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. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 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: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. Philippians 3:1-6

Ever since the beginning of time, people have been trying to “earn their salvation”. We see this alot today, with the Hebrew Roots movements, people think by “Keeping The Torah” ,they can save their soul. Nobody can keep The Law, as Jesus said “Nobody is good (morally excellent) except God alone (Mark 10:18) This is where many false religious groups are born, the false thought that you can save yourself

As the Apostle Paul said “We have no confidence in the flesh”, Yes we are obedient to our God and Savior , Jesus Christ. Yes , we produce fruit from the Holy Spirit, but none of these things are for us to boast about. As the Bible said “All our good deeds are filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) 

The Bible clearly tells us “For we all have sinned , and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) Every single person is a wretched sinner in need of a Savior. If we didn’t have transgressions, there would be no need for a savior, which is why many reject the real Jesus Christ of the Bible. People believe they are righteous in their own eyes, but the reality is they are wretched, spiritually  poor, and miserable (Revelation 3:17)

If anyone had a reason to brag its the Apostle Paul, he was a Pharisee, from the tribe of Benjamin, circumcised on the eighth day. All the boxes were checked off for Paul to have been a holy man, but what did Christ reveal to Paul? As Paul said “O wretched man that I am, who can deliver me from this body of death”? (Romans 7:24)

Paul was enlightened by the Holy Spirit, that he was a wretched sinner who needed Jesus Christ. This is how you are saved, by faith in Jesus Christ alone, not on any of our works (Ephesians 2:8-9) We can continue to try and earn our salvation, but will always fail, because as Jesus said “You must be Born Again” (John 3:3)

Don’t put your faith in your religion, don’t put your faith in your good works or deeds, put all your faith in trust in the only one who can save you, Jesus Christ, Amen!

But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. Philippians 2:19-24

When we think about the ministry of Paul, we probably don’t think about all the people who were involved in serving The Lord and the Church. No Christian is a “lone wolf” , we are all part of the body of Christ, brothers and sisters in The Lord. Nobody is greater than anyone else, the least shall be called the greatest. 

Paul tells the Church that Timothy is coming to help serve the Church, a man that Paul trusted so much , he considered him a spiritual son. As Paul said “he has served with me in the gospel”. Being a servant of Christ is our calling, whether your preaching, or ministering, or even just helping out, we are all in this together as the body of Christ

Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: Philippians 2:25-29

Paul mentions another brother in Christ , named Epaphroditus. Not only does he call him a brother, but a soldier in Christ. This should be our approach and mentality as Christians, soldiers for Jesus Christ. We are in a spiritual battle with demonic forces everyday! 

Now Epaphroditus had an illness that almost killed him and the Church grieved deeply for him. However as Paul said “God had mercy on him” and prolonged his life to serve the Kingdom. God can use our trials and tribulations, not only for His glory but also to revive the Church. As Paul said “When you see him again, you may rejoice”

We are all in this together, the body of Christ, the soldiers of The Lord, rejoice in one another and serve The Lord, Amen!

Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me. Philippians 2:16-18

Hold forth or hold fast to the word of life, what is Paul referring to? I believe he is referring to the Bible, the word of God. All the promises God made to us, hold forth to them during your times of troubles and sorrows. Hod forth to the knowledge that Jesus Christ has already overcome the world, the Christ is the Risen Lord, and every knee will bow to the Lamb of God

But what happens to those who minimize the word of God? The liberal theologian who denies the authenticity of the Bible, they have nothing to hold forth to.Without the word of God, there is no foundation for your faith. This is why many false prophets and false religions deny the inerrancy of the Bible, because they want to make up their own doctrine.

You would not run or labor in vain, because Christ has already given us victory at the cross. Whatever happens to you in this fallen world, will be resurrected with a glorified body, in the presence of the Almighty God. Nothing in this world can take you away from God, no amount of evil can separate you from the Great Shepherd. But for those who deny scripture, they have no hope. They have no purpose for their race, they live like theres no tomorrow, because they deny the only One who can bring you a forever tomorrow

And no matter what happens to us, whether it be suffering or persecution, we wil rejoice with joy in our hearts, why? Because our Lord Jesus Christ has already defeated sin, death, and Satan. It is finished brothers and sisters, so let the world try to persecute us, we are filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, our souls can not be taken from the Great I AM

Hold fast to the Word of God, Hold fast to the promises God has made you, Hold fast to what God has already accomplished and fulfilled in Jesus name Amen!

