3.1-21

I don't know how to better put the picture into your heads than Paul does, so I will simply ask you to visualize the dogs of which you should beware! These are the evil workers who are right now working in our midst. But Paul speaks of a specific threat here. We are all aware of the world we live in and the Tic Toc, Instagram, Woke, Anti-church vocal minority (no longer a minority). That is not what Paul is talking about. He says to beware of the mutilation - or false circumcision. This is the threat that is pretending righteousness in your church. The mask will be one of credibility based on things they can boast about, just as Paul had the right to boast. Instead... "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ." v.7 This is the mask taken off to reveal a true servant of Christ. The righteous will not have need to boast of what they do or have done, rather they will merely continue as Paul states in verse 14 "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." The alternative is ugly. The indictment is in verse 19. Beware of the dogs! Read through this chapter asking the LORD for discernment for today.

CHAPTER 3

Righteousness Through Faith in Christ

1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.
2 Beware of the dogs! Beware of the evil workers! Beware of the mutilation!
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,
4 although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee;
6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
8 More than that, I count all things to be loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own which is from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God upon faith,
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Pressing On Toward the Goal

12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
13 Brothers, I do not consider myself as having laid hold of it yet, but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way; and if in anything you think differently, God will reveal that also to you.
16 However, let us keep walking in step with the same standard to which we have attained.
17 Brothers, join in following my example, and look for those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.
18 For many walk—of whom I often told you, and now tell you even crying—as enemies of the cross of Christ,
19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their stomach and glory is in their shame, who set their thoughts on earthly things.
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by His working through which He is able to even subject all things to Himself.