Who are the enemies of Christ?

Explanation:

To understand who the enemies of the cross of Christ are, it is important to consider the context. In Philippians 3:4–14, Paul reflected on his journey as a Christian in order to encourage the Philippians in their own walk. To be a Christian is to forget one’s earthly position and stature and follow Christ, by sharing in his suffering and serving others. Of course, Paul knows there are some who profess to be Christian but who are unwilling to share in Christ’s sufferings or serve their neighbour. These are enemies of the cross of Christ, because although they profess to be Christians, their behaviour shows them to be otherwise.⁴

Counterargument:

The fact that Paul reflects on his experience converting to Christianity in Philippians 3:4–14 does not imply that the enemies of the cross of Christ, mentioned in Philippians 3:18, are professing Christians. Rather, based on the context of Paul’s self-reflection, we could just as likely infer that the enemies of the cross are the Romans who imprisoned Paul. Paul reflects on his suffering for Christ, explaining that he does so gladly, before noting that many are enemies of the cross of Christ. That is, although Paul is glad to suffer for the gospel, there are many who do not perceive the power of the cross and would imprison preachers such as Paul simply for preaching. These are enemies of the cross.

Response to counterargument:

This counterargument has no weight, for it fails to understand Philippians 3:4–14 within Paul’s overall train of thought that moves all the way to Philippians 3:21. Take for instance the verses immediately preceding Philippians 3:18. After reflecting on his conversion, he calls the Philippians to imitate him and take example of those who live as Paul does. Then he says that some live as enemies of the cross. In fact, he says that he has told this to the Philippians before, and that he tells it again with tears. Given that the context has to do with Paul’s reflections on how to live as a Christian, his call for the Philippians to imitate him, and the fact that he tells the Philippians with tears that some live as enemies of the cross, the context supports the notion that Paul has fellow Christians in mind.

Explanation:

Paul uses the verb περιπατέω (to walk) to denote behaving in a manner that is consistent with one’s profession of faith. For example, in Philippians 3:17, Paul calls the Philippians to imitate him and those who walk (περιπατοῦντας) according to his example. In other words, the Philippians are to imitate those who behave in a manner that is consistent with their profession as Christians. But, Paul warns, there are some who walk (περιπατοῦσιν) as enemies of the cross of Christ. Given that Paul uses the same verb περιπατέω (to walk) to characterize the enemies of the cross of Christ, Paul likely has in mind that there are some whose behaviour shows that they are enemies of the cross of Christ.⁵ Further, that Paul uses the verb περιπατέω (to walk) in both places also suggests that he has professing Christians in mind.⁶ Thus, he is saying that there are some who profess to be Christians, but they behave as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Counterargument:

The problem here is that the verb περιπατέω (to walk) simply means to conduct one’s life.⁷ Thus, Paul seems to be saying that there are some who conduct their lives as enemies of the cross of Christ. Of course, this does not imply that these enemies are professing Christians, but that they are people who conduct their lives as enemies of the cross of Christ, whether they be pagans, professing Christians, Jews, or otherwise.

Response to counterargument:

While it is true that the verb περιπατέω (to walk) itself is not enough to show that Paul has in mind professing Christians, there are elements of the context that do suggest Paul has fellow Christians in mind. For he says that he often told the Philippians and now tells them again with tears that some walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Paul’s telling the Philippians with tears suggests an intimacy with those who oppose the cross. In particular, it suggests that there are professing Christians who oppose the cross of Christ, which for Paul is a sorrowful thought.

The weakness of this view is that, if the enemies of the cross are professing Christians, we would expect Paul to say these should be corrected. That is, we should expect Paul to say that the church leaders should try to persuade these brothers from a lifestyle that is at odds with their profession. Given that this instruction is lacking, it seems that the enemies of the cross are simply pagans who do not believe.

