The Making Of Earthly Minded Enemies Of The Cross Of Christ Who Are Contrary To The Heavenly Calling, Inheritance, Destiny & Hope Of The Church. (Part 2)

 Enemies Of The Cross Of Christ. 

In Philippians 3:18-19 scripture speaks of the enemies of the cross of Christ. 

Now, this is a very subtle spiritual status & condition because scripture in revealing this condition, does not classify it as 'enmity against Christ' but against 'the cross of Christ'. 

They are not people estranged to the christian profession, faith & walk; the apostle even acknowledges their walk therein; they are in the field of christian profession and walk so closely holding unto what approximates to truth such that those on the path of truth are warned to beware of them. 

Scripture goes on to expose that their walk is not in the steps of the cross. 

It is a walk that so resembles and approximates to the true walk of the christian that it takes the HolySpirit to reveal/expose it; the apostle as inspired by the HolySpirit thus reveals the contrast & weeps knowing that they walk in steps that eventually lead to destruction/damnation. 

Of these enemies of the cross of Christ, the apostle says he has often told/warned these saints in Philippi about them.

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"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.) Philippians 3:18-19.

In the first three verses of this chapter(3) we find words that show that the apostle had repeatedly written and warned these saints in Philippi against these enemies of the cross. 

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Philippians 3:1-3

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not irksome, 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. 

The apostle states that writing the same things to them, is not irksome, burdensome, wearisome, tedious or irritating to him by reason of long repetition; but it's safe for them. 

It was also not to be seen as wearisome for them to read the same things being written to them; they were rather to consider the continual emphasis and repetition as sufficient warnings for their safety. 

The threat & opposition posed by these men in the field of christian profession is not a light matter, so the Spirit is so particular about exposing their true character and to repeatedly warn the saints against them. 

Beware Of Dogs, Evil Workmen, Men Of The Concision. 

Inspired scripture goes on to reveal them as "dogs," evil workmen, men of the concision & warns the people of God to beware of them. 

They are men who though in the christian profession are caught up in the judaizing spirit. 

They are workmen but evil workmen...those who not only put confidence in the flesh but also boast/glory in it's attainments. 

"Evil workmen or workers"....one might think it's a light matter to be branded such..."evil worker". 

The weight/gravity of such however is fully seen in related scriptures...in the words of the Lord himself, the evil servant or worker is one who, inwardly, is indisposed to the Lord's coming(Matthew 24:48). 

In 2nd Timothy 4:18 we hear Paul say "the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom; then coming back to  Philippians 3 we see these evil workers of verse 2, later revealed in verses 18-19 as earthly minded servants whose end is destruction; they are resolved upon the earth, contrary to the cross of Christ which separates the believer from the world, and opposed to the heavenly hope/citizenship of the church saints.

Note: The apostle also calls them men of the "concision," & not circumcision, in other words they were mere mutilators of the flesh; doing so in the name of circumcision but not in the true spirit of it. They were merely given to judaism & asceticism(abstinence through rigorous exercises of self denial/discipline); what some today may term "dying to self". 

It is self trying to kill self, self trying to die to self that it may glory in the success of it's own strength of will, determination & discipline. 

This still leaves the flesh fully fortified with it's own strength & glory for opposition to that which is of God. 

After all, it was flesh these men of concision/mutilators of the flesh trusted/had confidence in.

The law, as we see many times in scripture, has to do with the man in the flesh and no other. Ascetic severity may be practised by self even to any extent, as the apostle reveals in Colossians, while the flesh gets satisfaction by it(Colossians 2:20-23). He thus does not call them the circumcision, the title they would have given themselves; for now that Christianity has come, true circumcision is no more in the flesh(according to the law/in the letter), but is spiritual...whose praise is of God and not of men - Romans 2:28-29. 

The apostle goes on to say that "we are the circumcision who worship in the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who have no confidence in the flesh". 

It is manifest that this "no confidence in the flesh" applies as much to the flesh in the christian as to any other. Confidence in self, of any kind, is confidence in the flesh. The opposite to it here is the Object of all glorying, which is Christ Himself. The knowledge of the new man is Christ is all in all(Colossians 3:10-11); and this it is that makes worshipers in the power of the Spirit of God, for Christ alone is He whom the Spirit glorifies, and with whom He occupies the heart. 

Of those seeking for an occasion to boast and glory in the flesh(in themselves), scripture reveals that they are not only deceitful workers but also false apostles who transform themselves into apostles of Christ(2nd Corinthians 11:12-13).

How many there are today who appear as apostles of Christ and go by that title in ministry but are in reality, false apostles. How many there are today who preach themselves, glorying in themselves as ministers and in the 'special grace/anointing' they claim to carry; seeking recognition, honour and fame. 

The cross of Christ takes away the flesh and what is of self such that the believer finds nothing else to glory in but Christ & Him crucified and considers it sacrilegious to have anyother to glory in apart from the cross of Christ.

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Galatians 6:12-14

As many as desire to make a fair or good show in the flesh(to have a fair appearance in the flesh) they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. 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.  

Desiring to have a fair appearance/good show in the flesh is seeking to be pleasant, appealing and approving to all; not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings or to be hurt by any for one's profession of faith in Christ. With such a disposition of mind, compromise is inevitable for to remain appealing, approved and acceptable to all, the offence of the cross of Christ must be taken away(Galatians 5:11); and this friendship/acceptance with the world being attained constitutes one an enemy of the cross of Christ which brings about the cleavage/separation from the world. 

You can't be seeking acceptance, fame, recognition, honour and dominion in this world & not be contrary to the cross of Christ...this is the making of the enemies of the cross of Christ.