Spotting a Dog (Philippians 3:1-3)
Spotting a Dog
Philippians 3:1-3
December 1, 2013
Well it has been a couple of weeks since we last studied Philippians.
Paul started the letter encouraging the Philippians in regard to their hardships.
• Find a reason to rejoice
• Find a reason to endure
• Find someone to encourage
Paul of course gave himself as the example of that type of mindset.
In chapter 2 Paul worked on their attitude toward others.
He told them
• To consider others as more important than yourself
• To look out for the personal interests of others
• To have an attitude like Jesus
• To work hard at this type of goal
• To do it without grumbling
• And to follow the example of Epaphroditus
Well now we move into a third section here in the book of Philippians.
And this is a chapter of warning.
This is a chapter pushing for discernment.
That warning is put on display clearest in verse 2.
“Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;”
It is obvious that Paul wants the Philippians to watch out.
Let me give you a little more of the chapter here by way of introduction.
Paul actually spends a great deal of time in this chapter
With his own personal testimony.
And that testimony is that Paul wants Christ.
• He wants to know Christ
• He wants to be like Christ
• It is Christ, Christ, Christ
And he sums that up in verse 14,
“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Paul was not content resting on his past accomplishments
Or his tremendous resume.
And this is precisely what he wanted from the Philippians.
(15) “Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;”
Paul even says in verse 17
(17) “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.”
So it is obvious what Paul wants for the Philippians.
• He wants them to live a life that is focused on Christ and one that pursues Christ’s will for their lives.
• He wants them to focus beyond their past accomplishments and strive for what Christ could do in them and through them.
But the reason for this chapter is because that Paul is afraid
That the Philippians might be seduced by another influence.
(18-19) “For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.”
See there is another influence out there.
• On one hand there is Paul who counts the accomplishments of this life as
“dung” as he pursues Christ.
• On the other hand there are those who disregard Christ and pursue earthly
things.
Now, these are certainly non-believers, for Paul actually says that their “end is destruction”, but they don’t claim to be.
These are people who claim to be God’s people, but who aren’t.
• In reality they are enemies of the cross.
• In reality they are headed for destruction
• In reality they serve their own lusts
• In reality they glory in what is shameful
• In reality they are only focused on earthly things
And Paul wants to make sure that
The Philippians spot them for what they are.
These are without a doubt those “dogs” Paul referred to back in verse 2.
And the danger is that these people would
Influence the Philippians away from the true faith.
Specifically these people are those Judaisers
We have seen Paul confront so many times.
Those men who tried to turn salvation into a works based system.
Acts 15:1 “Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
It was that same group that had almost succeeded
In getting the Galatians to adopt circumcision.
They are a dangerous group because
They turn men to works and ultimately away from Christ.
And while there is no indication that
The Philippians are considering their heretical theology,
That doesn’t mean that Paul isn’t going to warn them anyway.
Tonight we’ll look at the first three verses of this chapter.
Paul is here helping the Philippians discern the foundational difference between true Christianity and this false group.
3 points
#1 DETERMINE TO REJOICE
Philippians 3:1
Paul begins by saying, “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.”
Now that is not a new thought in this letter.
This is the 6th time Paul has used the word.
And it is the second time he has used it in a direct command.
Philippians 2:18 “You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.”
Obviously rejoicing is important.
But unlike the previous times that Paul has used the word,
Here the focus is not on rejoicing in and of itself,
But rather the focus of that rejoicing.
Paul says, “rejoice in the Lord”
• Earlier Paul could rejoice that men were hearing the gospel
• He could rejoice that even if he died he would be with Christ
• Paul could rejoice regardless of his circumstances.
But here Paul is calling the Philippians to focus a little more.
Rejoice and “rejoice in the Lord”
And this is quite easy to do.
Think about all that you have in Jesus.
I’ve always loved Ephesians 1&2 (we won’t go there)
But over and over in those two chapters Paul uses the phrase
“in Him” or “in Christ Jesus”
The objective is to help you see all that you have in Christ.
Election, Redemption, Forgiveness, Inheritance, Security, Life, Peace, etc.
In fact in the middle of Paul’s dissertation there he actually voices his prayer for the Ephesians as he reveals all of this to them.
Ephesians 1:18-19 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.”
Paul just wanted the Ephesians to know all that they had when they had Christ.
And that is a reality we should all focus on.
That is why we took the Lord’s Supper this morning,
To always remember exactly what we have in Jesus.
And the implication is that there is no excuse for a believer
Not to rejoice so long as they have Jesus.
• Oh they may have a dilemma in life…
• They may be genuinely suffering…
• They may be grieving a great loss…
• The may be facing opposition like the Philippians were.
But that is still no reason not to rejoice.
You have Jesus and you should rejoice in Him.
