Philippians 3:16-18
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Philippians 3:16
Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by
the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
NEVERTHELESS, TO THE DEGREE THAT WE HAVE ALREADY ATTAINED
"Nevertheless" has the idea of "just one more thing."
This brings out the main point of the maturity process under discussion.
Every true Christian grows to some degree. To the extent to which we grow,
we use that to grow further. Past development is the basis for future growth
-- the more solid the base the more sturdy the superstructure.
The word "attained" means to arrive at. Those who have grown
in Christ in Philippi have come only so far. Further growth is necessary.
Once some Christians realize they have grown they neglect further growth.
After growing for a while, they sidetrack from growth. The most dangerous
period of human development is the adolescence period. That is the time
when we think we know everything. Little knowledge is dangerous because
it deludes us into believing we have arrived.
PRINCIPLE: The Christian should develop a patter of constantly building
on past growth.
APPLICATION: Have we detected any growth in our lives? Have we built spiritual
strength? We ought to be better Christians this year than we were last year.
What are we eating spiritually? How do we exercise our Christian life?
Are we on a spiritual diet? There does not appear to be any biblical justification
for a spiritual diet! We need to eat the proper spiritual food (the Word
of God). We also need the right kind of exercise. Have we leveled out
in our growth? Is our growth growing on the basis of past growth?
LET US WALK BY THE SAME RULE
The word "walk" connotes the idea of walking in rows or ranks.
The idea is to walk orderly, walk according to a rule or order. This word
was used in the military sense of walking in ranks -- walk in line, march
in battle order. The idea for the Christian is that he is to walk according
to the principles of a system -- the Word of God. We are to keep in step
with the Word.
The "same rule" is the rule set forth in verse 14, "I press
toward the goal for the prize of the upward-call of God in Christ Jesus."
The word "rule" means standard. A standard is the instrument
of measurement. The Bible is our instrument that measures the principles
of the Christian life. We walk in rank according to the standard of the
Bible. The Bible is the means of our walk. It is the instrument of progress
in the Christian life. Do we hold the standard keeping our life-ambition
in focus?
LET US BE OF THE SAME MIND
"Let us" occurs once in verse 15 and twice in verse 16. All three
"let us" challenges go back to "I press toward the goal (v.14)."
If we do not keep pressing toward the goal of the upward-call, a static
ineptness will creep in our spiritual lives. If we stay static long enough
we will stagnate. If we stagnate too long, spiritual dry rot will eat away
at the core of our spiritual strength.
Paul again challenges the Philippians to hold an "attitude." The
Bible is the absolute system of measurement for the Christian life. If
there is a conflict between how I feel and what the Bible says, the Bible
is always right.
An absolute criterion enables us to have confidence in life. We cannot
have full confidence without absolute truth. There is a standardization
of all spiritual truth. Our society is know for its many attempts at standardizing
everything. This is an attempt to get a fixed criterion by which other
things measure against.
Our fixed criterion is the Word. Anything that comes from God is absolute.
We look upon anything absolute with askance today. We live in a relativistic
society. Absolute truth "feels" wrong because everything in our
society assaults it. Many people are dogmatic about things they do not
understand. Others are hazy about things they should understand. Both
are tragic.
PRINCIPLE: The Word of God is the standard for forming proper attitudes.
APPLICATION: If we do not continue to grow we will develop a case of arrested
spiritual development. Spiritual termites will eat at our core.
Once spiritual stagnation conquers, the Christian retains little appetite
for the Word of God. Capacity for spiritual things dries up. This Christian
operates on 30% effectiveness. Imagine driving your car with only 30% of
the cylinders working? Power for emergencies would fail us. The car would
chug through traffic. Many stalls would frustrate the driver.
The stronger our attitudes the stronger the life will be. Paul challenges
the Philippians to deepen their understanding of the Word so that they can
free themselves from negative attitudes toward others and develop the positive
attitude of Jesus (2:5). Are your attitudes changing positively toward
others by the absolute standard of the Word?
Philippians 3:17
Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk,
as you have us for a pattern.
Dynamic spiritual growth to some is merely a fanciful ideal. They wonder
if real people live vital lives like this. "Are there any real people
out there who put flesh and blood on this kind of life?" Paul here
gives himself as an example.
