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In the past we have constantly emphasized the spirit. The book of Philippians, however, shows the importance of the soul. As human beings, we are not a spirit or a body but a soul. Therefore, we Christians must be one not only in spirit but also in soul. It is very easy to be one in spirit; however, it is difficult to be one in soul, for in the soul we have the troublesome mind, the perplexing emotion, and the stubborn will. In the book of Philippians Paul charges us to be one in soul. The oneness in the soul is the perfect oneness. The oneness in the spirit, on the contrary, is temporary; it cannot last very long. As we pray, sing, and praise the Lord, we are one in spirit. But after we have finished praising, we may find that we are not one in soul. The oneness in the soul is long lasting. This oneness is found only in Philippians.
The book of Philippians covers the matter of the enjoyment of Christ. This book is unique and contains a number of new and even peculiar expressions. The enjoyment of Christ is in the fellowship unto the gospel, in the thinking of the one thing, in having the same love, and in being joined in soul. These are some of the unusual terms found in the book of Philippians.
Another unusual term is found in 3:2, where Paul says, “Beware of the dogs.” According to the Bible, a dog is an unclean animal because it does not chew the cud (Lev. 11:26). In order for an animal to be clean, it must chew the cud like a cow or sheep, and it must also have a divided hoof. The hooves of horses and donkeys are not divided; therefore, these animals are not clean. But cows and sheep have a divided hoof; hence, they are clean. Pigs have a divided hoof, but they do not chew the cud. Dogs neither chew the cud nor have a divided hoof. Both chewing the cud and a divided hoof are symbols in the Bible. A divided hoof signifies discernment in walking, discernment regarding what we should do, where we should go, and the way we should take. If we have a divided hoof, we will know whether to go to the meeting hall or to the movie theater. But one without a divided hoof has no discernment regarding his walk. If we do not have the faculty of discernment, we will become dirty, unclean. To chew the cud is to masticate the words of the Bible. We read the Bible in the way of chewing the cud. For example, by pray-reading the words of John 3:16, we chew the cud. If we would chew the words of the Bible, how clean we would become! If we chew the cud and have divided hooves, we will be kept from anything defiling. Because we chew the cud and have divided feet, we are no longer dogs. Rather, we are little lambs.
Philippians 3:2 says, “Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the concision.” In this verse Paul exhorts us to beware of three things — dogs, evil workers, and the concision. The fact that there is no conjunction in this verse indicates that these three things refer to one kind of person, a person who is a dog, an evil worker, and part of the concision. The word evil in this verse denotes something that is in rebellion against God’s economy. According to the Bible, any worker who is against God’s regulation is an evil worker. The word concision is a contemptuous term for circumcision. Originally, the word circumcision was a term of honor among Jews. But in this Epistle the apostle Paul used not the word circumcision but the word concision, a term of despite. In other words, when the apostle Paul wrote the Epistle to the Philippians, fleshly circumcision was no longer honorable but dishonorable. Therefore, he used the term concision to diminish the honor of circumcision.
According to the context of this verse, the dogs are the evil workers, and the evil workers are the concision. Some may wonder how the Jews, who were circumcised according to God’s ordination, could become evil workers. The answer lies in the fact that God’s dispensation changed with the coming of Jesus Christ. Before the time of John the Baptist, God ordained that His people be circumcised. That was God’s administration, God’s economy. But this economy, this dispensation, was terminated by the coming of Jesus Christ. During the present dispensation God wants people to believe in Jesus Christ, His Son, and to receive Him. This is God’s present economy. But the Jews have not abandoned the old dispensation. They prefer the old economy with the law of Moses to believing in Jesus Christ and receiving Him. Therefore, all their intentions in doing things for God are a form of rebellion, for they are rebelling against God’s present economy.
It is rebellious to refuse to believe in the Son of God. In God’s present economy He has ordained that His Son should be the object of our faith. God seems to say, “Listen to Him and believe in Him. Do not listen to others.” But most of the Jews prefer Moses and the law; they want to remain in the old dispensation. It is not evil to love the law, but the attitude expressed in loving the law when God has changed the dispensation is evil and rebellious.
