# 17: 4-14-17 E 1

Philippians 3:3

We have begun to look at the solemn warning that Paul had issued to the assembly in Philippi. Paul was
cautioning them to beware of certain Jewish false teachers, who made it their business to periodically visit
the various churches that Paul had established among the Gentiles.

These false teachers sought to deceive the susceptible into believing that they must keep the Law of Moses
- with circumcision serving as its initiation rite. Their ultimate goal was to bring the Gentiles into the fold
of Judaism - with its futile works-based salvation.

But what interest would the Philippian believers have, in Judaism? After all, this was a well-established
assembly, and Paul tends to address them in this letter all as believers - even the warning is specifically
addressed by Paul to my brethren - fellow Christ Ones (3:1).

The believers in Philippi had been justified by faith. They would not be convinced by anyone that keeping
the Law could save them; they were already saved - through simple faith in Christ alone.

And they had clearly made progress in their faith - in living righteously. So they wouldnt tend to turn to
the Law to sanctify them, either. But then, why does Paul issue the warning about these purveyors of
Judaism - and its rite of circumcision?

For our answer, we need to consider the circumstances of this assembly. Remember at the time of this
letter, the Roman government had begun to distinguish those who believe in Christ, from those who follow
the religion of Judaism.

Although Jews were occasionally persecuted in the Empire, that religion was mostly tolerated because of
its antiquity, predating the Empire itself. In fact, the Romans were quite tolerant of different religions - as
long as those religions were not seen to undermine the fabric of Roman society.

But those who believed in Christ were eventually considered to be followers of a new religion, one that
would not allow its adherents to participate in the religious offerings made to the pagan gods. This caused
the state to view the belief as what they termed a superstition - something detrimental to Roman society.

In addition, offerings were now expected to be made even to the emperor, as a living god - and making
those offerings was taken as a sign of allegiance, to the Roman state. Roman colonies such as Philippi
tended to be especially zealous for the state - which is why the believers in Philippi would have been
experiencing such pressure to comply with the state religion - and persecution, due to their resistance.

It is possible that the idea surfaced in the assembly to go along with the false teachers, when they returned -
to profess a belief in Judaism, and then outwardly comply with the keeping the Law. The idea was to
appear as Jews, and thereby, to be tolerated by the other citizens of Philippi, as the Jews were.

This would amount to a plan in the flesh, for self-protection - just a little religious compliance - in order to
come under the umbrella of Judaism, and escape the persecution that came from being a Christ One. Of
course, the false teachers would begin to press for full compliance!

It is certainly more likely that this idea would have originated with the believers in Philippi, than for Paul
to have conceived of it, as something the Philippians might possibly do, that he needed to warn them about.
Paul would hardly have wanted to introduce the possibility to them! Epaphroditus would have voiced his
concern about it, in his report to Paul.
# 17: 4-14-17 E 2

Judging from Pauls tone here, there was not some significant movement going on to do this, in Philippi - it
was just an idea, that had been aired in the assembly - but since it was one that posed a real danger, Paul
chose to directly address it with his strong warning.

But what exactly was the danger? The danger, for these established believers, was in thinking that they
could adhere to a religious lifestyle, like Judaism, without it amounting to a complete compromise of their
walk, as Christ Ones.

Although they didnt believe the Law could sanctify them, they would wind up occupying themselves with
keeping the Law anyway, in order to protect themselves, as they saw it. And that would leave them
unavailable for their walk with the Lord - to make their progress in the faith.

They would not be growing and flourishing, as Christ Ones should be. Their love for others - any others -
would be stifled, in their self-absorbed efforts to protect themselves. And their witness to their fellow
citizens would vanish - destroyed by their hypocrisy.

Pauls argument against this prospective compromise involves the remainder of the chapter. First, he will
remind his friends in Philippi that the religion of Judaism is a false way to God (v. 3).

He will then use his own personal testimony to bear out the complete worthlessness of that way, and every
other religious system of works - in contrast to immeasurable value of what God has worked for believers,
through Christ (v. 4-9).

This is being worked out in believers, through time, through their walk of faith - sometimes through
suffering, but ultimately, to glory (v. 11-14).

And through all of this, Pauls shows that the works of religion and the walk of faith are mutually exclusive
ways, with different ends; a man cannot walk both ways, at once (v. 15-21). A follower of Christ does not
compromise; he perseveres. He stands fast in the Lord (4:1).

Lets continue now with verse 3. Ill read the preceding verses again as well.

