Why is Paul Weeping

           

On March 20, 1980, Mount St. Helens in Washington, a supposedly dormant volcano, began to quake and rumble. The local population was evacuated to a “safe” distance 8 miles away. Later, the side of the mountain began to bulge. Scientists were not alarmed because past research of volcanoes indicated that they never blew sideways.

Then on May 18 the side of Mount St. Helens exploded, shooting tons of debris downhill at the speed of 150 miles per hour. A minute later, the volcano exploded upward with the equivalent power of 500 atomic bombs! Two hundred thirty square miles of forest were devastated and 57 people lost their lives. The scientists had assumed that natural events would continue as before. But they were wrong (Our Daily Bread)

In Philippians 3:12-16, Paul summarizes the Christian life in three points. One, we have not arrived at perfection. We fall short of the glory of God, but God is not finished transforming us yet. Two, we are not satisfied with being where we are, we are pressing on to be more like Christ. Third, we are striving by grace and God is transforming us with the power which raised Jesus from the dead.

In Philippians 3:17-19, Paul's says “follow my example and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even as I weep, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite and whose glory is in their shame, who have their minds on earthly things”.

The word “walk” in verse 17 and 18 reveals two different ways of life. “Walk” stands for behaviour and manner of life. Paul wants believers at Philippi to be very careful who they follow because many “walk as enemies of the cross”. The broad road to destruction has plenty of company (Matt. 7:13). He wants them to observe the walk because what a person believes is reflected in the way he lives.

“Walk” is surer evidence of what someone is than their profession. Deeds are a more certain evidence of what people truly are than their words. A life that does not validate one's lips yields a poor testimony. Paul had often warned the Philippians that people would come along, outwardly identifying with Christ but who would be enemies of the true gospel. And now he tells them again “even as I weep”.

How strange in a letter filled with joy to find Paul weeping! He is not weeping over his difficult situation in prison; he will not permit circumstances to rob him of his joy.   He is weeping because there are people circulating among the churches professing to be Christians but they do not live as Christians. These people are causing great confusion both in the church and outside, bringing a lot of damage to the kingdom of God.

The text does not specifically say what he is weeping about. He could have been weeping because these enemies of the cross were lost.  The destiny of these people is destruction. He did have sorrow over the lost people, as Romans 9:1-5 indicates. He could also have been weeping because the weak in the church could be led astray.

In Acts 20:29-31, Paul told the Ephesian elders, "I know that after I leave savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own numbers men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.”  

For three years night and day he warned each individual with tears about false teachers and false doctrine. And then he says, "The only thing I can do is commend you to His Word which will build you up." You're protected by the Word. If you don't know the Word, you're not protected. This is a passionate man with rich feelings towards his flock. He loved them genuinely.

He is now warning the Philippians about similar people. Paul is grieved over their encroachment because it would bring reproach on the name of Christ and lead people astray. He loved the Philippian church; it was the first church in Europe, a sort of beachhead for another world to reach. It was so important that they kept the gospel pure.

These false teachers are enemies of the cross.  They do not “deny themselves and take up their cross and follow” Jesus (Matt. 16:24). Paul says “may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14). Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (Gal 5:24).

In Philippians 3:19 Paul describes these enemies of the cross. He says “their end is destruction, their God is their appetite, their glory is in their shame and they set their mind on earthly things”. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom.8:6). They live only for the temporal pleasures and their highest good in life is to satisfy self rather than crucifying the flesh with its passions and desires.

False teachers contradict the truth of the Word of God. Some are lost due to ignorance. In Hosea 4:6 God declares “my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests”. Some false teachers are blind and they guides blind people. The sad thing is “both will fall into a pit” (Matt. 15:14). That is why Paul considered everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ (Phil. 3:8-9).

Most false teachers are not mistaken teachers with good intentions; they willingly deceive their hearers. They seek to draw people to themselves, so they teach what their audience wants to hear or what gains popularity. They secretly introduce destructive heresies. Many follow their depraved conduct and bring the way of truth into disrepute.  In their greed these teachers exploit their followers (2 Peter 2:1-3). 

False teachers are people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain (1Tim.6:5). They “are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people” (Rom. 16:18).  They eagerly take advantage of naive believers in order to fill their own stomachs.

Shepherds who feed only themselves are clouds without rain...autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted-twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever (Jude 1: 12-13). They are primarily concerned about fulfilling bodily appetites, rather than knowing Christ and making Him known.

Those whose god is their belly “set their mind on earthly things”. They are focused only on what is here and now. They love what they should hate and hate what they should love. They find joy in what they ought to mourn for and mourn for what he ought to rejoice in. They find glory in what they should be ashamed of and are ashamed of what should be their glory. 

It is often difficult to spot a false teacher. Satan masquerades as an angel of light  and his ministers masquerade as servants of righteousness (2 Cor.11:14-15). The best way to guard yourself against falsehood is to know the truth. The only way to be able to recognize a counterfeit is by being thoroughly familiar with the truth. To spot a counterfeit, study the real thing.

 If you are a teacher of the word “do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Any believer who carefully studies the Bible can correctly handle the word of truth and identify a false doctrine.

Therefore, study the Bible and judge all teaching by what the Scripture says. Practice what you learn; by constant use you will train yourself to distinguish good from evil (Heb 5:14).  That way, you will not be blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming (Eph 4:14).

Jesus warned false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves” (Matt.7:15). Many will come in His name to deceive; they” will attempt to deceive even God’s elect” (Matt. 24:5, 24).  In the last days scoffers will arise following their own ungodly passions (2 Peter 3:3, Jude 1:17-18). Do not to be deceived by them.

One of the primary tasks of elders is to guard the flock from these savage wolves (Acts 20:28-31, Titus 1:9-16). Jesus said that we can spot the wolves by their fruit or deeds (Matt. 7:15-20). Paul warned of those who “profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient, and worthless for any good deed” (Titus 1:16).

Satan has always made sure that there are counterfeit Christians. But do not be turned from the truth because of the presence of hypocrites in the church. Be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:17-18).