Philippians 3:17-21-Philippians 4:1-5 amplified bible Teaching

What's going on, my brothers and sisters in Christ?

This is Evangelist Toby Doubtless.

We are at it again with another study.

We are continuing in the book of Philippians.

We've gotten into chapter 3, and we're probably going to make it to parts of chapter 4.

But I'm going to stop at Philippians chapter 4, verse 6 on purpose because it gets real deep here about petitioning and prayer and thanksgiving.

Philippians 4:6

And so I want to make sure that I point out why righteousness is important if you want your prayers to be heard by God and not only heard, but answered.

Okay?

By God.

Because I don't think we stress that enough about what the uh benefit of walking in righteousness truly is, such as Christ did.

But other than that, we're going to get back into Philippians chapter 3.

Philippians 3 · chapter mention

I do want to make it known, I try to make it known as much as I can that I am reading from an amplified Bible.

If you don't have an amplified Bible, whatever Bible that you've been used to using, by all means keep using it.

But if you would prefer to have an amplified Bible, such as I do have one, and you don't have one right now physically in your possession, then you can go to Bible Gateway to have a free version there, the AMP version versus the AMPC.

Use the AMP version because that is the version that I currently study from.

But you can go and purchase you one if you want to.

Okay, now we won't fully be walking in that image until we meet Christ face to face.

That means we will be changed within a twinkling of an eye, as the Bible tells us, our bodies will be changed to immortality, and we will have all knowing knowledge of scripture and everything.

Okay.

And so when that happens, that is going to be a joyous time.

But we are to, while we are on this earth, continue to pursue spiritual maturity, and that is walking in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, such as He walked.

Now, the Apostle Paul is getting ready to warn us, uh, such as he spoke about these people in Philippians chapter 1, and we're going to go there.

Philippians 1 · chapter mention

But he is going to warn us in more detail about people who are saying they believe in Christ, but yet their walk, their walk, their fruits does not indicate it.

Okay?

And it is so much so serious that it brings the apostle Paul to tears.

So let's go ahead without further ado and jump into Philippians chapter 3 and get to the 17th verse.

Philippians 3 · chapter mention

And it says, Brothers and sisters, together follow my example and observe those who live by the pattern we gave you.

Now, this is not the only time that the Apostle Paul admonishes many to follow the examples and the pattern that he gave.

Okay, he spoke to the churches in Thessalonica to do the same thing, and there's a reason for this, okay, why he's saying this.

And he spoke to the churches in Corinth to also follow his pattern, such as he set.

He also admonished Timothy as Timothy was getting ready to start his own church to do the same thing, not only to follow his example, but to be that example that the apostle Paul set for him to walk after which is in Christ.

Okay?

The Apostle Paul tells us to follow his example as a pattern, as he follows Christ.

So as he follows Christ, we follow his pattern, we are guaranteed to be able to get where the apostle Paul was as far as being faithful fighters in righteousness.

Okay, and receiving our crown of righteousness one day, such as the apostle Paul was confident that he did.

That's why he said that he fought the good fight of faith and will receive his crown of righteousness.

And it is a fight, ladies and gentlemen.

This is why we have to pursue spiritual maturity every maturity every day.

So now let's get on into it.

The apostle Paul said, Brothers and sisters, together follow my example and observe those who live by the pattern we gave you.

This means you will be able to identify those who are walking in the pattern that the Apostle Paul and them set.

But there is a distinction between their pattern and the pattern that others are trying to set that are not like the pattern that the Apostle Paul said.

Watch what he says here.

Verse 18 for there are many of whom I have often told you, and now tell you, even with tears, who live as enemies of the cross of Christ, rejecting and opposing his way of salvation.

Watch this, verse 19, whose fate is destruction, whose God is their belly, their worldly appetite, their sensuality, their vanity, and whose glory is in their shame.

Watch this, who focus their mind on earthly and temporal things.

Now, the apostle Paul is heavily warning against not only those who are false teaching, false prophets, pastors, but he's also warning against those who pose as believers, but yet fruits don't show it.

Fruits don't bear it out.

So now with that being said, let's go over here.

First Corinthians chapter 5.

