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Daily Devotions

Philippians

Philippians 
Day 
Day 58

"For we are the circumcision..."

Text: Philippians 3:3

THE BATTLE AGAINST THE JUDAIZERS

Paul did not consider it tedious to have to deal with the problems created by the Judaizers. He had to deal with them countless times. It was not tedious work. It was not troublesome work. It was necessary work for it would result in the protection of the beloved brethren in Philippi.

“For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit,
rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”

Philippians 3:3

1. The rite of circumcision

a) All Jewish boys underwent circumcision when they are 8 days old.
b) To the Judaizers all Gentile believers must be circumcised.
c) Circumcision was part and parcel of the gospel they preached.
d) Paul strenuously argued against this wrong emphasis.
e) He called the teaching of the Judaizers “another gospel” (Galatians 1:6-9).

2. The goals of the false teachers

a) To bring all believers to adhere to the Law.
b) Christ Jesus and His work of atonement is set aside in favour of the keeping of the law.
c) These goals were cleverly hidden and the unsuspecting and undiscerning believer would be trapped to keep the whole Law
d) Paul saw through these “evil workers” and resisted their teachings vigorously.

3. “We are the circumcision”

a) This phrase is not a reference to Jewish believers.
b) It is best understood in the light of another epistle Paul wrote.
i) He wrote about “a circumcision made without hands” (Colossians 2:11).
ii) The meaning is “putting off the body of the sins of the flesh” (Colossians 2:11).
iii) This is spiritual circumcision because of our identification with Christ (Colossians 2:11).
c) Gentile believers
i) They are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10).
ii) There was absolutely no need to insist on any “additional work” such as circumcision to effect salvation.
iii) This was the gospel that Paul espoused and defended.
iv) He felt that he needed to write about this subject to the Philippians as well.