Sunday 8-24-08

Philipians 3:2-6

2Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. 3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— 4though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.

What this is saying is to watch out for the people who think they are saved because they are going to church.  who think they are saved because they have been baptised.  who think they are saved because they do all the right things.  It is saying that people who put trust in their actions and rituals are evil people.  dogs.

he follows that up with, We are the true circumcision, for we believe by faith.  Paul then goes on to say that, he is a hebrew of all hebrews, he has done everything by the book, but he doesn’t  believe in that being the reason why he is saved, he says it is by faith.

It is how i went to church my whole life, and because i went to the building and i hung out with the people and i knew what to say from time to time I thought i was saved.  But i wasn’t.  i was putting my trust in the ritual of going to church.  people would ask me, why are you saved? and i would answer, i am saved because i go to church.  yes i knew all about jesus, i knew what he did for me, but i thought going to church was the defining factor of we were using that gift of salvation or not.

What are the problems with that?

i was thinking i was saved because i went to church, when it should of been, because i am saved, i am going to church.

So how then are we saved?

Jesus described it to nicodemus in John 3

You must be born again.

well you ask, what does it mean to be “born again”?  it means that you bury your old life of sin, addictions, lust, ect. and then pick up a new page of life.  a page of life in which you live by the spirit confessing him your lord your God.

As it says in Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be save

What is lord?  the definition of lord is a person of high authority over your life.

actions speak louder than words amen?

Saying that Jesus is Lord, and not living up to anything he says is kind of like this.

If a ferrari and a stock geo metro were to race, which do you think would win?

The ferrari right?  To say that you Jesus is Lord, and to not do what he says, is like you saying the ferrari will win, but betting everything you own on the Geo metro winning….but by like 3 miles in a 1/4 mile drag.

Saying that Jesus is Lord, but not displaying that in your actions is like betting that you yourself can be better than jesus and Get yourself into heaven.  You say you believe in heaven? But how do you think you are going to get there with out jesus? with sinning? with murder? with rape?  don’t bet on the geo metro.  bet on the God who slit the red seas.  The God who made it rain until the earth was covered. The God who can make the lame walk and blind see.

You must be born again, and live by the spirit of God and do what he says because you have been saved, and not do some of the things he says because you think it will save you. Many people will plea to God, but we cast out demons in your name, we performed many mirracles in your name, and God will say, depart from me, I NEVER KNEW YOU.

Do you get what i am saying to you this morning?

On my finishing note, Don’t turn back.

Philipians 3:12 says to forget about things that have happened in the past and focus on the future and the goal.  that we won’t be running a race and not looking where we are going.  we will trip and fall on our faces that way.

a few verses down in philipians 3:16 it says to only live up to what we have already attained.  don’t be like the dog that returns to his vomit.  Don’t turn back to your old ways.  it won’t do you any good.  just keep running to God.

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