1 Corinthians 5 · chapter mention

Now there's a certain situation that's going on in the church, and it's a serious one.

You have a young man who is parading around with his father's wife, his stepmama.

Okay?

And they are committing sexual acts that are against God, but the church is letting it slide and are not addressing it.

And the apostle Paul is writing this letter to tell them, hey, y'all need to address this situation because it is just more damaging to you as it is the ones who are actually committing it.

And if these people do not listen, you are to remove yourself and remove them from you.

Now I know this is hard.

I know this is hard, and a lot of churches do not practice it because they do not want to see a dense in their attendance, so they won't go to this level of correction.

But this is what we are being admonished and told that we have to do in order to protect the other sheep that are in the church from the wolves that are in there.

Alright, now.

So let's go over here.

Chapter 5, 1 Corinthians, and we're gonna start in the ninth verse.

Watch what he says here.

He says, I wrote you in my previous letter not to associate, watch this, with sexually immoral people.

Not meaning the immoral people of this world or the greedy ones and swindlers or idolaters, for then you would have to get out of the world and human society altogether.

Meaning, if we have to uh remove ourselves from everybody that is not in the body of Christ or say they are, then there's no point of us being here because you're gonna work with people that are unbelievers, you're gonna be walking among people that are unbelievers.

But we are not to allow the world to persuade or influence our walk.

But we are to deal with those who say they are walking in the Lord and they're not.

Watch this.

So, this is what the apostle Paul is distinctifying here.

We ought to deal with those in our church, those who are saying they are in the body of Christ.

But let's keep going.

Verse 11 But actually I have written to you not to associate, watch this, with any so-called Christian brother, if he is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, devoted to anything that takes the place of God, or is a reviler, who insults or slanders or otherwise verbally abuse others, or is a drunkard or a swindler.

You must not so much as eat with such a person, encouraging that person to continue in their wicked ways, and they're saying they are believers of the Lord.

For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders, non-believers?

We leave that up to God to deal with that.

Do not do you not judge those who are within the church to protect the church as the situation requires.

Now, for all those who talk about, you can't judge me.

That's not what the scripture says.

We have a duty to deal with those who are opposing the gospel, those who are not walking according to the righteousness, such as Jesus said.

And that duty is specifically catered to those of spiritual maturity, such as Galatians chapter 6, verses 1 and 2, express.

Galatians 6:1

So stop with that nonsense of saying you can't judge me.

The only time that is uh a situation is if someone says something to you about doing something and they're doing the same thing consistently behind closed doors.

They're hypocrites of the word.

But if I'm someone who is living in and walking in the righteousness, and you see evidence of that living and walking in the righteousness of God, I have a duty to call you out.

Now I speak that truth in love.

I'm not supposed to be mean-spirited with it.

You don't listen to me, I bring two other people who also can verify your walk is not right.

You don't listen to that?

Well, guess what we have to do?

We have a duty to remove ourselves and remove you.

And this is what the apostle Paul is getting ready to talk about here.

Alright?

Now, he says, For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders, non-believers?

Do you not judge those who are within the church to protect the church as the situation requires?

This is why Jesus could sit with sinners.

He didn't come in there bringing, casting judgment on them, hailstone, however, you want to say it.

But they knew who he was, they knew who he represented and what he represented.

He was strong enough in his faith to know he was not going to be influenced by what they were doing, but yet he could be an influence to them to walk the right path.

But he didn't come beating them over the head with the word.

That's why he was able to do this, and he was questioned because of it, but he could do it.

Alright?

Now, for verse 13, God alone sits in judgment on those who are outside the faith.

But watch what we do to those who say they're in the faith and aren't walking accordingly.

Remove the wicked one from among you, expel him from your church.

It doesn't get plain into that, ladies and gentlemen.

If the person don't want to do right, we have an obligation to not only remove ourselves, but to remove them.

Because, as the Bible says, bad company can ruin good morals.

And you'll have everyone else thinking they can keep doing things that offend God just because grace more abounds.

And the apostle Paul talks about that.

Just because grace more abounds does not give us the license to keep on walking in our sinful ways.

We are to pursue spiritual maturity.

