Beware

Philippians  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  29:04
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Introduction

Philippians 3:1-3

Philippians 3:1–3 LEB
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is not troublesome to me, but is a safeguard for you. Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the mutilation. For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and do not put confidence in the flesh,

False Teachers

Philippians is all about Rejoicing. So rejoice in the Lord. But in your rejoicing Paul is also writing to warn the church of Philippi. As a father protects his Children Paul wants to keep his spiritual children safe from harm. They are unclean dogs, not qualified to enter into spiritual worship. They do evil. Be on the lookout. Know where such people are and what they are doing. Do not follow or imitate them.
So he warns them of false doctrine.
Beware the dogs
Beware the evil workers
Beware the mutilation
Paul is using a bit of sarcasm to describe those who had lost the true significance of circumcision. These men mutilate the flesh.
Dogs (kyon) is employed here in a nonliteral, figurative sense. It is most often a designation for scavenger dogs. Before addressing the figurative sense, we must understand the literal role of dogs in Bible times. Dogs served as watchdogs for herds (Isa 56:10; Job 30:1) and the home (Exod. 11:7). Some were trained for hunting (Ps. 22:16–17, 21). Yet, instead of companions or household pets, most dogs in the ancient world were scavengers, feeding on garbage and filth, fighting among themselves, and menacing people. To the Jew these canines were despised and unclean.
A group of Jews in Paul’s day attempted to distort the gospel by adding the requirement of circumcision plus faith in Christ as necessary for salvation (Acts 15:1). Their false way of salvation was evil as it could cause great confusion to the true message of Christ. They misunderstood the teachings of the Old Testament on circumcision and the Christian gospel of salvation by grace through faith. The Jerusalem Council repudiated their teachings and confirmed that true salvation was by faith in Christ alone (Acts 15:12–21). Yet these dedicated religious teachers persisted to follow Paul and create havoc among immature Christians with their Christ plus circumcision salvation message. They wanted to preserve the Jewish heritage at any cost. Paul confronted this group in his letter to the Galatians also.
In his disagreement with the teachings of his opponents, Paul took over their claims of belonging to the church and not to the Jews. The opponents claimed to be the true Israel, Circumcised in the flesh, being the truly spiritual ones, and glorying in their worship and goodness as measured by obedience to the law. Paul turned the tables. Believers in Christ are the true circumcision (Rom. 9:24–26; Gal. 6:16), having their hearts circumcised (see Lev. 26:41; Deut. 10:16; 30:6; Jer. 4:4; 9:25–26; Ezek. 44:7, 9; Acts 7:51; Rom. 2:28–29).
So Just like dogs, Paul’s false teaching opponents snapped at his heels and followed him from place to place, “barking” their false doctrines.
They were dangerous troublemakers. These false teachers were adding a type of legalism to the Christian gospel. They thought it was absolutely necessary for Gentile converts to Christianity to become circumcised and observe the Jewish Old Testament law. In effect, they were teaching that one must become a Jew before one could become a Christian! By calling them dogs, Paul used a term of reproach and contempt that Jews commonly used in referring to non-Jews (Gentiles). In Revelation 22:15, the apostle John uses dogs to refer to those excluded from the New Jerusalem who will spend a Christless eternity.

Knowing Christ Exposes False Teachers

Christians are the spiritual ones who worship directed by God’s spirit rather than relying on external rituals.
Or at least we are supposed to. How often however do we focus on the things of the physical instead of the spiritual?
My I was baptized so I am saved.
I took communion so I am forgiven
I go to church so I am a christian <<Young man I asked what Religion did he follow and Why.I am christian because I go to church.>>
I give so I should Receive
We often look at our religious practices as if it is what save us and if you don’t fit into a little box then you are not going to heaven.
Democrat vs Republican (tell Story)
KJV VS any Other
Young Earth Vs Old Earth
Reformed vs Free Will
What type of Song and instruments should we use
But non of these are the litmus paper that the Bible holds true to. These are religious things that though they may be important, (and I am not saying they are not important conversations) they are not the test. and if we make them the test, well god told the Israelites
Amos 5:21–24 LEB
“I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your assemblies. Yes, even if you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them, and I will not look at the fellowship offerings of your fattened animals. Remove from me the noise of your songs, and I do not want to hear the melody of your harps! But let justice roll on like the water, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
When we are in Christ. False teachers should be exposed. Why because we are in Christ. False teachers may sound nice and smooth, and even similar to the scriptures.
They might even use the scriptures and images from the path that sound great.
But when we are in Christ we are testing the spirits.
1 John 4:1–6 LEB
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world and the world listens to them. We are from God. The one who knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.

Beware

We must beware, false teachings. They will, have and are attacking the church. They come at you through sermons you hear on tv or radio, sermons you hear in the movies you watch or songs you sing. Yes, all media has a message.
It comes upon you in the form of social media.
Non of these things are bad in themselves but we must realize that false teacher hide themselves, and speak to us
Islam attack on 9/11 better than the attack that is being seen now as it leads many astray.

Next Steps

What false teachings tempt members of our church?
What tempts you. I am a firm believer that for ever person there is a religion or philosophy that would lead them away. don’t be caught unawares.
---Bibliography--
Anders, Max. Galatians-Colossians. Vol. 8. Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999.
Harris, W. Hall, III, Elliot Ritzema, Rick Brannan, Douglas Mangum, John Dunham, Jeffrey A. Reimer, and Micah Wierenga, eds. The Lexham English Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016.
Christian Standard Bible. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017.
Max Anders, Galatians-Colossians, vol. 8, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 242.
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