SERIES: Philippians: Cheerful Sounds from a Jail Cell
The Bankruptcy of Human Religion
SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus
Introduction: Philippians chapter 3 is one of the most profound and most loved passages in the Bible. Please listen carefully to the reading of verses 1-8:
Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ…
As noted a few moments ago when we sang “Joy to the World” (yes, in August, no less!), Paul opens chapter 3 with an exhortation: “Rejoice in the Lord.” Christians ought to be a joyful lot!
Paul’s exhortation: Rejoice! (1)
The continuing emphasis here on joy and rejoicing reminds us again of the fact that Christian joy is a supernatural delight in God and God’s goodness and is not dependent on circumstances. It comes from the recognition that our lives are in the hands of God and that He has our highest good in mind. True, we can’t always see the evidence of that, but we take it on faith because it is taught so clearly in the Word of God.
Paul knows he has said this before, but he is not embarrassed to repeat it and feels the repetition is a safeguard for the Philippian Christians. The great truths of Christianity do not change, and we cannot hear them too often. Rejoice!
Quite suddenly, it seems, Paul turns from exhortation in verse 1 to warning in verse 2, but there is a connection. His warning is, “Beware!”
Paul’s warning: Beware! (2-3)
You noticed, undoubtedly, that the Apostle introduced verse one with the phrase, “Finally, my brothers,” intending apparently to conclude the book at that point. In chapter 4, verse 8, he says again, “Finally, brothers,” and shortly thereafter he does, in fact, close the letter. So, I think it’s safe to conclude that chapter 3, from verse 2 on, is something of an unintentional digression. But praise God that the Apostle got a little wordy and decided to conclude the book twice, for we are the better for it.
What caused him to digress, apparently, is that having exhorted the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord, he was reminded that one of the most dangerous obstacles to joy in the Christian life is threatening them—and that is religion! So he warns them, “beware!” There were those in the church who had substituted religion for a relationship. They were extremely devout in their religious endeavors and as a result appeared to be very godly. But Paul wants the believers to know that if they followed these teachers it would result in a loss of their joy, for they would be brought under bondage to rules, regulations, rites and rituals.
Three times he uses the word, “beware,” each time apparently referring to this same group of religious fanatics. But before examining the characteristics of these religious devotees, it would be good for us to review our early church history for a moment. From the very beginning the Gospel came to the Jew first. Later the message went to the Samaritans, and then Peter took the offer of salvation to the Gentiles. A real uproar ensued in the church. Peter temporarily calmed the waters by contending that it was God who sovereignly directed him to preach to the Gentiles, a fact that was difficult to argue with.
But then Paul embarked on a life-long mission to the Gentiles, which was more than some of the strict Jewish believers could stand. They showed up at Antioch demanding that his Gentile converts submit to Jewish rules and regulations, including circumcision, before they could be saved. A Church Council was convened in Jerusalem (Acts 15) and ruled that Gentiles could become Christians without first becoming Jewish converts.
But these legalistic Jewish Christians refused to accept the Council’s decision and followed Paul wherever he went, trying to steal his converts and his churches. The whole book of Galatians was written to counter these false teachers, but here in Philippians 3 we learn that the problem was not confined to Galatia.
What are the characteristics of these who claim to be so devoted to religion, concerning which the believers must beware?
The characteristics of those devoted to religion:
First, they are “dogs.” To understand and appreciate this reference one must realize that dogs were considered unclean animals by the Jews. They did not employ them as pets or consider them as man’s best friend. Therefore, when Paul refers to these legalists as “dogs,” the term is extremely derogatory. Furthermore, he may be intimating that like dogs, these Judaizers snapped at his heels and followed him from place to place “barking” their false doctrines.
They are evil workers. These men taught that the sinner was saved by faith plus good works, especially the works of the Law. But Paul states that their “good works” are really “evil works” because they are performed by the flesh, not the Spirit, and they glorify themselves, not Jesus Christ. Paul made clear in Ephesians 2:8-10 and Titus 3:3-7 that nobody can be saved by doing good works, even religious works. A Christian’s good works are the result of his faith, not the basis for his salvation.
They are the false circumcision. Actually, Paul employs a pun here that doesn’t come through in the English. The word he uses sounds very similar to the word for “circumcision,” but it really means “mutilation.” In effect he is saying, “You legalists think you are circumcised; in point of fact, you are only mutilated.”