Now, let's go over here to 1 John chapter 2, and I want to look at verses 14 through 24.

1 John 2 · chapter mention

And uh, I didn't get to warn you from the beginning.

We read a lot of scripture over here, a lot of scripture, and I do that for a reason because I feel like your answer could be within what we are reading and studying, and it's one of the reasons why I like to study whole chapters as opposed to just a specific scripture and then build it, because once again, your answer that you're looking for and been praying to God for could be within that chapter, and that's why we go to a lot of scriptures when appropriate with those scriptures to really get a fuller understanding of what we are studying.

So now we're gonna go here to 1 John chapter 2, looking at the 14 verse, and stop in verse 24, and watch what the apostle John says about these impostors of the faith.

1 John 2 · chapter mention

Alright now, verse 14.

I have written to you, fathers, because you know him who has existed from the beginning.

I have written to you, young men, because you are strong and vigorous, and the word of God remains always in you, and you have been victorious over the evil one by accepting Jesus as Savior.

Now, this is the first step to victory.

It's when the Holy Spirit convicts us of our wrongdoing, we accept that conviction and are stirred to chase after Jesus Christ and accept him into our hearts as our Lord and Savior.

Because we believe and confess that he died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead.

According to the scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15, 1 through 4.

So this is the first step of victory over the evil one, Satan himself, ladies and gentlemen, when we get translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God.

Alright, verse 15 do not love the world of sin that opposes God and his precepts.

Now, what did the apostle Paul says that they were doing?

Opposing the cross of Christ.

Okay, nor the things that are in the world.

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in them.

For all that is in the world, the lust and sensual craving of the flesh, and the lust and longing of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, pretentious confidence in one's resources or in the stability of earthly things.

These do not come from the Father, but are from the world, those who work to accumulate worldly things.

Now, King Solomon says himself, we are to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

But we are not to get so attached to those fruits that it takes us away from God and obeying God when God says to move and we can't move because we've now value and accumulated these things that are holding us to somewhere where God could be telling us to move from.

Just like the young rich ruler who told Jesus he was doing everything, everything the law says, and all of that.

So then when Jesus comes back and tells him, Well, you know, there's only one thing left to do, then sell all that you own and come follow me.

Take up your cross and follow me, he couldn't do it because he was too connected to the worldly things that he had accumulated or inherited.

Okay, so when we put ourselves and we rely on worldly things as our resource, when we rely on that job as our resource and we accumulate things, and now we can't leave that job because now we got to pay on everything that we got.

The word says to pay your debts and walk debt-free so that all you will owe man is love.

Okay?

Now, so verse 17, the world is passing away, and with it is lust, the shameful pursuits and ungodly longings.

But the one who does the will of God and carries out his purposes lives forever.

Now, what did Jesus say when they said that his mother and father, his mother and his brother were out there waiting on him as he was ministering?

Jesus said, Who is my mother and my brother?

Those who do the will of my father are my mother and my brothers and sisters.

Ladies and gentlemen, if your walk does not look like what Christ walked in righteousness, then it's gonna be hard for you to say and try to pass yourself off as a true believer in Christ.

Alright, now let's go.

Verse 18.

Children, it is the last hour or the last days, the end of this age.

And just as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, the one who will oppose Christ and attempt to replace him, even now, many antichrists, look at this, false teachers have appeared, which confirms our belief that it is the last hour.

And they were running into many of them.

And the apostle Paul kept having to warn and admonish the church, the body of Christ, to avoid these people, not allow them to come among them if they're able to recognize them off-rip.

Now, some of them will come in there, you don't even know it.

You gotta wait to see evidence of who they are.

And when the evidence pops up, guess what?

You have to do something about it, and you have to address it immediately.

Okay, now watch this.

They went out from us seeming at first, see this, to be Christians.

Oh, they put on a good front, they talked the right things, then they showed you in public for a time just to get you caught up into who they wanted to present to you, but later the evidence showed otherwise.

Watch what it did, but they were not really of us because they were not truly born again and spiritually transformed.

I see this debate heavily and heavily, time again, about can you lose your salvation?

You can't lose something, ladies and gentlemen, you never had, you never obtained.

