Pursuing the Goal in the Christian Life Philippians 3:1-21 Part I
Having employed the words – “Finally, my brethren” in Philippians 3:1, one would have concluded that the grand Apostle Paul was about to conclude this epistle. However, Paul was urged to continue this epistle, informing us that there was danger lurking among the Philippian believers because of the insidious teaching of the Judaizers. Certain men, called the Judaizers, insisted that Gentile believers had to submit to the law, especially the law of circumcision in order to be saved. To abolish this error, Paul was deeply urged to warn the Philippian believers of this dangerous teaching of the Judaizers.
Philippians 3:1-21 may be outlined as follows: I. The Dangerous Teaching of the Judaizers Revealed – Philippians 3:1-3; II. The Pedigree of Paul Unveiled – Philippians 3:4-14; III. The Exhortation to Steadfast Spiritual Maturity – Philippians 3: 15-21.
- The Dangerous Teaching of the Judaizers Revealed – Philippians 3:1-3
In verse 1, having the words – “Finally, my brethren”, one would gather that Paul was about to end this epistle. On the other hand, Paul was moved to warn the Philippian believers of the danger involving the teaching of the Judaizers. The remainder to “rejoice in the Lord” was not out of place with the warnings that Paul was about to discuss. Spiritual perils in the Christian life should never be faced apart from the joy that we have in Christ.
Paul uses the words “write the same things” to emphasize the importance to repeat this information regarding the Judaizers. Paul was not hesitant in revealing this information about the Judaizers. For the Philippian believers, Paul felt it was “safe”; that is, it served to warn the believers about the Judaizers’ wrong teaching. Paul is calling on the believers to exercise vigilance in view of the wrong teaching of the Judaizers.
In Paul’s exhortation to vigilance, he uses some descriptive expression in verse 2 to single out the Judaizers: “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of concision.” It is very clear that Paul was referring to the Judaizers who insisted on circumcision as a requirement for salvation.
As advocating a dangerous doctrine, the Judaizers were evil workers who operated outside the circle of grace! In contrast to those who advocated the cutting of the flesh, Paul indicated that believers “are the circumcision”, for they are the ones who are truly circumcised spiritually. They “worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus” (v. 3). As believers, we don’t’ hinge our hope or merit on anything of the flesh, aware that we are saved by grace, not by any works of the flesh (Ephesians 2:8-9).
May God Bless!
