Do We Live In a Time That We Glory In Our Shame?

"Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is onearthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." Philippians 3:17-21

When I read the third chapter of Philippians, I got more understanding of what Paul was saying to the Philippians. Let's see if I can express it the way i understand it to be.

First, he warns about Judaizing seducers and tells them to follow his example (Paul). He also reminds them who his own lineage and his own status, that he rejects to be a follower of Christ (verses 1-6). The in verses 7-14. Paul talks about his choice to be what God has designed him to be.

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. " Philippians 3:7-14

Here Paul begins to talk about attain what the Lord has already attained for him and forgetting the past failures and successes to press toward this goal in Christ Jesus. Paul is stating to put it simply: Do not have confidence in your flesh but put your confidence in Christ. It does not matter what you have or the world thinks that you have. You must be willing to put it all aside for Christ and achieving this one goal.

So far, Paul is speaking to the church and he goes on to say in verses 15-16: that we must be mature and have this mind. He also tells us to govern ourselves by what we have already attained through the teachings and revelation of God's truth. Which leads us up to verses 17-21. Paul here is not addressing those that are not in Christ but those that are stating that they are in the body of Christ. He is warning them not to be like some who are, in my words, perverting the things of God by "their god being their stomach, their glory is in their shame, and their mind is on earthly things." Paul says, "they live as enemies of the cross."

So, with all this said, do I believe that this scripture is relevant for the time we live in? YES. My reasoning being many are living as enemies of the cross, but say that they are friends of the cross. They smear the reputation of the church. They tend to forget it's not about earthly gain or what you can be or get here. It's all about helping people see Christ is still the answer. They promote themselves in a way that people come to see them and not the one who sent them. They pollute the gospel for their own gain.

Some of us have forgotten that this world is not our home we are just passing through. Paul reminds even the Philippians of this too.

"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." Philippians 3:20-21.

I hope I made myself clear, your thoughts welcomed.


You are Bound No More. 

Pastor Linda Hillman 

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