Because if you did, John says you would be spiritually truly born again and spiritually transformed.

You cannot get into the word and understanding this word without transformation happening, ladies and gentlemen.

If that transformation is not happening, we talked about this, it's not happening in the image, it's not being conformed in Christ just the way that God is calling for it to do, then the Bible says that God will make it clear to you what is hindering you from walking in that image.

Okay, but what John says they are not truly born again and they're not spiritually transformed.

For if they had been of us, they would have remained with us, but they went out teaching false doctrine so that it would be clearly shown that none of them are of us.

In other words, they've been preaching an error, heresy, which shows clearly they're not of us, and it's gonna also so show something else very clear, not only in them, but the people that continue to listen to them.

Watch this, verse 20.

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, the Holy Spirit, you have been set apart, specifically gifted, and prepared by who?

The Holy Spirit, ladies and gentlemen.

Watch this, and all of you know the truth because he teaches us, illuminates our minds, and guards us from what error, ladies and gentlemen.

You ever want to know who have the Holy Spirit?

Watch how many are still sitting in church in that pastor's error in the scripture, yet they are smiling, enjoying, laughing at everything he says, and he is deceiving them time and time again, but they're being entertained.

Because what is said about the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit guards us from error, which means we won't be sitting up in that church the first time that pastor says something that doesn't line up with God's word.

We're gonna get on up and we're gonna walk up out of that joker.

Period.

Well, some of us may allow it to finish, but remove ourselves and we're not.

Going back, but the better thing to do is to get on up and walk on up out of there.

Yes, I'm saying that.

You know why I'm saying that?

Because the scripture is saying that you sitting up in there, you entertain an error of the scripture.

Ladies and gentlemen, error is from the devil.

And John tells us this error is from the devil.

When somebody's erring in the scripture, you know who's behind that.

Satan is.

So if you're sitting up in there, you are declaring that you are a child of Satan and not a child of God.

Because if you are a child of God, you won't be condoning the error when it comes across.

Because the Holy Spirit does not teach us error, he guards us from error.

Now let's keep going.

Verse 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth.

You know the truth, and it's because you know the truth, you will not stand for error in your presence.

But because you do know it, watch this, and because no lie, nothing false, no deception is of the truth.

Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed?

This is the Antichrist, the enemy and antagonist of Christ, the one who denies and consistently refuses to acknowledge the Father and the Son.

What are they refusing to acknowledge?

That the Father and the Son are one, as John talks about it in the book of John.

That they are one.

Alright.

Now, verse 23: whoever denies and repredates the son does not have the father.

The one who confesses and acknowledges the son has the father also.

As for you, let that remain in you, keeping in your hearts that must that message of salvation, what you heard from the beginning.

If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you too will remain in the Son and in the Father forever.

Jesus came as God in the flesh, is basically what John is talking about.

And those who deny that can't be of God.

And they can't be of the Father or the Son.

Period.

But if you hold to the truth that you've been given, this is why the story of Jesus talks about the different seeds and the grounds that they fell on.

And what was the results of those seeds that fell on those certain grounds.

And the ones that hold to the truth and remain in the truth and are not led away and deceived by the truth will reap as much as 30 to 60 and a hundredfold of spiritual maturity.

Growing into that full tree of life, such as God wants us to do.

Now, let's get on back on over here to Philippians.

Why is it important for us to stay away from those people that are not walking such as God has called for them to walk?

Well, the apostle Paul is getting ready to tell us this.

He says their destruction is hell and eventually the lake of fire, which will be their final destination for their deception, for their selfish ambitions.

Matter of fact, before we get back to Philippians chapter 3, let's go to Philippians chapter 1 because the Apostle Paul talks about these people again.

Philippians 3 · chapter mention Philippians 1 · chapter mention

I want to go back to Philippians chapter 1 and look at verse 14.

Philippians 1 · chapter mention

And we're going to go all the way and conclude in verse 18.

Alright?

So let's get on to it.

Watch what the Apostle Paul talks about these people who are mocking him, but the word is still effectively working despite what they're doing.

Watch this.

Verse 14 it says, Because of my chains, seeing that I am doing well and that God is accomplishing great things, despite the fact that I'm chained to these gods.

