We all like the idea of rejoicing. The root word of rejoice is joy, so to rejoice is to continue in the joy you already have, to experience it over and over. The word rejoice is in the Bible over 190 times! God wants us to rejoice, and a life that has been forgiven can’t help but rejoice. In our text today, Philippians 3:1, Paul is telling the Philippians again to rejoice in the Lord. Yet, in the next verse, he tells them to beware of dogs, evil workers, and those that required certain Jewish practices to be part of their qualifying for Heaven.
Philippians 3:1-2 “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.”
When you read Philippians 3:2 it seems out of place, but in the time and culture, this was written dogs were mostly wild and roamed the streets eating anything they could find, even corpses. In I Kings 21:19, the dogs licked the blood of Naboth. In I Kings 16:4, those who were killed in the city at the command or hand of Baasha King of Israel were eaten by the dogs. In the New Testament, Jesus says in Matthew 6:7 not to give things that are holy to the dogs. These dogs were not friendly little pups that were your pet. They were a nuisance. Jews referred to those who were not Jewish as dogs. It is an expression of contempt. It was a term used to describe a person that is shameless, those who didn’t show proper respect, or who were contentious. Today, Muslims call Jews and Christians dogs.
Paul warns of those who do evil and those of the concision. Concision is referring to those who believed circumcision of the flesh was necessary for salvation. These were false teachers who placed works at the forefront of salvation. Circumcision was meant to be a sign of the covenant with God. They didn’t understand the true nature of the rite, but clung to the idea and taught that no one could come to God unless they obeyed the rituals of the past.
When Jesus came and gave His life to redeem us, His sacrifice was sufficient to turn the wrath of God away from all who would place their faith in Him, repent of their sins, and surrender to Him as Lord. Oh, how different life would be for those who work so hard at keeping the laws of their religion if they could only understand grace. Grace is what God extends to us when we accept His Son as our Lord. It is His unmerited favor. Because of His grace I serve, not to gain entrance into Heaven, but out of a heart of love and gratitude for all He has done for me. It is then that I can rejoice from the bottom of my heart. It is rejoicing that consumes me, rejoicing that words can’t describe. It is rejoicing that puts no confidence in what I have done, but all the confidence in what He has done.
Philippians 3:3 “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”
Over and over in the Bible, we are told to rejoice. If you don’t feel like rejoicing, then you either have not experienced the grace of God or you don’t understand it. In John 14:28, we are to rejoice because we love Him, and he has gone to the Father where He will make intercession for us. In John 16:22, no man can take our joy from us. In I Corinthians 12:26, we are to rejoice with other Christians when they experience joy. In I Thessalonians 5:16, we are to rejoice evermore. In James 4:16, we are to rejoice in our blessings. In I Peter 1:8 we are to rejoice with joy unspeakable, and in Philippians 4:4, we are to rejoice always! Get the picture? Rejoicing is a vital part of our relationship with Christ. How can we always be rejoicing? We must understand joy is not an outward happiness that shows itself in always laughing, but an inward confidence in our Savior that gives us joy that starts in our hearts and exhibits itself in our actions.
My joy is in Him, and I have full confidence that He loves me and will do what is best for me. I need to be aware of those who teach false doctrine, but I don’t have to worry or fret over things of this life, because I trust Him with my life here, and for all eternity. My soul is connected forever with my Lord and Savior. When I think of this truth my joy is unspeakable, and it is who I am. Just thinking about this makes me want to shout praise and thanksgiving to Him! Hallelujah, what a Savior!
