ES/PHIL/25 Philippians 3:17–4:1
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Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 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 set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.
It is important to hear again what is said in the previous verse which says:
Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
Let us be careful not to backslide but keep moving forward not forgetting to at least keep to where we have already got to in our maturity in Christ. With that said it is necessary to have role models to see that living life for Christ is not out of our grasp but, with caution, we are not to think that anyone is too great that they could not fall and not to put people on pedestals but it is to see that such people are following Christ. Another way of putting it is: I follow you as you follow Christ, and as much as you do this I will follow. Note again that Paul, in the passage we have read in previous weeks, said that he had not yet made it. Paul isn’t saying follow him no matter what he does but only in so far as he does in following Christ. I would want all of us to be able to say: Follow me for I follow Christ. We are collectively to follow Christ and follow, therefore one another.
Preaching the Word: Philippians—The Fellowship of the Gospel A Call to Imitation (v. 17)
Those who pursue Christ will produce those who pursue Christ. And it is only those who continue to run after Christ who will stand firm.
Are these enemies of the cross Paul speaks of inside or outside the Church? I am more inclined to believe that if they are in the Church it is not because they are believers. In the previous passage it warns about becoming legalistic but in this passage it is about being licentious or liberal. They are enemies of the cross of Christ because, as we see in verse 19, they are full of lusts and worldly, sinful lives. They are full of the old, natural man. Enemies are the opposite of role models. The god who is their belly isn’t just for the gluttonous but the drunk, the one who knows nothing of denying themselves. The problem with these fleshly ways of life is that it is not Christ’s way. We find that there are three groups found in the Church. One group are the genuine followers of Christ and two which are heretical, of those: one seeks that we obey every ordinance of God and man to the letter and the other who really couldn’t care less how they lived – both bring the Church into disrepute.
Peter does not mince his words talking of such people:
then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.
But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.
Truly their end is destruction. Scripture speaks of such time and again…one more passage will suffice:
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
It is all too easy to find something of ourselves in this list especially in the area of self-control where there is no or little knowledge of what it is to say ‘no’ to self. Lovers of pleasure – this surely is familiar to us – for who does not love pleasure? But if this takes first place in our lives rather than God then we have fallen a long way behind what is expected of us as belonging to Christ. We have to be careful that what we are cannot be construed as us being enemies of God.
I am sure that the things of this world are just as alluring, or more so, than it was in the past. But Paul’s passion is that his zeal and love for the Lord becomes ours – we can really sense it in his words. The devil knows how to make us ineffective and this is especially true of Western Christians of which we are. Who here will get up to pray at 5 like the S. Koreans? Who here hungers for the Word of God like many the world over as if it is the first time every time they come to it? Is it not true that the more materialistic we get the less godly we get.
It is, though, too easy to feel condemned but we need to consciously change in one thing this coming week. What will it be? More praise, more prayer, more reading God’s Word, more interceding, more listening – perhaps we need to decide on something as basic as an extra 10 minutes per day on one of these. 10 minutes to change a bit of our lives for the better – to show more we are getting ready for Heavenly life. For our minds to be on godly things than worldly. In the sermon this morning Jesus was happy that His disciples were discussing spiritual things than the mundane things of this world.
So here then is my question: How different are we from the world? Can people see the difference? Could we be convicted of being Christians? Can we find ourselves in what any of the passages we have read? Christ demands that we deny ourselves. We are those who ought to be humble rather than lifting ourselves up. When we are together what are our thoughts? When we are not together what do we concentrate upon? Is it upon food, upon drink, upon clothing, upon any other fleshly thing? What consumes our thoughts during the day, during the evening, during the night? Is it upon earthly things? Or is it that it is plainly forgotten that we are citizens of Heaven? When we get home all thoughts of praise and honour towards God is forgotten?
Our thought life dictates the things that we will do. How much change is necessary in our own thought lives for is it upon things like food, upon what is on TV and other such things…but whilst we do need to eat and drink and so on, our passion, our desires should be for Christ. We are to take up our cross and follow Him. The cravings that we have for other things only lasts for about 20 minutes – if only we would concentrate upon Christ instead during such times. And why do we crave except that we are covetous, one of the hidden sins of the Christian. We are not content with such things the Lord has already given us materially and physically but are only too content with our spiritual lives – if we should covet at all it should be for more of Christ.
