Philippians 3:19-21To: Philippians Main MenuTo: Grace Notes Home Page Philippians 3:19Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame - who set their mind on earthy things.Paul sets forth a striking four-fold description of the "enemies of the cross of Christ." It is difficult to determine whether these people are renegade believers or hostile unbelievers. WHOSE END IS DESTRUCTION The first portrait of these rebels depicts their "end"--"destruction". The word "end" does not mean cessation of existence. It portrays the issue and course of action of their lives. Their religion seems feasible: Be a good neighbor, pay your debts, join the P.T.A. Those are earmarks of a good citizens but not of a good Christian necessarily. We may unpack all our obligations to our fellow man but this will not impress God. The horizontal is not the issue with God but the perpendicular. On the other hand their religion may comprise more spice, "If you join us we put no limits on your sex life..." A certain popular philosophy in the first century believed it was man's duty to plum the depth of sin just as much as it is to scale the heights of virtue. Sin was their duty. By living at both ends of virtue and sin their experience is complete. "Destruction" is not annihilation or extinction in the Bible. The word connotes the idea of "waste" or "ruin." A person who is an enemy of the cross ends in ruin. They are not annihilated. At death they do not slip into an eternal unconsciousness. They continue to exist but they wreck the quality of life either in time or eternity. They know nothing of God's quality of life. Their end is more than termination; it is a state of moral ruin. "Destruction" essentially has to do with separation from God. WHOSE GOD IS THEIR BELLY The second characteristic of these haters of the cross is their "god is their belly." Their god was their appetite. "For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly..." (Rom. 16:18). These people are not atheists. They have a god. It is their appetite. They are their own god. There is no true atheist. Most atheists bow before their own brain. They worship self. They are self indulgent. They sit in judgment of the Bible. Their god is made up of what they can taste, smell, see, hear and feel. Their god is made of what their finite brains can understand. They invent their own god. They manufacture gods of Christians live lives of practical atheism. They savor self indulgence. Christians manufacture gods of their wife, husband or children.. Others worship their business or job. A great god to many believers is the mighty dollar. Their god is their belly. A man's god is that to which he wholly gives himself. His god is what drives him. PRINCIPLE: Ruin is the end of a self-indulgent philosophy of life. APPLICATION: What drives you? The dollar? Sex? Good causes such as your family, career? Is God the central purpose for your existence? The third and fourth characteristics of the haters of the cross show further belief systems. AND WHOSE GLORY IS IN THEIR SHAME Some people brag about their shame. Their shame is their glory. They obtain popularity by their own disgrace. To glory in shame is a pitiful view of life. People are proud that they are immoral. They do not mind parading their brazen, blatant sin before millions on national television programs. Homosexuals march in "coming out" parades. "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" (Eph. 4:18). They do not blush anymore. Their sense of right and wrong blunts their view of God. They delight in distortion of life. Liberty becomes a panacea. They tolerate no restraint on their desires. Lying is regarded today as good business practice. Students deem cheating acceptable so long as it contributes to their graduation. The end justifies the means. It is all right to cheat, lie and deceive providing it is for a good cause. Young anarchists run the streets of our nations. Children kill children. We teach them social graces but scorn directing their morals. God created man in his own image to reflect his glory. Man was designed to reflect the attributes of God. The cauterize soul obscures the reflected glory of God. WHO SET THEIR MIND ON EARTHY THINGS This phrase is a summary of their orientation to life. The word "mind" conveys the idea of "attitude." Their attitude toward life is human viewpoint. They have a horizontal view of life rather than the perpendicular view of life (God's view of life recorded in his Word). They look at life from the human viewpoint rather than the divine viewpoint. They embrace the standards of a world without God. PRINCIPLE: Human viewpoint always leads to devaluation of eternal values. Divine viewpoint always influences both perpendicular and horizontal values. APPLICATION: The Word of God no longer stimulates a conscience dead in sin. Have you been out of fellowship so long that you no longer come under conviction of sin? Are you so embedded in the standards of this world that God is no longer real to you? If you do not know Christ personally, where do you stand in relation to the cross of Christ? On which side are you? Pro or con? For or against? Philippians 3:20For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.This verse is a contrast to those whose "end is destruction" (v.19). The Christian has hope. Hope is an encouraging word. Christians have a bright future no matter what misfortune they face in this life. The appropriation of hope brings blessing into the soul. Those who take little consciousness of hope diminish their souls. FOR OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN Canada permits citizenship in two countries simultaneously. The Christian has dual citizenship as well. The seat of a Christian's citizenship is in heaven. . The Christian has citizenship both here and there. Philippi was a Roman colony. At strategic military zones throughout the world Rome set up colonies. These