A Call To The Remnant

Php 3:18-19 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.

It is so important to note that these men Paul talks about are not enemies of Jesus per se, indeed they walk under the banner of Christianity. No, these men are enemies of the cross of Christ. They have no desire to pick up their cross daily, they simply just want to be blessed and live their best lives now. They want to live with position and respect and have the best seats at the table, they love the applause of men. This is why Paul says they mind earthly things. Paul here writes that he spoke often of these men, this was a subject that caused Paul great distress. Consider the politically correct men and woman of our day who despise any correction and would label any correction as heresy and a tearing down of the Body. What would they make of Paul who spoke often of these men? Typically men in power will create an environment whereby all criticism is labeled, the great weapon of our day, as rebellion.

Paul not only spoke often of these men, he wept while speaking of them. Can you imagine the depths of Pauls distress over this that caused him to weep over and over again? We see his same troubled spirit in Acts 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. You see, again Paul is weeping over false teachers whom he calls grievous wolves. Strange word is it not to go along with wolf, grievous? It is from the Greek word “barus,” meaning burdensome and the word grave. You see, these wolves were coming in to lay burdens on the freed men and women of Christ which would lead to death. Theirs would be a ministry of condemnation. They spy out the freedom of the liberated saint and they hate it. The Jewish priest, the Sadducee and the Pharisee would be replaced by another class of priest . They would set up their own hierarchical priesthood and men would have to bow to them. What a tragedy, no wonder the Apostle wept.

Today we have, in every corner of Christendom, the hierarchies of men. How far we have fallen from the book of Acts. Whether it is the Roman church or the Protestant denominations, we see these grievous systems of men which have suppressed the Royal priesthood. We see also in so many non denominational churches the one man system which usurps the Royal Priesthood. The enemy of our souls has spent most of his time promoting and abetting the grievous wolves over the centuries. They are, and always will be the enemies of the cross of Christ. For the cross denotes death to self, and the systems of man is the promotion of self. The cross denotes deep humility and the systems of men promotes pride and arrogance. The cross denotes forgiveness and love for your enemies and the systems of men seek out and destroy those whom they consider their enemies. I am so glad for the Word of God, for it is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. It never changes and is the foundation of all truth and the North star to those who are mere sojourners and pilgrims traveling through this dark world on our way home.