Although the Church at Philippi was a faithful and growing congregation, it was not without problems. Like many young churches of that day, they began to have a problem with those who were teaching a mixture of law and grace. Paul warned the Philippian believers to “beware” of those who promote such teachings. The Judaizers taught that both faith and works were necessary for salvation.

They taught that faith in Christ must be tied to “the Jews religion,” to “tradition,” to “circumcision,” and to the observance of holy “days, and months, and times, and years.” Paul called their teachings “another gospel,” (Gal. 1:6). It was a gospel of grace and works. They wanted to bring the Gentile believers into the Jewish system. They taught that a person was saved by faith and by keeping the Law. They also taught that a man was kept secure by keeping the Law. (Does that sound like a familiar doctrine today?). In his letter to the Galatians, Paul made it clear that both of these doctrines are wrong.

It is true that we should strive to please the Lord in our actions and worship, but those actions do not make us more righteous. We are either made righteous by the work of Jesus Christ alone, or we’ll stand before God dressed in the filthy rags of our own righteousness (II Cor. 5:21). We work, serve, and worship out of a loving response to what the Lord has already done in our lives. We have been set free from the bondage of sin unto the glorious liberty of grace and that life-changing truth should create in us the desire to serve diligently and to live holy separated lives before Him. We work for God, not because we are trying to be accepted, but rather because we desire to please the one Who has already accepted us.

Thought for Today: “Faith in works and works of faith are not the same thing!” M.D.H. Sr.