Philippians 3:1-3

Please take your copy of God's Word and turn to Philippians chapter 3.

Philippians 3 · chapter mention

And I'm a little note heavy this morning.

So you may find my pace speeding up because I'd like to complete the notes this morning and to do so in a reasonable amount of time and certainly for the sake of parents with children this morning.

So let's get right to it.

But before we read the text, let me remind you, beloved, that this is God's Word to us.

It was written for His glory and our good.

So we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.

Philippians chapter 3, beginning in verse 1.

Philippians 3 · chapter mention

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord.

To write the same thing to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

Look out for the dogs.

Look out for the evildoers.

Look out for those who mutilate the flesh.

For we are the circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.

Now, the Christian church has a problem in our day.

The problem of false conversion.

I believe this is largely due to the nature of our gospel presentations.

We offer the free grace of God to all people as it is and as we should.

But we have largely neglected to balance this offer with the costly call of following Christ.

Today's church has almost altogether ignored texts like Mark chapter 8, verse 34 and 35, where Jesus said,

Mark 8:34

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

For whoever would save his life will lose it.

But whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospels will save it.

The cross was a place of death.

Someone who is willing to give all that they are for the sake of gaining Christ can have Christ.

And Luke chapter 14, verse 28 and following.

Luke 14:28

Jesus says,

For which of you desiring to build the tower does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying,

This man began to build and was not able to finish.

Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with 10,000 men to meet him who comes against him with 20,000?

And if not, while the other is a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.

What is Jesus talking about when he gives these examples?

Verse 33 tells us,

So, therefore, if any one of you does not renounce all that he has, cannot be my disciple.

So, many people have made professions of faith in Jesus Christ, but have not truly been converted.

This kind of easy-believe-ism, cheap-grace type of gospel that the church today presents so often.

These people are false Christians, not genuine Christians.

This should be a sobering thing to realize.

It is altogether possible to declare that you are in the faith and not be in the faith.

It is possible to think that you are saved and your end be destruction.

This is not the first time we have considered this, and it will not be the last,

because the Bible is packed with teaching on the matter.

New Testament writers are very concerned with this, that people would not truly respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ,

that they would think they're saved and find that they're not in the end.

Let me just give you a few quick examples of this teaching.

Jesus was concerned about it.

Matthew 7, verse 21 and following.

Matthew 7:21

He says,

Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven,

but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

On that day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord, do we not prophesy in your name,

and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?

The people who claim Christ as Lord and do powerful signs in his name.

Verse 23 says,

And then I will declare to them,

I never knew you.

Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.

Jesus also told the parable of the sower.

You can find it in Matthew chapter 13 and Mark 4 and Luke chapter 8,

Matthew 13 · chapter mention Luke 8 · chapter mention

where there's seed that falls on the ground,

and it's snatched away by birds, which represent the devil,

steals the truth away.

There's seed that falls on rocky soil,

and because it has no depth,

because it brings forth plant,

but there's no root.

The sun of tribulation comes and withers away.

So people make professions,

and they seem to be in the faith,

and yet we find that they're not.

And there's some that falls amongst the thorns,

and the thorns represent the cares of the world,

and the cares of the world choke out.

The truth of the gospel.

Paul's also concerned about this in our text today,

and in many other places.

Here's a few examples.

He writes to the Corinthians,

chapter 13 and verse 5.

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith.

Test yourselves,

or do you not realize this about yourselves,

that Jesus Christ is in you,

unless indeed you fail to meet the test.

He writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3, 5,

as he's warning him about false teachers.

He says,

they have the appearance of godliness,

but deny the gospel's power.

And then to Titus in chapter 1 and verse 16,

same type of warning.

They profess to know God,

but they deny him by their works.

They are detestable, disobedient,

unfit for any good work.

You see,

this problem that we have today

is not a problem new to our day.

In the various earliest days of the church,

people sought what they could gain

by professing to be Christians,

but gave no evidence of their conversion.

Take some time on your own

to note the life of Simon in Acts chapter 8.

Acts 8 · chapter mention

This is just when the first dispersion

of the church from Jerusalem had happened.

And we already see this kind of thing taking place.

As Paul writes to the Philippians,

he has a particular group of false converts in mind.

These false Christians did not seek

to subtract from the requirement of faith,

but to add to it.

In the ESV translation,

which I'm preaching from today,

I know that many of you have in front of you.

They are called the dogs, the evildoers,

those who mutilate the flesh.