Under the present dispensation of God, circumcision is not honorable but dishonorable. Before Him it is no longer circumcision but concision. For this reason Paul tells us to beware of dogs, of evil workers, and of the concision. We must beware of those who practice circumcision in rebellion against God’s economy.
We have seen that in verse 2 three matters are mentioned. Verse 3 also mentions three items: serving by the Spirit of God, boasting in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh. These three items are a contrast to the three items found in verse 2. In verse 3 Paul says that we are the circumcision. This means that we, the believers in Christ, are the real circumcision. As the real circumcision, we serve by the Spirit of God. Serving by the Spirit of God is in contrast to the dogs. Furthermore, we boast in Christ Jesus. Boasting in Christ is in contrast to the evil workers. Finally, we do not trust in the flesh. Not trusting in the flesh is versus the concision. Because we contact God and serve Him by His Spirit, we are not dogs, and because we are in Christ and boast in Him, we are not rebels or evil workers. Not only have we believed in Christ and received Him, but we are totally in Him. Christ is not only our Savior but also our life. Hence, instead of being in rebellion, we are in Christ. We are not rebels — we are Christ-men.
We also have no trust in the flesh. The circumcision practiced by the Jews is altogether a matter of the flesh. The Jews trust in the flesh and in what they are in the flesh. We, on the contrary, have no trust whatever in our flesh. The flesh signifies our entire natural being. According to the Bible, the fallen human being is in the flesh. Whether we love or hate, steal or give, we are in the flesh. Do not think that those who rob a bank are in the flesh, but those who donate to charitable organizations are not. The generous ones may be more in the flesh than those who rob, and those who love may be more in the flesh than those who hate. Likewise, those who are humble may be more fleshly than those who are proud. As fallen human beings, we are nothing but flesh. Some people may be very kind, but in the eyes of God, even their kindness is the ugly flesh. Many Christians think of themselves as being capable and intelligent. But whatever comes out of our natural being, whether it be capability or intelligence, is simply the flesh. Therefore, we should not have any confidence in the flesh.
We are those who serve by the Spirit of God, who boast in Christ, and who do not trust in the flesh. We are beware of dogs, and we serve by the Spirit of God. We are beware of evil workers, and we boast in Christ. We are beware of the concision, and we have no trust in the flesh.
The way to enjoy Christ is to repudiate our flesh and our entire natural being. When we reject ourselves in this way, only Christ is left. Then whatever we do will be the experience of Christ. When the unbelievers reject themselves and repudiate their flesh, nothing remains. But when we reject ourselves, we enjoy Christ as the remainder. Christ is what remains after we have rejected our flesh and all we are by nature. This is not merely a doctrine; it is our experience. When the sisters who live together are having problems with one another, perhaps over washing the dishes, they need to reject themselves. When they reject themselves, including their attempt to imitate the pattern of Christ, they will find that Christ remains within them. If a sister washes dishes after doing this, she will have both the experience of Christ and the enjoyment of Christ.
To have no trust in the flesh means to have no trust in ourselves. If we do not trust in ourselves, the self is spontaneously dealt with, and Christ is there as the sweet remainder for us to experience. This is the real circumcision because it involves the total rejection of our flesh. The Jews had the form of circumcision but not the reality, which is the cutting off of the flesh. To merely make a mark upon our body actually is not circumcision but concision. Because we reject our flesh altogether, we are the real circumcision. When the real circumcision takes place, the flesh is gone, and Christ remains. Then whatever we do, say, or think is the enjoyment of Christ.
In Philippians 3:4-6 Paul presents a clear picture of the flesh. After saying that he had reason to trust in the flesh, Paul proceeds to list seven aspects of the flesh: being circumcised the eighth day, being of the race of Israel, being of the tribe of Benjamin, being a Hebrew born of Hebrews, being a Pharisee as to the law, being a zealous persecutor of the church, and being blameless as to the righteousness which is in the law. We may think that the flesh is something bad. These seven items, however, are not bad. Paul was circumcised on the eighth day. Certainly this was very good. He was born of the race of Israel, not of pagans. Moreover, he was of the tribe of Benjamin, not of Reuben or Simeon. In the Bible Benjamin is dear, precious, and lovable. Paul was also a Hebrew born of Hebrews. As to the law of God, he was a Pharisee, and as to zeal for God, he persecuted the church. Paul was not indifferent toward God but loved Him, lived for Him, and even persecuted the church for Him. Finally, as to the righteousness which is in the law, he was blameless. He was perfect, complete, and without defect. Nevertheless, all these items are aspects of the flesh. In fact, they are the constituents of the flesh. Apart from Paul’s words in Philippians, we would not consider such things as part of the flesh. But the flesh includes everything natural, whether bad or good. This is the meaning of the flesh in the Bible.