Paul never presents himself as some super-saint who lives above ordinary
people. In this verse Paul expects other ordinary people like him to follow
in his tracks.
BRETHREN, JOIN IN FOLLOWING MY EXAMPLE
The word "following" in the Greek is the term from which we get
"mimic" in the English. Paul says, "If you want to grow,
mimic me." This word is more than just mimic, it means to be a "joint-mimic."
Join others in imitating Paul.
Could you honestly tell another believer to mimic the growth in your life?
Paul was an outstanding exponent of the growth of God's grace in a man's
life.
Paul began as a murder of Christians. He became the author of over one half
of the New Testament. He went from the most feared antagonist of Christianity
to its greatest protagonist. From perpetrating "havoc" on the
church he advanced to the point of the greatest advocate of Christianity.
Paul presented himself as a living example of dynamic growth, "For
though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not
have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
Therefore I urge you, imitate me" (I Cor. 4:15,16). Later in the same
epistle he said, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ" (11:1).
He did not say imitate me in every respect. He said, "Imitate me to
the degree I imitate Christ. So far as Christ is reflected in my life, follow
me."
PRINCIPLE: Everyone influences someone.
APPLICATION: Because everyone influences someone this puts us in a precarious
place. We need to watch our step. Our children are watching us. They follow
our foot steps. They listen to us when we disagree. They notice when their
parents have "roast preacher" for supper. They observe when you
criticize the music. They have such big ears when you pass gossip as truth.
They will adopt your critical spirit. If you are bitter they will become
bitter. If you are censorious of other Christians, they will pick up the
habit. If you criticize the church, they may not go when they are older.
You say little good about church so they assume little worth in church.
They will be just like you are. They throw a ball like their father and
they will criticize like their father.
What kind of example are you setting for your children? Do your children
see growth in your spiritual life? They watch you like a hawk. They have
big ears. What are you indirectly teaching them? They are trying to discern
whether you are all mouth. They ask, "Are my parents for real?"
In the first phrase Paul gave himself as an example to follow. Here he
encourages the Philippians to follow those who follow Paul's example.
AND NOTE THOSE WHO SO WALK
The word "note" is a military word meaning to reconnoiter, to
look, watch or mark. Paul challenges the Philippians to reconnoiter the
array of Christians in their purview to detect growing Christians.
Paul is not the only person to follow. There are others. "Keep your
eye on dynamic, growing Christians." In another passage Paul challenges
the Thessalonians to not only follow him but others, "And you became
followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction,
with joy of the Holy Spirit" (I Thess. 1:6).
Mature believers live life with a capital "L." They extend their
Christian lives far beyond existence from one Sunday service to another.
Christianity to them is more than religion. It is beyond putting on a
Sunday garment. The Thessalonians followed Paul and his companions by receiving
"the word in much affliction." Paul says, "If you follow
me, you might go to jail as well." "Oh, I did not figure on that!"
The Christian life might cost us something. It is not an easy life. It
is a blessed but not easy.
The Thessalonians looked upon Paul and his associates as the best Christians
they knew. You are the best Christian some people know. You may be the
only Christian some people know. People in your sphere of influence judge
all Christians by you. They never met a better Christian than you so they
figure every other Christian is worse than you.
"Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God
to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct"
(Heb. 13:7). As a Christian in general, and as a Christian leader in particular,
like it or not, right or wrong, people look at the conduct of a leader more
scrupulously. They expect things of leaders they cannot provide in their
own strength.
AS YOU HAVE US FOR A PATTERN
"Philippians, do you want an example of how to imitate Christ? Follow
our team. The character of Christ blooms in us."
The word "pattern" means to strike by a blow. It is the impression
left after the blow. It is that which forms a pattern after a thing in
made. The word comes to mean example.
Examples are hard to come by in our day. Some Christian leaders assault
the idea of a "pattern" or example in our day. They so forfeit
their credibility it affects the credibility of all Christian leaders.
This undermines spiritual authority in Christianity. It attacks the credibility
of Christianity itself.
PRINCIPLE: It is our responsibility to sort out the growing, dynamic Christians
from the dead and dull Christians. We are to associate with those who are
growing.
APPLICATION: Do you mark out others in your purview who are growing Christians?