But the NASB translation,

which is a wonderful translation of the Bible,

renders the phrase,

those who mutilate the flesh,

as the false circumcision.

There's a particular group in mind,

as Paul is writing here to the Philippians.

These people were Jewish people

who had professed to be Christians

and made it their aim

to convince Gentile converts

that they must be circumcised

in order to be genuine Christians.

They were adding the work of circumcision

to the faith of these Gentile believers.

And this made Paul furious.

Many times in the scripture we read

his indictment of these particular people.

Paul was very clear

about the matter of circumcision.

Romans chapter 2,

Romans 2 · chapter mention

beginning in verse 25.

For circumcision indeed is of value

if you obey the law.

But if you break the law,

your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.

Everybody's broken the law.

So if a man who is uncircumcised

keeps the precepts of the law,

will not his uncircumcision

be regarded as circumcision?

And how do we keep the law?

We keep it in Christ.

Then he who is physically uncircumcised

but keeps the law

will condemn you

who have the written code

and circumcision,

but break the law.

For no one is a Jew

who is merely one outwardly,

nor is circumcision outward and physical.

But a Jew is one inwardly,

and circumcision is a matter of the heart

by the Spirit,

not by the letter.

His praise is not from man,

but from God.

Righteousness,

or perfect law-keeping,

comes by faith

in Jesus' perfect law-keeping.

We are incapable of keeping the law.

The Old Testament

is predominantly about proving

this very point.

We're given a standard

that we cannot keep

so that we would look to

another source

for our salvation.

Right?

The law is a teacher to us

of our need

of a Savior.

We cannot find ourselves

approved before God

by our works.

It will never happen.

Listen to the words of Paul

to the Galatian believers

whose consciences

have been swayed

by these Judaizers,

as they were called.

He says in chapter 3,

verse 1 and following,

O foolish Galatians,

who has bewitched you?

It was before your eyes

that Jesus Christ

was publicly portrayed

as crucified.

Let me ask you only this.

Did you receive the Spirit

by works of the law

or by hearing with faith?

The answer is by hearing with faith.

That's how they received

the Spirit.

Are you so foolish?

Having begun by the Spirit,

are you now being perfected

by the flesh?

Did you suffer so many things

in vain,

if indeed it was in vain?

Does he who supplies

the Spirit to you

and works miracles among you

do so by works of the law

or by hearing with faith?

Just as Abraham believed God

and it was counted to him

as righteousness.

Abraham's righteousness,

the father of the Jews,

was given to him

not because of works,

but because of faith.

Today's text is meant to serve

both as a warning

and as an encouragement.

For those not in Christ this morning,

weigh out whether or not

you have repented of your sin

and thrown yourself

on the mercy of God.

For those of you who are

in Christ this morning,

have your hope in the gospel

of Jesus Christ spurred on.

We have a great hope in Christ.

In Philippians chapter 3,

Philippians 3:1–3

verses 1 through 3,

Paul means to juxtapose for us

the false Christian

and the genuine Christian.

So our outline for this text

will be as follows.

genuine Christians,

Christians,

excuse me,

questions,

clear my throat,

genuine Christians,

one, rejoice in the Lord,

two, look out,

the way ESV renders that,

look out,

three, worship in the spirit of God,

four, glory in Christ Jesus,

and five,

put no confidence in the flesh.

And I'll repeat all those for you,

of course.

Genuine Christians,

number one,

rejoice in the Lord.

He says in the first part of verse 1,

finally my brothers,

rejoice in the Lord.

Finally could also be rendered

furthermore or so then.

In this case,

it's a transitional word.

Half of the letter still remains,

so it's reasonable to feel

like this conclusion word

is out of place.

I think we do well

when we get to chapter 3

and go,

finally,

what do you mean?

He's not about to wrap

the letter up.

And I don't think that Paul

gets to this place

and makes a mistake.

Like he thought he was about

to conclude the letter

and yet he didn't quite.

So I think we ought to see here,

furthermore,

my brothers,

rejoice in the Lord.

Paul has spoken much

in this letter so far

about rejoicing.

You can see chapter 1,

verse 4,

and verse 18,

and verse 25.

Chapter 2,

verse 2,

verse 17 and 18,

and verse 28 and 29.

There's much of the theme

of the book of Philippians

is about joy or rejoicing.

Here he specifically says

that genuine Christians

rejoice in the Lord.

Joy should not be seen

as happiness.

We confuse those two words

in our English vernacular.

Happiness is a feeling

that is based in circumstance.

The root word of happiness

is the same as the word

for happenstance

or circumstance.

