Philippians 3:3; Worship, Boast, Confidence ~ 20240407 ~ Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org
04/07 Philippians 3:3; Worship, Boast, Confidence; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20240407_philippians-3_3.mp3
Joy and Rejoicing
Paul is filled with joy and thanksgiving when he thinks of and prays for the church in Philippi (1:4). Paul rejoices that Christ is being preached where he is, even if some intend to cause him trouble by it (1:18). His desire is not only that his readers make progress in their faith, but also that they be filled with joy in the faith (1:25). His joy will fill up as they grow in unity with one another (2:2). It is his joy to give himself in sacrificial service to others, and he invites his readers to rejoice with him (2:17-18). He anticipates their joy in seeing Epaphroditus again, the one they heard was dangerously ill, and he expects they will receive him with joy (2:28-29).
Here in chapter 3, he exhorts them to the safety of rejoicing in the Lord. Ultimately our joy must be in the Lord. If we find our joy in Jesus, we won’t so easily be sidetracked by lesser pleasures. If we fix our joy on Jesus, we won’t soon be led astray by bad doctrine.
Beware the Dogs
Paul warns against those who want to identify as Christians, but claim to have found just a little bit more. They insist that they love Jesus, but shouldn’t we also want to please God by keeping his law? With biting irony, Paul says that those who mix law and gospel are as undiscerning as unclean dogs. Only believers who are made new by the Spirit of God can do works that are truly good; those who seek to please God by their own efforts are found to be workers of evil, flaunting their own filthy rags. Those seeking to observe Jewish rituals, but in a way that is out of step with the free gift of God’s grace, those Jewish rituals become no better than dark pagan practices.
Not Works But Faith in Jesus
Paul couldn’t be clearer. As he said in Galatians:
Galatians 2:16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
And in Romans:
Romans 3:20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
Romans 3:28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
Circumcision: Outward or Inward?
Circumcision was the physical sign of the Old Covenant (Gen.17); but God is never impressed with hypocrisy, when the outward sign is not matched with the inward reality. Even as far back as Deuteronomy, there was a promise of something new:
Deuteronomy 30:6 And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
Jesus rebuked hypocrisy and addressed issues of the heart:
Matthew 15:7 You hypocrites! … 8 “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; ...11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
Paul tells the Galatians:
Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
Galatians 6:5 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
He tells the Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 7:19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.
Only as a new creation, born of the Spirit of God, having received the Spirit through faith in Jesus, can keep God’s commands to love God and love neighbor. Believers in Jesus are circumcised in the heart, by the Spirit (Rom.2:28-29).
Three Characteristics of the Circumcision
So Paul says:
Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
He gives us three descriptors of those who have experienced ‘the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead’ (Col.2:11-12).
Worship [λατρεύοντες]
He says we ‘worship by the Spirit of God’. This word ‘worship’ is interesting; often it refers specifically to the rituals of worship or service in the Old Testament tabernacle or temple. Hebrews 9 describes the ‘regulations for worship’ (that’s the noun form) under the first covenant (9:1). In 9:6 it uses the noun form again to describe the ‘ritual duties’ of the priests. Hebrews 9:9 points to the:
Hebrews 9:9 ... gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper [λατρεύοντα], 10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.
‘The worshiper’ (that’s the verbal participle form of this word). Then he goes on to draw the contrast:
Hebrews 9:11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent ( not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve [λατρεύειν] the living God.
‘To serve’ is the verb form of this worship word. Hebrews is contrasting the temple worship under the Old Covenant, that could never purify the conscience of the worshiper, with the once-for-all perfect sacrifice of Christ, whose blood purifies our conscience from the guilt of our dead works and sets us free to worship the living God.
Paul uses this word to describe Christian worship with this graphic imagery in Romans 12:
Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship [λατρείαν]. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, …
Because of Romans 1-11, because of the abundant mercy of God to us displayed in the gospel, we now worship with our bodies as living sacrifices, made holy and acceptable to God by the blood of Jesus.
By The Spirit of God
We worship by the Spirit of God. In Romans 2, Paul says that circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit (2:29). In Romans 8 Paul contrasts:
Romans 8:8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
Every one who belongs to Jesus has the Spirit of God living in them. This is why the good works of unbelievers are unacceptable to God; they are not generated by the Spirit of God, but rather by the flesh which in its self-sufficiency is opposed to God.