I'm preaching and teaching his word, and it is still working.

Not only am I doing it, some of these guards in here are getting saved, and they're not worried about the consequences, and they preaching and teaching the word.

They don't learn it from me.

So the apostle Paul says, despite these chains, it does not dim my light.

He's still doing well and accomplishing great things.

Most of the brothers have renewed, look at this, confidence in the Lord and have far more courage to speak the word of God.

Look at this, y'all, concerning salvation without fear of the consequences.

Seeing that God can work his good in all circumstances.

God's word is still working.

People are still receiving joy behind them bars.

Gods are receiving joy as well.

Alright now, verse 15.

Some, it is true, are actually preaching Christ out of envy and rivalry toward me for no better reason than a competitive spirit or misguided ambition, but others out of good will and a loyal spirit toward me.

The latter preach Christ out of love, because they know that I have been put here by God on purpose for the defense of the gospel.

Verse 17.

But the former preach Christ insincerely out of selfish ambition, just self-promotion, thinking that they are causing me distress in my imprisonment.

What then does it matter?

So long as in every way, whether in pretense for self-promotion or in all honesty to spread the truth, Christ is being preached, and in this I rejoice.

Yes, and I rejoice later as well.

Why?

Because the word was still working, even though they were using the word for their own selfish gain and mocking the apostle Paul.

But you see, the Apostle Paul talks about people who their God is their belly, they are all about worldly things, and this is why most pastors are motivated to preach and teach the word to manipulate people who are sitting up on the air, making them rich, and they're still poor.

Go figure.

But let's keep on moving.

Now let's get on back over here to Philippians, and I want to go back to verse 19.

Watch what it says here: whose fate is destruction, because they are opposing the cross cross cross, and they're not living righteously such as they are supposed to be.

Whose God is their belly, their worldly appetite, their sensuality, their vanity, and whose glory is in their shame, who focus their mind on earthly and temporal things.

Verse 20.

But we are different because of what?

Our citizenship is in heaven, and from there we eagerly await the coming of the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, just because we are physically in these bodies, ladies and gentlemen, our mind is supposed to be on things above.

Our mind is supposed to be captivated in heaven.

We may have our physical bodies here, but our minds need to be on things above.

Our minds need to be sitting in that seat that we have been given according to Ephesians chapter 2, verse 6, that we have been seated in heavenly places with Christ.

Ephesians 2:6

So when we understand that our citizenship is in heaven, we are not conformed any longer by the things that are going on around us in this world because the word is keeping our minds on things above.

The word is keeping our perception of the world in its rightful place.

We are seeing and thinking like God because this word transforms us to be able to do so.

Alright.

So it is from that position of heaven now that we wait on Jesus Christ to return, to now physically bring us unto himself or call us unto himself to meet him in the air one day.

According to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 13 through 18.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

Verse 21.

So because of our citizenship is in heaven, here's what's going to happen.

Who by exerting that power which enables him even to subject everything to himself will not only transform but completely refashion our earthly bodies so that they will be like his glorious resurrected body.

So who is helping us to do this?

The Holy Spirit, as our guaranteed portion of inheritance, is raising us from the dead just like he raised Christ.

Now, this should happen if we are not fortunate enough not to have to taste death.

The Bible tells us that there are some of us that will still be alive when Christ comes and calls the body of Christ, his bride, to himself.

But we will not go before those who have died in the Lord, falling asleep, waiting on the Lord to return.

But it'll almost be like a simultaneous thing that those who are still alive will be with those who have died in the Lord, who will be raised first from the dead to be called up to be with Jesus first.

Okay, so our position tonight, ladies and gentlemen, is heaven.

Okay?

It is not the world, and this is what the apostle Paul was talking about also in 1 Corinthians chapter 5.

1 Corinthians 5 · chapter mention

Although we are in this world, we don't have to bring and worry about judgment on the world because God is covering that.

But once that person comes into that body of Christ and they still not getting it, that transformation is still not holding.

We have an obligation to call that out.

And if that person doesn't want to listen, we ought to remove ourselves from that person and them from us because they are damaging us as bad company.

Okay?