Happiness is not bad.

Don't hear me say

that it's bad to be happy.

It's a joyful thing

to go to a birthday party

and enjoy the cake.

Happiness comes from that.

But joy is much better.

Joy is the superior emotion

to happiness.

Joy is a divine emotion

rooted in the future promises

of God regardless

of our circumstance.

Let me say that again.

Joy is a divine emotion

rooted in the future promises

of God regardless

of our circumstance.

We cannot produce it

on our own.

It's divine.

It's birthed in us

by the power of the Spirit

and so it is a mark

of genuine Christians.

Bulletin says,

the quote on your bulletin

says by Martin Lloyd-Jones,

God's people are meant

to be people

who are always rejoicing

in the Lord.

Who he is to us

and that we belong to him.

I hope that when we speak

of joy,

you know what we mean.

And when I talk about it

being this divine emotion

rooted in future promises,

you can say,

yeah, yeah,

I have that joy.

I recognize that regardless

of the circumstances

I'm walking through,

there is promise for me

that you get pulled

through the sorrow

that this life delves out

and it is full of sorrow.

Young people,

the longer you live,

the more you will feel

the weight of the utter

brokenness of this world.

And if you don't have

gospel joy

to override that,

you will be left

despondent.

But if you are in the Lord,

if you are in Christ,

you have much

to have joy in.

I hope you know

what we're talking about

when we say this.

If you don't,

you may not

be in Christ.

You may not have a reason

for joy

at all.

So do you experience

this joy

in the deepest recess

of your soul

despite what's going on

around you,

despite the sorrow

that this life

just serves up

again and again?

Do you rejoice

that you are God's

and He is yours?

Do you hang

on His promises?

Genuine Christians

rejoice in the Lord.

Secondly,

genuine Christians

look out.

Last half of verse 1,

Paul writes,

to write the same things

to you is no trouble

to me and is safe

for you.

The verse numbering

is not inspired.

And I think

that in this case,

we need to move

that little two

elsewhere in the text.

I don't think

he's writing about joy

when he says

to write the same things

to you is no trouble

to me and is safe

for you.

It's about the warning

he's about to give

to these believers

and to us.

Verse 2,

look out for the dogs.

Look out for the evildoers.

Look out for those

who mutilate the flesh.

The text says,

look out.

Some translations say,

beware.

I want you to see that

what Paul means

is discern.

Actively be looking,

being careful,

thinking clearly

and biblically

about what it is

you're being told.

Genuine believers

are to grow

in their knowledge

of the truth

and,

therefore,

their ability

to spot

counterfeit

truth.

If we know

the truth,

if we are versed

in the Bible,

it's not all

that difficult

to spot

those things

that are untrue,

those things

that don't reconcile

with what the Scripture

teaches.

Paul says

to write the same

things to you,

which means

that he must be

reiterating a point

that he has

previously

made.

I think sometimes

this is why our mind

ties to the idea

of joy

because he's

repeated joy,

rejoicing over

and over again,

but I think he's

referring back

to Philippians 1,

Philippians 1:27

verse 27 and 28,

where he wrote,

Only let your manner

of life be worthy

of the gospel

of Christ,

so that whether

I come and see you

or am absent,

I may hear of you

that you are

standing firm

in one spirit

with one mind

striving side by side

for the faith

of the gospel.

The faith of the gospel.

Right?

And not frightened

in anything

by your opponents.

This is a clear sign

to them of their

destruction,

but of your salvation

and that from God.

This is the writing

the same things

to you,

I believe that he's

referring to,

that we would be

as a church,

as churches,

the Philippian church,

would be standing

together,

firm,

right?

Discerning

the truth.

We are to discern

those who teach

in contradiction

to the gospel

of Jesus Christ.

The good news

that we are saved

by grace alone,

through faith alone,

through Jesus Christ

alone.

There are so many

false gospels

and peddlers

of false gospels,

right?

They abound.

And the genuine

Christian must be

trained in the word

in order to not

be led astray

by such teaching.

Paul exhorts us

to look out,

beware,

discern,

because it is safe

for us.

Open-mindedness

in the church

is the siren call

of the false teachers,

right?

Oh, tolerance

seems to be

the highest order

of our day,

right?

As long as

somebody's intentions

are good,

then let them say

what they will.

The genuine Christian

will not lay aside

loving kindness

and gentleness,

but they will

contend

for the truth.

They will consider

those who add to

or subtract from

the gospel of Jesus Christ

dogs

and evildoers.

