up in, who our parents were, or what our race or nationality is. We are all sinners and we need to be saved.
Look out for the false teaching that you are right with God because of your good works.
Paul also called the Judaizers “evil doers.”
The Judaizers prided themselves on their good works. They worked very hard at keeping the Law. Outwardly, they were good, moral people. But their good works were evil in the sight of God because they were trusting in that instead of trusting in Jesus. God’s Word says that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags in the eyes of God.
They were proud of their morality. They were glorifying themselves for what they had done and thereby they were nullifying what Christ had done for them on the Cross. This is why Paul called them “evil doers.”
The reason God gave the Law was always to cause people to see their sinful condition. It was never intended to make people trust in themselves.
Paul called the Law a schoolmaster to teach us that we need salvation. The Law is a mirror to show us how dirty we are, not a sink to clean us up.
Make no mistake about it - if you are saved, you will show it by good works and morality. But it is not your good works that save you. It is Christ who saves you and He causes you to do good works by the Holy Spirit who indwells you.
It is not we who are to be glorified because of any good works we do. It is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit who deserves the glory. The order of salvation is essential. Works do not come first. Faith comes first, then works. That way, God gets all the glory and we get none.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
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So, beware of the false teaching that you are right with God because of your good works.
Look Out for the false teaching that you are right with God because of your religious rituals.
Paul calls the Judaizers “those who mutilate the flesh.” This term is in reference to what heathen people did to get their gods’ attention. They would cut themselves. When Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal, they cut themselves to try to get Baal to show himself strong. ()
The Judaizers were teaching that Gentiles had to be circumcised or they would not go to Heaven. They thought that the ritual of circumcision gained them favor with God. Circumcision has no more value than what the heathen people did in cutting themselves to get their gods’ attention if it replaces faith in Christ as the basis of belonging to the people of God.
Even the Old Testament prophets taught that circumcision as an outward sign has no value unless it is a sign of a spiritual attitude of submissive obedience to the will and word of God.
Today, there are many people who mistakingly think that religious rituals like baptism, communion, or church attendance gets them into Heaven. But like Jesus said to Nicodemus in , “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
III. To Revere
III. To Revere
3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
To revere and worship
circumcision.” He is not talking about the Jews, although Paul had a Jewish heritage. He is talking about the church. The church is made up of Jews and Gentiles who put their trust in Jesus Christ. We are true Christians because we have trusted in Christ and not in ourselves.
In , Paul explains this further. “What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in[a] him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.”
circumcision.” He is not talking about the Jews, although Paul had a Jewish heritage. He is talking about the church. The church is made up of Jews and Gentiles who put their trust in Jesus Christ. We are true Christians because we have trusted in Christ and not in ourselves.
In , Paul says “we are the circumcision.” He is not talking about the Jews, although Paul had a Jewish heritage. He is talking about the church. The church is made up of Jews and Gentiles who put their trust in Jesus Christ. We are true Christians because we have trusted in Christ and not in ourselves.
And our hearts have been circumcised, not just a part of our bodies, but our hearts.
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
The reason Gentile believers in Christ should reject the requirement of the Judaizers to be circumcised is that they already are the circumcision. By faith in Christ, they were the people of God. They were part of God’s covenant people.
rejoice vs 1 -
Worship vs 2
Glory in Christ vs 3
So what is the application here? What do true Christians do? They rejoice (verse 1) and they worship (verse 3) and they glory in Christ (verse 3).
We rejoice if we are true Christians.
That is why Paul begins chapter 3 by telling us to “Rejoice in the Lord.” By saying “to write the same things to you is no trouble for me but for you it is safe”,
Paul is saying that it is good to repeat this mantra of rejoicing in the Lord.
Repetition is the mother of learning. The way we learned the alphabet, and how to count, and memorized Bible verses is through repetition. Maybe if he says it enough, it will get through their thick skulls.
Because it is a safeguard against the subtle danger of trusting in human merit. When we rejoice in the Lord, we are rejoicing in His salvation. We are rejoicing that He chose us, that he sent His Son to die for us, that He paid our sin debt, that He rose from the grave and made it possible for us to be right with God.”
Why is there so much depression at Christmas? I say it is because people don’t rejoice in Christ. They are trying to find human reasons to rejoice and without Christ, they are empty. That is why Paul is able to rejoice in the Lord even in prison. His rejoicing was in the salvation that Christ provides.
Not only do true Christians rejoice. They also worship in the Spirit. They are directed by God’s Spirit when they worship.
They don’t rely on external rituals. They stand in awe of who God is and what God has done for them. They love God with all their hearts. The Judaizers were making worship all about outward rituals. There was no heart involved. There was no love for God involved. They were just going through the motions.
We are not to boast in ourselves. We are to boast in Christ. We are not to go around telling everyone how great we are, how smart we are, and how successful we are. We are to go around telling everyone how great Jesus is, how loving He is, how holy He is, how powerful He is. Boasting in ourselves is sinful pride, but boasting in Jesus deflates our pride and gives all the glory to Jesus. The only thing we are great at is sinning, but Jesus is a great Savior!
So, look out for false teaching and counterfeit Christianity.
Anything that causes man to trust in Himself or glory in Himself is a false religion. It will not get you into Heaven. The only thing that will is trusting in Christ alone and being born again.
And if you are saved, rejoice! Even in sorrow, rejoice! Rejoice in your salvation. Rejoice not in your circumstances but in the Lord! Rejoice that He is your Father and that Heaven is your home.
If you are saved, worship in the Spirit. Love Jesus with all your heart. Worship him not in a ritualistic way but in a meaningful way.
If you are saved, glory in Christ and what He has done. Not in yourself, but in Him. Give Him all the glory!
How do we Stay the Course?
Rejoice vs 1
Recognize vs 2
Revere vs 3