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May 14, 2006 “2Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. 3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— 4though I myself have reasons for such confidence.” (Philippians 3:2-4a NIV) Paul always qualifies his statements. The Christian is of the “circumcision” which always refers to the people of the promises given to Father Abraham. The seal of Abraham’s covenant with God was circumcision. To be labeled “of the circumcision” is to be placed within the family of Abraham and to be given all the promises of eternal life through the faith of Abraham. It is the ‘dogs’ that trust in the flesh and the world for their comfort and salvation. Comfort and salvation are not of the world and have never been of the world. The dogs are those that prefer evil and mutilation to the Glory that is in Jesus. The Christian is to “put no confidence in the flesh”. Paul could say this with absolute authority. “If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.” (Philippians 3: 4b-6 NIV) Paul was the absolute legalist. He was a supreme religionist. He knew his religion and he thought he knew his scripture. He was from the right nation and he was from one of the more blessed families of that nation. Paul had everything going for him except Jesus. “7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7-8 NIV) Paul discovered that everything of the flesh was nothing in total when it came to spiritual worth. Christ is the true worth. Legal standing, religious standing, and human reputation are “rubbish”. Christ is all. “9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:9-11 NIV) Righteousness comes through no source but Christ. No law, religion, philosophy, humanistic constitution, ritual, tradition or practice can generate what God freely gives to men. Beware of the dogs who teach otherwise. ------------ Email Skip: skiptoomaloo@hotmail.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. Please link to this article rather than copying and pasting it onto your site (which would be unauthorized and illegal). |
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