Philippians Chapter 3

PAUL'S EARTHLY QUALIFICATIONS: ALL GARBAGE

(Philippians 3:1 [KJV])
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed [is] not grievous, but for you [it is] safe.

• Rejoicing in THE LORD is, at he end of the day, at the end of every trial and test, every hardship, every chaotic disaster, the only thing left to do.
• Repeating oneself is easy to do, worthwhile, often necessary to get a point through, and important to the hearer(s)
• THis warning Paul is about to repeat is good for them, and today for us as well, even more so

(Philippians 3:2 [KJV])
Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

• Doggos are never once really spoken well of, except the greyhound in Ecclesiastes

DOGS, IN SCRIPTURE

(Exodus 11:7 [KJV])
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.

(Exodus 22:31 [KJV])
And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat [any] flesh [that is] torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.

(Deuteronomy 23:18 [KJV])
Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these [are] abomination unto the LORD thy God.

(Judges 7:5 [KJV])
So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

(1 Samuel 17:43 [KJV])
And the Philistine said unto David, [Am] I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

(1 Samuel 24:14 [KJV])
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.

(2 Samuel 3:8 [KJV])
Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, [Am] I a dog's head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman?

(2 Samuel 9:8 [KJV])
And he bowed himself, and said, What [is] thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I [am]?

(2 Samuel 16:9 [KJV])
Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.

(1 Kings 14:11 [KJV])
Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD hath spoken [it].

(1 Kings 16:4 [KJV])
Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.

(1 Kings 21:19 [KJV])
And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

(1 Kings 21:23 [KJV])
And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.

(1 Kings 21:24 [KJV])
Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

(1 Kings 22:38 [KJV])
And [one] washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.

(2 Kings 8:13 [KJV])
And Hazael said, But what, [is] thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou [shalt be] king over Syria.

(2 Kings 9:10 [KJV])
And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and [there shall be] none to bury [her]. And he opened the door, and fled.

(2 Kings 9:36 [KJV])
Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This [is] the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:

(Job 30:1 [KJV])
But now [they that are] younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.

(Psalms 22:16 [KJV])
For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

(Psalms 22:20 [KJV])
Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

(Psalms 59:6 [KJV])
They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.

(Psalms 59:14 [KJV])
And at evening let them return; [and] let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.

(Psalms 68:23 [KJV])
That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of [thine] enemies, [and] the tongue of thy dogs in the same.

(Proverbs 26:11 [KJV])
As a dog returneth to his vomit, [so] a fool returneth to his folly.

(Proverbs 26:17 [KJV])
He that passeth by, [and] meddleth with strife [belonging] not to him, [is like] one that taketh a dog by the ears.

(Ecclesiastes 9:4 [KJV])
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

(Isaiah 56:10 [KJV])
His watchmen [are] blind: they are all ignorant, they [are] all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

(Isaiah 56:11 [KJV])
Yea, [they are] greedy dogs [which] can never have enough, and they [are] shepherds [that] cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

(Isaiah 66:3 [KJV])
He that killeth an ox [is as if] he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, [as if] he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, [as if he offered] swine's blood; he that burneth incense, [as if] he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

(Jeremiah 15:3 [KJV])
And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.

(Matthew 7:6 [KJV])
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

(Matthew 15:26 [KJV])
But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast [it] to dogs.

(Matthew 15:27 [KJV])
And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.

(Mark 7:27 [KJV])
But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast [it] unto the dogs.

(Mark 7:28 [KJV])
And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.

(Luke 16:21 [KJV])
And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

(Philippians 3:2 [KJV])
Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

(2 Peter 2:22 [KJV])
But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog [is] turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

(Revelation 22:15 [KJV])
For without [are] dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

THE GREYHOUND EXCEPTION

(Proverbs 30:29-31 [KJV])
There be three [things] which go well, yea, four are comely in going: A lion [which is] strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom [there is] no rising up.

---

(Philippians 3:3 [KJV])
For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

• The teaching is that following Jesus Christ and Him crucified means spiritual circumcision of the heart, much better than that of the flesh
• No confidence in the flesh means we can not and do not GET saved by following the Law, nor can we therefore STAY saved by following it.
• God the Father, God the Spirit, God the Son, right here.

(Philippians 3:4 [KJV])
Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

• The circumcised in the church were apparently boasting about their flesh, while in the flesh
• If legalism meant anything, they are about to get a very large dose of it from Paul

(Philippians 3:5,6 [KJV])
Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, [of] the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

• Let's see, a perfect 10, another perfct 10, another, one more, and another, another and lastly, another!
• The World loves its religion:
  1. Precise and on time according to the rule book they made
  2. Wellborn
  3. Well raised
  4. Right family line
  5. Well taught, officially licensed
  6. Go getter
  7. Clean, even spotless record
• If anyone had bragging rights, it was Paul....BUT!...(continued)
• Paul is about to go full on "Oysshteler" (A braggart, egotist, show-off or showboat.)

(Philippians 3:7 [KJV])
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

• And yet....it all meant nothing to God in Christ, as to get Christ Paul had o let go of the baggage he was carrying
• Gains in this world will all burn

(Philippians 3:8 [KJV])
Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ,

• Not much to add here, as Paul pronounces it precisely, professionally, profoundly
• All of that life is manure, dung, Meshuggeneh, Bupkes, Feh, Fercockt, Kholerye, Drek

(Philippians 3:9 [KJV])
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

• Our righteousness means nothing to God whatsoever, and sends us to hell.
• Complete switch, reversal, repentance from trying to keep the law for "works" "salvation"
• "the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith"...Christ, being God, His faith (the source), His righteousness (the source), by faith (no law needed)

(Philippians 3:10,11 [KJV])
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

• Things we need to know-Christ, His resurrection power in our lives, that we will suffer in this life for His sake (but be freed after) like He did and was, and that mortal death is certain, as is eternal life for us who believe in Jesus Christ

(Philippians 3:12 [KJV])
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

• Paul, like us, was still here on earth, in the flesh
• But still knew he had to follow after Jesus Christ
• Jesus had him as a follower; he had Jesus as the Saviour
• To apprehend: Either to seize, grasp, get hold of in one's mind, understand, think, believe
• Grasp is the beast one that would fit, because of context

APPREHEND', v.t. [L. apprehendo, of ad and prehendo, to take or seize.]

