Orland Evangelical Free Church | Open Your Eyes

"For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ." (Philippians 3:18) Surely the apostle Paul is referring to axe murderers and Satan-worshipers, not members of the Philippian church.

Oh, if only.

Paul gives them three names: dogs, evil workers, and the false circumcision.

One imagines rabid wolves snarling themselves into a frenzy, drooling at the prospect of their prey. "Evil workers" seems simple enough, but the label is a searing insult.

The key is the third name: "the false circumcision."

Members of the false circumcision have made the physical sign, but have not been changed in their hearts, "whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things" (3:19). They hold up the Law as their justification, yet for all of their rule keeping, they are ruled by their lusts - evil workers.

"For we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh" (3:3) - the good guys. The member of the true circumcision puts no confidence in the works of his flesh. His faith and worship are reserved for Christ Jesus.

Jesus "emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (2:7, 8).

"I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ" (3:8). Another translation replaces "rubbish" with "dung", a crude word used to dramatize the inefficacy of man's works.

Jesus carried his cross; Paul is carrying his. This kind of obedience in the face of adversity, even death, is not a quality shared by the enemies of the cross. It seems strange that Paul would need to warn against them.

Their treachery must not be apparent to unwary eyes.

Their tactics are indeed subtle. They establish their own righteousness through power plays and legalism. Light must be shed on the darkness creeping into the Philippian church.

We must be able to recognize these characters in our own lives. They will hold rules and guilt over our heads. That is not what Christ came to offer, and he is vehemently opposed. The cross was Christ's work on our behalf, an unmerited gift. You can be sure the dogs will not follow such an example.

But perhaps Paul is not merely reproaching the dogs, but also exhorting true believers. And just as the Philippian church members, even the good guys, we must not settle for discerning the misdeeds of others, but turn our suspicion inward to our own sins.

We must open our eyes and face this reality - in one or more areas of our lives, we continue to put confidence in the flesh. Christ calls us to count it all rubbish that we may gain him.

"Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (3:13, 14)