[Philippians 3:1-3]

So Paul was encouraging the Philippian believers in what remains for them to do - to rejoice in the Lord.
In the midst of their circumstances, their suffering, they can turn to their Lord, and draw from Him peace
and heart-satisfaction - joy - which will give them strength, for their trial of faith.

If instead the believers insist on seeking their own solutions to the circumstances, then the Jewish teachers
pose a continuing threat to them - as a compromise to their walk, in the Lord.

The terms that Paul chooses for these Jewish teachers are intentionally denigrating. Since they are zealous
for the Law, and the ceremonial aspects of cleanliness, to be called dogs would be quite the insult, as
dogs were considered unclean animals.

And the religious teachers often portrayed themselves as ministers of righteousness (2 Cor 11:15). Yet Paul
calls them workers of evil - of unrighteousness - instead.
# 17: 4-14-17 E 3

The Jews were sometimes referred to as the circumcision, in contrast to the Gentiles, who were
uncircumcised. Yet Paul calls these teachers the mutilation, because the religious ritual they try to
impose on Gentiles sets them on the path to their destruction. In this way, Paul was painting a true profile
of the Jewish teachers for the Philippians - as the false teachers that they are.

Paul says, beware of them - because we are the circumcision. Since Paul was including himself with his
readers in Philippi, we can see he is not referring particularly to Jews, or Gentiles - but to those who believe
in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul is saying, we - who believe - are the true circumcision.

But what exactly does he mean by that? Well understand more precisely after weve had a chance to
review circumcision - beginning with when God gave it to Abraham.

Turn to Genesis chapter 17. The God of glory had appeared to Abraham in the land of the Chaldeans, and
called him out of his idolatrous culture - to a land that He would show him.

And Abraham went out, for the LORD made promises to him that were very drawing - especially the one to
make him a great nation. Abrahams wife Sarah was barren, and this promise meant that they must have
children.

Abraham followed the LORDs leading to the land of Canaan, where the LORD promised him that land - to
him, and to his seed after him. And over time, Abraham got to know this God of glory more and more.

But years later, Abraham was still childless - and feared he always would be. The LORD assured Abraham
that he would have an heir, one who would come from his own body.

Then the LORD revealed to Abraham through the star names the One, who would be Abrahams most
illustrious heir - the Christ - and said to Abraham, So shall your Seed be. Paul would later write that God
preached the gospel to Abraham (Gal 3:8) - He did so through the stars, which God Himself had named.

And Abraham believed in the LORD, and the LORD accounted it to Abraham for righteousness (Gen 15:5-6).
Abraham had believed into the Coming Christ, and God justified Abraham through his faith.

The following day, the LORD cut a blood covenant with Abraham for the land He had promised to him; an
assurance to Abraham that he would inherit that land - along with his seed, the nation Israel, in the
resurrection of Life. The covenant pictured Christ Himself, for He is the covenant; it would be ratified in
His own blood.

Ten years had elapsed, since the LORD made His promises to Abraham. Abraham began to reason along
with his wife, Sarah, as to how the LORD intended to bring forth the son He had promised. That reasoning
led to the birth of Ishmael, from the handmaid of Sarah - Hagars son, but not the heir of promise.

Thirteen more years went by. Abraham learned through this time to simply wait on the LORD, trusting the
LORD to bring His purposes to pass. And at the perfect time - when Abraham was ninety-nine years old, and
no longer able to bring forth seed from his body - the LORD came to him, and confirmed His covenant.

This is the LORDs eternal covenant, for men to become sons of God. It would be completely the LORDs
doing, through Christ. But men could choose to enter into the covenant by faith - just as Abraham already
had. Now the covenant was being given to Abraham, because the LORD was about to work through his
body, to bring forth the son He promised - and ultimately, the Christ.
# 17: 4-14-17 E 4

Having given the covenant to Abraham, the LORD now showed Abraham how he was to keep it.

[Genesis 17:9-14]

v. 9-11 The part of Abraham and his seed is to keep the covenant. To keep means to watch over it
carefully, to preserve it; that is, to guard the truth of it. How is that done? By believing it, and then
teaching that truth to their children, so that they can believe it, for themselves. Throughout the generations
of Israel, that was to be the peoples part.

In verse 10, the LORD equates keeping the covenant with being circumcised. Circumcision is the removal of
the flesh of the foreskin of the male reproductive organ. Every male child in the nation of Israel was to be
circumcised.

Then in verse 11, the LORD qualifies circumcision to be a sign of the covenant, between the LORD, and
Abraham and his seed. Sign as used here refers to a reminding token; it is a picture, that reveals meaning.