What is his point? Circumcision was a God-ordained sign and symbol that the Jewish nation was the people with whom God had entered into a special covenant relationship. But even from the beginning circumcision was only considered to be a physical sign of a spiritual relationship in the heart and life. Over and over again the OT prophets complained that the Jewish people had circumcised bodies but uncircumcised hearts and lips and ears. In other words, they were relying on a religious rite instead of a heart relationship with God.
That problem is still with us today, of course. There are millions who rely upon baptism, communion, tithing, liturgy, church membership, confession, and other religious practices to ensure their right standing with God. But none of these can save a person from his sins. Only faith in Jesus Christ can do that.
In contrast to these who are devoted to religion, Paul now offers four characteristics of those devoted to Christ.
The characteristics of those devoted to Christ:
They are the true circumcision. Their circumcision is of the heart, not the body. Listen to the commentary Paul writes on this topic in Romans 2:25-29:
25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.
Christians are the true circumcision.
They worship in the Spirit of God. Christian worship is not a ritual observation of details and regulations of the Law; Christian worship is a thing of the Spirit and of the heart. You see, it is perfectly possible for a man to meticulously observe all the outward rules of religion, and yet to have hatred and bitterness and pride and unforgiveness in his heart. True believers worship in spirit and in truth.
They glory in Christ Jesus. People who depend on religion are usually boasting about what they have done, the charities they have supported, the number of years of perfect attendance they have accumulated. The true Christian’s only boast is in Jesus and what He has done.
4. They put no confidence in the flesh. The popular religious philosophy of today is, “The Lord helps those who help themselves.” In fact, there was an article in the St. Louis Post Dispatch last year identifying that statement as a quote from Jesus Himself. The eminent theologian who offered that valuable insight was none other than Cardinal manager, Whitey Herzog. Apparently, the Lord doesn’t think the Cardinals have been helping themselves too much lately, because He hasn’t been helping them either!
When the Bible speaks of putting confidence in “the flesh,” it is speaking of the human nature we were born with, called “the old nature.” It speaks of our natural talents, abilities, I.Q., education, ambition, etc. Most people depend entirely on what they themselves can do to please God, but the sad fact is that they are doomed to failure. Unless a person is born spiritually and given a new nature, he can never please God. The old nature or flesh profits nothing as far as spiritual life is concerned; it has nothing good in it, and we should put no confidence in it!
Now Paul was not speaking from an ivory tower; he personally knew the futility of trying to attain salvation by means of good works, for in verses 4-6 he shares with us his own story.
Paul’s personal account of his religious credentials (4-6)
In this intensely autobiographical section Paul opens the books to show us what his life was like before he met Christ. Humanly speaking he was an outstanding religious specimen. He mentions seven key assets, three of which he inherited and four of which he earned. Let’s look first at …
His religious inheritance:
“Circumcised the eighth day” proves both his parents’ conformity to the letter of the law and his true “Jewishness.” He was no proselyte to Judaism, but rather a true-blooded Jew from the cradle, nursed in the ancestral faith. The Judaizers preached circumcision in every sermon, much like the Churches of Christ preach baptism in our day, but Paul knew personally what its value was and wasn’t.
“Of the nation of Israel” identifies him as a member of the chosen people of God, for “Israel” was the covenantal name of the elect race. Ishmaelites could trace their descent to Abraham, for Ishmael was Abraham’s son by Hagar. The Edomites could trace their descent to Abraham also, for Esau, the founder of the Edomite nation, was Abraham’s grandson by Isaac. But it was the Israelites alone who could trace their descent to Abraham through Jacob, whom God had called by the name of Israel. By calling himself an Israelite, Paul is stressing the absolute purity of his race and his descent.
“Of the tribe of Benjamin” is also an important part of Paul’s religious heritage, for this tribe was regarded with particular esteem, in spite of its small size. Israel’s first king was drawn from its ranks, namely Saul, after whom Paul himself was undoubtedly named. Further, Benjamin was the only tribe to remain loyal to the house of David after the dissolution of the United Kingdom. To trace one’s lineage to Benjamin would be equivalent to one of us claiming that we could trace our family back to the Pilgrim fathers.
