Paul gives a great summary of the believer's life in a wonderful Bible passage. A life focused on heaven, not on earth. That is the core of the Christian life. In that respect Baudet was right: 'a religion for losers'.
On the Christian's Spiritual Life
It sometimes happens to you that you read a section in the Bible that very concisely expresses the essence of the Christian life. Not that you're reading the section for the first time. Yet it comes in a different way. By the way, there are more Bible passages in the Scriptures, which you could consider as the 'core' of the Christian life.
So it happened recently when I read the third chapter of Philippians. In thinking about that, I lingered on the third verse, which reads:
"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."
Philippians 3:3
We omit the larger context of the entire letter for the time being due to the length of this article and limit ourselves to this third chapter.
Joy
The chapter begins with Paul's call to rejoice. That is the joy in the Lord, the joy and joy in knowing the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him we should rejoice (Phil 3:1; 4:4).
In this letter Paul often wrote about rejoicing and gladness (1:4,18,25; 2:2,17,18,29; 4:4,10). The repetition of his message is not a burden to him; he likes to do it. Moreover, it is not a superfluous luxury for the Philippians and for us. We need to be constantly reminded of the same things because by thinking about the things of the Lord more often, it certainly becomes in our hearts. “It gives you security” (3:1)
The Concision and the Circumcision
Suddenly, in the second verse, a serious warning appears. Paul warns the believers in Philippi against people he calls "dogs" and "evil workers." He warns against them and the things they teach. According to him, they belong to 'the concision'.
This word used here means something like 'cut to pieces' or 'mutilate'. So it points to people who bring a 'mutilated gospel', not the whole gospel of Christ. That is why at the end of the chapter he calls them 'enemies of the cross of Christ' (verse 18).
This is in contrast to those who – like himself and the Philippians – bring the gospel as Paul received it from the Lord (see 1:5). He calls them 'the circumcision', which is not meant literally, but figuratively. People who are devoted to the Gospel walk in accordance with it and fight for it (see 1:27).
The Spiritual Life of the Christian
What that 'circumcision' means, Paul describes in 3:3.
"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."
Philippians 3:3
This is a wonderful way to characterize what the Christian life is all about. The main things are:
- our relationship with God,
- our relationship to Christ Jesus and
- what we think of ourselves.
That Paul so characterizes the spiritual life is undoubtedly because the 'bad workers' were wrong on these points. They taught wrong and set the wrong example. We walk through the three parts and briefly indicate where you can expect – then in Philippi, but also now – what wrong doctrine and practices you can expect on these points.
Worship God in the Spirit
Our relationship with God is primarily a relationship of 'serving'. That word is often also interpreted as 'worship' and that is how it is translated in the English KJV (see also Matthew 4:10). It is what our God desires: people who bring Him the praise and honor that is His due.
Moreover, it is a spiritual relationship. Our praise, thanks, and worship are spiritual in nature. It means that our mind – that is mainly our thinking – is actively involved. We consider – usually based on the Bible – Who God is and what He has done in Christ Jesus and we bring that to Him. We cannot do this, by the way, without the working of the Spirit, which 'co-operates' with our spirit. That Spirit was given to us precisely to magnify Christ.
It is undoubtedly for this reason that in the HSV translation 'Spirit' is written with a capital letter, while for example the KJV just has 'spirit' with a small letter.
It is precisely on this point that much wrong teaching is being taught, which is also accompanied by the associated practices. We cannot experience God (or Jesus or the Spirit) physically—with our senses. He is the Invisible One and only faith can know Him (Hebrews 11:27).
Yet there are many who think they can experience God – or the Spirit, or Jesus. Usually it is from 'the Spirit of God' what one experiences; things like:
- They feel Him somehow, they feel Him closer or further away;
- They hear His voice speak to them; sometimes very soft, sometimes louder;
- Others perceive various physical reactions, such as heat, special energy; those kind of things.
- Still others can then speak 'in foreign languages' and consider it a kind of heavenly language.
- Then there are also those whose experiences are so strong that they can do miracles or healings in others.
- Finally we mention the visions and related experiences.
Glory in Christ Jesus
The Dutch word 'roemen' is perhaps a little used word and one could take it in its generality as 'speaking well of someone'. Also expressions such as admire, sing, honor, glorify, raise in the heights, praise, revere, glorify and exalt are part of the meaning of the word.
Then it is also immediately clear what it means to 'glory in Christ Jesus'. It is the second characteristic - mentioned in Philippians 3:3 - of a Christian; a characteristic that is heard. For in every possible way there is 'good speaking' of the Lord Jesus:
- We honor and praise God the Father and thank Him for His Son. You do this personally, in the family, and together with your spiritual brothers and sisters. We also honor the Lord Jesus Himself, when we see Who He is and admire His greatness.
- Also, a believer will speak to others about the Lord Jesus, both to unbelievers and to believers. He is the subject of our conversations
- Central to our boasting is always Who He is, the only begotten Son of God who became man. He – who made everything – is also the one who made atonement on the cross of Calvary and bought us with the price of His life. And what to think of the future and of His future glory as it is outlined to us in the Bible. Then don't we have enough to talk about?!
The Lord Jesus Himself taught it: “…for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45).
Peter makes it clear when he says that we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a nation that God made His own; that — and then it comes — “that you might declare unto you the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9).
I will praise the LORD at all times, His praise shall be in my mouth continually.
Psalm 34:2-4
My soul shall glory in the LORD; the meek shall hear and be glad.
Magnify the LORD with me, let us glorify his name together.
When it comes to the 'bad workers', those who bring a distorted gospel, we can safely say that they are not talking about our Lord Jesus Christ. They often boast in themselves or in the Spirit who works such wonderful things in them. Christ the Crucified is not the subject of the meetings and conferences. He is not the central subject of their service, even though some hide it well.