Explanation:

When Paul refers to those who walk as enemies of the cross of Christ, he likely has the Judaizers in mind. The Judaizers were Jewish Christians who argued that one must continue to obey the Mosaic laws, including food regulations and circumcision, in order to be a Christ-follower. We can deduce that the Judaizers are the enemies of the cross of Christ, because we know from Galatians that the Judaizers did want to face persecution. In Galatians 6:12, Paul says that those who want to make a good showing in the flesh force the Galatians to be circumcised, because they do not want to be persecuted for the cross of Christ.¹⁰ Now, given the context of Philippians 3:7–18, the fact that the Judaizers wanted to avoid persecution is an important clue as to who the enemies of the cross of Christ are. For Paul has just described the Christian life as one that counts everything as a loss for knowing Christ, as a life that suffers for Christ’s sake and becomes like him in his death, and as a life that forgets what is behind and strains toward the upward call in Christ. In other words, the Christian life can be difficult. After describing the difficulty of living the Christian life, Paul calls the Philippians to follow his example, but there are some who are enemies of the cross of Christ. In other words, there are some who want to avoid persecution and difficulties. Given that the Judaizers were apt to avoid difficulty, Paul likely has in mind that the Judaizers are the enemies of the cross of Christ.¹¹

Counterargument:

The problem with this argument is that it is not clear that the enemies of the cross of Christ want to avoid persecution. Rather, Paul explains their behaviour in Philippians 3:19 where he says that their belly is their god, and that their minds are set on earthly things. Thus, the problem for the enemies of the cross of Christ does not seem to be that they want to avoid persecution, but that they are self-indulgent.¹² That is, the enemies of the cross of Christ are not willing to give up their sensuous pleasures and earthly desires in order to be found in Christ. Of course, if the enemies of the cross of Christ are not enemies because they want to avoid persecution, then the fact that the Judaizers wanted to avoid persecution is not relevant to Paul’s point.

Response to counterargument:

While it might be that Paul does not explicitly state that the enemies of the cross of Christ want to avoid persecution, we can at least detect that they want to avoid difficulty. That the enemies of the cross of Christ want to avoid the difficulties of the Christian life is implied by their behaviour. That is, rather than give up everything for the sake of following Christ and become like him in his death, these indulge in the flesh and treat their stomachs as gods. That is, these want to avoid the hardship that comes with following Christ, and so avoid it by indulging the flesh. Similarly, the Judaizers mentioned in Galatians want to avoid the difficulties of living the Christian life by avoiding persecution. Thus, given that both the Judaizers and the enemies of the cross of Christ want to avoid difficulties, it is likely that the enemies of the cross of Christ are the Judaizers.

Explanation:

Paul says that some walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. We can detect who the enemies of the cross of Christ are by considering the overall context of Philippians 3:1–21.¹³ For we know that the chapter opens with Paul warning the Philippians to look out for the dogs, the mutilators of the flesh (Philippians 3:2). By referring to the dogs who mutilate the flesh, Paul has in mind the Judaizers, who continue to promote the Mosaic laws. Paul then explains that he used to follow such laws himself but that he now considers his past life rubbish compared to knowing Christ (Philippians 3:4–11). In fact, he is willing to suffer anything for the sake of Christ and calls the Philippians to imitate him. Finally, he rounds off his train of thought by reiterating the fact that many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ (Philippians 3:18). Likely, Paul has in mind that the Judaizers whom Paul warned against in Philippians 3:2 are the enemies of the cross.

Counterargument:

The problem with this argument is that we know from the letter to the Galatians that the issue with the Judaizers is theological. That is, the Judaizers teach that one is justified before God not only through Christ but through obedience to the law. Thus, they are at theological odds with Paul, a divide that Paul refers to in Philippians 3:2–9 where he explains that as a Christian, he seeks to be found righteous on the basis of Christ, not the law. Thus, the contention between Paul and the Judaizers is a contention between justification through faith and the law. On the other hand, when Paul points to the enemies of the cross of Christ, he points out not their divergent theological proclivities but their self-indulgent behaviour.^14,15 Now if Paul had in mind that the Judaizers are the enemies of the cross of Christ, it is likely that he would point out their doctrinal rather than moral failures.

The weakness of this view is that the Judaizers are not obviously in Paul’s sight in this passage. At best, Paul alludes to the Judaizers in Philippians 3:2, but there is no indication that after the initial implicit mention, Paul’s warnings and instruction have anything to do with the Judaizers.