Context
We ended our last study with a look at Christian
maturity. Paul’s view of perfection was
that even though he had yet to attain it, he didn’t give up, but he continued
to pursue that as a goal—even though he would never attain it before the
resurrection. He viewed perfection as a
spiritual goal that he called the “out-resurrection” (the process of being
perfected by God’s power outside the resurrection of the righteous at Jesus’
return).
He understood that many of his readers would have a
difficult time understanding the pursuit of something unattainable as an
absolute, but he wanted them to see that this was what God wanted them to do
and would make it plain to them eventually.
Meanwhile, he encouraged them to not give up and to continue to live up
to the truth they already understood even if this new idea seemed bewildering.
Following Someone
Who is Pursuing God Philippians 3:17
Now, in our text this time, Paul discusses our role model. In verse 17 he says to imitate (or literally,
mimic) me and “those who are living
this way” – likely referring to Timothy and Epaphroditus whom he had mentioned
at length in chapter 2. Anyone who is
zealous for God and keeps pursuing God (“strive” or “pursue” in Greek, verse
12) should be “watched carefully” (verse 17) so as to copy them. We have Christ as our ultimate role model,
but we need to see that lived out in the flesh.
We need a mentor—someone whose behavior we can mimic in full
confidence. Not perfect (Paul wasn’t,
verse 13) but someone who kept picking themselves up and kept following
Jesus. Someone who is answering the “upward
call of God in Christ Jesus” (verse 14).
Avoiding Enemies
of the Cross Philippians 3:18-19
Now in verse 18, we have a bad example—someone we do NOT
want to imitate. As Paul mentions this,
he seems to remember people who had distinctly disappointed him and in thinking
about how their lives now displayed a disregard for Christ’s sacrifice for “the
sins of the world” it brought him to tears.
He did not for a minute exult in someone’s failure and sin. He wept as he admitted that such persons had
become “the enemies of the cross of Christ.”
What sort of behavior is he talking about?
Verse 19 tells us that their “end is destruction.” That’s where their path is headed unless they
change direction. Don’t follow such
people! Paul does not distinguish here
between carnal Christians and unbelievers because it is possible for a
Christian to act just like the world.
The fact that their “end is destruction” tends to cause us to mostly
think in terms of lost people who end up in hell, but carnal Christians can
certainly find themselves under the judgment of God if they persist in
disobedience and rebellion. In any case,
we want to avoid such people—even if we think they might be born again!
Do we avoid them because they sin? We all sin!
What, exactly, have they done that causes Paul to avoid them? “Their god is the belly.” “Belly”
is used in the New Testament to refer to either the stomach and the digestive
system or to the womb. Jonah was in the
“belly” of the great fish. Mary had Jesus
in her “belly.” But it is also used as a
figure of speech for the “appetite” as in Romans 16:18 where Paul warns them to
avoid people who cause dissension in the church because they are not serving
the Lord but their own “belly” or “appetites.”
When an appetite gets out of control it is called “lust.” The enemies of the cross of Christ are
self-centered. The things they do are
not ultimately for others or for Christ but for themselves. Paul adds that they are deceptive as they even
try to get you to copy them. They use
“smooth talk” and “flattery.” Don’t be naïve
and fall for this deception. Avoid people whose primary aim is themselves not
God.
Our tendency is to gravitate toward people who tell us what
we want to hear. When they start telling
us how wonderful we are and how we “deserve” something (but there is also
something in it for them), look out. It
reminds me of the caricature of a “time-share salesman.”
On the other hand, a good mentor may at times tell you
things you might not want to hear but you need to at least consider the
warning. Would you buy a car that didn’t
have warning lights or gauges for when the engine overheats, or the gas is
running low? What if it only had smiley
emojis that light up no matter what was going on? Such a vehicle would be downright dangerous!
Now back to Philippians 3:19. These enemies of the cross of
Christ are also said to “exult in their shame.” They take pride in things they
should actually be ashamed of! And their minds are set on “earthly
things.” Paul is not condemning thinking
meal preparation, cleaning out the garage, or doing your job at work—even those
might not appear to be “heavenly
things.” We are to be “in the world” but
not “of the world” (1 Corinthians 5:9-11).
We are just travelling through and (as he says in verse 20)
we are actually citizens of heaven. Our
ultimate aim is to be at home with the Lord but meanwhile we strive to please
Him where we are. Bad examples will try
to distract us with “shiny objects” here in this temporary home. But as we consider Paul’s words we realize
such distractions aren’t really harmless.
They are trappings of those who are the enemies of the cross of Christ.
We Await a Savior
from Heaven Philippians 3:20-21
But, we follow good examples, like Paul, Timothy, and
Epaphroditus who are waiting a Savior from heaven—Jesus Christ. (Anything that takes His place is – an
idol.) When Jesus returns, we who await
Him, will be transformed (literally “to change the appearance”) to be like
Jesus. We will have glorified bodies
like His. The same power that He will
use to cause every knee to bow and every tongue confess His Lordship will be
used to change us to be like Him.
What a goal to be like Him.
What an “upward call.” So that’s
why we strive to be like Him even though we are presently struggling with all
our might just to stand upright.
When our POWs returned from Hanoi in 1973, I watched them
ride the busses from the flight line to the base hospital at Clark Air Base in
the Philippines. They were still in
their POW clothing, but their heads were held high and they saluted as if they
had been doing it every day for the last seven years! One ex-POW was waving a little homemade
American flag. They had been striving to
live up to the image of an American warfighter even though they had been
temporarily housed in the Hanoi Hilton.
How they looked forward to getting some chow, a hot shower and a brand-new
uniform! And we who watched them exulted
in their homecoming with them.
Our example to follow is Christ and those who have set their
mind on following His example. One day,
we will be expatriated from this planet and see Him with new eyes. The struggle will all be forgotten. In the meanwhile, don’t give up!
© 2019 Eric Thimell
No comments:
Post a Comment