Philippians 3:1-11 (audio file)

Philippians 3:1-11

We’ve been seeing through the first and second chapters of this book. Paul has been continuing to plea for the Philippians to live like citizens of the Gospel…

Last week we saw Paul hold out for us 2 examples of people who have done just that and lived as citizens of the Gospel. We looked at how Tim and Epaphroditis served from the heart, laid it all on the line and did it for Christ and His glory.

So that actually brings us to a place int the letter where Paul has finished that argument, and is wanting to turn his focus a little bit to another subject. The reason I say this is the word, “finally” it is a word that denotes a change in the flow, or the addition of a new or different topic.  The topic the he wants to address with the Philippians is one that he deals with in several places in the new testament. He deals with this topic in Acts 15, as well as Galatians.  What he wants to address with them is the teaching of the judaizers. They believed…

He calls them Dogs…

So today I want to look at how we need to be careful not to become Dogs, cause the Dogs he talks about are church folk.

Dog watching tips:

1. Dogs worship in the flesh, citizens worship in the spirit. v. 2-3

1. Religious people look to a sign in the flesh they want their outward appearance to save them, God saves through Faith. v. 9. They want to check a box…
2. Religious people have lots of rules that tell them what they must do, citizens have desires that rejoice in what they get to do.
3. Religious people have transactions, citizens have affections.
1. Dogs glory in their flesh, citizens Glory in Christ Jesus.
   1. Religious people are always doing Gods work for their own pats on the back, citizens serve Christ to make Him look great.
   2. Religious people get ticked off if their contribution isn’t acknowledged by others, citizens serve because they know Jesus sees them and rejoices in their work.

1. Dogs put their confidence in their flesh, citizens put their confidence is Jesus.

1. Religious people will point to their good works as their acceptance before God, citizens will point to Jesus.
2. Religious people pile up works to offer God, citizens see all that as dung.
3. Religious people take pride in the blessings Jesus gives, citizens just want Jesus! v. 7-8