We must

hold

firm

the gospel

once for all

delivered

to the saints

because it's good

for people.

We must not

tolerate

false

teachers.

And beloved,

I will tell you

that they are

in our backyard

and they're

influencing your

friends

and your

co-workers

and your

classmates

and your

family.

There are

false

teachers

abounding

around us.

The dogs

that Paul

is referring

to were not

the domestic

cedokine

that may come

to your mind.

This is not

your lap dog

that he's

referring to

here,

but they

were wild,

ravenous,

dangerous

dogs.

In fact,

he's doing

a turn of

phrase here

because often

the Jews

referred to

Gentiles

as dogs

and here

he's calling

Jews who

would lead

the Gentiles

astray

from the

true gospel

of Jesus

Christ

dogs.

They were

dangerous

men

that he's

talking about

here.

He's calling

these teachers

destructive

for the good

of people.

He further

declares

their teaching

evil

and calling

them

evil

doers.

Beloved,

we tend

to give

ear to

many false

teachers

because

of this

presumed

good

intent.

Paul does

no such

thing

and exhorts

us

to the same.

And let me

just as an

aside say

of pastors

who are

false

teachers,

they bear

a responsibility

for the

word that

they preach.

We can be

heartbroken

for them,

but they

have the

same text.

It is

inerrant

and it

is sufficient

and all

they need

to do

is open

it and

read it.

Deliver

it to

their people.

They really

have no

excuse and

I can tell

you they'll

have no

excuse on

the day

of judgment.

If we're

going to

love our

community

with the

love of

Christ,

we must

be

discerning.

We must

help people.

We must

lead them

to the

truth,

the truth

that is

safe

for us

and for

them.

We must

look out.

We must

each of

us be

more and

more like

the Berean

brothers and

sisters we

can read

about in

Acts chapter

Acts 17 · chapter mention

17.

Paul came

to them,

to the

Jews in

Berea,

teaching them

of the

gospel of

Jesus Christ,

saying this

Jesus is

the Messiah

that the

Old Testament

speaks of.

In Acts

Acts 17:11

17 verse

11 says,

they were

more noble

than those

Jews in

Thessalonica,

who had

rejected

the gospel

because they

received the

word with

all eagerness.

They were

willing to

be taught

something new.

What do

they do

with it?

They

examine

the

scriptures

daily to

see if

these

things

were so.

This is

how we

are meant

to be,

to hear

things,

take it,

discern it

by the

scripture,

the only

standard

of truth.

truth.

So,

genuine

Christians

look out.

Are you

working to

be trained

in the

truth?

Do you

read your

Bible?

Do you

sit under

faithful

teaching?

Not

personality

driven

teaching,

but truth

driven

teaching.

Someone who's

willing to

open up the

text and

show you

what it

says.

Help you

to see it

for

yourself.

I know

we move

so fast,

but it's

why I

reference

everything.

I don't

want to

just say,

and

somewhere

in

Matthew

it

says.

I'm

going to

give you

the

reference.

You

can

go look

at it

for

yourself.

This

is the

standard

of

truth.

Are

you

part

of

a

community

of

faith

that

values

the

truth?

Genuine

Christians

look out.

Third,

genuine

Christians

worship

in the

spirit

of

God.

First

part of

verse

three,

for we

are

the

circumcision

who

worship

by the

spirit

of

God.

Again,

I'll

refer to

the

NASB

translation

of

this

verse

which

renders

circumcision

as

true

circumcision.

So the

NASB

calls

the

one

group

the

false

circumcision

and

the

Philippian

believers

the

true

circumcision.

You

see,

circumcision

was a

sign

of the

covenant

that was

always

meant

to

point

to

a

greater

reality

that

will

be

realized

in

Jesus

Christ.

The Old

Testament

speaks of

this.

Let me

give you

one example.

Jeremiah

chapter

four,

beginning

in

verse

one.

If you

return,

O Israel,

declares the

Lord,

to me,

you should

return.

If you

remove your

detestable things

from my

presence and

do not

waver,

and if you

swear as

the Lord

lives in

truth,

in justice,

and in

righteousness,

the nation

shall bless

themselves in

him,

and in

him shall

they glory.

for thus

says the

Lord to

the men

of Judah

and

Jerusalem,

break up

your

fallow

ground

and

sow

not

among

thorns.

Circumcise

yourselves to

the Lord,

remove the

foreskin

of your

hearts.

O

men of

Judah

and

inhabitants

of

Jerusalem,

lest my

wrath go

forth like

fire and

burn with

none to

quench it

because of

the evil

of your

deeds.