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. Philippians 2:12-15

The Apostle Paul makes an interesting statement here , he says “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” Now I can already hear the liberals say “Paul is a legalist”, however Paul is not talking about “earning your salvation” As we know salvation can only be obtained through Christ alone. As Paul said “Its by grace you have been saved through faith and not of yourselves, its a gift from God” (Ephesians 2:8)

So what is Paul talking about? He’s talking about the daily walk of a true Born Again Christian, a walk that is worthy of our higher calling as a child of God. As Jesus said “You will be known by your fruit” (Matthew 7:16) If you are truly saved, if you are truly a Born Again Christian, then there should be evidence of your conversion. There should be fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5) produced.

As Paul says “For it is God which works in you both to will and to do his good pleasures” Did you ever hear a Pastor or Christian bragging about their accomplishments or when “they” saved somebody. We never saved anyone or produced good works on our own, its the works of the Holy Spirit within us. How do you know if your truly saved? You will see the fruits of the Holy Spirit working in and through you for the glory of God. All our good works are filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6)

You as a Christian should shine as a light in a crooked and perverse generation. As Jesus said “You are the light of the world, a city on the hill can’t be hidden” (Matthew 5:14) A true Christian will stick out in the world like a sore thumb, those who try to conform with the world, the love of God is truly not in them. You were called to be set apart, to shine in the darkness of this world. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, just as a bad tree can’t produce good fruit (Matthew 7)

If the Church is not the light in the crooked and perverse world, then the Church becomes worthless. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, by being obedient to your Lord, being obedient to your calling, by producing light and fruit in a dark world , Amen

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:5-8

Today we look at some of the most powerful words ever written by Paul under inspiration of the Holy Spirit. What Paul affirms here to us is that Jesus Christ was fully God and fully Man. As some translations say “did not consider equality with God, something to be grasped”. How does our human minds comprehend that Jesus could be fully God and fully human? Many will reject the deity of Christ because of this inability to grasp, however then they reject the word of God

Jesus being in the form of God, humbled himself to become a human to die for the sins of the world (John 1:29) This is why the incarnation of Christ is so essential to our faith. If Christ didn’t become a man, he couldn’t die for our sins. If Christ isn’t God, then he can’t be the sinless atonement for our justification.This is why , only Jesus Christ is the way of salvation (John 14:6, Acts 4:12) because only Christ is God who became flesh (John 1:14)

Jesus Christ was obedient unto suffering and death on the cross, The Lord could have called upon legions of angels to wipe out the world, but Christ willing layed down his life to be the ransom for our sins, to give us the gift of eternal life

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11

Jesus Christ has been exalted and given the name which is above every name! What is that name, Lord. Jesus Christ is Lord of Lords, meaning Master and ruler over all creation. Everyone and everything is under subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ, including all people, and all angels, and all demons and Satan. Jesus Christ is Lord

And one day, when Christ returns to establish his eternal Kingdom, every knee will bow down to The Lord Jesus Christ, every knee in heaven, on the Earth, and even in Hell. And every person will one day confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, including those who rejected him and will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire, Amen!

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Philippians 2:1-4

What is the purpose of the Church? Many Christians today have abandoned the Church all together, but Paul here explains why we need the body of Christ. Therefore, if you have any consolation or encouragement in Christ. How do you encourage or consolate when you are on your own? Chrstians are in this walk together, as God said “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18) So God created Adam, just a Christ created the Church for one another

If any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit. Again how do you fellowship or comfort on your own? You can’t , and being a “lone wolf” was not part of Gods design. You may have different ideas or thoughts than other brothers and sisters in Christ, but you shouldn’t remove yourself from the body of Christ. Fellowship is essential to your spiritual life. Jesus said “Love One Another, as I have loved You” (John 13:34) To love your brothers and sisters in Christ is not an option, its a command. To neglect the Church, is to neglect Christ himself

An important aspect of this is “fellowship of The Spirit”, as Paul taught we all have different gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12) If the body of Christ neglects one another, these gifts will never be fully productive. Nobody has every gift of the Holy Spirit, some prophecy, some teaching, ect. When the gifts are united , they are powerful and used for God’s glory. When the gifts are seperated the results are disabled, this is why Satan loves to divide the Church. Imagine if Christians united in Christ to fight the good fight of faith!

Paul also taught in Romans 12, that one part of the body of Christ is not greater than the other. The hand is not greater than the foot because Christ is the head of the body. Don’t deceive yourself into thinking you are better than your brothers and sisters, therefore you don’t have to fellowship or worship with them. As Paul also said “Don’t forsake the assembly” (Hebrews 10:25) When you forsake the Church you are actually forsaking Christ because He is the head and Lord of the Church

Be like minded, having the same love, being of One accord. There is no male or female, Jew or Gentile, in Christ (Galatians 3:28) Even though we all come from different backgrounds and cultures, we are united with a common belief system, the gospel of Jesus Christ. United together , as the Church the gates of Hell will not prevail, because Christ has already overcome the world, Amen!