Philippians 3:1-6

Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. 2Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved.

Philippians 3:1-6 - Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the

For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone

could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! 5I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one!

I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. NLT

Paul’s Credentials (Did nothing)

> Circumcised when I was 8 days old

> I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel

> A member of the tribe of Benjamin

Paul’s Credentials (Did something)

> A real Hebrew

> Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law

> I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church

> I obeyed the law without fault

Safeguarding Your Faith

> Joy is a main theme in Philippians

> Joy is experienced as you Trust Christ and marks us as one of His

> Paul wanted these Christians to be safe in the Truth of the Gospel

> A common lie is that you need to focus on pleasing God instead of Trusting God (abiding – resting – faith)

The Confusion Over Circumcision

> Identifying mark of the covenant that God made with Abraham

> Jews were referred to as the Circumcision & Gentiles as the Uncircumcised

> Every Jewish boy is circumcised on the 8th day after his birth.

> Circumcision and Water Baptism are related.

> Water Baptism is an outward sign of the circumcision of a Believer’s heart.

Romans 2:25-29 – The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God’s law. But if you don’t obey God’s law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile. 26And if the Gentiles obey God’s law, won’t God declare them to be his own people?

27In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it. 28For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of

circumcision. 29No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not people. NLT

> When Christians focus on the exterior, their heart's circumcision isn't being lived out.

> We often resort to focusing on pleasing God instead of Trusting God for what He declares about us.

> Those who focus on pleasing God don't live by Faith they live by the works of the Law.

> You have exchanged your relationship with God for performance and therefore live a driven life characterized by guilt, shame and fear.

> When you live this way you deny the power of the Holy Spirit.

2 Timothy 3:5 – They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! NLT

> When you live this way you will attempt to get other people to live this way - focusing upon the spiritual disciplines and effort as the way to please God.

Matthew 18:6 – But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. NLT

> Those who focus on pleasing God, deny the gospel of grace and are identical to the Judaizers, the Jewish legalists, who focused on fleshly circumcision and the Law of Moses.

> The teaching of the Judaizers was condemned as heresy by the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:1-29.

John 4:23-24 – But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” NLT

> Only Christians can worship by the Spirit because only Christians have the Holy Spirit within them and are spiritually alive to God.

In Spirit – True Worship comes from a sincere and contrite heart abiding with the Holy Spirit within you.

Luke 18:11-12 – The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer:

‘I thank you, God that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ NLT

Luke 18:13-14 – But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying,‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’

14I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

NLT

Christians who focus on doing things really exalt themselves and instead of pleasing God they do the exact opposite – just like the self-righteous Pharisee.

In Truth – Guided by the Scriptures not the opinion of the worshiper.

True worshipers trust God in what He already says about them (accepted and complete in Christ) - they don't try to achieve or earn God's favor by focusing on pleasing Him but resting in what God has declared.

Isaiah 29:13 – And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote. NLT

John 6:63 – The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. NLT

Romans 7:18 – And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. NLT

Romans 8:6-8 – So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws,

and it never will. 8That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. NLT

The Reason - Because you try to fix the

symptom while not trusting that Jesus cured

the disease.

Meditation & Application

Moses613 Rules

365 negative 248 positive

Meditation & Application

DavidPsalm 1511 Rules

Meditation & Application

Isaiah33:14-156 Rules

Meditation & Application

Micah6:8

3 Rules

Meditation & Application

Habakkuk2:4

1 Rule

The just shall live by faith

Meditation & Application

Lean on Jesus by having the faith that what He did is sufficient to get you though your problems and your life.

Be Baptized