Now, I know that is a bit redundant, and incidentally Paul knew it too.
“To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.”
• He knew the Philippians had heard it all before.
• He knew this more review than anything.
• But he also knew it was important that they not forget.
In fact remembering this was a “safeguard”
Over the past two Sunday mornings
We have been studying the fall of man in the garden.
And we mentioned that sin is what we do
When we are not satisfied with God.
Satan tempts us to see that God has not done an adequate enough job in caring for us, and so we need something else to fill the void.
That is why Eve took the fruit.
She thought God had slighted her on wisdom and thought the fruit will fill the void.
Well, a believer who forgets how good he has it in Jesus
Is in the same danger of temptation.
So it is good to remember Jesus.
• It is good to focus on all that you have in Him.
• It is good to think about the sufficiency of Jesus.
• It is good to rejoice in those things.
It actually protects you from the temptation of the enemy.
And so Paul sets out right off the bat to make sure and remind the Philippians to “rejoice in the Lord.”
Determine to Rejoice
#2 DETECT THE THREAT
Philippians 3:2
Now that you have taken a minute to think about
How GOOD and SUFFICIENT Jesus is, let me give you the warning.
“Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;”
Paul wants the Philippians to realize that there is a threat out there.
He calls them “dogs”
Incidentally a dog in Bible times was not like
The domesticated family pet you know about.
For a more accurate mental picture, think HYENA
(mangy, scavenging, dangerous, filthy, ugly animals)
It is actually the way Jews referred to Gentiles.
And yet here it is how Paul refers to these dangerous people.
This is not the only place the analogy is used:
2 Peter 2:22 “It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”
Matthew 7:6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.”
And the implication to calling someone a dog is that they are dangerous.
You didn’t mess with these dogs, or you might get hurt.
Solomon said gave a good analogy:
Proverbs 26:17 “Like one who takes a dog by the ears Is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him.”
Dogs were just dangerous.
• You didn’t let your kids play with them.
• You didn’t let them in your house.
• You didn’t go near them.
• You certainly didn’t try to call one up to pet it.
Paul says that these people are “dogs”
He also says, “beware of the evil workers”
So now, not only are they dangerous, but they are also “evil”
• Their works are not good.
• Their works are not righteous.
• Their fruit is not pleasing to God.
Think about the warning Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount
Matthew 7:15-20 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “So then, you will know them by their fruits.”
Now it was bad enough that they were false prophets,
But the danger was they were headed for destruction.
They were going to be thrown into the fire.
And so would the converts they produced (i.e. their fruit)
That is what Jesus meant when He said to the Pharisees:
Matthew 23:15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.”
You get the idea.
These men were dangerous and evil.
What they accomplished in people’s lives was not good.
Paul also (and more telling) referred to them as “the false circumcision”
These are those who put all that stock in circumcision.
They claimed allegiance to God through adherence to the Law.
Jesus spoke of them to the church at Philadelphia:
Revelation 3:9 “Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie — I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.”
They were a group of people who caused much harm to the church.
They were “the false circumcision”
Well, what made them “false”?
One reason is because their circumcision was HYPOCRITICAL.
They were all external.
They had been physically circumcised, but it had not changed their hearts.
Romans 2:17-29 “But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God, and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? For “THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU,” just as it is written. For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.”
They were hypocrites.
Outwardly they were perfect little Jews, but inwardly they were false.
(Just like the false prophets in sheep’s clothing)
Matthew 23:23-24 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. “You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!”
So that is one way they were “false”.
The other way they were false is that they were HERETICAL
They were heretical in the sense that they taught
That these works could in fact save a person.
That was the issue of the Judaisers
Acts 15:1 “Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
They were people who taught that salvation
Was achieved through human effort.
And that is of course heresy.
Not only that, but it greatly belittles the work of Jesus.
• If salvation is dependent upon the work you do, then what good was the work that He did?
And that is what made them false.
So rejoice in Jesus and watch out for anyone who doesn’t!
Determine to Rejoice, Detect the Threat
#3 DISCERN THE TRUTH
Philippians 3:3
Verse 3 is not a command,
But it is the perfect answer to the fallacy of the dogs.
Paul helps the Philippians spot them by revealing what a true believer is.
In this one verse Paul gives 4 criteria by which you
Tell the difference between a dog and a true child of God.
1) THE SINCERITY OF OUR COMMITMENT
“for we are the true circumcision”
Now we saw earlier that these “dogs” were the “false circumcision”
And they were false because they were hypocritical and heretical.
Their circumcision was only skin deep and they thought it could save.
Well, we are “the true circumcision”
Indicating that our circumcision is not external,
And it is does not take the place of Jesus.
Jeremiah 4:3-4 “For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns. “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD And remove the foreskins of your heart, Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Or else My wrath will go forth like fire And burn with none to quench it, Because of the evil of your deeds.”
