Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision

"Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh" (Philip. 3:2,3). What the apostle Paul was speaking of here was for the gentile believers who were in Christ to not be persuaded by errant Jewish would be teachers and apostles who were also in Christ, to observe natural ordinances. Paul taught the gentiles exactly what he received from the Lord for them, and that was that they were "complete in him [Christ]" (Col. 2:10). And what that means is that being "in Christ" by means of the Spirit baptism is all they needed, and to abide therein (I Cor. 12:13; II Cor. 3:17; Col. 2:6). He also taught them that to observe and have regard to natural ordinances that were under the law, would actually cause them to diminish spiritually and to fall from their standing of being "saved by grace" (Gal. 5:4). This is the meaning of his words in our opening scripture, where he said, "We are the circumcision... and have no confidence in the flesh." These errant Jews who had drifted away from the Spirit that they had received, were teaching the gentiles that they had to become Jews by means of circumcision and observing other ceremonial ordinances that were under the old covenant (Acts 15:1). They did not understand that God had made a new covenant which fulfilled the old covenant with all of its natural ceremonies. Jesus came to fulfill the law and to bring to us the spiritual reality which the law could only symbolize through its ceremonies (Mat. 5:17; Heb. 10:1). So when Paul said we have "no confidence in the flesh," he was saying that we have no regard for the ordinances that only pertained to the flesh, but rather we give all regard to what Jesus suffered, died, and rose again to establish. And this is what he was referring to with the Galatians, who had already been subverted by these false teachers; when he said to them, "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" (Gal. 3:3). These people had in effect been taught that they were NOT complete by being in Christ, because they were persuaded that they needed to observe the ceremonies of the law in order to BE complete. But as the apostle stated, being "in Christ," and continuing as we began therein is what the gospel is all about. And again, it is the baptism of the holy Ghost that puts anyone and everyone into Christ (I Cor. 12:13).

In Paul's day it was circumcision that was the main ceremony that gentile believers were being persuaded about, as well as the feast days and sabbaths, etc (Gal. 4:10,11; Col. 2:16,17). And as it is with everything else, nothing has changed. Nothing ever does, only the names and the faces. In this case the names and faces of the ceremonies have changed, but the devilish spirit that would have gentile believers observing ordinances of the old covenant to their own hurt, has not. There isn't much confusion among believers today about the fact that God moved from the old covenant to the new covenant, and from the Jews to the gentiles; except for the fact of what that all means of course. The main confusion in this particular arena today is Christianity dictating to the body of Christ [Spirit baptized believers - and there is no other kind in fact] the natural ordinances of water baptism and so called "communion." Nothing has changed about the gospel, or about the understanding of the fulfillment of the law. It is still only about being "in Christ," and persevering therein in holiness through faith. And Christ is still "the END of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth" (Rom. 10:4). And "the righteousness of the law is [still] fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Rom. 8:4). And "We are [still] the circumcision [and the baptized, and the communed]... and [should] have no confidence in the flesh" [If we are "in Christ" of course]. And we are still those who should "worship God in spirit [only]." But there are still plenty of ministers and "believers" who would have us in effect to believe that we are NOT complete by being in Christ, and that we still need to be made perfect by the ordinances that pertain only to the flesh; AFTER we have "begun in the Spirit." Water baptism was of the law, plain and simple (Mat. 3:15). Be sure to check that reference scripture, as well as all of the references. And it's no wonder that the apostle to the gentiles assured us that there is only "one baptism" that God now accepts, and that is the one that his Son suffered and died for; and the one that fulfills the ceremonial baptism in water (Eph. 4:5; Acts 1:4,5). What is called "communion" today is nothing but a broken off fragment of the passover, which Jesus and his apostles were partaking of at "the last supper" (Mat. 26:18,26-29). The "communion of the holy Ghost," mentioned by the same apostle, is the fulfillment of that ordinance, even as he states in I Corinthians 5:7,8 (II Cor.13:14). So my friend, my exhortation is this: Keep it in the Spirit and have no confidence, or regard for the ceremonies that only pertain to the flesh; because the holy Ghost is the only place where you will find the love, the holiness, the joy, and the peace (Rom. 5:5; Rom. 14:17; I Cor. 6:11). And I assure you that if the apostle Paul were here today, he would say AMEN!