Please turn to Philippians chapter 3, verse 1 through 16. Philippians 3, 1 through 16. Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. Look out for the dogs. Look out for the evildoers. Look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision who worship by the spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more. Circumcised on the eighth day of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews as to the law, a Pharisee as to zeal, a persecutor of the church as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them rubbish in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own, but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal. for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we're asking you humbly this morning that you would be pleased to reveal your word to our hearts and give us understanding that we might apply it to our lives and become more conformed to our wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ. We ask it in his name. Amen. So Paul tells believers to rejoice in the Lord. We see that in verse 1. And some refer to the book of Philippians as the epistle of joy. The words joy and rejoicing are used 16 times in four short chapters. To write the same things to you is no trouble for me, says Paul in verse 1, and it is safe for you. It is always good to be reminded that in the Lord we have every reason to rejoice. And Paul does not mind saying it again in chapter four, verse four. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say, rejoice. Paul referred to his fellow workers as those whose names are in the book of life. We see that in Philippians chapter four, verse three. Jesus said, rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Rejoice, your names are written in heaven. And I say again, rejoice, rejoice. And nothing will steal your joy more than listening to someone who wants to put legalistic requirements on you for your salvation. Is that right? I think so. And we see here in Philippians Chapter 3 and verse 2 and 3, Paul tells the Philippian believers to beware of the Judaizers, the false teachers who would require legalistic outward circumcision that really was not reflective of inward conversion in order to be saved. Paul says that we, that is those of us who have circumcised hearts, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus are saved by grace and put no confidence in the flesh. We must watch out for false teachers who say salvation is by grace plus something else. Salvation is by grace plus something else. plus keeping the law, plus ritualistic circumcision, plus religious do's and don'ts, plus whatever, we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, period. Amen? In all glory to his name, because he has done what we can't do for ourselves. through the cross of Jesus Christ. I love that cross. What about you? I don't worship that cross. It represents an empty cross. The Lord is not there. It is finished. Our sins are forgiven. We have everlasting life. He did it all. He took the wrath of God that I deserve, that you deserve, and he proved that God accepted his sacrifice on our behalf because he rose from the dead and he's alive. He's not on that cross. That reminds me when I see it. What a great savior we have. He's alive. And so we caution ourselves and others Don't put legalistic requirements on people's salvation. Legalism is the attempt to obtain right standing with God by keeping the law. It is a self-righteousness on the basis of works. It is the complete opposite of grace. Romans 6.14, you are not under law but under grace. As a matter of fact, legalism totally undermines grace. Romans 11.6, but if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace. Romans 3.20, for by the works of the law, no human will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. Romans 3.28, for we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. We are saved by grace, God's unmerited favor. We have nothing, nothing to boast of. Romans 3.27 says, then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. And by what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but the law of faith, the law of faith. Ephesians 2, 8 and 9, many of us know that, we memorized it. You could probably repeat it back to me right now, but I won't put you on the spot. It says, for by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not your own doing. It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. If anyone could boast, about legalistic righteousness, it was Paul. You see that in the text? If anyone could boast about it, it would be him. We look at it, we look back at the text, Philippians chapter 3 and verse 4 through 9. and he says though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also if anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh I have more circumcised on the eighth day of the people of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin a Hebrew of Hebrews as to the law a Pharisee as to zeal, a persecutor of the church, as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them rubbish in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own. that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith. And notice what Paul says in verse 7 here, in regard to gaining righteousness under the law, he counted that as a loss. for the sake of Christ. Notice in verse eight, he counted everything as lost because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus. As a matter of fact, he considered his fleshly attempts to keep the law in order to gain right standing with God as rubbish. Rubbish. That's a very interesting word in the original text, the Greek. The word rubbish in the original language means dung. Dung. Worthless. Worthless. To be discarded. Get rid of it. Romans 10.4 says, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. It's the end of it. And we see in verse nine that Paul gave up self-righteousness and received the righteousness that comes from God by putting his faith in Christ, by believing in him. It is by trusting in the merits of Jesus Christ on our behalf that we have everlasting life, that we have have everlasting life john 316 for God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life john 336 whoever believes in the sun has eternal life john 524 truly truly i say to you