His religious achievements:
“A Hebrew of Hebrews” raises the issue of the language of the Jews. The term “Jew” refers to race, while “Hebrew” refers to their language. By the first century, Jews were scattered all over the world, and many had abandoned the language and culture of their fathers. Not Paul. Though born in the Gentile city of Tarsus, he had come to Jerusalem to be educated at the feet of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). He could speak to the Jews in Jerusalem in their native Hebrew tongue (Acts 21:40). He was a Hebrew son of Hebrew parents.
“As to the law, a Pharisee,” speaks of his membership in the strictest sect of his religion. We use the word “Pharisee” today as almost a synonym for “hypocrite,” but in Paul’s day this party represented the most devoted and exacting element within the Jewish community. These were third-degree separationist fundamentalists, or perhaps the “truly reformed,” if you will.
Moreover, Paul was a zealous Pharisee. In every group there is a spectrum, from the apathetic to the intense. Paul was intense in his commitment to Pharisaic principles.
“As to zeal, he was a persecutor of the church.” It is not enough to believe the truth; a man must also oppose lies. And Paul acted to defend his orthodox faith by persecuting the followers of the Nazarene, whom the Pharisees hated with a passion. He actually killed Christians because they were viewed as a threat to his religion, and the book of Acts tells us he was present at the stoning of St. Stephen, consenting to his death. By the way, Paul always carried emotional scars for his persecution of the early Christians. He spoke of it often and always with great regret. In 2 Cor. 15:9, for example, he writes, “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”
“As to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.” That is not God’s verdict, mind you, but Judaism’s verdict. Judged by the standard of religious devotion, Paul had few peers. The average Jew of his day would look at the life of Paul and say, “What a devout believer! If only I were as committed as he is!”
At this point we might ask, “How could a sincere man like Saul of Tarsus be so wrong?” I’m reminded of a Peanuts cartoon I saw over 20 years ago, in which Charlie Brown was standing on the mound staring at the scoreboard which read, 163-0. He laments, “How can we lose when we’re so sincere!” Well, Paul could be wrong because he was using the wrong measuring stick! He was looking at the outside and not the inside. He was comparing himself with standards set by men, not by God.
When he looked at himself or looked at others, Paul considered himself to be righteous. But one day he met Jesus Christ on the Damascus Road and came face to face with God’s absolute standard for righteousness! And that produced a miraculous change of perspective, to which we now turn, fourthly and finally.
Paul’s miraculous change of perspective (7-8)
Verse 7 begins with the adversative “But.” And if ever the word “but” introduced a contrast, it is here. “My religious pedigree is impeccable, and my religious achievements mark me as blameless, but . . .” and he proceeds to share with us that he has adopted a whole new accounting system in regard to his religious assets and liabilities. Three times in verses 7 and 8 he employs the word “count” and three times he speaks of “gains and losses.”
He came to view his former religious gains as losses. Everything that once appeared on his personal ledger as an asset he now sees as a liability. Now it’s not hard to see how his being a Pharisee and a persecutor of the church could be viewed as a mistake and a liability now, but does he really mean that his Jewishness itself was a liability? Yes and no. Certainly, it was an asset in the sense that it enabled him to have an entree into the Jewish community. He could think like the Jews and therefore could better reach them with the Gospel. But even his Jewishness was a liability to the extent that he was tempted to put his confidence in it. The moment he began to rely on his heritage or his personal achievements, at that moment he quit ministering in the power of God.
Let me use some modern illustrations of this danger. Sandi Patti and Steve Green are my favorite singers. Both of them have tremendous natural talent that they have used very effectively in ministry. Both have received great recognition for their voices, but from my own perspective, which is admittedly limited, both seem to have remained humble and down-to-earth. I don’t feel that I’m just going to a performance when I attend one of their concerts.
But even Sandi and Steve, I’m sure, are tempted at times to go into a concert without consciously relying on the Lord, without prayer, without spiritual preparation. Why? Because their natural talent is so great that they can pull it off anyway. The audience probably couldn’t tell the difference. But what about the lasting results? If the Spirit of God is not invited to be a part of that concert, the results will be praise for the artist but not glory to God.
I’ll bring it a little closer to home. When I first started preaching, I was scared. I did a lot of praying. Come Thursday or Friday I sometimes panicked and on Saturday night I could hardly sleep. I leaned heavily on the Lord. Today the outlines come easily. There’s no fear; there’s no panic; I even take Saturdays off and arrive at church relatively relaxed. What is the danger for me? The danger is that I will prepare and preach out of confidence in the flesh—natural ability and experience. And if I do so, to that extent my natural ability and experience become a liability because they turn me away from the true source of my strength.
