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Philippians 3:2-6
In Philippians 3:2-6 the Apostle Paul gives a strong warning to beware of those who are teaching that salvation comes through following the law, more directly, that one must be circumcised to be saved in Christ Jesus. He states in Philippians 3:2-3 (NKJV), “2Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,”. Paul then explains that if someone believes that they are qualified to be a Christian by the ways of the law, that he is more qualified then any of them as he gives his resume as a Pharisee and his own adherence to the law, in which he once persecuted Christians as they believe in salvation through faith and not by works, which Paul/Saul became introduced to on the road to Damascus at his own conversion and quickening of the Spirit during the following three days he spent alone, blind, and in the presence of God (Acts 9).
This is a command to beware of those false teachers who preach salvation by works, as it is a spiritual circumcision of one’s heart that leads to salvation, which is not by works.
Jesus declared to Nicodemus in John 3:3, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jesus reiterates in John 3:5, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Jesus declared to the woman at the well in John 4:10, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” Jesus continues in John 4:13, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” Just before Jesus reveals to the woman at the well that He is the Messiah, He declares to her in John 4:23-24, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him, God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” This is the explanation of salvation given by Jesus through faith/believing in Him as the Messiah as He declared in the most well-known verse in the Bible; John 3:16, and to include verse 17 declaring, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
Dear LORD,
The Apostle Paul declared in Romans 8:1-2, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Please call each of our hearts, minds, and souls to You – In Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.