The

prophet

Jeremiah

is already

getting them

to learn,

helping them

understand that

circumcision was

not merely

an outward

thing.

It was

meant to

be an

inward

change.

Recall

Paul's

case from

Romans

Romans 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2.

I read

to you

previously

verse 28

and 29.

For no

one is a

Jew who

is merely

one

outwardly,

nor is

circumcision

outward and

physical,

but a

Jew,

here God's

people,

is one

inwardly,

and circumcision

is a matter

of the heart

by the

spirit,

not by the

letter.

His praise

is not

from man,

but from

God.

Salvation

does not

come from

our keeping

of the

law because

this is

impossible.

Salvation

comes by

faith in

the completed

work of

Jesus Christ,

imputed or

given to

us by

the power

of his

spirit.

Let's look

briefly at

a longer

explanation of

this in

John chapter

John 4 · chapter mention

4.

So join me

there if you

would to

John chapter

John 4 · chapter mention

4.

I'm going

to read

the account

of the

Samaritan

woman at

the

well.

This

sets up

the same

problem

of,

in this

case,

a woman,

not these

Judaizers,

but a

woman who

was looking

to the

outward

expression

of what

it meant

to belong

to God.

And Jesus

says something

striking and

helpful too

here.

So we're

going to

begin to

verse 1

and I'll

read fairly

quickly and

maybe pause

and make

some remarks

along the

way.

I don't

have any

remarks planned,

but we'll

see how it

goes.

Beginning

in verse 1.

Now when

Jesus learned

that the

Pharisees had

heard that

Jesus was

making and

baptizing more

disciples than

John,

although Jesus

himself did

not baptize,

but only his

disciples,

he left

Judea and

departed again

for Galilee.

And he had

to pass through

Samaria.

Now Samaria

was an area

of the land

where people

who were

half-breeds

lived.

People who

in the

return from

exile had

gone intermarried

amongst the

people of the

land, so they

were seen as

lesser people.

They were

kind of

cast out

from the

Jewish

purity

otherwise.

They were

looked down

on people.

So verse 5.

So he came

to a town

of Samaria

called

Sakaar,

near the

field that

Jacob had

given to

his son

Joseph.

Jacob's

well was

there,

so Jesus

wearied as

he was

from his

journey,

was sitting

beside the

well.

It was

about the

sixth hour

midday.

A woman

from Samaria

came to

draw water.

Jesus said

to her,

give me a

drink.

For his

disciples had

gone away

into the

city to

buy food.

The

Samaritan

woman said

to him,

how is it

that you,

a Jew,

ask for a

drink from

me,

a woman of

Samaria,

for Jews

have no

dealings

with

Samaritans.

Jesus

answered her,

if you

knew the

gift of

God and

who it

is that

is saying

to you,

give me

a drink,

you would

have asked

him and

he would

have given

you living

water.

The woman

said to

him,

sir,

you have

nothing to

draw water

with and

the well

is deep.

Where do

you get

that living

water?

Are you

greater than

our father

Jacob?

He gave

us the well

and drank

from it

himself as

did his

sons and

his livestock.

Jesus

said to

her,

everyone

who drinks

of this

water will

be thirsty

again,

but whoever

drinks of

the water

that I

will give

him will

never be

thirsty

again.

The water

that I

will give

him will

become in

him a

spring of

water

welling

up to

eternal

life.

So Jesus

is speaking

metaphorically

of life

of the

spirit and

she's still

thinking real

practically,

right?

She just

wants to

have her

physical

thirst

met.

Verse 15,

the woman

said to

him,

sir,

give me

this water

so that I

will not be

thirsty or

have to

come here

Jesus said

to her,

go call

your husband

and come

here.

So he's

exposing her

sinfulness.

He's showing

her her

need of

living water.

The woman

answered him,

verse 17,

I have no

husband.

Jesus said

to her,

you are

right in

saying I

have no

husband,

for you

have had

five husbands

and the

one you

now have

is not

your

husband.

What

you have

said is

true.

The woman

said to

him,

sir,

I perceive

that you

are a

prophet.

Our

fathers

worshipped

on this

mountain

where they

are,

but you

say that

in Jerusalem

is the

place where

people

ought to

worship.

So she's

getting it,

right?

Jesus is

teaching her

a spiritual

thing.

She's

recognizing

her

sinfulness

and she's

trying to

understand

how it

is she's

to be

restored

to God.

We

worship

here,

but you

say we're

supposed

to worship

there.

