Northside Baptist Church

Good Morning,

This is a  beautiful day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice as we live today in such a forgetful way to our flesh.

Another great evening of soul winning. We had 36 out and 10 saved.  I am so thankful for our people who want what God wants in seeing people saved.  May God bless you as we press forward.  The total this week so far of people getting saved is 21.

54 last month. Amen!

The Three Beware

Philippians 3:2

“Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision”.

We will take a little different direction this morning.  I want to explain the three warnings Paul tells us to beware.   “Beware”, are emphasized due to the Philippi church listening to these three groups of people.  Their influence was sadly evident and Paul noticed it.

Beware is a word that stresses to look with a wide eye gaze.  We are to behold or stand alert to what these individuals stand for and refuse their influence upon us.

Now Paul speaks about the three bewares of what we should be alerted to.

First we are to beware of dogs.  These dogs Paul is referring are not literal dogs but spiritual dogs.  What are dogs? They are those who hold others in reproach for their own inaction. This means that these people were likened to dogs because they could not be lead.  They could not submit to the authority given by God, the pastor.  They basically did their own thing in their own time.  They never got under the umbrella of authority in the church.  They never could be placed in any position because they think a different way.  They think like a wild dog.  They spend their time on useless things.   They leave and come as they please,  they have no master, they wonder,  they live off the spiritual life of others.  Many times they are full of excuses for their lack of commitment. Paul says beware of these people.  If you are not careful these people will rub off on your sold out Christianity.  They accomplish nothing.

Secondly we see we are to beware of evil workers. This word evil means worthless.  Paul speaks of evil workers as worthless workers.  Workers that do not walk with God.  Workers that are not reproducing themselves.  Workers that are a drag to others and to God.  They really don’t get it.  They are constantly down in the mouth.  Nothing good to say but has something to say about everything.  They just don’t want others to achieve or succeed for the Lord.  They accomplish nothing for His Kingdom .

Thirdly and lastly, Beware of the concision.  Now this is a very interesting word.  It is a word that we get, “To amputate”.  Paul is referring to those people that want to amputate people out of church.  In our day it is like kicking people out of church.  We want to amputate them so that we will have a clean church.  How sad and how far we have come to think that people, lives, are like trash.  Paul rebukes and scorns these Christians that are out to cleanse the church.  We need to be reminded that as Pastor, I have never kicked any, nor wanted to, out of this church.  We are not witch hunters that if you do not tow the line then out you go.  This is not even my church or any one else.  The church is built upon Jesus, Jesus alone.  We have no authority to kick anyone out of His church.

The only time anyone will get right with God will be because they were loved, forgiven, given another chance, or taught that something is wrong so do it this way or live is way.

No one will get back to God by throwing them out.  This action of “voting someone out of church” is against God’s divine purpose. We are to be known by our love not by fear.

All three groups of people Paul says to beware, be alert to these type’s people in the church of Philippi.  They will cause you to live in the flesh.  They are out to destroy lives not build lives.    –Beware-

May this be a help.

Have a great day!

Preacher