Do you imitate weak Christians? Baby Christians? "Well, everyone
in our group are indifferent to spiritual things." Then find someone
who is alive spiritually. In the spiritual sphere the crowd is usually
wrong.
Are you making a contribution to the credibility of Christianity?
Philippians 3:18
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.
Verses 18 and 19 discuss the enemies of the cross. The chapter closes like
it began, "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation"
(3:2). To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
FOR MANY WALK OF WHOM I HAVE TOLD YOU OFTEN
In verse 17 Paul encouraged the Philippians to mark out those who are mature.
Mature believers live on earth as if they were already in heaven (v.20).
Now by graphic contrast he sets forth the flip side--those who detract
from growth. The negative crowd we run with influences our values.
This is a major problem for teenagers who are in the "identity crisis."
They gain their identity from what others in their group think about them.
Teens are vulnerable to the crowd. When they are by themselves they seem
to be fine. When they run with the crowd that is another story. They are
easily led. Group pressure sweeps them along in values they would not otherwise
hold. If they get into the right crowd where they can see living, flesh
and blood, examples of those who walk with the Lord, the impact will be
for good.
Paul reminded the Philippians many times of those who would detract from
their lives. He told them "often." Paul employed "redundancy"
as a valuable device. Leadership takes responsibility to constantly warn
their followers of danger.
PRINCIPLE: Good leadership identifies negative influences and structures
countervailing principles into the people they lead.
APPLICATION: As a leader in your home, do you forewarn your family about
negative influences? Peer pressure cannot transcend fifteen years of values
inculcated into the life. If our teens are secure enough in themselves
that they can stand against the crowd, they have reached a maturity beyond
most. If we are to build teens who are independent of social pressure,
we need to communicate biblical convictions at a young age. We need many
young men and women who, like Daniel, dare to stand alone.
AND NOW TELL YOU EVEN WEEPING
Here is a man who could both take a strong stand and still exercise compassionate.
That is a difficult balance to maintain. Either we are hard and immovable
or weak and flexible. A mature person holds both conviction and flexibility
in tension. Paul was inflexible with foundational truth. Yet he was compassionate
with people--"even weeping."
"He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him" (Ps. 126:6).
"Serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials..."
(Ac 20:19).
"Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease
to warn everyone night and day with tears" (Ac 20:31).
Paul wept over those who do not know Christ as Savior. Weeping is no longer
in vogue. We live in a day of stingy compassion. We do not have any passion
because we do not have any compassion. We develop hardness to the lost
and the reality of hell. Therefore, we do little, if anything, to introduce
people to Jesus.
Paul wrote a stinging letter to the carnal Corinthians, yet he shows compassion
to them in II Corinthians 2:4, "For out of much affliction and anguish
of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved,
but that you might know the abundant love which I have so abundantly for
you".
Paul even wept over apostates in our passage. All this adds up to Paul's
love for people. Oh, we love our mother, father and children. We love
our husband or wife. Even that is difficult at times. To love someone
outside out personal sphere is another thing. That "thing" is
maturity.
THAT THEY ARE THE ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST
The phrase "the enemies of the cross of Christ" repulse those
who love the Lord Jesus. The "enemy" opposes the cross. The
cross is God's work. It stands in contradiction to human merit. People
adverse to God's glory hate the cross, "For if when we were enemies
we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, having
been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life" (Rom. 5:10). Before
we came to know Christ we were the "enemies" of God. "And
you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet
now He has reconciled" (Col 1:21). Our works alienate us from God,
even good works, if they are done in the flesh. "Because the carnal
mind (the unbeliever) is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the
law of God (the Bible), nor indeed can be (does not have the capacity)"
(Rom. 8:7).
Not only are those without Christ enemies of God but they are enemies of
the cross. "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who
are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God"
(I Co. 1:18). The cross is offensive to those who have not embraced its
message, "And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do
I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased"
(Gal. 5:11). Enemies of the cross allege they go to heaven without the
cross. They belittle the work of Christ on the cross. They believe God
is impressed by works.
PRINCIPLE: Both truth and compassion must be held in tension.
APPLICATION: Do you balance principle and passion? Do you engage both
passion and compassion at the same time? Is there balance in your life?
Paul loved people so much he shed tears for them. No wonder he became
the greatest missionary of his time. Do you love people beyond your immediate
friends and family? The standard of this verse is transcending love.
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