| Phil. 3:2b |
|
Lesson # Phil. 3:2b Study Material - Phil. 3:2b You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth. Phil. 3:2a 2 Beware [blepo] of dogs [kuon], beware [blepo] of evil [kakos] workers [ergates], beware [blepo] of the concision [katatome]. KJV-Interlinear 2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; NASB We are not only warned, for our own good, to beware of the false teachings from various religious philosophies, as well as to beware of the false opinions of evil workers, but we are warned to beware of the not so obvious standards these kinds of people promote. Crime is obvious, so avoid that. Idol worship is obvious, so avoid that. But there is a world of extremely subtle things that on the surface might seem true and correct, but are just as evil as the obvious sins of life. Crusades for making the world a better place can and generally do degenerate down into evil pursuits. Example: Saving the whale or saving the forest, certainly have popular appeal because it promotes the protection of life of various kinds, and there is nothing wrong with that. But these causes generally escalate into violence in order to accomplish their goals, which is wrong. They become hardened and inflexible leaving no room for negotiation which would find a winning combination for everyone. So do we stop cutting down trees and stop using lumber products for houses or toilet paper. When you go to the store they ask, 'paper or plastic', giving you a choice for your bag. Do you make that same choice when in the bathroom? Plastic toilet paper??? Clearly one cannot terminate an industry completely, nor can one cut down every tree on the planet. Now I use this problem as an example because it is an issue here in the Pacific Northwest. Timber is a huge industry. The point is not timber or whales, or whatever is the issue in your own locality. The point is that there is a reasonable way to approach any problem. Evil workers will attempt to tilt the scales in their own direction with untruths, deception, unverifiable statements of 'fact' and so forth. Beware that you do not get caught up in the crusade, which defines the end as being the best result, regardless of the means of getting there. Now for the circumcision. A noble ritual promoted by God as a demonstration of faith. The cutting away of the dead skin on the male 'private part', usually just a few days after birth. The principle being that you have acquired dead skin in your soul from the day of your birth and that dead skin, that dead philosophy, that dead attitude needs to be cut away by means of faith in Christ resulting in salvation. But even this is distorted by legalists, or self righteous peoples who distort Bible doctrine. Getting the physical act of circumcision done to ones self does not save. Faith in Christ, believing in Jesus Christ is the only means of salvation. If circumcision saved, then men would be saved and women would be left out. But men are circumcised at such an early age, as a baby, such that they have no concept of anything in life. Babies do not know anything in life, especially not in the theological realm anyway. Every time a man goes to the bathroom, number one that is, he holds in his hand the principle of salvation. God does have a sense of humor you know. False circumcision is the concept that the physical act in itself provides salvation, which it does not. Yet the evil types in this world, promote this concept. They have in effect traded their eternal life for a piece of dead skin, which by the way is thrown away as useless. They have embraced the ritual of circumcision, which is no more than a medical surgical procedure, and made it into their spiritual truth, their confidence. God intended it for a teaching mechanism to help people learn Bible doctrine. Only man could distort the truth and get things all botched up. But spiritual untruths do not stop there. There are many religious beliefs, taboos, etc., that lead people away from Bible doctrine and the truth it provides. So beware again, of the lies this world promotes. And sticking with your Bible study will keep you alert, helping you avoid the pitfalls that life throws at you. Now a quick lesson in human anatomy. We will try to do this is an appropriate manner, but anyway, don't get offended by what you are or have on your body. God has provided many examples in life to help us learn the principles of Bible doctrine. As with the male sex organ and the act of circumcision which teaches salvation, you have other principles that can be learned from those things that are close to your home, your body that is. Your front feature discharges liquid waste, and this is true for both male and female. Your feature on your back side discharges solid waste. Now, you eat food, which means you take in all types of foods just as you take in all sorts of information from this world. Your body keeps the good, Bible doctrine, and sheds the bad - human good is the liquid, and sin is the solid. Remember that evil has two areas within it - good and sin. Both are wickedness because they are outside the realm of the spiritual life. Anything done outside the sphere of Bible doctrine is wickedness. So good deeds performed are wickedness, and the sins that are performed are wickedness. All of this production is described as wood, hay, and stubble, which God will burn away at the appropriate time in the future. The only true good production one can have are those thoughts and actions done while inside the sphere of being in fellowship with God. This is described as gold, silver, and precious stones, which will survive the fire that burns away the wood , hay, and stubble at the Judgment seat of Christ. And of course this only applies to believers. Unbelievers will be consumed completely and forever burn when they face their judgment at the Great White Thrown at the end of human history. So, we are to be alert. Watch out for false philosophies that will get us away from our Bible study and from the principles that are taught in the Bible. False philosophies that try to get you active in some crusade, or some social behavior, or something that simply gets you away from the Bible. If you consume bad food only, then you discharge the bad waste and keep nothing for your health. Your soul dies slowly from starvation. Only Bible doctrine taken in on a regular basis, gives your soul the nutrition it needs to remain healthy.
End Of Lesson Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth. 
|
