Dig Deeper
The
Apostle Paul begins chapter three of Philippians with three warnings, “Beware
of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of mutilation!” (Philippians 1:2, NKJ)
His motivation is their “protection” (3:1), meaning literally to keep from
failing or falling away. These warnings are preceded by his writing, “To write
to you again about this is no trouble for me…” indicating the frequency of
warnings in his teaching. In Colossians 1:28 Paul sums up his mission to teach,
“We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom…”
Examine
the following warnings by the Apostle Paul. How might heeding these warnings
result in the Christian’s protection?
Romans
2:8-9--
Galatians
1:7-8--
Colossians
2:8--
2
Thessalonians 1:8-9--
Titus
1:10-11--
Throughout
the Old Testament physical circumcision was viewed as an outward sign of God’s
covenant with Abraham and his descendents and of Israel as the God’s people.
When Paul writes in Philippians 3:3 that he no longer puts “confidence in the
flesh” he is referring to the confidence he once had in the outward sign of
circumcision. His confidence now is in a “spiritual” circumcision brought about
by the Spirit of God through Jesus Christ.
What
insights do the following scriptures provide for dealing with those who
insisted on outward physical circumcision of Gentile Christians? Galatians
2:3-5; 3:14; 5:1-6; 5:7-12 and 6:12-15--
What
do the following Scriptures reveal about spiritual circumcision? Galatians 5:6;
Romans 3:30; and Colossians 2:11-13--
Memorize
This
Philippians
3:13-14-- Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus. © HCSB
