ENEMIES OF THE CROSS

FOR THERE ARE MANY, OF WHOM I HAVE OFTEN TOLD YOU AND NOW TELL YOU EVEN  WITH  TEARS ,WHO WALK (LIVE) AS ENEMIES OF  THE CROSS OF CHRIST.  PHIL. 3:18  (AMP) 

Who are these enemies of the cross of Christ that Paul speaks  of in this passage to the Philippians ? Notice Paul does not say enemies of Christ,but rather enemies of the cross of Christ. I believe Paul is emphasizing the fact that the cross is the object of their opposition and not necessarily the person of Christ. I would gather from the tone of his writing that he is speaking of people who embrace Christ as savior but refuse his lordship over their lives.

 All throughout the new testament the bowing of our will to the lordship of Christ is set forth as the only true posture of a regenerate person. Death to self and our will is emphasized by Christ and the apostles as the proof of this new birth. I believe Paul is saying there is no such a position as Christ without a cross, he goes on to say their god is their belly (or appetites). 

How much of christian teaching today is focused on the external quality of life rather than the internal? The idea that God is glorified by the abundance of material blessings a person has acquired “ through faith” is a most popular teaching today.

The idea of a christian having to suffer for the sake of the gospel is almost unheard of in western Christian culture. I believe this is what Paul (with tears) was saying to these believers; a Christ without a cross is a false christ. One of the biggest dangers in western christian culture is thinking the liberty we have in Christ is the liberty to disobey!!                                                     

link http://crossconnectfellowship.com/

The key to understanding who are the enemies of the cross of whom the apostle speaks in Philippians 3:18 may be found only 9 verses prior.

"And be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith."

It is those who are opposed to Faith Alone in Christ Alone.

Paul then says of himself three verses later,

"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I pursue, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended by Christ Jesus."

Paul certainly was not preaching the perfectionism of Wesley. For he knew that he and all that are Christ's were complete in Him(Christ)."And ye are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and power."(Col. 2:10)

The enemies of the cross are those who are not resting in Christ and his Righteousness. They are the ones fallen from grace. They resist and refuse to believe the Scripture which declares that any and all works done by us can never attain justification with God. Christ Alone on the cross accomplished this. Salvation is the work of Christ and by the Grace of Christ to the Glory of God.

"Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having despoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Col. 2:14,15)

Quote:

"I have often thought that man excels Satan himself in rebellion against God; for though we read of him tempting Christ, and of him crying out, "What have we to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of God? Art Thou come to torment us before the time?" yet we hear nothing about his calling Him a capricious tyrant, because He has not given them a chance of being saved. No, this species of rebellion appears to be the sole prerogative of ruined man. (William Gadsby)

That mind must be awfully bewildered, and that conscience dreadfully hardened, that can presumptuously dare to dictate to the Almighty, and blasphemously arraign him at its puny bar, and condemn him as a monster, not to be equaled by Satan, the father of lies, if he dare to deal out his immortal blessings in a sovereign way. Yet such men there are. (William Gadsby)

Real christian charity is swallowed up in the will of God, nor is it in its nature to extend itself one step beyond, nor desire one thing contrary to the glory of Jehovah. All the charity that we possess beyond this may be properly called fleshly charity. (William Gadsby)

"A man's free will cannot cure him even of a toothache or a sore finger, and yet he madly thinks it is in his power to cure his soul of sin. Actually, the greatest judgment which God Himself can in this present life inflict upon a man is to leave that man in the hand of HIS OWN BOASTING FREE-WILL!" (Augustus Toplady - author of the hymn Rock of Ages)

"Wicked men would have God to be any thing but what he is; nothing that God is really and truly pleaseth them." - J. Owen"
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A thread was recenly locked because it spurred the old Calvinism vs. Arminianism debate.

I wish you would not have posted this.

What is written here needs to rebutted, but I am not going to do so because the moderators do not want discussions on this topic.

I hope no one else chimes in to support what is written above out of a respect for the moderators' desire that this topic not be debated or argued.

I just realized that what I quoted was actually a "signature" line.

Even still...

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world."

This is the cross Paul is talking about: It is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Any other cross is a false cross and any other Christ is a false Christ.

What does it mean to be crucified to the world and the world crucified to me. This is Paul's and Wesley's perfection, total crucifixion and deadness to sin the flesh and the world.

Man would love to invent a cross upon which only Christ is hanging crucified while man reaps the benefit but the true cross of Christ carries not only Christ but also Me crucifies with Him in Him on that cross.

Only that person who is hanging on the cross in Christ can truly be free from the ordinances of man such as touch this, taste that.

He is free from the teachings of man as well, his signature would be something Jesus said rather than something a corrupt, and fallible man said.

You will know them by their fruit.

Faith is not that human illusion and dream that some people think it is. When they hear and talk a lot about faith and yet see that no moral improvement and no good works result from it, they fall into error and say, "Faith is not enough. You must do works if you want to be virtuous and get to heaven." The result is that, when they hear the Gospel, they stumble and make for themselves with their own powers a concept in their hearts which says, "I believe." This concept they hold to be true faith. But since it is a human fabrication and thought and not an experience of the heart, it accomplishes nothing, and there follows no improvement.

Faith is a work of God in us, which changes us and brings us to birth anew from God (cf. John 1). It kills the old Adam, makes us completely different people in heart, mind, senses, and all our powers, and brings the Holy Spirit with it. What a living, creative, active powerful thing is faith! It is impossible that faith ever stop doing good. Faith doesn't ask whether good works are to be done, but, before it is asked, it has done them. It is always active. Whoever doesn't do such works is without faith; he gropes and searches about him for faith and good works but doesn't know what faith or good works are. Even so, he chatters on with a great many words about faith and good works.

Faith is a living, unshakeable confidence in God's grace; it is so certain, that someone would die a thousand times for it. This kind of trust in and knowledge of God's grace makes a person joyful, confident, and happy with regard to God and all creatures. This is what the Holy Spirit does by faith. Through faith, a person will do good to everyone without coercion, willingly and happily; he will serve everyone, suffer everything for the love and praise of God, who has shown him such grace. It is as impossible to separate works from faith as burning and shining from fire. Therefore be on guard against your own false ideas and against the chatterers who think they are clever enough to make judgements about faith and good works but who are in reality the biggest fools. Ask God to work faith in you; otherwise you will remain eternally without faith, no matter what you try to do or fabricate.

Preface to the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans
by Martin Luther, 1483-1546

Throughout the new testament JESUS tells us to ask the Father for the things we need to live a life that is pleasing to him. We can receive this conforming to the image of his son by asking, as we continually realize how short we have come in acquiring this grace. Conformity to the image of CHRIST is a fruit not a work, the difference being, the later is a result of self effort,the former a result of abiding in the vine (CHRIST). While we abide in the vine (CHRIST) the sap (life of CHRIST) feeds us, and we grow and produce the fruit of conformity to the image of CHRIST.

Abiding in the vine is the only way we will ever over come a works mentality,because if your not abiding in CHRIST the only thing left is self effort. We dare not pride our self in mental assent of any doctrine if we bear no fruit as a result of understanding.

TAKEN FROM THE ARTICLE PREDESTINATION :

http://crossconnectfellowship.com/predestination.html