Lesson 13

What Is A Christian?

Philippians 3:1-3

The dictionary lists 11 different definitions for the word Christian! For example, a Christian is defined in the dictionary as "a descent or presentable person". It also says "belonging to the religion of Jesus Christ." Perhaps the most outrageous dictionary definition is "a human being as distinguished from an animal." Do the people who wrote the dictionary have any idea of what a Christian is? I have my doubts!

I suspect that the average man-on-the-street would find it difficult to define a "Christian". Try this. Conduct a survey and see how many different definitions you get to the question, "What is a Christian?" You will probably hear things like - "A person who has been baptized" or "someone who goes to church" or maybe "a person who believes in God" or "someone who keeps the 10 commandments and the golden rule".

The best place to go to discover what a Christian is, is not a dictionary, or a public opinion poll, but the Bible, God's Word. It may surprise you to learn that the word "Christian" is found only 3 times in the Bible (Acts 11:26; 26:28; I Peter 4:16). And in none of these references is it defined. However, there is a verse which really describes what a Christian is. That verse is found in our text, Philippians 3. For our purposes today, we shall give our attention to the first three verses of this chapter. Let's read them.

I. Rejoice In The Lord, 3:1.

Verse 1 is a transition, introducing a new section in the letter. Paul begins this section by restating, reiterating, repeating his theme - "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord". Like the main melody in a symphony which a listener remembers because it has been so often repeated, this theme reoccurs over and over in this epistle. Rejoice in the Lord. (see 1:18; 2:17-18, 28; 4:10; 4:4). We are commanded to rejoice. The Christian life is not a funeral, or a fast, but a feast. It is a life of joy. And the source of that joy is the Lord. We rejoice, not because of circumstances, not because of people, not because of possessions, not because life is easy, but because of the Lord! He is the source of joy. Nehemiah wrote, "The joy of the Lord is my strength!"

Paul goes on to say (v.1b) that repeating this theme is not a burden, not irksome, not tedious, not a chore, it is no trouble for him. That's really what preachers do. They keep saying the same things over and over. Someone has defined the art of preaching as "saying the same thing over, without making it sound like the same thing." Repetition is necessary to learning. A baby learns to talk by hearing the same words over and over. A child learns his multiplication tables by rote. A Christian learns the principles for living by hearing them over and over. Paul said that it was not grevious to him and it was safe for them that he repeat himself. ILLUSTRATION: I heard about a preacher who preached the same exact sermon on Sunday night that he preached on Sunday morning. He repeated it on Wednesday night, then the next Sunday morning. Finally, some of the officers had a meeting with him and asked, "Why are you repeating the same sermon over and over?" To which he replied, "I'll preach a different sermon when you start living this one!"

II. Beware Of External Religion, 3:2.

Having repeated his theme, Paul launches into a warning to his beloved Philippian friends, (v.2). The language in this verse is very demanding and very strong. "Beware, beware, beware!" "Beware of dogs! Beware of evil workers! Beware of the concision!" What is he talking about here? Paul is warning the church to be on guard for false teachers from outside the church, who will exercise their influence of this flock.

The Bible is replete with warnings of false teachers and preachers. In the Old Testament, God instructed the people how to distinguish a true prophet of God from a false prophet. Jesus warned of the evil influence of false teaching. He said that there would be wolves in sheep's clothing who devour a flock. Satan is a deceiver and his agents are deceivers. They are subtle. They appear to be "one of us". But they are dangerous, dividing the flock. A pastor has the ministry and responsibility of protecting his flock from outside influences (see Acts 20:28-31).

Paul especially seemed to be constantly warning churches about the influence of these outside forces. That is what he is doing in verse 2. And he does not mince words! He calls them dogs, evil workers, and the concision.

First, he compares them to dogs. Dogs were not domesticated pets, in the ancient middle-east. They were wild, dangerous animals that would scavenge and devour. The scriptures always speak of dogs in negative terms and often compare false teachers to dogs (see Is. 56:10-11; Jer.15:3; Pro. 26:11; Mt.7:6). A pack of wild dogs would devour a flock of helpless sheep.

Second, he refers to them as evil workers. As dogs they devour, as evil workers they deceive. A deceiver is usually deceived himself. That's what makes him so convincing! They honestly think that they are right. They think are doing the will of God. They think they are doing good works when in fact they are evil workers.

Third, he calls them "the concision". This word means a "mutilator". It is similar to the word incision (cutting open) and circumcision, but it is a negative word. If I could compare it with medical terms, I would a good, highly skilled doctor a surgeon, and a bad doctor a butcher. That is the meaning of this word "concision".

