The High Calling

The High Calling: A Study of Philippians 3 In the first verse of Philippians 3, Paul by revelation says, “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. . . .” A person cannot rejoice until he has first experienced joy. Rejoicing is a repeat performance of joy. We rejoice in the Lord; if we rejoice in anything or anyone else we are going to be let down. Philippians 3:1: Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous [irksome], but for you it is safe gives certainty, reinforces]. What “same things”? The things he had already told them through his helper Epaphroditus. Verse 2: Beware of dogs,* beware of evil workers [those with evil intent], beware of the concision. “Concision” is an interesting word in this particular instance referring to the mutilation of physical bodies. Christ was the end of the law, but legalistic believers continued to teach that one who believed in Christ had to be circumcised in order to be a Christian, even as things are taught today, perhaps having substituted other legalistic practices. Verse 3: For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. We who worship God in spirit are the circumcision. The literal translation according to the critical Greek texts and Aramaic Peshitta text is: “We are the circumcision who worship by the spirit of God” or “. . .who worship God via the spirit.” To “worship God in the spirit” does not mean to worship by contributing to the collection plate. There is only one way we can worship God “in spirit” and that is by speaking in tongues. To worship in the spirit, a person must have spirit; all other ritual is part of the senses realm. We cannot worship God by the senses for He “dwelleth not in temples made with hands.”** As John 4:24 pointedly declares, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” To worship Him in spirit can only be by spea