Note his exact words: "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision." Philippians 3:1

Wow!

It seems that, as also occurred in Corinth and other places, enemies of the Gospel of Grace had entered Philippi.  They taught against Paul and his interpretation of God's amazing Grace!

By "dogs" Paul meant men of wicked minds!  Men who would change the Truth of God's Word!  They are probably Jews too!  Paul is boldly and deliberately insulting them!

By "evil workers" Paul has the same group in mind.  This particular word for "evil" means "good for nothing."  These men are preaching that one is saved by grace ... plus keeping the Law of Moses!

Then the "concision" proves the point and closes Paul's diatribe.  It means "to cut" or "to mutilate" and refers to their practice of "circumcising" every new male convert, in repudiation of Paul's Gospel of pure Grace!  They said one could not be "saved" if he was not circumcised too.

Paul disagrees!

Now ... to a key word in today's verse, thrice repeated: "beware!"

"Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision."

It translates an imperative mood present tense active voice form of "blepo." It means "to see!" To look at or consider or discover or even to perceive! 

Yes, there are certain things ... or at times people ... on whom we should "keep an eye!"

Spiritually speaking, in the Christian life it is dangerous to sleep!

Stay alert, awake!

Always be watching!

"Walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise." Ephesians 5:15

"Circumspectly" is an English adverb here meaning "looking all around!"

Blepo!

                                                                           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

PHRASES FROM PHILIPPIANS, NUMBER 30:

In Philippians 3:3 Paul tells us that "We worship God in the Spirit."

This is so true.

The verb here for worship is "latreuo" and actually means "to serve!" The noun "latris" is a hired menial employee or even slave!  It means "to do homage!"

This is the verb often used of the priests' working before the Lord! "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle." Hebrews 13:10

Jesus first used the word in the New Testament. He said to the devil: "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Matthew 4:10

But we are not only to "worship" in the Spirit!

Paul commands us also to ... "Walk in the Spirit!"  Galatians 5:16

"Live in the Spirit!" Galatians 5:25

"Pray in the Spirit"  Ephesians 6:18

And ... "Love in the Spirit!" Colossians 1:8

What a way to live!

                                                                           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

PHRASES FROM PHILIPPIANS, NUMBER 31:

Paul the Apostle never "got over" meeting Jesus!

His "Damascus Road" experience dominated the rest of his life!

In Philippians 3:8 he called his relationship with Christ something amazing!

Listen to him: "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord."

Nothing in Paul's past life, not even his heritage or former religion or education, could compare to "knowing" Jesus!

Such knowledge was a form of "excellency" to Paul!

The Greek word is "huperecho" and is a clear cut example of assimilation, two words being fused into one!

The Holy Spirit has Paul use this term which means "holding on to" ("echo") something "superior" or "above" or "beyond" ("hyper") all others!

Jesus ... just knowing Him ... is the overarching, highlighting, ever-expanding, life-changing, premier fact of life!

Friend, does Jesus mean that much to you?

Has your relationship with the Son of God been that supreme?

Paul would want it to be so in all our lives!

                                                                               --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

PHRASES FROM PHILIPPIANS, NUMBER 32:

Paul, in Philippians chapter three, used three unusual verbs to describe his longing for Christ Jesus!

He, having been saved for a few years already, said that he yet longed to "win" Christ!  "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."  Philippians 3:8

The word "win" translates "kerdaino" and means "to acquire" or "to gain!" Paul wanted, at any cost, to better appropriate and assimilate and internalize the Lord Jesus Christ.  It was a wise investment in Paul's eyes to seek the Lord Jesus Christ!

Then the Apostle desired to "follow after" the Lord Jesus!  "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after ...." Philippians 3:12a

This verb. "dioko," literally means "to chase!" To "pursue" someone!  To "run after" them!  Paul, who had a competitive spirit anyway, fully planned to diligently seek Jesus with all his heart!  This is the Jesus Who already is Paul's Saviour too!

Lastly, Paul wanted to "apprehend" Jesus!  He told us that Jesus "apprehended" him, the chief of sinners, the day he got saved!  "That I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12b

This verb, "katalambano," means "to lay hold of" someone!  To "seize" them! To "arrest" them!  Paul, violently if necessary, meant to have and to know the Lord Jesus Christ!  This statement reminds me somewhat of Jesus' words in Matthew 11:12. "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."

Paul meant business when it came to knowing Jesus.

Of being possessed and controlled by Him!

May we all today respond accordingly!

                                                                              --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

PHRASES FROM PHILIPPIANS, NUMBER 33:

What responsibility a leader has, especially a leader in spiritual matters!

Paul the Apostle lived so close to God that one day, desiring to lead his people to greater heights of maturity, he wrote: "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample." Philippians 3:17

These are not the words of a proud man, saying; "Look at me, everybody!"

But here are the words of an effective spiritual leader, setting an example of godliness.

The expression "followers together" is spelled "summimetes" and means "to mimic" someone!  I mean the actual English verb "mimic" is derived from this root verb!

Paul lived such a pure life that he could say, "follow me!"  Or "do as I do ... to the Glory of God!"

Three other times Paul suggests similar actions.  "For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you." (2nd Thessalonians 3:7)  "To make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us." (2nd Thessalonians 3:9) And ... "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation." Hebrews 13:7

It is apparently Biblical to follow one's godly spiritual leader, if he is living right before God!

But also ... Paul says in today's verse: "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample."

Now he adds ... notice those who are living according to the Word of God, according to my godly example and according to the doctrine you all have been previously taught!

The implication is ... you can follow the paths other godly Believers have blazed as well!

Why?

Because Paul is following Jesus!

Because the godly mature Christians in Philippi are following the Lord too!

