My brother Paul would not be popular in today’s Christian churches….in fact he isn’t popular. You see, Paul opposed those from his old camp at every turn and at every city he came to. Anyone advocating a return to law keeping in order to be justified was Paul’s enemy. Have a look at what Paul called these preachers of the Law…
Php 3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.
Php 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!
Paul then clarifies exactly what the issue is that makes him so fierce in his words
Php 3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
The issue is the same issue as that in the Garden east of Eden. The original issue! Are you going to eat Life or are you going to reject Life? Are you going to choose death instead of Christ Jesus?
Today the Church is confused and has been bewitched just as the early church were gradually being seduced away from the pure Grace of Jesus Christ. Today preachers–dogs, evil workers and mutilators advocate Grace and Law together as if God said eat the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life.
He said no such thing. But that does not stop preachers today telling folk to try very hard to be like Jesus…in other words, try to obey Law in order to be righteous.
Paul lived only inside Jesus…and so do we. But our minds don’t. Paul strongly clarified the position we live inside of in all his letters. In verse 3 above he declares emphatically, “FOR WE ARE THE CIRCUMCISION”!!
What does that mean? He said that to deliberately combat the enemies of Christ who were saying that they are the circumcision.
Just like Elijah had done —1Ki 18:21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.
The people answered him not a word because they were confused. They were just like the church today. BEWITCHED!! Confused by generation after generation of LAW and Grace mixture preachers.
Paul warned that after he departed savage wolves would come into the church not sparing the flock. It happened and now today the church is mostly firmly in the camp that Paul fought against! The Judaizers…the circumcision….the mutilation…the evil workers..the dogs!!
So he declares to them–WE ARE the Circumcision. The enemies of the cross advocate outward performance, law keeping, sabbaths, charitable deeds ect ect…
In order to have CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH; In order to FEEL righteous or to convince yourself that you are righteous…or to convince others that you are righteous you must APPEAR OUTWARDLY TO BE RIGHTEOUS. That is the message of the FALSE.
We are the Circumcision –that is we are the ones dwelling in and receiving the NEW COVENANT –The Covenant God made with ABRAHAM. We rejoice inside of Christ Jesus WHO is the fulfillment of the Law which we are totally UNABLE to keep. We do not judge ourselves by outward obedience to any laws. We do not try to do right and try not to do wrong. We dwell inside of Christ’s sacrifice. We have received Him and what He did for us…therefore we do not try to make our own performance, but trust in Jesus.
There is only ONE COVENANT…The New Covenant made in Christ’ blood. Any attempt to be made righteous by trying to keep laws, trying to be obedient to God…is an attempt to set up(revive) another Covenant. There is ONLY ONE Covenant God recognises–Jesus inside you, living AS YOU–PERFECT AND HOLY AND BLAMELESS!!
Paul was on fire with this issue. I am too.
The church is held prisoner and opposes herself constantly–refusing to accept FULLY Christ Jesus’ sacrifice and payment. She stands outside the Holy of Holies not daring to believe that she is already inside it(HIM)FULLY RIGHTEOUS already by FAITH. Instead she tries and tries to be like Jesus by obeying.
All that leads to is PRETENDING…for we know that it is futile to try to be like Jesus–for all fall short of the glory of God.
Instead we should fall on His sword and admit we cannot do it–ever!!
We cannot ever be like Jesus…..as a separate self .
But that’s the thing…You are not a separate self…YOU DIED!! WERE CRUCIFIED!! YOU NO LONGER LIVE!! IT IS CHRIST THAT LIVES IN YOU!!
You are now INSIDE Jesus…and Jesus is your true and ONLY LIFE…and nature. The Life you/Jesus now live, you live by and through His shared faith. A faith that says, I can of mine own self DO NOTHING!!!! A faith that says–“FATHER in me does all the doing. I am right with God through Christ alone.”
Any preacher that tells you that “you better obey God’s commandments or else!” is a FALSE PREACHER, preaching you into submission to DEATH.
We rejoice in Christ Jesus and HAVE NO CONFIDENCE in the flesh. That means we do not live by right and wrong….but He lives US by and through inner LIFE.
More to come…
Dennis
Also read ….
https://gods-salvation.com/2017/07/21/who-has-bewitched-you/