Paul made it clear in Galatians that we receive the Spirit not by the works of the law, but rather through hearing with faith (Gal.3:2,14) It is by the Spirit that we have life and a spiritual walk (Gal.5:25). In Ephesians 2:11-18 is it through Jesus that both uncircumcised Gentile and circumcised Jew have access in one Spirit to the Father. Notice the triune God conspiring together in our salvation; it is through the blood of Jesus, in the Holy Spirit that we have access to the Father.
Jesus himself promised in John 7
John 7:37 ...“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Whoever comes thirsty to Jesus, whoever believes in Jesus receives the Spirit of God. It is those who trust Jesus alone that can worship by the Spirit of God.
Glory [καυχώμενοι] in Christ Jesus
He says we ‘glory in Christ Jesus’. The word ‘glory’ can also be translated ‘boast’ or ‘exult’ or ‘rejoice’. The Bible normally excludes all boasting as evil. Romans systematically establishes that ‘all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin’ (3:9),
Romans 3:19 ...so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
Paul then asks the question:
Romans 3:27 Then what becomes of our boasting [καύχησις]? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.
Our boasting is excluded by the gospel, because the only contribution we make to God is our sin. Paul goes so far as to point out to the Corinthians
1 Corinthians 1:26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
God chose you, the foolish, the weak, the low and despised, the nothings to ensure that no one would be able to boast in himself. Paul is quoting Jeremiah here:
Jeremiah 9:23 Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”
We are not to boast in our own strength, abilities or character; we are to boast in God’s character, in our relationship with this God.
Earlier in the chapter, Paul makes it clear that what he preaches is the seemingly foolish and offensive message of the cross, of Christ crucified (1Cor.1:21-24)
Paul in 2 Corinthians, after making a fools’ parody of the boasts of the false teachers, concludes this:
2 Corinthians 11:30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
Jesus said to Paul:
2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Paul boasts in Romans 5
Romans 5:2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice [καυχώμεθα] in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice [καυχώμεθα] in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ...
Romans 5:11 More than that, we also rejoice [καυχώμενοι] in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
In Ephesians 2, salvation is by God’s free gift of grace alone to those who do not deserve it, so that no one may boast (2:4-5,8-9)
Believers in Jesus do not boast in ourselves, unless it is in our own weaknesses, in order to put on display the magnificence of Jesus. We boast in God, in knowing him, in his own character and goodness, in his amazing salvation. In Galatians, after rebuking the boasting of the false teachers in the flesh, he says:
Galatians 6:14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
Put No Confidence [πεποιθότες] in the Flesh
The final negative follows; if our only boast is in Jesus, then clearly we ‘put no confidence in the flesh’. So many of us so desperately want something to do, something to contribute, something that will make me feel good about me. But that is the point of the gospel; I am not good. I am a transgressor that got myself into a whole heap of trouble, with no hope of digging myself anything but deeper. It is because I am in such bad shape that the gospel is such good news. The gospel is a proclamation of the cross; the execution that I deserve was placed on Christ, the perfect, spotless, sinless Lamb of God. The wrath of God that is so justly coming my way, Jesus stepped in and drank that cup in my place.
If that is the gospel, only a great fool would place any confidence in his own flesh. If that is the good news, anything we attempt to contribute nullifies the nature of the gift as grace. We cannot go halfsies with God – he will not allow it. He will not allow human contribution in any measure, which would be to allow boasting in his presence. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone so that no one can boast in his presence, praise God!
Where does my confidence lie? Not in me!
Philippians 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
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2024.04.07 Sermon Notes
Philippians 3:3; Worship, Boast, Confidence
Rejoicing in Jesus is safe
Philippians 1:4, 18, 25; 2:2, 17-18, 28-29; 3:1
We are justified by faith apart from works of the law
Galatians 2:16; Romans 3:20, 28
God is never impressed with hypocrisy
Deuteronomy 30:6; Matthew 15:7-8, 11; Galatians 5:6; 6:5;
1 Corinthians 7:19; Romans 2:28-29; Colossians 2:11-13
Three characteristics of heart circumcision:
-Worship
Hebrews 9:1-14; Romans 12:1-2
by the Spirit of God
Romans 2:29; 8:8-9; Galatians 3:2, 14; 5:25
Ephesians 2:11-18; John 7:37-39
-Glory (boast, exult)
human boasting is excluded
Romans 3:9, 19-20, 27; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31;
Ephesians 2:4-5, 8-9
boasting in weakness magnifies Christ
2 Corinthians 11:30; 12:9
boasting in God
Jeremiah 9:23-24; Romans 5:2-3, 11
boasting in the cross of Christ
1 Corinthians 1:21-24; Galatians 6:14-15
-Put no confidence in the flesh
Philippians 1:6
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Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org