whoever hears my word and believes him who sent him has eternal life he does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life John 6, 47, "'Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has everlasting life.'" Verse John 5, 12, "'Whoever has the Son has life.'" Verse John 5, 13, "'I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.'" How wonderful to know, isn't it? How wonderful to know we have eternal life. And it's a wonderful thing. But there are some among us who do not know that. They do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Let me ask you, have you come to a place in your life where you know you are going to heaven? some would say you really can't know this you can't know that for sure yes you can first john five thirteen says I write these that you may know that you have eternal life not that you would dream not that you would guess not that you would hope not perhaps or maybe but that you would know so let me ask you If you were to die today and stand before God and He said, why should I let you into my heaven? What would you say? You could say, well, compared to others, I'm not so bad. I think my good deeds will outweigh my bad deeds and God will accept me. I'm a good person. Oh, really? How good are you? Jesus said, you therefore must be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect. That's Matthew 5, 48. You have to be perfect to qualify for heaven. The Bible says, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Have you always loved God more than anything? If you esteem anything more important than God, that makes you an idolater. If you lied, that makes you a liar. If you have stolen, that makes you a thief. If you have lusted, that makes you an adulterer. If you have taken God's name in vain, that makes you a blasphemer. If you had sex outside of marriage, that makes you a fornicator. Romans 3.23 says, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 6.23, for the wages of sin is death. Your sin has separated you from God and will condemn you for all eternity unless you believe on Jesus and turn from your sin and follow him as Lord. John 3.36 says, whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. There's many. I dare say that my words may be falling upon your ears this morning. And if you don't know Christ, the wrath of God is upon you and will be until you come to Christ, until you make it right with God. The wrath of God remains on you. You say, I know I am a sinner. How do I make it right with God? How do I make it right with God? I got some good news for you. The simple gospel. The simple gospel. Repent and believe. Repent and believe. Repent. Turn away from your sins. Believe. Receive God's free gift of salvation. Romans 6.23 says, For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. We are saved by His grace. We are saved by grace and kept by grace. Many get saved by grace and then base their sanctification on works. You're saved by grace, but now we're going to lay some works on you. You know, and so, you know, we are saved by grace and we're kept by grace. As I'm reading in the scripture, Galatians 3, verses 1 through 3. Galatians 3, verses 1 through 3. O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this, did you receive the spirit of works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish having begun by the spirit? Are you now being perfected by the flesh? Inadvertently, we turn living for Jesus into a works mentality by basing our relationship with God on our performance. You haven't done enough. You could do more. You should do more. It's never enough. So we try harder in the strength of our flesh, imagining that God's disfavor is upon us until we pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and show ourselves worthy of his love. We try. We fail. We try again. We fail again. We try harder, then we discover we can't do this. I can't do this. That is in my own strength, in my own strength. And I think that God wants us to know that. And so he'll let us flounder about. until we find that it's all about grace. You know, I didn't get saved by grace and now it's all about me and how good I do. That's not what it's about. You know, I got saved by grace and I'm kept by grace. But Lord, we need you. And you know, I can't do this. I need you to be my strength. We see wonderful promises that God gives us about that in his word. A reading from Isaiah chapter 40, verse 28 through 31. The scripture says, have you not known, have you not heard, that the Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth? He does not faint or grow weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint. And to him who has no might, he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted. But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, and they shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. Verse 29 here in the text tells us, he gives power to the faint and to him who has no might, he increases strength. Verse 31, they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. It's a wonderful promise. It's given to Israel, but I think there's an application for our hearts this morning. Isaiah 41, verse 10, fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isn't that great? Precious promises of God. And it's okay to admit our weakness. It's okay. Because when we do that, the power of Christ rests upon us. And then, when I am weak, then I am strong. And we definitely need that. And Ephesians 6.10 says, Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 2 Corinthians 12, 9 and 10, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For when I am weak, then I am strong. So we must depend upon the Spirit to become more and more like Christ. As Paul reminds us in Galatians 3.3, that having begun by the Spirit, we are not now perfected, that is sanctified by the flesh. It is not by trying harder with legalistic rules that we are pleasing to God, but rather it is by depending completely and fully on Him. And that's what pleases God. So does that mean we just do nothing? Are we to just let go and let God? James 2.26 says, faith apart from works is dead. Our faith is not passive. We are active. but we realize that at the same time it is God who is doing his work through us. Philippians 2, 12 and 13 says, work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Colossians 1.29, for this I toil, struggling with all his energy that so powerfully works within me. