Philippians 3:1-3 Beware CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
Throughout Paul’s letters, you find warnings to watch out for certain people, and oddly, Christians just read right over those verses as if they aren’t even there and go on trusting blindly anybody that says, “I’m a Christian” or anyone who has a fish on the bumper of his car as a business calling card. Here he says BEWARE. What do you think he wrote that for if there wasn’t going to be trouble from the inside and outside? Look what he told the elders of Ephesusin Acts 20:29-31. Jesus told his disciples to BEWARE in Matt 16:6-12 of the doctrine of the Pharisees. Now I’m getting on the soap box with Paul and Jesus and telling you to BEWARE. Beware of:
Preachers that are lost – they are dogs not sheep; Rev 22:15 gives an appropriate description of where they belong; the best place to learn about them is II Pet 2 which is often mistaken for a passage that teaches you can lose your salvation – notice that:
- They are False, v. 1; Dogs, v. 22
- They teach damnable heresies denying the Lord
- Many follow them
- They are covetous and speak with feigned words
- Walk after the flesh, despise government, and are self-willed
- They are adulterous
- They are great speakers
- They talk liberty but put you in bondage
- Women are involved – Sow – cast not pearls before swine
- If you can’t discern who they are, you are BLIND, blind leading the blind
Preachers that work evil – there are a multitude of evil things that they can do:
- Child molesters – Priests, etc
- Adulterers – some preachers had a brothel in one state – some mess around with women in church
- Thieves – Matt 23:14 – some take money from church to spend on themselves – some do illegal things with money – some just take it outright
- Deceivers – II Tim 3:13 – Seductive – ever get that idea, radio and TV – Rom 16, fair words and good speeches
Preachers who put you back under the law
- Legalists – Gal 5:2-4; Gal 5:11
- There is a real separation of law and grace in the NT – Matt 5:17-18; Rom 10:3-4
- If we were under the law then Matt5:19-20, Jas2:10, Gal2:16, Gal3:10, back under curse
Solution:
- Worship God in Spirit – In Spirit and in truth, Jn 4
- Rejoice in Christ Jesus, like Paul – Not your work
- No confidence in flesh – In flesh can’t please God, Rom 8:8