God is their belly

Philippians 3

We start off with an understanding that there is a problem and that it is good for us to talk about it

We must always come back to the gospel

It is everything and never burdensome to talk about

we are the circumcision- those within the covenant of God’s promises

Worship God in Spirit

Have no confidence in the flesh

Mind set on Christ

No confidence in the flesh (3)

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Continual confession of our own sinfulness

Paul lists out how great of a Jew he was

Elsewhere he says he was the greatest of all sinners- 1 tim 1:15

Count all gain as loss (7)

Are willing to give up all things to gain Christ

Christ is their prize

Press on by faith (12)

Not perfect at all but has a deep longing to attain righteousness through Jesus Christ

To help us understand if this is us or not, let us look at the other side. Paul tells us weeping about these people because they are people he knows that have not received the gospel even though they may confess that they have.

Mind set on earthly things

The end is destruction

All looks good right now

On the outside they look worthy of envy

They look religious

They are wealthy

They are liked

The god is their belly and glory is in their shame

They look to their works of the law (dietary rules)

They look to circumcision (their shame)

They are enemies of the cross of Christ

They are not enemies of us but of the cross

Just as the multitude that left Egypt was mixed so is the church

Exodus 16:3-4 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.