That’s what I think Paul is saying. “Whatever is done in my own efforts or whatever results in an ego trip for me cannot possibly produce anything of lasting value for Christ.”
Notice, please, that the Apostle did not count his religious trophies as loss merely for Christianity, but for Christ. He was not simply exchanging one religion for another, one set of doctrines, rules and regulations for a better one. He had met the crucified but risen Lord, and he counted all things loss and rubbish for Him. Dr. Boice asks us, “Have you exchanged your assets for Christ? Or are you trusting in the kind of goodness that will never be accepted by God? If you are, let me give you a warning. That goodness will take you to Hell. Hell is full of it. But if you will lay your goodness aside, counting it loss, God will credit Jesus Christ to your account.”[i]
Paul came to view his former religious gains as losses. And secondly, …
He came to view his present losses as potential gains. We must not overlook the fact that Paul had a personal price to pay for this new perspective. He speaks in verse 8 of “having suffered the loss of all things.” He had to surrender his pride; he gave up his privileges; he forfeited his right to brag about his race, color, creed, degrees, zeal, etc. He could no longer walk down the streets of Jerusalem in his flowing robes and hear the common people whisper, “there’s Paul, the Pharisee, eminent theologian and member of the Sanhedrin.” He was no longer contacted by Ted Koppel to get his views on the latest religious controversy. Yes, there was a price to pay.
But he realized that getting rid of those things made it possible for him to gain something else, principally the privilege of “knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” He couldn’t have it both ways. When a man is cultivating his pride and his ego it is impossible to simultaneously cultivate a relationship with Jesus. An English theologian was writing to preachers when he said, “No man can at the same time show himself to be clever and Jesus Christ powerful to save.”[ii]
Paul refers to knowing Christ as of “surpassing value.” A warm, intimate, personal relationship with Him is not only superior to religion; it excels it to such a degree that it must be considered in a class by itself.
The best way to capsulize what this new spiritual accounting system did for Paul, I think, is to observe that …
He adopted a new principal focus in life. Previously his focus was on himself. Even when it was on religion, it was really on himself. Now his focus is on Jesus.
Conclusion: Let me suggest that all of us make a list of the religious “assets” we prize the highest. Write it out on paper; there’s a space after the outline you can use. Perhaps it is our ability to teach, to sing, to play the piano, to work with children, to administrate a church program. Perhaps it is a position on the deacon board or missions committee. Maybe it is our success at pulling off a Five-Day Club or organizing a church social function. Maybe it is some award or recognition or certificate we have received. Perhaps we were saved at a Billy Graham rally or were baptized by W. A. Criswell, or we had Bill Bright sit on our ordination council. Whatever those assets are that we prize, may I suggest that we re-evaluate them this morning.
If we are proud of any of these things or are putting our confidence in them, we are making a serious mistake, and today we need to renounce any such attitude. All the human achievements that we can claim on the credit side of the ledger are really nothing more than bad debts. We must lay them all aside and ask the Spirit of God to fill us with His power so that we can be all that God wants us to be.
Maybe there’s someone here who is actually trusting religion to get you to heaven. It won’t work. Don’t rely on anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ. Recognize that the best you have to offer is imperfect and tainted with sin and thus is unacceptable to a holy God. Then cast yourself empty-handed on Jesus, trust Him to save you through His death on the cross, and receive the eternal life He so freely offers to all who come to Him in faith.
In the original version of Rock of Ages, which unfortunately has been rewritten, there is a marvelous verse which is unfortunately left out of most of our hymnbooks today:
“Nothing in my hand I bring
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly,
Wash me, Savior, or I die!”
That, friends, is God’s truth. Jim Eliot, one of the five missionaries murdered by the Auca Indians in the 1950’s, wrote these words, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.” Paul lost his religion and his reputation, but he gained Christ. So can you.
Let us sing that beautiful hymn as we prepare to come before the Lord’s Table.
DATE: August 7, 1988
Tags:
Religion
Rejoicing
Circumcision
Pharisee
Persecution
[i] James Montgomery Boice, Philippians, 198.
[ii] I believe the author of this quote was James Denney, but I have no idea where I came across it.