Christian Unity is Detailed to the Philippians Volume 38

Paul paints a picture of the Enemies of the Cross of Christ to the Philippian Believers

Philippians 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.) KJV

Paul is now beginning his descent toward the closing of his letter to these beloved brethren of his at Philippi, and much like a Commercial Airline Pilot makes the passengers aware that the conclusion of their trip is almost complete, Paul is now doing what he was most accustomed to do and that is to warn the believers in Philippi of men who appeared to outwardly worship Christ Jesus our Lord, but in reality were His enemy by saying, “(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:” (Philippians 3:18) (KJV). Paul declares that there are many who walk a certain way. This English word walk is translated by the Greek word peripateo which means to live, behave, or conduct oneself in a certain manner or way. The question arises then; What manner of life did these many people who claimed to belong to Christ demonstrate? Well, we know that Paul, Peter, and the other Apostles saw the Majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ personally and were convinced that He was from God and in fact God Himself (John 16:30). This was the message of the Cross of Christ as Paul declared it to the Corinthian believers with these words, “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19) (NKJV). The fact of all the Apostles declaring that “God was in Christ” is the most clear, concise, and complete witness of the Cross to humanity. Therefore, Paul was compelled to warn everyone who truly trusted and believed this fact about Christ and the Cross of those who did not truly believe it and were still counting on and believing in some inherent, in built, integral goodness within themselves that could make them acceptable to God bypassing the submission to the Cross of Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is why Paul writes “I have told you often” and the English phrase “I have told” is translated by one Greek word lego (not the kid blocks), but a primary verb; properly to lay forth, that is, (figuratively) relate (in words [usually of systematic or set discourse; In other words, Paul was determined to relate to the true believers “in Christ” through constant, consistent, and continual discourse by way of speaking (when he was in their presence) or by way of writing (as he is doing here in his physical absence). Paul was not naturally a man who would cry often, but there was one thing that would bring him to tears of sadness often and that was when he perceived that those whom he loved dearly were being deceived by the devil by way of his two-legged devils about the Person, Power, or Purpose of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ as he wept over most of Israel for not seeing Christ as their sent Messiah (Romans 9) and also this example recorded for us by Dr. Luke of Paul’s warning to the Ephesian Elders, “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole Counsel of God. Therefore, take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the Church of God Which He purchased with His Own Blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore, watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.” (Acts 20:26-31) (NKJV).

These many who are the enemies of the Cross of Christ because they do not believe in or declare to others the Christ of Scripture as we know today that many people do not believe in Christ Bodily Resurrection from the Dead or the fact that He (Christ) was born of a virgin or that He (Christ) is coming back again in His Resurrected Body to the earth to judge the world, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His Power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-10). These many did not ever truly believe the testimony of Paul and other witnesses of Christ Cross and Bodily Resurrection from the dead, and in so doing these, “Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)” (Philippians 3:19) (KJV). When Paul declares that their “God is their belly”, he refers to them being of those who declare what we now know today as the prosperity Gospel; meaning that the God/Christ they worship wants them always healthy (in their physical body) and wealthy (in their wallets and bank accounts). Today we see this plastered all over many “Christian television stations or networks” where there are men and women duping, deceiving, and destroying the souls of countless unsuspecting men and women seeking the true God (Romans 16:17-18) with fables, fictions, and outright fabrications of the truth of the Bible telling people to sow a seed into their ministry and to expect a hundred or even a thousand/fold harvest to come back to them for their faithful seed.

In reality these men and women (charlatans) are the only ones prospering and they are overthrowing the faith of many sincere believers with their lies. I have detected over the years now of watching and studying some of these charlatans, that in using the Bible, they almost always stay in the Old Testament, only occasionally venturing into the New Testament to pull some verse out that has nothing to do with what they are declaring. They also dupe people to send money that they might receive a gift back from the minister such as a prayer handkerchief that they have prayed over and laid hands on in order that the person would receive healing from some disease or infirmity, this is all done (not that they care for the persons healing), but again to enrich their own personal wealth, for this is their God/money and earthly treasure, however, let us remember these words from our Lord Jesus Christ speaking about such men or women, “Then He said to them in His teaching, ‘Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.’” (Mark 12:38-40) (NKJV).

“You will likely never hear these charlatans teaching on these words spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ when He said, ‘Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.’’ (Matthew 16:24-27) (NKJV). These are the many people all about today who are teaching millions that God is manifested rightly by gaining the things of this world and not by loving Christ no matter what trials, tribulations, or trouble we endure here on this earth.  Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

“It seems, then, that there are professing Christians who are enemies of the cross of Christ. Not that it is always an open and proclaimed hostility; though, indeed, in the case of those whom Paul is thinking of, it would appear to have revealed itself pretty frankly. But at all events it is a real aversion; they would have nothing to do with the cross, or as little as they may. And this proves that the very meaning of salvation, the very end of Christ as a Saviour, is the object of their dislike. But in Christianity the place of the cross is central. It will make itself felt somehow. Hence those who decline or evade it find it difficult to do so quietly and with complacency. Eventually their dislike is apt to be forced into bitter manifestation. They begin, perhaps, with quiet and skillful avoidance; but eventually they become, recognizably, enemies of the cross, and their religious career acquires a darker and more ominous character.” Expositor’s Bible Commentary

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…