Who Are The True People Of God?

Don Fortner | Added: Oct 16, 2025 | Category: Theology

For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:3).

There have always been certain religious groups which claimed to be the true church, the true people of God. They say if you are not of us, you are not among the Lord’s true people. Who are God’s true people?

The Jews claim to be God’s true people because they are the physical seed of Abraham because they have been circumcised in the flesh. The Roman Catholics claim to be the true people of God because they claim that the church of Rome is the only true church. There are many others who claim that their church is the only true church, that apart from their church there is no true salvation. Who is right? 

While we conscientiously adhere to those doctrines and practices which we believe to be true, we must avoid a proud, sectarian spirit. Yet, it is evident that not all who profess faith in Christ possess faith in Christ. It is one thing to be religious, it is another thing to be saved. It is one thing to be a part of a religious organisation, it is something else to be in the church, the body of Christ. All that glitters is not gold, and ‘they are not all Israel, which are of Israel’ (Romans 9:6).

How can we know who are the true people of God? I do not raise the question so that you may examine others. I raise this question so that each one may examine himself. Am I one of the Lord’s true people? How can I know whether or not I am one of God’s elect? Not by what I believe. Demas believed the truth. Not by what I practise in religion. Judas had the right form of religion. Not by what I do, or do not do. The Pharisees were meticulous, straight-laced and outwardly moral. Not by the great religious experiences I have had. Lot’s wife had many great experiences. 

Who are the true people of God? How can I know whether or not I am one of God’s elect? Paul tells us, ‘We are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh’. 

In this one brief verse of Scripture, the Apostle Paul describes for us four distinct characteristics of God’s elect.

Operation of grace

‘We are the circumcision.’ Every true believer has experienced an inward work of grace called the circumcision of the heart. If I am truly a believer, a child of God, I have experienced this mighty operation of divine grace in my heart (Romans 2:29). Often we refer to this operation of grace as ‘the new birth’, but it is described several ways in the New Testament. The new birth is a spiritual resurrection (John 5:24, 25). It is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Here Paul speaks of the new birth as a spiritual circumcision of the heart (Colossians 2:10, 11).

In the Old Testament, God’s covenant people were circumcised in the flesh. The cutting away of the flesh of the foreskin was a ceremonial picture of redemption and conversion, the circumcision of the heart. In circumcision, the filth of the flesh was cut away. In the new birth, the old man is cut off and Christ is formed in us. This circumcision of the heart is the work of God alone. It is made without hands, by the power of God. To be circumcised in my heart is to have my heart cut open by the hand of God and my inmost sin exposed to the eye of God. The knife which the Lord uses to circumcise the hearts of His people is the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12). Circumcision is the cutting off of the heart from every false hope.

Circumcision was the seal of God’s covenant to Abraham (Genesis 17:9-11). The Holy Spirit is the seal of God’s covenant to us in Christ (Ephesians 1:13, 14). Circumcision distinguished the Jews from the Gentiles. It was a mark of distinction, identifying and separating the children of Abraham from all others. The circumcision of the heart is a mark in the believer, identifying him as a child of God. It is not a mark seen by the eyes of men, but by the eyes of God alone (1 Samuel 16:7). The new birth is that act of grace by which all of God’s elect are separated from the rest of mankind.

Circumcision was an act of cleansing in the flesh. The new birth is the purifying of the heart and conscience by the blood of Christ. Circumcision was a painful thing to endure. The new birth is attended with the painful conviction of the Holy Spirit. When Christ is revealed He will cause pain and contrition of heart (Zechariah 12:10). 

Circumcision was a permanent work. The new birth is a permanent work of grace in the heart. Only God can speak to your heart. Only God can wound your heart. Only God can expose your sin and destroy your refuge of lies. To be circumcised in your heart is to have your heart pricked with a true sense of your sin, under Holy Spirit conviction. To be circumcised in your heart is to have your heart broken before God (Psalm 51:17; Isaiah 66:2). The hardness of the heart is removed when the iniquity of the heart is exposed. If ever you come under Holy Spirit conviction by a revelation of Christ in your heart, you will loathe your sin, you will know the shame of your sin, you will acknowledge your sin, and you will renounce all of your own supposed righteousness before God.

When Paul says, ‘We are the circumcision’, he is saying we are the true people of God; we are the true Israel of God; we are the church of God. Only those whose hearts have been circumcised by divine grace are born of God. If I am one of God’s elect, I have experienced this mighty operation of grace in my heart.

Worship

‘Which worship God in the Spirit.’ Do we know anything about true worship (John 4:23, 24)? Do we know what it is to worship God in the Spirit? Public worship is important. We must not neglect it. But true worship is much more than going through the acts of worship. There are many who worship God publicly, who never worship God privately. Many who meticulously observe the externals of worship know nothing of internal worship. God’s saints worship Him.

Public worship is easily performed, but private worship is difficult. Public worship gains the approval of men, but private worship seeks the approval of God. Public worship may make a man proud and self-righteous, but private worship will humble a man before God. Public worship is pleasing to the flesh, but private worship brings peace and comfort to the heart. Public worship tells men what I want them to think I am, but private worship reveals what I really am.