God wanted Israel to “remove the foreskins of [their] heart”
That is “true circumcision”
• To cut out the idolatry…
• To cut out the self-love…
• To cut out the worldliness…
And to love God with all your heart.
That is who true believers are.
• Their religion isn’t skin deep…
• Their religion isn’t external…
They want to love God with all they are,
And to be committed to Him above all others.
And also, their religion doesn’t take the place of Jesus.
Remember Abraham?
He was circumcised
Romans 4:11 “and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,”
For Abraham, the work of circumcision was not a means of salvation.
He was saved long before he was circumcised.
For Abraham circumcision as merely a “sign” and “a seal”
• It was a “sign” in that the outward work symbolized the inward reality.
• It was “a seal” in that his obedience, solidified the genuineness of his faith.
That is what works are to a believer.
We never believe that anything we have done
Has ever or could ever contribute to the work of Christ.
Our works are merely an indicator of our faith in Christ.
That is “true circumcision”
They are hypocritical – we are sincere
They are heretical – we are true
The Sincerity of our Commitment
2) THE SUBSTANCE OF OUR WORSHIP
“who worship in the Spirit of God”
Now listen we are not talking about people who worship “in the Spirit” verses those who don’t.
All true worship is done “in the Spirit”
If you don’t worship “in the Spirit” then you are not worshiping.
John 4:23-24 “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
The difference that Paul is pointing out here is that the true believers really worship God, whereas the false ones do not.
• Oh, they may go through the motions…
• They may attend the worship service…
• They may sing the hymns…
BUT THEY DO NOT WORSHIP
Consider this contrast:
Isaiah 29:13 “Then the Lord said, “Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote,”
You may remember Jesus quoting that very verse about the Pharisees.
The idea here is that true believers worship God from the heart,
Whereas false ones only go through the motions.
True worship is the sacrifice of one’s self to God.
It is the giving of one’s life in service to God.
Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
If you just sing songs and go through the motions,
But refuse to lay your life on Christ’s altar, that isn’t worship.
And Paul says this is one of the ways we distinguish
Between the true children of God and those dangerous dogs.
We look at the substance of their worship.
The Sincerity of our commitment The Substance of our worship
3) THE SUBJECT OF OUR GLORY
“and glory in Christ Jesus”
The word “glory” here literally means “to boast or glory in something”
And this may be the most vivid difference of all.
The dog boasts in their works and accomplishments.
The true child of God boasts only in what Christ has done.
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”
After speaking about the propitiation of Christ on our behalf to satisfy the wrath of God against us, Paul wrote:
Romans 3:27 “Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.”
True believers are “poor in spirit” remember?
They didn’t bring anything to the table.
They had nothing to offer.
They can’t brag about their religious pedigree…
They can’t brag about their religious works…
They didn’t do anything to bring about salvation on their behalf.
• They weren’t smarter…
• They weren’t better…
• They didn’t try harder…
• They didn’t do more…
Jesus did it all, and if you ask them about their salvation,
That is all they will tell you.
And when they start bragging, it is all about Jesus.
• It’s about His mercy
• It’s about His righteousness
• It’s about His submission
• It’s about His death
• It’s about His resurrection
The subject of their Glory is Jesus
4) THE SOURCE OF OUR CONFIDENCE
“and put no confidence in the flesh”
Not only do the dogs boast about what they have done,
But that are supremely confident that what they have done
Will be more than enough to warrant their access into heaven.
Remember this guy?
Luke 18:11-14 “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Jesus was crystal clear on the difference
Between a saved person and lost one.
One was confident in his works, the other knew they were useless.
True believers don’t boast about their works,
Because they have no confidence in them.
• True believers are trying to starve the flesh.
• True believers have crucified the flesh.
• True believers want the flesh to go away.
They certainly don’t boast in it.
And I’m guessing all of this is getting a little more clear now isn’t?
We’ve heard from the dogs over the years.
• Those people who constantly brag about what they’ve done and accomplished.
• Those people who love the spotlight.
• They don’t say two words about Jesus, but you sure know all about what
they’ve done.
Paul says to watch out for these people, they aren’t Christians!
By the end of the chapter Paul will reveal that
They are actually enemies of the cross of Christ.
Paul wanted the Philippians to watch out for those people
And stay away from them.
• They were dangerous like a dog
• They were evil
• They were false
Instead, you just keep focusing on and rejoicing in the Lord.
• You just keep examining who Jesus is and what He has done.
• You just keep thanking Him over and over for His great work.
And if you will commit to do that, your rejoicing will actually “safeguard” you from getting the bighead like those fake believers.
That is a good message to us.
Rejoicing in the Lord isn’t just something you should do,
It is something you need to do.
It is a protector from deception.
Because the dogs are out there.
