Losing Religion to Find Salvation
April 10, 2019
Commentary
In chapter one we learned that circumstances can rob us of our joy. In chapter two Paul showed us how people can also rob us of our joy. Now in chapter three he shows us how we need to be careful as things will also rob us of our joy (v. 7). It is very easy for us to get wrapped up in “things.” Tangible things are not in themselves wrong. In fact God made things, and the Bible declares that these things are good (Gen. 1:31). He even “giveth us richly all things to enjoy (I Tim. 6:17). On the other hand Jesus warns us that our life doesn’t consist in the abundance of what we have (Lk. 12:15).
Paul tells the people to be glad they belong to the Lord (v. 1). He also instructs them to watch out for those who act like dogs (v. 2). He gives three characteristics of what a Christian should be (v. 3):
A person who worships God in the Spirit.A person who rejoices in Christ.A person who has no confidence in the flesh.If being a good Jew was what would get you into heaven Paul would have qualified (vv. 4-6). He was circumcised on the eighth day of the stock of Israel, was a Hebrew of the Hebrews concerning the law, was a zealous Pharisee, persecuting the Church, and being righteous in the law was blameless. These credentials would have impressed any Jew but didn’t qualify him for Heaven.
Application
Depending on Christian parents, church affiliation, baptism or just being good will never make me right with God. I am so thankful that my salvation comes only through faith in Christ and Him alone.
Philippians 3:1– 6 (NET)
1 Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! To write this again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.
2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh! 3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, exult in Christ Jesus, and do not rely on human credentials 4 —though mine too are significant. If someone thinks he has good reasons to put confidence in human credentials, I have more: 5 I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. I lived according to the law as a Pharisee. 6 In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless.
Illustration: Poisoned Crackers on the Seat of a Stolen Car
In 1981, a Minnesota radio station reported a story about a stolen car in California. Police were staging an intense search for the vehicle and the driver, even to the point of placing announcements on local radio stations to help catch the thief. On the front seat of the stolen car sat a box of crackers that, unknown to the thief, were laced with poison. The car owner had intended to use the crackers as rat bait. Now the police and the owner of the VW Bug were more interested in apprehending the thief to save his life than to recover the car. So often when we run from God, we feel it is to escape his punishment. But what we are actually doing is eluding his rescue. (Source unknown).