As long as something issues from our natural being, it is of the flesh. If we know this, we are blessed, for we will not have any trust in ourselves. Rather, we will reject ourselves utterly. But after we reject ourselves, we will enjoy Christ as the wonderful, heavenly leftovers. Do not try to adjust yourself. As flesh, we simply cannot be adjusted. Instead of adjusting ourselves, we should repudiate ourselves. If we do this, we will experience Christ with full enjoyment, enjoying Him in all we do and say.
After giving us the definition of the flesh in verses 4 through 6, Paul says in verse 7, “What things were gains to me, these I have counted as loss on account of Christ.” Surely things such as circumcision, being of the race of Israel, and being of the tribe of Benjamin were gains to Paul. But if he had kept all these things, there would have been no room in him for Christ. For example, if a bottle is filled with dirt, there is no room for air to get in. First the dirt must be emptied out, and then the air will fill it. Likewise, if we still hold on to certain good aspects of the flesh, there will be no room in us for Christ. Therefore, on account of Christ, Paul counted as loss all the aspects of the flesh.
In verse 8 Paul says, “Moreover I also count all things to be loss on account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, on account of whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as refuse that I may gain Christ.” Paul seemed to be saying, “I have already counted as loss seven items on account of Christ. Now I also count all things in the whole universe as loss on account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ.” In this universe there is such an excellency as the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord.
In this verse Paul says that he counted all things as refuse on account of Christ. According to the usage of the Greek word in ancient times, the word translated “refuse” refers to dog food. It can also be rendered as “dung, garbage, trash.” In the eyes of such a seeker after Christ as Paul, everything else was dog food, refuse, trash. The dogs mentioned in verse 2 feed on the dog food spoken of in verse 8. But we feed on Christ, the food of the children of God.
As we have pointed out, a dog is an unclean person. Now we see that refuse is food for unclean people. All the worldly people are unclean, and their food is refuse, trash, dog food. But we, the sons of God, are clean, and our food is Christ. Because He is our food, we need to chew Him, masticate Him, as a cow chews its cud. This is the experience of eating Jesus. Eating is not only a matter of experience but also a matter of enjoyment. I enjoy every meal I eat. Today we are feasting on Christ. As we feast on Him, we are enjoying Him. The Christ whom we enjoy is what is left over after we have repudiated our flesh. But if we do not reject ourselves and our plans, we will not have any Christ to eat, for our self and our plans will fill our being and not leave any room for Christ. Therefore, we need to repent and empty ourselves so that Christ may have room within us.
The longer we take to eat our food, the more we enjoy it. Likewise, after we reject ourselves, we should enjoy Christ slowly. This is the way to participate in Christ and to feed on Him.
In verse 9 Paul says, “Be found in Him.” Paul wanted not only to gain Christ but also to be absolutely in Christ. He counted all things as refuse that he might gain Christ and be found in Him. He desired that others would find him in Christ. We also need to be found by one another in Christ. However, suppose you find me angrily rebuking a brother. In such a case you surely would not find me in Christ but in the flesh. Not only people but also the angels and demons need to find us in Christ. We should be able to say, “Angels and demons, come and see that I am in Christ. I have gained Christ, and now I am in Christ.” This is the experience of Christ.
If we live in Christ, we will be able to release the riches of Christ in the meetings. In our testimonies the riches of Christ will flow out. If we all experience Christ in this way, what an exhibition of Christ there will be in the meetings! This is the church life. This is what we need today. In the midst of this crooked and perverted generation, God is seeking such a testimony. We are here on earth for this. Our testimony is that we gain Christ and that we are found in Him full of enjoyment.