True worship is not a physical act. We have no physical objects of worship. We have no physical help to worship. All physical worship is idolatry. All men are idolaters by nature. Therefore, idolatry is very appealing to the flesh. But God forbids it (Exodus 20:4, 5). God’s saints all worship God in His true character! We worship God exclusively, carefully making certain that we render praise, honour, and glory to no one else.

God gave us His Son in the incarnation, through the womb of the virgin, but man passes by Christ and worships the virgin Mary. Christ died upon the cross to redeem us from sin, but man passes by Christ and worships the cross. Our Lord gave us the ordinance of baptism as a symbolic confession of faith in Him, but man passes by Christ and makes baptism his saviour. Christ gave us the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper to remind us what He has done for us, but man passes by Christ and makes the bread and wine his saviour.

True worship is a spiritual act of the heart toward God. I cannot stress this enough. Worship is a matter of the heart. God looks upon the heart. We worship God because He is God. We worship God because He has been gracious to us in election, redemption, calling, and providence (Psalm 34:1-7). We worship God because he is a Father unto us and we are His sons and daughters. 

What is true worship? True worship is a humble submission of the heart to the sovereign Lord. True worship is an adoring reverence of God. True worship is faith in God. It is the trust and confidence of the believing heart. True worship is praise and thanksgiving to God.

True worship is in the spirit. We worship God by the grace, the power, and the direction of the Holy Spirit. Idolaters have a carnal god who is impressed with carnal things. They worship with carnal things; images, robes, pictures, crosses, altars, and ceremonies. Those things which they call ‘aids’ to worship actually forbid worship (Hebrews 13:10). All carnal worship is a pretence, a show in the flesh, no more! Our worship is spiritual. It is a matter of the heart. We worship God according to the revelation of the Spirit. We worship God spiritually, personally, inwardly (Matthew 6:3, 4, 6, 17, 18). We worship Him by the free, spontaneous exercise of faith, hope, and love toward Him. 

Rejoices

‘Rejoice in Christ Jesus.’ The word ‘rejoice’ here is not the same word that we had in verse 1 of chapter 3. The word ‘rejoice’ here has in it not only the idea of joy and happiness, but also of glorying, trusting, boasting, and confidence. What Paul tells us here is that all who are born of God, who have been circumcised in their hearts, who worship God in their hearts, confidently trust Christ alone for acceptance with God. The true believer is one who has a thankful sense of his Redeemer’s mercy, and desires to praise Him for it. We rejoice in Christ Jesus and glory in Him as our all-sufficient Lord and Saviour. To rejoice in Christ is to glory in Him as our All in all.

What is your glory and crown of rejoicing? Is it your religion? Is it your doctrinal creed? Is it your good character? Is it your wisdom? Or is it the Lord Jesus Christ? Every true believer rejoices in Christ alone (1 Corinthians 1:30, 31).

We rejoice in who Christ is. He is God our Saviour! We rejoice in Christ in all His offices. He is my Prophet to teach me. He is my Priest to redeem me. He is my King to rule over me.

We rejoice in what Christ has done; His suretyship engagements, His incarnation, His representative life, His substitutionary atonement, and His triumphant exaltation.

We rejoice in the fact that Christ is where He is, on the right hand of the majesty on high (Hebrews 8:1). Christ our High Priest sits upon the throne of heaven and makes intercession for us to God. He is the right man (Hebrews 7:21-25). He has done the right thing (Hebrews 9:11, 12, 20). He is in the right place (Hebrews 8:1). He offers the right plea (Hebrews 9:22; 1 John 2:1, 2).

We rejoice in all the blessings and privileges bestowed upon us in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). We rejoice in redemption, pardon, justification, acceptance, adoption, peace, and hope of eternal life.

We rejoice in Christ always. I cannot always rejoice in the events of my life, but I can always rejoice in Christ Jesus my Lord. In adversity as well as in prosperity, in sickness as in health, in sorrow and in joy, I can and will rejoice in Christ Jesus. To rejoice in Christ is to be content and satisfied with Him. To rejoice in Christ is to say, Christ is enough (Psalm 73:25, 26). We will rejoice in Christ forever (Psalm 17:15).

No confidence in the flesh

‘And have no confidence in the flesh.’ The word ‘flesh’ means anything other than the Lord Jesus Christ which a man might look to as the basis of his acceptance with God. We place no confidence in our earthly privileges. We place no confidence in our religious experiences. We place no confidence in our church affiliation. We place no confidence in our service for Christ. We place no confidence in our good works. We place no confidence in our ‘personal holiness’. Our only confidence before God is Christ. Charles Wesley wrote,

Other refuge have I none,

Hangs my helpless soul on Thee.

Christ alone is my confidence and hope for all things before God. He has given me a good, expectant, confident hope. Hymn writer Edward Mote wrote:

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,

All other ground is sinking sand.

 

In Christ I am confident of God’s approval and acceptance. In Christ I am confident of the resurrection. In Christ I am confident that I shall not be found wanting in the day of judgment. In Christ I am confident of my eternal inheritance in heaven.

Who are the true people of God? They have experienced a mighty operation of grace. They worship God in the spirit. They rejoice in Christ Jesus. They have no confidence in the flesh. 

Would you be numbered among the people of God? Bow down and worship God. Trust the Lord Jesus Christ. Renounce all your supposed righteousness. If you do these things, it is because the Lord Himself has performed a mighty operation of grace in your heart. You, too, are among the circumcision, the true people of God.

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