Reverend Michael Mwangi
Senior Pastor, Fedha Church, Kenya Assemblies of God
In chapter 3
The futility of a relationship with God based on the principle of law.
1. (1-2) Warning against the influence of legalistic Jews
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!
a. Finally: This didn’t mean that Paul was almost finished; Paul wrote here as many preachers speak. Yet we should expect some sort of transition in the letter with the word finally.
Paul’s ‘finally’ here is not the ‘finally’ of the present-day preacher. He has another ‘finally’ in 4:8. He does not mean by this that he is about to close the letter. The words translated by the word ‘finally’ are literally ‘as for the rest.’” (Wuest)
Rejoice in the Lord: This is a fitting theme for the whole letter. Paul shared with the Philippians the principle of being able to rejoice in the Lord – not in circumstances or in situations, but in the Lord who works all things together for good.
This abiding joy is fitting for the believer because it shows that we really do trust in a God whom we really believe is in control. When we believe this, it isn’t any surprise that we are then filled with joy.
ii. Rejoice in the Lord: “The entire phrase may be the Christian equivalent of the Old Testament exclamation, Hallelujah.” (Martin)
iii. “It is a duty for us to cultivate this joy. We must steadfastly arrest any tendency to murmur and complain; to find fault with God’s dealings; or to seek to elicit sympathy. We must as much resist the temptation to depression and melancholy as we would to any form of sin.” (Meyer)
For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you, it is safe: Paul assured the Philippians that he didn’t mind reminding them of the same things because it was for their safety.
i. Paul did not mind reminding them because he was passionately concerned about certain dangers, and he would speak out strongly against them.
d. Beware of dogs: This was a harsh reference to the troublemaking legalists who attempted to deceive the Philippians. “Dogs” is exactly the term of contempt Jews would use against Gentiles. Paul said a lot by using this word against these Jewish-influenced legalists.
“We are bidden, therefore, to beware of men of a quarrelsome and contentious spirit, who under the guise of religion hide impure and unclean things; and who are not only defiled, but defiling in their influence.” (Meyer)
e. Beware of evil workers: This describes both what these legalists do (working evil), but was also a word against their emphasis on righteousness with God by works. Paul would admit that they have a concern for works, but they were evil workers.
They also include those who teach heresy like so many on the internet teaching I'll doctrines.
Beware of the mutilation: Here is another harsh reference to the insistence of these Jewish legalists on requiring circumcision for Gentiles who wanted to become Christians. This was all done with the idea that someone must become a Jew first before they could become a Christian.
The Jews did not deny that Jesus was the Messiah, or that His Gospel was the power of God unto salvation, but they insisted that the Gentile converts could only come to the fullness of Gospel privilege through the Law of Moses.”
However, Paul did not see their insistence on circumcision as something beautiful or noble; he regarded it as an ugly example of mutilation.
To Paul, it was not even circumcision, but mutilation. It was a mere fleshly maiming
Paul was mocking them, calling it mutilation of the body, which was on a par with pagan practices forbidden in Leviticus 21:5.”
(3-4) Paul defines the true circumcision
For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so:
a. For we are the circumcision: These Jewish legalists considered themselves the ones truly circumcised and right with God. But Paul declared that he and his followers were the true circumcision.
b. Who worship God in the Spirit: This defines the true circumcision. They worship God in the Spirit, as opposed to the fleshly and external worship emphasised by these legalists.
i. “The word ‘worship’ is the translation of the Greek word referring to the service of Jehovah by His peculiar people, the Jews. A Jew would be scandalised by the application of this word to a Gentile.” (Wuest)
c. Rejoice in Christ Jesus: This also characterises those of the true circumcision. Their joy is not found in their own ability to be justified by the law or by their law-keeping. Jesus and Jesus alone is their joy.
d. Have no confidence in the flesh: This is a third characteristic of the true circumcision. They do not trust in their own ability to be righteous before God through external works (the flesh), but their only confidence is in Jesus.
e. I also might have confidence in the flesh… I more so: Paul knew that he was more qualified to be justified by the keeping of the law than any of his present legalistic opponents were.
i. Curiously, often those who promote the idea of having confidence in the flesh are the same ones who are the least qualified to have such confidence. This is because of the principle Paul explains in Colossians 2:23 – These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence.
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