1. To take or seize; to take hold of. In this literal sense, it is applied chiefly to taking or arresting persons by legal process, or with a view to trial; as to apprehend a thief.
2. To take with the understanding, that is, to conceive in the mine; to understand, without passing a judgment, or making an inference.
   I apprehend not why so many and various laws are given.
3. To think; to believe or be of opinion, but without positive certainty; as, all this is true, but we apprehend it is not to the purpose.
   Notwithstanding this declaration, we do not apprehend that we are guilty of presumption.
4. To fear; to entertain suspicion or fear of future evil; as, we apprehend calamities from a feeble or wicked administration.

(Philippians 3:13-14 [KJV])
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

• Paul admits here he himself cannot fully understand Jesus Christ, as Christ is so deep, lofty, profound to us in our finite, carnal minds
• As in a race, once you leave the blocks, the starting line, after the starting gun goes off, it is face forward, race forward, lean forward, run forward, look forward, reach forward, leaving it all behind, or we do not progress forward
• "This one thing I do" tells us that this is the most important thing we need to do

(Philippians 3:15 [KJV])
Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

• Who is perfect? In the flesh, no one. In the Holy Spirit of the LORD Jesus Christ? Believers, declared perfect, declared righteous
• This is communal, with the "us" and the "ye"
• God through His Word will show (if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, reveal this even unto you) us any error in a doctrine espoused by anyone, if we pray and read His Word, the Final Written Authority

(Philippians 3:16 [KJV])
Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

• The word "whereto" here simply means "to what end"
• "Already attained" means we are already saved
• Minding, walking in the same rule, the same thing=God's Word, rightly divided, not privately interpreted, in context, always, by all

WHERETO, adv. [where and to.]

1. To which.
   Whereto we have already attained-- Phil 3.
2. To what; to what end. [Little used.], adv. [where and to.]

(Philippians 3:17 [KJV])
Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

• Follow only followers of Christ, acknowledge them by informing others (mark them) about them, as they are examples.
• Paul elsewhere said, "Follow me as I follow Christ"

(1 Corinthians 11:1 [KJV])
Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ.

(Philippians 3:18 [KJV])
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ:

• The crowds always reject God, the mobs-never follow the crowd
• This was not only evident, but grievous to Paul; caused tears.
• Phony "Christians" and televangelists are not just mistaken and wayward, they are apostate, deliberately fallen away and followed then, following now today the enemy of Christ

THE ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST: IN THE CHURCH AND OUT

Jude well describes the ones walking as the enemies of Christ, in the flesh.

(Jude 1:3-13 [KJV])
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these [filthy] dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds [they are] without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

• They sneak in, unassuming, to gain control, dividing and conquering the flock
• They are nothing new, and the same as since the beginning, in the Old Testament
• Mocking God so that they can practice lasciviousness (Looseness; irregular indulgence of animal desires; wantonness; lustfulness, a tendency to excite lust, and promote irregular indulgences.)
• They say they know Jesus Christ, but if you watch what they do, they belie themselves and deny Him with their actions
• They want to be free of God and His righteous judgments, (despise dominion, speak evil of dignities)
• They are going to hell, decidedly, willingly, wanting to, knowingly or not
• We can merely expose them, warn others, leave them to the Hand of the Almighty God for judgment-"vengeance is mine, saith the LORD. I will repay"
• This is often hard to do because we have to watch what they do to others.
• Animals, corrupting themselves and needing no help to do this, as they are good at it and want to
• They fellowship with you and I, secretly even, but are not of us, and this by their design-and that of their leader, the enemy of Christ
• Useless as a pall over anything, but no rain, dead twice (not born again), killed, judged by God Himself, which is what happens when anything is plucked up from the ground by the roots
• Waves foam when they hit the shore, often bringing in debris, washing up dead things. Especially after storms of their making
• Stars have courses; true heavenly stars (angels) have theirs, their assignments to work for God. Wandering ones (fallen angels) are simply out there looking for more things to destroy
• THIS IS WHAT PAUL AND THEY WERE DEALING WITH

(Philippians 3:19 [KJV])
Whose end [is] destruction, whose God [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

• We should always look at their end so we do not fret so that they can dine sumptuously on steak and lobster, drive BMWS, Mercedes, Rolls Royces, etc. fleecing the flock, making merchandise of them
• Their glory is in their shame is a shame. They glory in their sin and mock anyone who dares to call them out

(Philippians 3:20 [KJV])
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

• Our behavior who follow Jesus Christ is to be godly always, as much as is possible, because we await heaven, the Rapture, our redemption
• It is not the event we are to look for, but the PERSON, the Saviour Himself Who will redeem us and be with us and us with Him

(Philippians 3:21 [KJV])
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

• A glorified body awaits us, no more pain, no more suffering, no more death, no more sorrow, no more tears
• That same power Jesus has for Creation, Resurrection, the first (Genesis 3), last and final judgment of all of the creation, (Revelation 20), the eventual restoration of that creation (Revelation 21)

Philippians Chapter 4