Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. Philippians 3:1 (NLT)
There is a very important concept to be learned from verse 1. Paul was reintroducing a subject to the people so they would have an added safeguard. This is a good reason for all of us to consistently revisit and reread God’s Word. The reason I believe so many people leave the faith is due to a lack of reading and studying God’s Word.
Oprah Winfrey says she left the Christian faith after hearing only one message. She did not investigate it. Because she did not have the safeguard of understanding and revisiting the Scriptures, she did not have a safeguard built up to protect her from the lies of false religions. She now is the champion of one such false religion.
The best way to rejoice in God is to keep discovering who He is and find out what He is trying to tell you. This is why Bible study is so important!
Listen to the warning Paul gives:
Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. Philippians 3:2 (NIV)
Paul is talking about the Jewish men teaching people how to be more Jewish. They made Christians endure circumcision. They were all about outward appearance because they failed to see that Jesus is more concerned about the inward appearance. Jesus circumcises the heart to cut out the sin in our lives and to renew our lives with His blood which He shed for us. Circumcising our bodies does not and cannot bring us into fellowship with God.
The Spirit of God brings this work of salvation into our lives and acts in us to help teach us and cleanse our thoughts and our actions. Any act outside of the work of the Spirit is futile. Paul had more to brag about than anyone about religious piety:
- He was circumcised on the correct day (eight days after birth)
- He was an natural born Israelite
- He knew His lineage from the tribe of Benjamin
- He was as Hebrew as a Hebrew could get!
- He was a Pharisee in religious act and teaching and education
- He was zealous for the Jewish cause – hunting down and persecuting Christians
- He was very legalistic and did not fail those teachings
Yet those outward acts and outward works did nothing to improve His relationship with God – only a select sect of men was impressed. All of his “Jewishness” was nothing and added nothing to his life. Jesus introduced Himself to Paul and Paul realized his need for Christ. Paul was a dirty sinner without Jesus as Lord and Savior of his life. Once Paul came to life in Christ, his old way of living was lost to him. To return to such a way of life was to negate and turn away from everything Jesus did and was doing.
The true law of God is written on the hearts of men and can only be obeyed through Jesus Christ who justifies us through faith. His righteousness is pure and holy, and He shares it with those willing to accept Him as Lord.
I love what Paul says in verse 10:
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death… Philippians 3:10 (NIV)
I want to know Christ. This is from a man who saw the face of Jesus and was blinded by His glory. I want to know Christ. This is from a man who prayed over people and the power of God surged through them and healed them. I want to know Christ. This is from a man whose words fill almost two-thirds of the New Testament.
I want to know Christ also. I want to know His power in resurrection. I want the fellowship of sharing in His suffering. Wow, that is a lot to ask. Imagine knowing Jesus so well that you share a common bond just through suffering as He suffered all for the sake of spreading the gospel to a world filled with imperfect people infested with the putrid ills of society. As sins permeates mankind, Christ gives that much more grace – always more than enough.
I may not look or act that great on the outside, but I do know who is working from the inside out. One day I too will by God’s grace attain resurrection from death. Until that time, I will give my best to God’s will for my life and will look to know Him more. Kind of why I started this series of Bible studies – all to know Him.
- What are you doing to know Christ more?
- What are you doing to share in the fellowship of suffering?
- Do you portray yourself as more Christian than you really are?
- How often do you read through the Bible and study it?
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