Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
Select a thought to read by choosing a collection, the month, and then the day:
"We're not supposed to be doing what Jesus did; we're supposed to be doing what he does." This is what I preached after the Lord showed me what Paul's phrase "in the flesh" in Philippians three means.
To worship God "in the flesh" means to worship Him with physical ceremonies instead of "in spirit and in truth". Jesus submitted to Moses' Law and observed the ceremonies of the Law that God gave to Israel, and he did so in order to make us free from it, not as an example for us to follow. He was born under the Law for us; he was circumcised the eighth day for us; he kept the Law's feast days for us; he worshiped at the temple for us; he submitted to baptism in water by John the Baptist for us; he was crucified on a cross for us; he was raised from the dead for us; and he ascended into heaven and sits now at the Father's right hand for us. If we are in him, then we are counted as having done all those things because he did them-for us! Then, the most important thing to know is how to get "into Christ", for "in him ye are complete."
The old man, the flesh, got everything in the Old Testament, as far as worship goes. The flesh was circumcised; the flesh fasted; the flesh consumed food and drink at God's feasts; the flesh fought God's wars against earthly enemies; the flesh made sacrifices; the flesh was adorned with special robes for worship; and the flesh was baptized in the River Jordan. Now, however, the flesh gets nothing.
Circumcision is now in the heart (Rom. 2:28-29); baptism is now in the Spirit (Mt. 3:11); our sacrifices are praises that rise up to God from our lips (Heb. 13:15) as well as the riches and mercy that we are to share with others (Heb. 13:16). Under the Law, the flesh had to kill a flesh-and-bone animal before it could be sacrificed to God; now, according to Paul, we may offer our entire being "a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God which is your spiritual worship" (Rom. 12:1, NRSV). The holy garment we now must wear for worship is the "fine linen" of "the righteousness of the saints". Old Testament prophets foretold of these changes, speaking of "the garment of praise", and the lifting up of our hands as being "the evening sacrifice". We feast now on food the world knows nothing about (cp. Jn 4:32), for "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." Christ is the manna that comes from heaven (Jn. 6:33-35, 47-58), and when our spirits eat him, we live forever. The communion of God is for our spirits now, not for our flesh.
Our incense is prayer from a pure heart (Rev. 5:8). Our shield is our faith; our sword is God's Spirit; our breastplate is God's righteousness (Eph. 6:13-17); and our helmet is the hope of salvation (1Thess. 5:8). God's Old Testament people fought against many earthly nations with swords and spears, but "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds" (2Cor. 10:4). The truth about how to worship God exposes every Christian ceremony to be a vain exercise in ignorance. Stay away from every ritual Christianity offers. None of them is from God. They are all in the flesh.
In one of Jesus' most famous conversations, he told a Samaritan woman as they sat by a well that God was searching for people who would worship Him in spirit and truth. "God is a spirit", Jesus explained to her, "and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth" (Jn. 4:24). We are given no options here. In this New Covenant, the only acceptable way to worship God is in spirit and in truth, for as Jesus said, "it is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless" (Jn. 6:63, NRSV). If you are willing to worship God the way He demands, He is looking for you.
Concerning those words of Jesus, I believe what my earthly father long ago said about his heavenly Father. In an interview taped at Brother Earl Pittman's house, I heard him make the comment that God is searching more diligently for somebody among His own people to worship Him in spirit and in truth than He is searching for sinners to repent and come to Him. I believe that.
Let's do things God's way and make Him happy. Let's forsake all forms of fleshly worship and avoid God's wrath. Let's serve God gladly in spirit and in truth, refusing all offers of religious rites for the flesh, and then, we may enjoy the many benefits of serving God only as He demands.