colonies were not settled in remote areas of the world but in strategic territories. They were placed at the major highways, crucial mountain passes where armies might march. Their citizens were mostly soldiers. If they served in the colony for twenty-one years they received their Roman citizenship. A great distinction of these Roman colonies was they remained part of Rome. Roman dress was sported whether they lived in Greece or Israel. Roman governors ruled these cities. They spoke Latin. Roman justice and morals were executed. They never forgot they were citizens of Rome. They remained unalterably and permanently Roman even to the ends of the earth. Many in the church were Roman citizens. They lived in Greece but their citizenship was in Rome. They immediately understood Paul's analogy. They have a citizenship on earth but they have another in heaven. They were never to forget they were citizens of heaven. Their conduct was to match their citizenship. Wherever a Christian is, he must never forget he represents his citizenship in heaven. God has colonies scattered all over the world. They are patches of heaven on earth. They live under the principles and ideals of heaven. Our interests are heaven. Speaking of Abraham the author of Hebrews says, "For he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Heb. 11:10). We perform an important function on earth while we are here. God has placed us on earth to glorify him here in time. We should vote and pay our taxes. We should become involved in the affairs of time. However, we should not allow our citizenship here to put our citizenship there in the shade. There is a fine balance between these two citizenships. Some are so heavenly minded they are no earthly good. On the other hand we do not restrict citizenship functions to time. "Our citizenship is in heaven" contrast to "mind earthly things" (v.19). This contrasts Christians who make a god out of self-indulgence ("belly"). One day we will go home. To anticipate heaven from our "colony" here on earth focuses on our fully restored fellowship with God. To become exclusively involved in the colony of earth deprives the believer of his hope. If we only champion the causes of time, we lose sight of home. If we lose sight of eternal perspective. We no longer represent our citizenship. We polish the brass rail of a sinking ship. If we restrict ourselves to the interests of time to make ourselves more comfortable, we prostitute our purpose as a colony dweller. Our purpose is to represent eternity in time. PRINCIPLE: Hope is indeed a word of encouragement. We are a colony of heaven on earth. We represent heaven on earth. APPLICATION: We ought to have a great interest in heaven because Jesus is there. "Where Jesus is, 'tis heaven there." The moment we received Jesus Christ as our personal Savior we took out citizenship papers. We were not natural-born citizens of heaven. We must be born into that citizenship. We are born into our native country. When we are born again we are born into the heavenly citizenship. As citizens of heaven we represent more than those who are citizens of heaven after death. We are to live as citizens of heaven now in time on earth. Heaven is a reality in time among the citizens of heaven. As a colony of heaven we represent home to aliens all about us. We are in the world but not of the world. We are in the world but not of its values. We live under the principles of heaven. We are a patch of heaven on earth. Anticipation is a component of hope. A student applies to what she believes is an ideal university. Day by day she runs to the mail box to see if she has been accepted in the university of her first choice. That is eager anticipation. The words "eagerly wait for" here connotes far more than anticipation. FROM WHICH WE ALSO EAGERLY WAIT FOR The words "from which" means from heaven where we have our citizenship. Instead of looking for the arrival of a monarch from earth the Christian eagerly anticipates his Monarch from heaven. "Eagerly wait for" is one word in the Greek. It is double compound word made up of three Greek words. The words are "from" and "out" and "wait." The word "from" indicates withdrawal of one's attention from other matters. We need to concentrate on his coming. The second word "out" intensifies the concentration. So far we have a person who is intensely concentrating on the coming of his Monarch. The third part of the word is the word "wait." "Wait" means "receive" or "welcome." This speaks of welcoming reception. The accumulation of all three of these words means this person is intensely concentrating on giving Monarch Jesus a welcoming reception. To put this idea in physical terms let us return to the girl waiting for the mail. She steps out of the house, leans out the door and stretches her neck out to look down the street to see if the mailman is coming. She is on the tiptoe of anticipation. "Eagerly wait for" denotes standing on the tiptoe of expectancy waiting for the return of the Lord Jesus. This is far more than casual interest. It is intense yearning. Christians eagerly anticipate Jesus for whom they yearn. THE SAVIOR, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST Attention is drawn from everything else and focused exclusively upon the Lord. Full designation of his names "the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" converges upon his person and work. We intensely concentrate upon welcoming our Monarch King Jesus' person because of his work when he returns. PRINCIPLE: The focus of Christianity is upon Jesus Christ. A cardinal principle of Christian living is to be Christ-centered. APPLICATION: Are you in love with the Lord Jesus? Do you anticipate seeing him? Do you long to see him? On the other hand, is Jesus a necessary nuisance and inconvenience to your life? If the latter is true, deep spiritual aberration has seeped into your soul. Not only should Jesus be important