Philippians 3:18

18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ,

 

Ouch!  When Paul wrote this letter, he was not talking about unbelievers.  He was saying that there are BELIEVERS who are actually enemies of the cross of Christ!  How do you become an enemy of the cross? 

 

Ephesians 4:17

17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles (this refers to unbelievers) also walk, in the futility of their mind,

 

Simply by living like an unbeliever!  All it takes for you to live like an unbeliever, and become an enemy of the cross is for you to reject the Word of God.  Remember, the Word of God is the actual thinking of Christ (John 1:1; 1 Corinthians 2:16). 

 

There are really 3 ways that you can reject the Word of God. 

 

  1. By not hearing it consistently.  This is the refusal to gather together with other believers that we looked at a while back.  (Click here is you missed it).  This one is really easy; something always comes up!  There’s always a good reason not to learn.

 

  1. You can hear it, but you don’t believe it.  It’s a little like food.  If you eat food, but are unable to metabolize the food, it does your body no good.  The Word of God works the same way – it’s not just hearing it, you have to accept it with faith:

Hebrews 4:2

2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

 

  1. You can hear it, and believe it, but you don’t apply it when the situation comes up.  This is what James is talking about:

James 1:22

22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

 

If you know and believe everything you learn about the Word of God, and then don’t put it into practice, what good does it do you?  Think about this analogy (yes, I have a 15 year old!).  Let’s say you are learning to drive, and you go to driver’s education class and learn that you should stop at a stop sign.  You hear the lesson, and you believe it.  But then when you are driving home, you come to a stop sign and decide to just keep going!  The principles in the Word of God work the same way.  What good does it do you if you don’t put it into practice?

 

Be careful not to reject the Word of God.  You don’t want to be considered an enemy of the cross of Christ.  Take it in, believe it, and put it into practice!