Philippians - Lesson 15

I. Call to Mature Growth

In this lesson, we're going to be looking at Philippians chapter 3, the final verses, verses 15 through 21. Although there aren't that many verses, Paul actually picks up a number of ideas. He first will talk about how people who are mature in their faith should continue to grow. And then he'll contrast that with people who might claim Christ, but are in fact enemies of the cross. And then he'll finish with an amazing vision of our Savior, the Lord Jesus returning and transforming us from our lowly bodies to the likeness of his own resurrected body. So as we begin, Paul, in this kind of summary verse that also pushes us forward, Paul asks that the Philippians, those of us who are mature, should take a view of such things.

The view that he enjoins is what he has just been talking about in the previous couple of verses, maybe 10 through 14, where he insists that he wants to know Christ. Now he is saved. He's in a relationship with Jesus. So he doesn't mean he wants to know Christ for the first time, but rather that he wants to know the—have a deeper relationship—to know the extraordinary power of the resurrection, so that in his own life he can display that in his ministry. All of us who are mature should have, should share Paul's perception, should share Paul's goals. Not that he's already attained them, but that he pursues them. And what is he pursuing? To know Christ more deeply, to understand the power of the resurrection, the participation in Christ's suffering. All of that, Paul says, "We who are mature, we understand the gospel in this way."

I've heard some people say that Paul might be sarcastic here. "Those who are mature, you know, you're going to think this way." Not at all. Paul is stating to them that this is the gospel, this is what you should strive for, this attitude. It is what I strive for. I haven't attained it, but I keep moving forward on it. And this is what a mature Christian looks like. Not perfect, but always moving forward into a deeper, closer relationship with God. Maybe another way to look at this would be from the book of James, where James argues, "Let perseverance finish its work, so that you may be mature, complete, not lacking in anything." So you can see this idea that the relationship with Christ should deepen over time, and can deepen over time, as you continue to pursue a close relationship with Christ, remembering that, of course, Christ already has a hold of you.

And then Paul says that those who are mature should take this view of things. And the verb that's translated this way, take such a view of things, is actually a verb that we find about 10 times overall in Philippians. We've already seen Paul use this verb in chapter 2:2-5, where he encourages the unity of all the Philippians together. They are to have the same attitude in Christ, think, have the same mind in Christ. This thought is continuing here, just in a slightly different translation, but that same verb of thinking and then behaving in a way that matches your thought, this mindset, this practical wisdom. That's what Paul is describing here as he thinks about being a mature believer. So a mature believer then embraces, for example, the humility that Christ expressed himself in being obedient to death, even death on a cross.

II. Resolving Incidental Disagreements

But then Paul continues in the second half of verse 15 to say that perhaps some might think otherwise, which almost sounds like he's leaving open the topic of discussion, like we could reexamine the gospel message. And that's not at all what Paul means in this section. Paul is contrasting the this, the gospel, the content of the gospel that he's just described, as I noted from really verse 7 up through 14 to say nothing of chapter 1 and 2. He's contrasting that message. Those who are mature understand that and hold fast to that with minor issues. What's translated in the English with the indefinite pronoun that refers to incidentals, minor points, points that can be discussed as friends. Paul's not saying that his gospel is up for debate, but rather that there may be conversation that can be had. Earnest seekers, mature believers vary in their methods in trying to achieve and attain this deeper relationship with God. And I think Paul then goes on in the next verse here, verse 16, to give us a word on how we might be able to have these charitable conversations about the incidentals in our faith.

Paul says that God will guide them. He will inform them of his will through revelation. And I think Paul imagines here corporate prayer that as a group, the church seeks God's guidance. I think about how sometimes to our shame, when we're in the situation, let's say a church is going to have a vote on some item, rather than take the time for corporate prayer, you've got different groups who are participating in some behind the scenes mechanizations, trying to shape the local church to our agenda, rather than everyone coming together, praying sincerely for the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to guide the group. I think at times we can hold sort of a passive aggressive posture. We might nod agreement to a decision that's made, but we resent it and we harbor ill will. I think what Paul is indicating here with his emphasis on God revealing his will is that we are invited, encouraged. Paul really should insist on that we take all of our questions to the Lord in prayer, and not just privately, but corporately. Everyone in the community lays down their ideas, lays down their hopes openly, and then God's will can be discerned.

Paul finishes then verses 15 and 16 with this call that we live up to what we've already attained, live up to what he is driving at here is this idea that we live by the Spirit. He'll use a similar verb in Galatians 5:25, walk in the Spirit, right? That's what Paul is saying here to walk in what you know is true. Don't go backwards. Don't slow down. Continue to walk in that path, live up to what you are already capable of and don't, don't go backwards in order to keep going forward.

III. Principle of Holy Imitation

Paul suggests, and this is in verse 17, that we imitate him. He puts, he uses the word "imitate," which is a common enough word there, but he adds a prefix to it and creates with that kind of a new word adding "with" to the noun imitate. I think Paul does that because he wants to stress that the Philippians as a group should imitate Paul and, and of course others who follow, who also follow Paul's example like Timothy and Epaphroditus. The Corinthians are encouraged twice by Paul to imitate him. This is in both chapter 4 and chapter 11 of 1 Corinthians, but Paul also asks communities to imitate each other. So for example, in 2 Corinthians chapter 8, the beginning verses there, Paul reminds the Corinthians of the Macedonian churches, and that would be Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, those Macedonian churches, they exhibit a generous spirit of giving. And Paul says to the Corinthians, "imitate them, look at what they've done."