to us, he should be the core, the center of our lives. Do you anticipate seeing him any day now? He may come momentarily. "If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O LORD, come!" (I Cor. 16:23). Philippians 3:21Who 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.This passage describes two changes in our physical body at death or the rapture. Our bodies will be "transformed" and "conformed." WHO WILL TRANSFORM OUR LOWLY BODY At Christ's return he will "transform" the Christian's mortal body so that it will conform to the resurrection body. The word "transform" means to change in fashion. The outward appearance is changed. At this transformation these bodies of ours will be free from sin. Our outer casing will change at the rapture or resurrection of the body. "Lowly body" is body of lowliness. This term calls attention to the weakness of the body. Presently our bodies are susceptible to disease, fatigue, age, accident and death. Our bodies were made low by the fall of Adam. Adam's mind before the fall functioned perfectly but afterward became disabled. As a result, all Adam's sons carry imperfect bodies with them every day. This body humiliates us. All of that will change at the rapture of living believers and the resurrection of those who previously died. These bodies will be transformed into "glorified" bodies which will reflect life in eternity. We will trade in this body for a resurrected body. In the mean time we need to take care of it, it must last until the resurrection. It is like maintaining a garden. If we do not weed regularly they will take over the garden. If we do not take care of the body the "weeds" will take over. This body is a mortal body. It is dying while we live. Those of us who have passed thirty know it. We get an inkling of it when we pass 20. We know it for sure when we pass 40!! The first resurrection (for believers) and the rapture take place at the same time. There will be no glorified body for those without Christ. They are stuck with the body they have. PRINCIPLE: Our physical bodies have a glorious future beginning at the first resurrection. APPLICATION: Although our bodies are subject to sin , disease and death they have a glorious future. We have a body of humiliation at the present time. It humiliates us! It loses teeth and hair. Eyes dim. Limbs lose their function. It is humiliating to die. However, there is a difference between humiliation and glory. In the future we are going to have a body of glory. It will be like the glorified, resurrected body of the Lord Jesus. The second description of our body in eternity is described in the second verb--"conformed to his glorious body." THAT IT MAY BE CONFORMED "Conformed" is to have the same form as (cf. This same term is used in Rom 8:29 (spiritual conformity into the image of Christ). After Christ transforms the earthly appearance of our body it will "conform" to the body of Christ. Our body will correspond to the resurrected body of Christ. Then the regenerated person's body will truly reflect his status with Christ. Our bodies will change but people will recognize us. It will be recognizable just like the resurrected body of the Lord Jesus was recognized by the disciples after the resurrection. In heaven people will recognize us. TO HIS GLORIOUS BODY This is the body of Jesus' resurrection and ascension. Jesus is glorified in his resurrection body. Our body will be like his resurrection body. Our original body is not permanent but our glorified body is permanent. Our original body falls apart. Health diehards try to slow the process down but they only blunt the process. The process is inevitable. If your genes are in the orb of a Rolls Royce then you may live a few more years than others but only a few. If your genes are in the sphere of a Ford then you may have to replace parts sooner than others! I should have said "Chevy" because I drive a Ford! Even the best bodies wear out. But we will receive a body by grace that will never wear out. We are only in this temporary body to fulfill a plan while we are on earth. Once that mission is fulfilled then God promotes us to heaven in a glorified body. If disease has attacked your body, remember that there will be "no more pain" in eternity. There will be no ache or pain or limitation there. Pain is only temporary in God's economy. ACCORDING TO THE WORKING BY WHICH HE IS ABLE The word "working" indicates effective working. God will effectively bring all things under the authority of Christ in his resurrected body. This term is always used of supernatural working in the New Testament. The words "according to" means according to a standard. God works according to his own standard. God's standard devised a human body for eternity that is perfect. We do not receive our glorified body by our standards. We do not get a body according to how well we lived on earth. It is not according to the standard of merit. If we had to merit our glorified body it would probably hunch over with arthritis!! ABLE EVEN TO SUBDUE ALL THINGS TO HIMSELF The subjecting power is that of Christ. He will subdue "all things" to himself. Elsewhere the Father subdues all things to the Son (I Cor. 15:25). "Subdue" is a military word meaning to bring under the command of the proper authority. "All things" is the entire universe. The entire universe will be brought under the command of the Lord Jesus. Then he will be King Jesus, King of the world. He will reign in all his sovereignty. PRINCIPLE: Our bodies will conform to the resurrected body of Christ at the first resurrection. APPLICATION: Christ is glorified in his resurrection body. We will be glorified in our resurrection body. Our body will match our soul in heaven. Our soul will stand free from sin and the effects of sin. We will have a body to match! ---------- Copyright © 1995, Dr. Grant Richison. All rights reserved. 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