So circumcision was a picture of the covenant - the eternal covenant - which is Christ Himself. How so?

Circumcision is a cutting away of the flesh, from that which reproduces seed, for life. The Son, who has
eternal life in Himself, came down from heaven and inhabited a body of flesh. That body of flesh had to be
cut away in death, in order to avail eternal life to all mankind.

Jesus spoke of Himself in this way, when He came to the earth in His body of flesh. John records that
before going to the cross, Jesus said, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains
alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain (Jn 12:24).

Jesus was that grain of wheat, containing the eternal life of God - in His flesh body, like a seed coat. That
seed coat had to fall away in death, in order for Jesus to come forth in glory as the Incorruptible Seed.

The risen Christ is the Seed Grain, who reproduces His Life in men who are willing to receive Him. It is in
this way that Gods purposes for men will come to complete fruition: to have many sons of God, with
eternal life, in bodies of glory; the eternal covenant, fulfilled.

In having Abraham and his seed take the sign of the covenant into their flesh, God was intending them to
demonstrate outwardly what it is that they had already believed in their heart. Like Abraham, they were to
believe into the Coming One, the Christ - that through His death for them, they receive new Life as one of
Gods people - as a son.

The meaning of circumcision, with its cutting off of the flesh, emphasizes the death of Christ - with the
promise of new Life. This is seen in the additional details that the LORD gives to Abraham - starting with
the newborns.

v. 12-13 Although the initial recipients of circumcision included adults such as Abraham, and older
children such as Ishmael, the instructions for the nation were also for all of their eight-day old infants to be
circumcised.

Do you remember what the number eight signifies, in Scripture? A new beginning. The picture is that
through union in the death of Christ, a man has a new beginning, as a new creation - a son of God.
# 17: 4-14-17 E 5

Now, can an eight-day old infant circumcise himself? Of course not. The fathers would most naturally
circumcise their sons, just as Abraham circumcised Ishmael, and later Isaac. This reflects that the cutting
away of the flesh, for a new beginning, is the Fathers work; the son simply receives it, by faith.

Abraham was to circumcise both those born in his house that is, his own sons; as well as those bought
with money from any foreigner those would be his slaves.

In the picture, who would those of Abrahams house represent? That would be the Jews. And foreigners,
who were purchased? That would represent the Gentile nations (Mt 13:44). Paul uses the same imagery in
his letter to the Galatians (Gal 4:1-7).

Through this picture, God was making it clear when the covenant was given to Abraham that both Jew and
Gentile were being invited to enter into it, through faith in Christ. Anyone who will unite themselves to
Christ in His death will become one of the people of God; a son of God.

But what about those who will not believe? This is represented in the uncircumcised male child.

v. 14 So the one who remains uncircumcised is cut off from his people - the people of God.

Those who will not believe into Christ have broken the LORDs covenant. The idea is that the covenant is
not in effect for them; it is null and void. Since they were unwilling to receive Christs death on their behalf
to obtain a new body, they consequently remain in the flesh. They will be cut off from the people of God;
cut off, in the Second Death.

There was more in the LORDs revelation to Abraham, that day, in particular about Isaac, who would be born
to Abraham and Sarah - both advanced in age, well beyond their own ability to reproduce. Here was the
Son God promised, whom He would supernaturally bring forth from them. Isaac is a type of the Coming
Christ, the Son whom God would give.

When the LORD had finished speaking to Abraham, Abraham immediately saw to it that he was circumcised,
along with all the male members of his household.

Was it through the act of circumcision that Abraham or anyone else received the promise of the covenant,
for eternal life? No. That was through faith alone. Circumcision was just intended to be an outward
demonstration of having believed into Christ, to become one of the people of God.

But for the Jews, circumcision in itself came to be seen as the mark of a Jew - and of the Jews religion.
Gentiles who were drawn to the God of Israel, and who wished to convert to Judaism were expected to
become circumcised - to show that they now regarded themselves as members of the nation Israel -
although the Jews always viewed them as lesser members.

Paul makes it abundantly clear that this was never Gods intent, regarding circumcision. Turn to Romans
chapter 2.

In writing to the Romans, Paul began by issuing an indictment of all men - both Jews and Gentiles. He
shows the Jews to be just as unrighteous as the Gentiles - and in fact, that they had greater culpability, since
God had given the Jews more light.

