Philippians 3:1-11

Introduction:

Suhendro

FCF: Where should we place our trust?

Proposition: Trust in Christ.

Body

I. Trust in Christ by rejecting false teachers: 2-4

a. False teachers are scavengers: 2

i. Illustration: Opossum or a Racoon

b. False teachers are evil: 2

c. False teachers destroy: 2

i. Mutilation: Circumcision means to cut around, this word means to cut off. Rather than doing what God has ordained they go too far and in doing so ship wreck the faith of those who listen to them.

d. True teachers worship in Spirit and in Truth: 3a

i. John 4:23-24: But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and truth.

e. Application: Keep an eye out for false teaching by intimately knowing the scriptures.

i. Islam

ii. Mormonism/Jehovah’s Witness

iii. Hyper-fundamentalism

II. Trust in Christ by not trusting in yourself: 3b-4

a. Flesh vs. Christ: Flesh in this passage signifies the self or human ability. Paul makes a sharp distinction between those who trust in the flesh and those who trust in Christ. You cannot do both.

b. Do not trust in ritual: 5

i. Application: Attending church weekly

c. Do not trust in your race or country: 5

i. Application: America is not God’s chosen vessel, the church is. Also, the church is made up of every tribe and nation. Reach out to all people and particularly those who we are prone not to reach out too.

d. Do not trust in your status: 5

i. Application: Being a church member, deacon, Sunday School teacher, or pastor does not save you. Furthermore, being popular in the community does not give you a proper standing before the almighty.

e. Do not trust in your traditions: 5

i. Application: Traditions are not inherently a bad thing, but when they are set as equal to or superior to Scripture they become a bad thing. Simply because we are Baptist does not make us any superior to any other denomination. Faith in Christ is Faith in Christ.

f. Do not trust in your rule keeping: 5

i. Application: Do not measure your spiritual status based on the sins you don’t commit. Furthermore, making rules in addition to what scripture teaches is as bad as telling someone they can do something that is clearly prohibited. Alcohol, Dancing, and Christian witness.

g. Do not trust in your zeal: 6

i. Application: Passion by itself means nothing, for being passionate about the wrong thing still results in spiritual death.

h. Do not trust in your obedience: 6

i. Application: You cannot actually be perfect in keeping the law, for if you break one you break them all. Jesus in the Sermon of the Mount did not make the law easier, but exposed the simple fact that we cannot obey and will perish in our failure.

i. Illustration: Putting trust in yourself is like intentionally planting beans expecting corn to grow as a result. It won’t work.

III. Trust in Christ by trusting in Him alone: 7-11

a. You gain proper perspective: 7-8

i. Application: Knowing Christ is greater than anything you can gain in this life.

b. You gain Justification: Vs. 9

c. You gain Sanctification: Vs. 10

d. You gain Glorification: Vs. 11

e. Application: Do you trust in Christ alone? Do you place your faith in things of the flesh?

Conclusion:

Suhendro