Now, let's go ahead and get into chapter 4.

Therefore, because of the things that he's already mentioned in chapter 3, especially down closer to the end, about our citizenship, and to beware of those people that are not walking in the patterns that they have set, okay, and that our bodies will be like Jesus Christ, immortal.

Okay, therefore, because of those things, my fellow believers, whom I love and long for, my delight and crown, my wreath of victory in this way stand firm in the Lord my beloved.

He's proud of these people as they show examples of what he gave them.

And this is why he says that they are his crown, his victory, because he one day hopes to when he presents these churches and Philippi will be rewarded for them continuing in their walk.

And I spoke this before.

The apostle Paul did not play about the concern of his people.

He did not just come and pass along a word and keep it moving.

No, he sent people there to make sure that everyone was still walking accordingly as the word tells them to walk and walk in that righteousness such as Jesus Christ walked.

He had a true concern for the people, which unfortunately you don't see in many churches today.

They got so many members, they're so focused on the count of attendance that they're less focused on the well-being of the believers in the body of Christ, helping them to spiritually mature.

Because that is an obligation that we have to help the other mature in God.

God is looking for a mature church, such as the apostle Paul talks about.

So the apostle Paul is talking here now.

We're going to get to the only issue that they had recorded in this Bible.

Watch this.

Verse 2 I urge Eudia and I urge Syntica to agree and to work in harmony in the Lord.

Why?

Because the Bible says that the body of Christ has been knit together.

The Holy Spirit does that, ladies and gentlemen.

Unfortunately, we don't get to see what that orchestrated knitting looks like because there are so many clogged arteries in the Bible, in the body of Christ, that you're unable to see the true manifestations of who Jesus Christ is as body of Christ as a whole.

Okay.

And so he is telling the people to urge these two ladies to work in harmony because we have the same Holy Spirit and we are knit together as one in unity.

Okay, verse 3.

Indeed, I ask you too, my true companion, to help these women to keep on cooperating, for they have shared my struggle, my persecution, such as I have suffered.

They suffer great persecution too for believing on Jesus Christ in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Now, this is the only time where I remember the Apostle Paul mentioning the book of life, is in this book.

Specifically right here.

And I told you how mature and how proud God that the Apostle Paul was, these people.

They were some of the most mature people that did not have a lot of money, by the way.

So a lot of people with that prosperity message, you need to be looking at these churches here in Philippi.

So what are you saying?

Because these churches in Philippi didn't have a lot of money, they weren't of God.

That is very far from the truth because not only were they of God, they were very spiritually mature.

And the Apostle Paul says they were some of the only people who helped him in his time of need.

No other churches that the apostle Paul helped establish helped him as much as these poor people in Philippi.

Now let that sink in for a minute.

Alright.

Now, so he says here in verse 4, rejoice in the Lord, always delight, take pleasure in him.

Again, I will say, rejoice.

Now, King David used this word delight, punches of time in the book of some.

And now you see in the apostle Paul nibbling from that a little bit, and he talks about this word, delighting ourselves in the Lord.

He should be the centerpiece of every part of our lives.

Our joy, our happiness, everything should be centered in God.

Okay?

He is our source.

So we are to delight ourselves and take pleasure in him, such as David also talks about.

Again, I will say, rejoice.

Verse 5: Let your gentle spirit, your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience be known to all people.

The Lord is near.

We are to be that epistle that God has written on us to be when we're out there.

We are living epistles, such as the apostle Paul says.

We may be the only ones right now at that point in time that somebody will see as evidence of God in our lives.

And we might not even have to say anything, but because of what God is doing in us, somebody else is going to get a chance to get a taste of that same life when we truly show who God is in us.

Now, with that being said, I am going to stop right there because when we get to verse 6 and we get all the way through chapter 4, it is very deep here.

And it's going to be a lot of scriptural reading.

I'm going to pre-warn you right now.

Because there are some deep things in here that need to be specifically addressed, and I don't want to just casually gloss over those things and us not be able to get out of it the meat that God wants us to get.

For us meat eaters out there that are no longer on milk.

And uh, other than that, man, I'm Evangelist Toby Doubtless, peace and blessings.

I'm out.