This word gives us the clearest clue as to who these false teachers were. The first New Testament Christians were Jewish people. The very first church was a Jewish church in Jerusalem. Now these Jews had come out of a culture which required them to keep various Old Testament regulation. One such Jewish custom was the circumcision of all male children, (Lev.12:3). This practice had its origin with a covenant God and Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation (see Gen. 17:9-14). In antiquity, circumcision was a uniquely Jewish practice. Other peoples did not circumcise. The Jews referred to heathen pagans as the "uncircumcised" (see I Sam.17:26). Now as the gospel began to be preached to Gentile nations, and there were not just Jewish Christians but also Gentile Christians, an error arose. Some false teachers, who were Jewish, said that in order for a Gentile man to become a Christian, he had to first be circumcised (see Acts 15:1,24). To put it another way, they were teaching that a Gentile had to become a Jew before he could become a Christian. Apparently some of these teachers were following behind Paul, going to the churches which he had established and teaching this doctrine (Gal.2:3-4). When Paul refers to the "concision" he is, no doubt, speaking about those teachers who said that this Gentiles had to be circumcised in order to be saved.

These men, like their Jewish forefathers, had totally misunderstood the purpose of circumcision. Circumcision was a symbol of a covenant relationship between God and Israel. It was an external picture of an internal truth. God's concern was for men to have circumcised hearts (see Lev. 26:41; Dt.10:16; 30:6; Jer.4:4; 9:23-26; Gal. 5:6; Col.3:11).

Thus the warning given by Paul in verse 2, is of those who required circumcision for acceptable worship, whose religion was based on external rituals fostering pride in their own achievements, instead of glorying in Christ, encouraging confidence in themselves instead of reliance upon the Spirit. Jews referred to Gentiles as dogs, but Paul said these Jews were the real dogs; they considered themselves doing good works, but in fact, they were evil workers; they insisted on circumcision, but Paul said they were mutilators.

Notice in verse 3, when Paul says that "we are the circumcision" he means we are those whose hearts have been changed (see Romans 2:28-29), we are the truly saved. We are Christians!

III. Make Sure You Are Saved, 3:3.

True Christianity is not determined by some external ritual done to or with the body (i.e. baptism, etc) but by an internal change which takes place. In verse 3, Paul lists 3 distinct aspects which describe a "true believer", a genuine Christian.

A. A True Believer Worships God in The Spirit.

A true believer worships God from the heart or from within. That means that a person who either does not worship God or does not worship from the heart is not a true believer!

Not everyone who seems to be religious has been genuinely saved. Not everyone who claims to be a Christian really is. Not everyone who goes through the external motions of worship is a true worshipper. Jesus said, "God the Father is seeking true worshippers who worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23-24). Look at what Jesus had to say about religion in Mt.15:8-9! Worship must be done from the heart (in the spirit), from within. We sing from the heart, give from the heart, pray from the heart, listen with our heart, believe in our heart, love the Lord with our heart ... worship from the heart. When a person is genuinely saved he receives a new heart (Ez.36:25-27), which enables him to worship in an acceptable manner.

B. A True Believer Rejoices In Christ Jesus.

This phrase means to put all of one's hope, trust, confidence, joy, and praise in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Allow me to illustrate it this way ...

If you were to die today and were to stand before God, and God were to say, "Why should I let you into my heaven?" - what would you say? If you answered "because I was raised in a Christian home, because I went to church, because I got baptized, because I was confirmed, because I joined the church, because I was a good person, citizen, neighbor ... you would not be rejoicing in Christ Jesus.

There is only one answer to my question. If I were to die today and stand before God and he were to say to me, "Why should I let you into my heaven?" I have only one answer. "I don't deserve heaven because of anything that I have done, but God, you should let me in heaven because of what your Son Jesus Christ did for me when he took my place on the cross." That is the only hope I have of heaven, my trust in Christ. "Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling." That is what it means to rejoice in Christ Jesus.

C. A True Believer Has No Confidence In The Flesh.

That statement is the flip side of the second one. A genuine Christian does not trust in their own self, be it their own good deeds, their moral living, or even their religious rituals. "For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing" (Rom.7:18). "For by grace are we saved faith and that not of yourself, it is a gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast" (Eph.2:8-9).

There are the 3 principles from this passage ...

Rejoice in the Lord!

Beware of men teaching external religion!

Make sure you are truly saved!