Outward

sign.

Verse 21,

Jesus said

to her,

woman,

believe me,

the hour

is coming

when neither

on this

mountain nor

in Jerusalem

will you

worship the

Father.

You

worship what

you do

not know,

we worship

what we

know,

for salvation

is from

the Jews.

But the

hour is

coming and

is now

here when

the true

worshipers

will worship

the Father

in spirit

and truth,

for the

Father is

seeking such

people to

worship him.

God is

spirit and

those who

worship him

must worship

in spirit

and truth.

inner devotion,

change of

heart.

We will

do things

as outward

expressions

of who

we are,

but at

the core

of it,

we must

be fundamentally

changed.

We're going

to worship

in the

spirit of

God because

we have

the spirit

of God.

And I

think in

this moment,

she's being

changed.

verse 25,

the woman

said to

him,

I know

that Messiah

is coming,

he who

is called

Christ.

When he

comes,

he will

tell us

all things.

And Jesus

said to

her,

I who

speak to

you

am he.

So,

we worship

God in

the spirit

of God.

We are

given the

ability to

bring forth

fruit,

bring forth

devotion to

God because

we have

the spirit

of God.

So,

do you

place

confidence

in anything

other than

the power

of the

spirit of

Christ to

effectually

apply the

work of

Christ on

your behalf?

If you

place confidence

of your

worship in

the mode

of worship,

in the

feelings you

have in

worship,

all the

good things

you do,

it's very

likely that

it's

misplaced.

Many of

you know I

worked for

some time

at a local

university

called

Truett

McConnell

and I

was the

director of

admissions

and part

of the way

the school

expressed that

it was a

Christian

college is

that the

application

had a

testimony

section on

it.

We didn't

grade them.

It wasn't

like you

got demoted

points and

couldn't get

into the

school if

you weren't

truly a

believer.

It was just

a way of

saying,

oh,

don't miss

the fact

that we

are a

Christian

school.

How people

got to

that point

and missed

it,

I don't

know,

but they

seemed to.

And I

had to

stop reading

most of

them

expressed

the things

I do

that make

me a

Christian.

And I

go to

church and

I go on

mission trips

and I

go and

like listing

out the

things that

are these

evidences in

their minds

that they

were in

fact in

the faith,

but very

little talk

about the

completed work

of Jesus

Christ.

Do we

have evidences

that we're in

the faith?

Absolutely.

But more

than that,

when you're

sharing your

testimony,

you want to

talk about

the completed

work of

Jesus,

right?

Because

it's because

of that

that we're

found in

Christ and

we can

worship in

the Spirit

of God.

So genuine

Christians

worship in

the Spirit

of God.

Fourth,

genuine

Christians,

glory in

Christ Jesus.

Never fear,

these are

going to get

faster.

Glory in

Christ Jesus,

the last

half of

verse 3,

and glory

in Christ

Jesus.

John

MacArthur

in his

commentary on

this text

stated,

glory describes

boasting

with exultant

joy about

what a person

is most

proud of.

I really

like that,

and I knew

I couldn't

pass off

exultant as

my own

word.

So,

John

MacArthur

said,

glory describes

boasting

with exultant

joy about

what a person

is most

proud of,

right?

It's what

we brag

about.

Genuine

Christians know

that we have

nothing to

boast in

except for

the person

and work

of Jesus

Christ.

If we

glory,

we glory

in him.

We do

not commend

ourselves

to God

or to

anyone else

by anything

that we

have done,

but by

what God

has done.

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 10:17

chapter 10

verse 17

and 18,

let the

one who

boasts

boast

in the

Lord.

For it is

not the

one who

commends

himself

who is

approved,

but the

one whom

the Lord

commends.

in

contrast,

the

false

Christian

boasts

in

their

works.

This

must not

be and

will not

be so

among

genuine

Christians.

To be a

Christian is

to be

humbled

before

God.

So,

do you

glory in

Christ

alone.

Would you

say that

you are

accepted by

God

because

of

Jesus

and because

of Jesus

alone?

Do you

find yourself

believing that

you have

anything to

offer God

apart from

Christ?

Genuine

Christians,

glory in

Christ Jesus.

And lastly,

genuine

Christians,

put no

confidence

in the

flesh.

You see

this in

the last

part of

verse 3.

The flesh

represents our

unredeemed

humanness.

It represents

any work that

we can do

apart from

the working

of God

in us.

Genuine

Christians

recognize

that the

words of

Jesus in

John 6

John 6:63

verse 63

are true.

He said,

it is the