Because, when we walk in the paths of these earthly examples, we are in reality also ... following our dear Saviour!

Peter said something similar to this in 1st Peter 2:21. "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps."

Amen!

It is wise to be in a Church where you are surrounded by a good number of stable faithful saints of God, walking the straight and narrow path about which Jesus preached.

                                                                             --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

PHRASES FROM PHILIPPIANS, NUMBER 34:

Paul actually calls them "enemies!"

Not to him personally mind you, but "enemies of the Cross of Christ." He uses these exact words in Philippians 3:18. 

The noun "enemy" here is a Greek term that has as its root the word for "hate!"

These people "hate" the Cross of Jesus!

By the way, the word for "cross" is interesting too. "Stauros" is just an upright stake or pole that has been affixed to the ground, deeply embedded there.  It's a pole upon which a man is nailed until he is dead. This noun is derived from "stao," a verb meaning "to stand."

"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."

This information affects Paul emotionally.  The present participle "weeping" translates "klaio," to mourn or lament or wail!

But ... my question today is WHY would anyone hate the Cross, the Gospel Story?

It is the premier token of God's Love to lost mankind!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Thankfully, I want you to notice Paul's next statement in Philippians chapter three. He explains WHY many hate the Cross!

"Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." Philippians 3:19

Four reasons are given.

1. They hate the Cross of Jesus because they are on their way to Hell!  Their "end" is destruction.  "Telos" means one's goal!

2. They further hate the Cross because of its message of self denial, self abnegation!  One's "belly" represents his or her own longings or his selfish cravings!  Jesus said to His followers: "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." (Mark 8:34) These "haters" of Jesus do not want to do that!  They want to live lives of pleasure and self exaltation!

3. Then ... the Cross, for a real Christian, becomes his or her greatest "treasure." I mean the knowledge of the Cross does.  That is, the Jesus Who died on that Cross. Paul words it this way: "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (Galatians 6:14) There are just some people who are NOT going to "glory" in an old Bloody rugged Cross! Instead, they "glory" in things that are shameful or debased! Like intoxication and immorality and hedonism and money and self!

4. Then, lastly, to appreciate the Cross and its message of personal salvation through the Death of Jesus God's Son ... one must have a "spiritual" mindset. The Holy Ghost of God must have enlightened one's heart and one's thinking and one's soul and spirit! These "enemies" of the Cross, however, only "mind earthly things" only. They are only interested in facts that can be visibly and presently observed!  While true "faith" is "the evidence of things not seen!" It's the "here and now" that captivates the Cross haters!

Well, just a few thoughts today about the "enemies" of the Gospel.

"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: whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things."

Christians, take note!

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

PHRASES FROM PHILIPPIANS, NUMBER 35:

Paul, in Philippians 3:20, says: "For our conversation is in heaven." 

Think of that!

The noun "conversation" there is spelled "politeuma" and is basically our word for "politics!"

It means "citizenship" or "government" or "by-laws."

Already living in Heaven!

That's why Paul said in Ephesians 1:3 that we Christians are already recipients of "all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." Now!

When Jesus saved us, He ... "raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:6

That's also why Paul taught us to ... "seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." Colossians 3:1

Or to be ... "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." Hebrews 12:2

Yes, our "political interests" are in heaven ... or at least should be!

In God's eyes, the redeemed are even now "residents" of that glorious place the Bible calls Heaven!

                                                                                   --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

PHRASES FROM PHILIPPIANS, NUMBER 36:

Greek, the language of the New Testament, has had a great impact on our language too!  English uses many "loan words" with Grecian backgrounds.

For example, in Philippians 3:21, Paul is speaking of Christ Jesus, Who is coming again!  There the Apostle says: "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."

Yes!

When Jesus returns he will "change" our vile bodies, that they may be "fashioned" like unto His glorious body!

I'd like to show you the English/Greek linkage between two of the "key" words here.

"Change" would have been spelled by Paul "metaschematizo." It basically means "to transform."  The "root" of the word is "schema." It is our English word "schematics" and refers to the shape, figure or form of a thing! Yet today an electrician or a plumber might want to see the "schematics" of a pumping system before beginning work on it! That would be the "diagram" of how it functions!

When Jesus comes, He is going to alter our "schematics" ... change us from one physical form (it being mortal, subject to death) into another physical but glorified form (eternal, not subject to death) in the "twinkling" of an eye!

Then Paul says Jesus will "fashion" our vile ("lowly") bodies into ones like His Glorious Body!

"Fashion" is "summorphos" and means "having the same likeness."  It is the basis for our English verb "morphed" or noun "metamorphosis."  Our worn physical bodies will be literally "morphed" into bodies like Jesus' Perfect One, the One raised from the dead! The one that could enter closed doors, travel to Heaven in an instant, eat or not eat at will, appear or not appear ... and never die again!

Dear Christian friend, no wonder Paul called the Second Coming of Jesus our "Blessed Hope!"

We shall all be changed (morphed) into His Image, our very human substance and constitution (schematics) being altered into the likeness of the darling Son of God!

And how will He do this?

By His mighty Power! That's the very same Power by which He will "subdue" all things unto Himself on that grand (and maybe soon) coming Day!

Come, Lord Jesus!

                                                                           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

PHRASES FROM PHILIPPIANS, NUMBER 37:

Paul, in Philippians 4:5, said to the Christians of Macedonia: "Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand."

Notice that the Apostle uses the nearness of the Lord as an incentive to godly living.

The noun "moderation" is spelled "epieikes" and means "gentleness" or "patience" or "mildness" or "forbearance."

It may be that Paul is kindly correcting some misbehavior there in Philippi. Two ladies, Euodias and Syntyche, have not been living in harmony it seems!  Paul, three verses earlier, had just written: "I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord."