THE BIBLE MUSE

Enemies Of The Cross Of Christ

"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.” Philippians 3:18-19 KJV

   Paul gives us four characteristics of those who are enemies of the Cross of Christ. First, their end is destruction, both physically and spiritually. All men are born addicts to sin. Sin is manifested in many ways from greed to fear. Yes, fear. It is a sin to fear anything more than God! “The FEARFUL…shall have their part in the Lake which burneth.” Are you afraid to obey God, because others might mock or turn against you? What is more important? How you feel or your obedience to God? Did you ever hate obeying your parents, but did it anyway? Why? You believed in their promise of consequence! We do not obey God, because we have no fear of His promised consequence! Is your life going right? No? Maybe you aren’t obeying God like you ought. Ignorance of the law is NO EXCUSE! Get a Bible and study it!*
Second, these enemies are slaves of and worship their own desires: Addicts of LUST! They would rather climb a tree to lie than tell the Truth on the ground! Know anyone like that? Do you find yourself constantly making excuses for why you do what you do and say? Why? Does your conscience bother you? Do you know it’s wrong, but persist in it anyway? If so, your god is your lust!
Third, these enemies take pride in their sin. Did you ever hear someone brag about how they were Satan’s pal and they were gonna go to Hell where all their friends were? And help Satan rule? Or brag about how good they cussed? Or how much they could drink? Sure you have! These will die reprobate (without virtue) in their sin! Hell is NOT a place of friendship, because any kind of camaraderie would ease the torment! Have you ever burned yourself? If you think you’re going to have a good time in Hell, I challenge you to hold your finger in an open flame for thirty seconds! Lava gives us a glimpse of the Lake of Fire. Lava doesn’t glow until it hits the atmosphere. Underground it is black! The Scripture calls the Lake of Fire, “outer darkness.” It is a molten pit of eternal black torment!
Lastly, there is nothing Godly in their thoughts. Like the men of Noah’s day “the imaginations of their heart [is] ONY EVIL continually!” Evil is ANY disobedience of God’s Word! Do you find yourself falling into any one of these categories?

Ev’ry enemy of the Cross,
Will find Eternity a loss,
Because they mocked the Living Way,
They’ll never see Eternal Day! ~CGP

   Ask yourself this; “Why do I not fear God enough to obey Him in spite of the rejection of others?” You may find, if you are truly honest, you worship another god called “Self-gratification!” The First Commandment is quite explicit; “Thou shalt have NO OTHER GODS before Me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My Commandments.” Another god is anything you value at the expense of Truth! Have you broken the First Commandment?

“For whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is GUILTY OF ALL. Behold, all souls are Mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine: the soul that sinneth, IT SHALL DIE!” James 2:10, Ezekiel 18:4 KJV

(I use and recommend a King James English translation)