It is the invisible things that are more real than the visible. What is seen will not last but shall all, in the end, be burned up. Surely we know by now how short life is. We are citizens of Heaven therefore we are not like the world – we have been changed – we no longer need to live lives full of worldly things. When our passion for Jesus diminishes we try to replace it with the things of the world but we find no satisfaction there except in a very limited sense for a very limited time. I can’t get no satisfaction. The belly as god can never be satisfied. The worldly people spoken of by Paul are spoken of by him elsewhere:
who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
What does this tell us about our own society? Boasting about prowess in drinking and in making sexual conquests! Proclaiming sexual perversion as a normal and even desirable way of life! Slaughtering the unborn in the name of freedom and choice! All of these are shameful beyond description, but our society is not ashamed! Instead it tries to make those who condemn such things feel ashamed. It calls perversion normal and common morality abnormal, and all the while God’s judgement rumbles in the background. Let someone mention that judgement and he is roundly condemned as something of a religious fanatic and as a very cruel and unfeeling person. What a strange society! It shames those who talk of judgement and refuses to be ashamed of the sin that brings the judgement.(Ellsworth, R. (2004). Opening up Philippians (pp. 76–77). Leominster: Day One Publications.)
We are to follow the advice given by Paul elsewhere in:
This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
For we are new creations created for good works in Christ. Let us learn to deny ourselves – instead spend a little more time in communion with God, in His word and learn instead to have thoughts of Christ instead, meditate upon Him and His Word. After all, as citizens of Heaven we will be completely taken up by Him and we will marvel that we did not spend more time on heavenly things rather than earthly things.
Let us be clear, as Christians we no longer need to walk in the ways of the old, natural man but we still have to say ‘no’ to it and instead allow the new desires that now spring up in the new man saying ‘yes’ to righteousness and holiness.
If we compare the enemies of the cross to those who live for Christ we find the contrast is enormous:
1. For them their end is destruction but for us it is a Heavenly citizenship
2. For them their god is their belly but for us our God is our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ
3. For them their glory in their shame but we are being transformed from glory to glory
4. For them their focus is on earthly things but we know all things are subject to Christ
We can be those who live on earth for the things of earth but this is short-sighted. We, however, acknowledge that the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. Everything will bow to Jesus. The end of earthly people is destruction not freedom as they suppose for freedom is found in Christ alone. Freedom is the watchword of our generation. But freedom from what? Or freedom to do what? Such people, unknowingly are slaves to their passions and desires. Living for Christ is what we should all be about – this should be the norm – not a special few who call themselves Christians. The reason why we are called fanatics or fundamentalist is because there are few Christians in name who are willing to live for Christ denying themselves knowing that our citizenship is in Heaven. The greater the denying of oneself, the greater that Christ can be exalted in us, the greater we can say to people follow my example.
We are to look forward to the time when we will be transformed. Our very bodies will be made fit for Heaven for they are certainly not fit now.
Preaching the Word: Philippians—The Fellowship of the Gospel Our Transformation
The change will be necessary because our weak mortal bodies are insufficient to receive and participate in the glorious state.
Preaching the Word: Philippians—The Fellowship of the Gospel Our Transformation
Paul is saying, then, that in place of an earthly body that is always characterized by physical decay, indignity, and weakness, the resurrected believer will have a heavenly body that is incapable of deterioration, beautiful in form and appearance, and with limitless energy and perfect health
Preaching the Word: Philippians—The Fellowship of the Gospel Our Transformation
This section heaps encouragement upon encouragement. The Philippians were citizens of the commonwealth of Heaven in the continuing present. This was not a future denouement but ongoing eternal reality.
We are those who are long-sighted knowing that our Saviour is coming back for us.
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Our focus, then, can no longer be earthly but with eagerness we are waiting upon our Lord to come. We are just travelling through. We are going home for He is coming back soon. Let us, therefore, stand fast in the Lord.
Preaching the Word: Philippians—The Fellowship of the Gospel Exhortations to Stand Firm (4:1)
my prayer for you.
May the body of Christ provide you with many examples to follow.
May the lives of the enemies of the cross be cause for tears and alarm.
May the wonders of your citizenship and your future dance in your soul.
And may you “stand firm” in your pursuit of “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”
Benediction
Benediction
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
Bibliography
Bibliography
Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Dunnam, M. D., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1982). Galatians / Ephesians / Philippians / Colossians / Philemon (Vol. 31). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.
Hughes, R. K. (2007). Philippians: the fellowship of the gospel. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
Leadership Ministries Worldwide. (1996). Galatians–Colossians. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.
Osborne, G. R. (2017). Philippians: Verse by Verse. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Runge, S. E. (2011). High Definition Commentary: Philippians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Walvoord, J. F., & Zuck, R. B., Dallas Theological Seminary. (1985). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
Exported from Logos Bible Software, 13:40 19 August 2018.