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15.10, but by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace towards me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them. though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Colossians 129, Paul says, for this I toil. See, he was doing it. He wasn't passive. He was actively living out his life in Christ. I toil. Then he says, struggling with his energy. I do it. Yes. I just don't let go and let God and do nothing at all and say, oh, I'm saved by grace. So hey, I just go to the beach or something. It's like now it's time, oh, I've got to read the word of God. I'm going to go fellowship with Christians. I'm going to spend time in prayer. I'm going to put myself to these energies. But it's not my energy. It's his energy. It's not that we don't do anything at all. We don't become totally passive and just let go and let God. We're not under the law. But not being under the law does not mean we have no law at all. Do we know that this morning? Not being under the law does not mean we have no law at all. We are under the law of Christ. We are under the law of Christ. Paul said that he was not outside the law. Paul said that he was not outside the law of God, but under the law of Christ. And we see that in 1 Corinthians 9.21. John 15.10, if you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. We are to obey the Lord. John 14, 15, if you love me, you will keep my commandments. We demonstrate our love for him by obeying him. John 14, 21, whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. The proof of our love for the Lord is measured by our willingness to do what he says. Do we know that? Being under the law of Christ entails obeying the commandments that Christ has given us in his word. Galatians 6.2 says, bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. In our reading, how do we fulfill the law of Christ? Well, we're told in Romans chapter 13, And verse 8 through 10, owe no one anything except to love each other. For the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and any other commandment are summed up in this word. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. If you notice, as I was reading there in verse 8, the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. And then again in verse 10, love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And this is the law of Christ. And this is how we live out in obedience to him as we follow him. We are fulfilling the law. How about that? We are fulfilling the law. It's not just letting go and letting God. We are doing good deeds as we seek to love others, as we obey God. The law of Christ causes us to be very active. We love others as Christ loves, bearing their burdens and demonstrating our love for Christ by obeying Him. We do this with gratitude for what God has done for us, not to merit His favor. The law of Christ compels us to have the right attitude and to obey with proper motives. It is anything but passive. It is not passive. It is not a meritorious law that seeks God's favor by compliance, but rather a law in which we can examine our own hearts by. Let me say it again. It is not a meritorious law that seeks God's favor by compliance, but rather a law in which we can examine our own hearts by the law of Christ. Get a real good look at who we really are and how we need Christ's grace to be obedient to Him. If I love Christ, I will obey Him. Do we see that? If I love Christ, I will obey Him. You know, Martin Luther said, we are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone. Some are antinomian. No law, no restraints at all. They want to be saved and live like the devil. It is not legalistic to be obedient to God. Some would turn the grace of God into licentiousness. We see in Philippians 3.10 that Paul wanted to become like Christ, and in verse 12 he says that he has not done so perfectly. But notice that in verse 12b he says, I press on to make it my own. We see him in verse 13 and 14 straining, pressing on. with the goal of obtaining perfection someday up there, even though he doesn't expect to be perfect down here. He strives for holiness. He does not ascribe to the fallacy of licentiousness. There are proponents of free grace theology. otherwise known as non-lordship salvation. Easy believism, cheap grace. This is the notion that Jesus can be your savior, but not your lord. Did you ever hear someone say they know they're going to heaven because they believe in God? Well, I believe in God. But James 2.19 says, you believe that God is one, you do well. Even the demons believe and shudder. But someone said a while back to me that so-and-so is a Christian, even though she is living in sin. And as far as I know, she has no intention of doing otherwise. Let me say, the Bible does not teach that you can have Jesus as Savior, but not own him as Lord. It just simply doesn't teach that. Bible does not teach that you can have him as Savior, but not own him as Lord. Paul said, he presses on toward holiness. We see that in the passage we are considering this morning. The Bible says that no one will see the Lord without holiness. That's in Hebrews 12 to 14. Romans 6, 1 and 2 says, what shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means. How can we who died to sin still live in it? Romans 6.15, what then? Are we to sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? By no means, by no means. Titus chapter two, verse 11 and 12, for the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. The grace of God teaches us to renounce ungodliness, the worldly passions, and worldly passions, and not to embrace them. We do not have license to sin just because we are saved by grace. There are fallacies on both sides of the equation. There are fallacies on both sides of true salvation. This extreme says it's okay to sin because you're not saved by works. The other extreme says you have to impress God because you are saved by works. That's legalism. We are not saved by works, but true salvation results in works. We do not work to earn our salvation, but we obey the Lord in appreciation for the finished work He has done for us. He's already done it. And we obey Him. Do we not obey our Lord? Do you try to obey your Lord? Do you ask Him to help you to obey Him? Do you obey the Lord perfectly? Perfectly. Do you? Oh, I'm sorry. I should be asking myself with such vehemence. I have asked myself that. Do I? Do I obey the Lord perfectly? No. I don't. I wish I could. And I know that you wish you could, too, if you love the Lord. We obey Him, but not perfectly. Most would readily admit that they are not perfect, but I have met people who are not convinced of this. Several years ago, while visiting in Florida, I had a vigorous discussion with a brother. He quoted 1 John 3.9 in the King James Version, which he believed is the only true version of the Bible that is actually the Word of God. And after quoting this verse, he asserted that Christians do not and cannot sin. How about that? First John 3, 9, and he read it to me. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for his seed remains in him, and he cannot sin because he has been born of God. I told him that he did not properly interpret or understand this text. The meaning of this verse is that a true believer does not practice sin, that is, A Christian does not continuously and habitually sin to the extent that sin defines their lifestyle. The New American Standard Bible renders it like this. No one who has been born of God practices sin. He cannot sin continually. We see this again In 1 John 3.6, King James Version, whoever abides in him does not sin. NASB, no one who remains in him sins continually. ESV, no one who abides in him keeps on sinning. And we told in the scripture, 1 John 5.18, we know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him and the evil one does not touch him. We can't expect to be perfect. We should not sin. And I would admonish us this morning, don't sin. And ask the Lord to help us to do that. We should live in righteousness and holiness, be pleasing to our Lord, And though we cannot expect to attain perfection, we're headed that way. And we keep on pressing on, and we're pressing on, and we're pressing on. And you know, when we were located on Lake Avenue, there was an individual who attended for a while. He said that he is led by the Spirit. He just goes by what the Holy Spirit says. He also said that he does not sin. He said he's led by the Holy Spirit and he don't sin. For many weeks, many of us tried to persuade Him that the Word of, you know, we were trying to persuade Him that the Word of God would not contradict the Holy Spirit. The Word says what the Spirit says, and the Spirit says what the Word says. And after weeks of trying to reason with Him from the Scriptures that we all sin, and that includes Him, It came to an intense confrontation, and I opened up to Scripture, and I read to him the Word of God. And I read to him 1 John 1 8-10. The Scripture says, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. So I read it. It was a little goings-ons right there, because we had been trying to reason with him for weeks. And some of you remember Pastor Gary. He was at the old church, Lake Avenue. And this gentleman was relentless. It was right after Gary got done preaching. He went right up to the pulpit and started debating about this issue again. It had nothing to do with what Gary preached about. He was just there, and he was ready to go. I saw him approaching, and so I decided to approach the pulpit as well, right after Gary preached, with my Bible in my hand. And while we were standing there, going on like this, that's what I read to him. And after reading that, I said to him, God himself says that you sin. Are you calling God a liar? Well, that didn't go over very well. I gathered up his stuff, his papers or wherever he had, he had a Bible with him, picked it up in anger, And he said, oh, John, and stormed out of the church. And he was gone. And some of us that were back there in the circles remember trying to reason with him. But that's what he did. And he didn't want to hear it. we are told in Hebrews 12.14 that without holiness no one will see the Lord but we should not expect to obtain sinless perfection in the here and now even the great apostle Paul would not make such a claim even Paul would make that claim and as we have already noted Paul wanted to become like Christ, but he says in Philippians 3.12 that he has not done so yet perfectly. He says not that I already obtained this or am already perfect. As astounding as it may be, those who hold to perfectionism would say that it is possible to reach a state of sinless perfection in the here and now, this side of heaven. Even the apostle Paul never made this claim. What he did say is that the saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the foremost. That's what the Apostle Paul said. He wasn't claiming any perfectionism. He knew God's grace. I'm a sinner saved by grace, says the great Apostle Paul. So even he doesn't make those claims. Even though we should not expect to reach sinless perfection in this life. Don't get me wrong. The word does tell us not to sin. Don't sin. Romans 13, 14 says, make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires. We are told in Romans 8, 13 to put sin to death by the spirit. 1 John 2.1 says, My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. We should not sin. But if we do, and we will, thank God, Jesus Christ, our beloved Savior, is our advocate. Amen. You know, we're told in 1 John 1.9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Let's bow together in a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this word to us this morning. We pray that by your spirit and your assistance to us, we might live a life consecrated completely to you, holy, set apart for the Lord who has saved us. We ask, Father, that you would help us to do that. Help us to quickly confess our sins before you receive your forgiveness and then move on and press on and move forward and be sanctified and bring glory to your name until you take us home, and then we shall be perfect. And that would be glorious, Lord. So we commit this message to you right now in the hearing of our ears. We pray, O Holy Spirit, that you would remind us of what we've heard, that we might become more and more and more like our beloved Lord, conformed to His image, the Lord Jesus Christ. And we ask it in His name. Amen.