And lest the Jews think they had some kind of immunity from prosecution because they were
circumcised, Paul informed them that the physical act was meaningless.
# 17: 4-14-17 E 6

[Romans 2:28-29] What Paul is saying is that the true circumcision does not take place in the body; its a
matter of the heart. Circumcision is a sign - its a picture. Its not about the act, but about what it means -
and believing it, with the heart.

Circumcision is Christ crucified - so that I might have life, as a son of God. And when I believe that, I am
united to Christ, by faith - so that now, I have the circumcision of Christ.

Turn to Colossians chapter 2, where Paul describes this in more detail. Paul was seeking to convince
believers in Colosse that they were complete, in Christ - as a new creation in Him.

[Colossians 2:11-12]

v. 11 The assemblies in this region were virtually all Gentiles. Yet Paul says, In Him you were also
circumcised. But as Paul goes on, we can see he doesnt mean physically, does he? This circumcision
was made without hands. What does that mean? That it was not physical. This is spiritual - its a work
in the heart, done through the Holy Spirit.

And what was done, in this spiritual circumcision? The body of the flesh was put off - the body in which
we sin.

This is the circumcision of Christ, for the believer: as Paul said to the Romans, our old man - thats each
one of us, in Adam - our old man was crucified with Christ, so that the body of sin might be done away
with (Rm 6:6) - that is, rendered inoperative to serving the Sin.

With the circumcision of Christ, we die out of the old creation, in Adam - and are born again, born of the
Spirit, a new creation in Christ. This is what we see in verse 12.

v. 12 Paul used baptism to complete the picture. The circumcision of Christ results in the new birth, as a
son of God.

[Return to Philippians 3]

So this is what Paul means here, in saying, we are the circumcision; believers are the true people of God,
having been crucified with Christ to be born again, into the family of God.

Paul then goes on to describe what characterizes those who are genuinely Gods people. They worship
God in the Spirit. The word worship here means spiritual service; believers are devoted to serving
God - their service of worship - which is obedience, to the will of God - thats true worship.

How does Paul say that believers do this? The text in the NKJV says, in the Spirit; but theres no definite
article in the Greek. Believers worship God in spirit - the spirit of Life. Only believers can do this,
because they alone have received that Life, to their bodies - eternal life, by virtue of their union with Christ,
through faith.

So in the spirit of life of Christ Jesus (Rm 8:2), which they have already received, which will one day bear
the fruit of a glorified body, they can now, each day in this body, serve God, as they follow the leading of
the Holy Spirit. Paul had already called this the sacrifice and service of their faith (2:17); their living
sacrifice (Rm 12:2).
# 17: 4-14-17 E 7

And believers do this, as they continuously rejoice in Christ Jesus. This is not the same word that we find
in verse one, for rejoice, this word means to glory, or boast in.

The idea here is that Christ is the One we recognize as of supreme value; so we put all of our confidence in
Him, and what He has done for us. Hes our boast, our glory.

This stands in contrast to having no confidence in the flesh - and in the Greek, it implies, never, ever having
confidence in it - absolutely none. Why not? Because in Christ, the flesh has been reckoned dead (Rm
6:11).

Paul very much intends a contrast, here. The teachers are purveyors of the religion of Judaism - false
worshippers of the true God. For them, circumcision is a religious work, performed in the flesh, on the
flesh. You do it, so that other religious men will approve of you.

But what about Gods approval? God can only approve of those who believe in the One behind the sign of
circumcision - His Son. Can God approve of you, if you live for the praise of men, and not of God? No.
So its an empty ritual; a sham. Nothings actually changed, except - your flesh, which has now been
mutilated.

But those who have united themselves to Christ by faith - like the Philippian believers - are the true
circumcision. They are a new creation in Christ Jesus. They have the power to serve God, and they have
the desire to do it - out of their devotion to Him. And they do so - freely, joyfully - in the spirit of Life.

So why the contrast? Paul is reminding his friends in Philippi of the freedom, that they have, in Christ -
freedom from sin and death; freedom from living by religious rules. And the Philippians have been living
that way - free.

Would they now seriously consider enslaving themselves to the lie of religion, in order to make themselves
more acceptable to their fellow citizens, in Philippi? In order to make their lives in Philippi more tolerable;
more comfortable?

Could they possibly reconcile in their minds this compromise, when their freedom had come at such a great
cost - Christ, crucified? Earlier in the letter, Paul had beseeched them to let their conduct be worthy of the
gospel of Christ (2:27). Worthy - of the One who is of infinite worth.

Reading: Acts 7:58-8:4, 9:1-30, 22:3-21, 26:4-23; Gal 1:6-24.