So sometimes I am reminded of the book "The Miracle of the Cross" by the charismate Wilkin van de Kamp. Seven times when the blood of the Lord Jesus would have flowed. Unfortunately, most of it is made up and not found in the Bible. But perhaps even worse, hardly a word is said about the three hours of darkness. While that is exactly what it was all about.
Don't rely on the flesh
The third characteristic mentioned in Philippians 3:3 is that we "trust not in the flesh."
This is about ourselves, how we look at ourselves. Our nature is that we are pleased with ourselves and believe that we are capable of many things. That also works through in the spiritual things, in the things of the Lord. Paul knew that better than anyone; he had more reason than anyone to trust in his flesh (3:4).
He then does not leave it unclear what he means by 'the flesh'. These are all things that we consider positively in themselves. A good parentage, with religious parents, someone who took God's laws seriously, not a loose spirit in any case, not a slacker, but on the contrary incredibly diligent.
These are things that he could still benefit from after his conversion. They were great privileges and qualities that could mean a great deal to him, even after his conversion. The word "gain" here is used positively by Paul only twice: here and in Philippians 1:21 - "... to die is gain." Then he would be with Christ: gain he calls it. So great were, as it were, all his blessings and privileges.
Yet he considers all these things harmful to his spiritual life. “Whatever was gain to me, I counted loss for Christ's sake” (3:7).
That it was harmful to him he experienced himself. In verse 8 he says: "Yes, certainly. I also consider everything as damage (...) for Whom I have experienced everything as damage". He was - so to speak - a kind of experiencer. Apparently there was a time - or there were periods - in his life when he trusted in his flesh, his qualities and abilities. But then he had to say that this did not bring him closer to Christ. On the contrary, it has damaged his relationship with the Lord and he calls it 'filth'. Filth, like manure, garbage and everything that is removed and thrown on the trash heap; dangerous stuff.
Knowing Christ
The question arises as to how much we trust in our flesh, our qualities and abilities. We are strongly inclined to it without even noticing it, in fact, we naturally rely on ourselves. But Paul says it hurts our relationship with Christ.
We must learn to trust in Christ not only for our eternal salvation, but also for our very life here below. That is the way to get to know the Lord Jesus Christ better that Paul shows us here. He himself regarded everything as filth that stood in the way.
When we get to know Christ more in our lives, we will experience more of what He has experienced in His life here on earth. Then we become more like Him. Not as it is understood in Christendom today, that we - just like Him, they say - would experience all kinds of supernatural things or even be able to perform miracles. That's not the case.
Suffering, Death and Resurrection
Paul extends the 'knowing Christ' in this chapter to the suffering and death of Christ. He says that his desire to know Christ would also mean that he would experience some of His suffering. When we wonder what that might mean, we should consider the following.
We come from an era that you might call 'Christian', in the sense that Christian biblical values and standards were widely recognized and upheld. We grew up in that situation. Then you as a believer have little to fear.
But the world has changed in that regard and is currently a pagan world, full of the occult. Everything that reminds of the God of the Bible is removed. As a result, we are much more likely to be confronted with the world's views because they go against God's Word.
Increasingly, there is a chance that we will suffer as a result. Christian schools that should accept and not reject unbelievers or homosexuals. Teaching staff to teach the children wicked things about 'gender'. Or when you have to address a man as 'madam' because that is her/his identity.
If you do not want to adapt to these things, it may in the (near) future lead to you having to appear in court. This has already happened in a few countries.
In that respect, today's world is becoming more and more like the world it was in New Testament times. The Lord Jesus suffered on the part of men for who He was, and we will increasingly suffer for what we are: people who follow Christ in the practice of life.
To invent heavenly or earthly things
Paul was looking forward to getting to know Christ more and more in his life. That was spiritual maturity (3:15). But at the same time he realized that he would never be perfect in that. That would not happen until he was with Christ; when the resurrection would have taken place (3:11 and also verse 21).
This should also be our greatest aspiration in our lives: to imitate Christ and to know more. Paul calls us to be imitators of him and also to take other believers as examples who are already walking this way with the Lord (3:17).
Then our spiritual eye also remains focused on 'the things that are above, not those that are on the earth' (Col.3:3).
"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."
Colossians 3:1-3
Christians who believe a 'mixed up' gospel and thus follow the 'evil workers', “walk as enemies of the cross of Christ . . . they invent earthly things” (3:18-19).
A summary
The Christian's spiritual life is presented by Paul as the combination of the following:
- Worship God in the Spirit
- Glory in Christ Jesus
- Don't rely on the flesh
In all these aspects, Christendom is detracted from 'evil workers' who do not hold fast to the gospel of Christ. Many follow them in their erring ways and are practically "enemies of the cross of Christ," who "think earthly things."
For the true believer, the cross of Christ is a reality. Both for their eternal salvation, as well as for their life here on earth. They long to get to know Christ more and more, to understand more about what He has been through in His life down here.
As a result, they become more and more strangers down here, longing for heaven and expecting from it their 'Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ'. He will then change them so that their bodies "be conformed to His glorified body" (3:20-21).
After the suffering here comes the glory with Him, as Paul also says in the letter to the Romans:
“joint-heirs with Christ;
if so be that we suffer with Him,
that we may be also glorified together.
– romans 8:17 –
Related Pages and Blogs include:
- https://goddienen.nu/en/serving-god/
– https://goddienen.nu/en/serving-god/the-core-of-your-christian-life/
– https://goddienen.nu/wie-zijn-de-leiders-in-een-tijd-van-chaos/
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