Now, imitation and asking someone to imitate, imitate you could sound maybe even a bit arrogant, certainly in today, in certain communities today, but that's not how the Philippians would have heard it by Paul. That's not what Paul was getting at. Paul and any ancient Jew or any philosophical, philosophically minded Gentile, they thought right thinking and right action go together. The philosophies of the day were seen as a way of life. And the Jewish historian Josephus talks about a Pharisee or an Essene, the groups within Judaism as ways of life. So it's not just doctrine, do you have the right belief, but how does it live out in your daily life? And imitation, imitating the teacher was standard practice. For the Stoics, of course, the right thought led to control of your passions. For the Jews, right thought led to the worship of the one true God. And for believers in Jesus, the right thinking leads to a life that mirrors Messiah Jesus' life of obedience, of service, the life that's sketched out in chapter 2:6-8.

So for Paul, when he asks them to imitate him, he's not trying to enforce his control. He's not demanding that the church look exactly like him. He's not saying to the Philippians, "Dress like I dress, learn Aramaic, eat the food that's a specialty of my ethnic group." He's not asking them to imitate him at that level. Instead, Paul is saying, especially to these Gentile believers who are coming out of their pagan lifestyle, Paul is saying, "Look at how I navigate this perverse and crooked generation, this generation, this environment that includes idolatry, sexual immorality," practices that Paul knows are sinful in the eyes of the one true God. And, you know, you can say, "don't do this, don't do that, do this, do that." But if you actually see someone acting on that in specific daily circumstances, you're better able to make your own decision and begin shaping your life that way. And so that's what Paul is getting at here. 

He doesn't—maybe a modern example would be a coach, a player coach who had played the game and now is a coach. You have a famous soccer player, and she, as she retires from playing the game, she picks up the job of coaching. And she's actually able to both show her players how to score a goal because she's experienced it and has done it. And the players themselves aren't just listening to the tactics of scoring a goal, but they're actually seeing it done. And then in their minds, they can imagine their own bodies doing that. Or another way to think about it is an apprentice and a master craftsman, not just telling someone how to build a beautiful bookcase, but actually working alongside it, seeing how the drills and the planing and the sanding and all of that actually happens so that the bookcase becomes beautiful. That's the idea that Paul has when he's talking about imitation.

This should probably also just be stated. Paul's thinking of the Philippians doing this in a group. So by extension, then as one person is able to imitate Paul in certain areas, rather closely, others in the Philippian community can also look at that person to begin to imitate. In other words, the Philippians are not just solely looking at Paul, but they're looking around them also to say, "Who else is doing this like Paul does it?" Which can mean, and I think should mean for us today, we should ask ourselves, who's watching us? How are we modeling Christ to others?

IV. Warning Against Enemies of the Cross

Well, Paul distinguishes that positive imitation then from what not to do, and that is pointing to people they should not imitate those who are enemies of the cross. Paul says, "I've told you this before, I'm telling you again, and it saddens me deeply." Many live, many act, many model their lives in such a way that they are enemies of the cross, and Paul indicates that their life will end very badly. So Paul says they live as enemies or they walk as enemies of the cross. We should walk in a manner worthy of the gospel. They walk in a way that indicates they're an enemy of the cross. They think earthly things. Here's that verb again about thinking or having a mindset. Their mindset is on earthly things.

So these enemies, it should be pointed out, if you asked them, "Are you a follower of Jesus?" They would probably say yes, because they have in some way identified with Jesus. However, what appears to be the case based on Paul's somewhat cryptic description, they are minimizing the cross, thus minimizing suffering. These enemies of the cross might not have denied forgiveness of sin that Jesus' death brought, but they did not embrace the shame that attended death by crucifixion. So if you are claiming allegiance to the crucified Lord, then you are opening yourself up to social disgrace and embarrassment. I mean, they may have denied also forgiveness of sins with the cross, but I think we want, as Paul goes on to talk about who they are, what they have done, it seems that they wanted to distance themselves from the social shame that would come.

Paul says because they behave as enemies of the cross, most likely they are also going to display an attitude of focus on self rather than an attitude of service, because that Jesus being obedient to death, even death on a cross indicates service and sacrifice. So we can assume that these enemies of the cross are downplaying the servant nature of the faith. Paul goes on to say that their God is their stomach, and that's an enigmatic phrase. It's not entirely clear what Paul is driving at here.

Maybe he is referring to the pagan converts to Christianity that have slid back into their old ways. They're indulging in the pagan festivals. We know, for example, in Revelation, the book of Revelation, in chapter 2, verse 20, in one of the letters to the churches, we find the prophet Jezebel. I doubt that's her given name. It's a derogatory label. But she is encouraging her congregations to continue participating in pagan festivals. Most likely, these are trade guilds who have their annual meeting, and it is a banquet. And in that banquet, not only do they honor their human benefactors, but they also honor the God that is the deity who oversees their particular trade. So it may be that these enemies of the cross are those who say, look, you can definitely be a Christian, but you can also go to some of these pagan festivals or meals in a temple. You can do both. You don't have to choose. And of course, Paul will say, "Absolutely, you cannot be part of any idolatry." It may be that these enemies of the cross are similar to that group that Paul finds in Corinth, who boast in their decision that they can eat meat sacrifice to idols because an idol is nothing. Well, Paul would never say that an idol is nothing if someone is worshiping it, because behind that worship of an idol is idolatry. So it's possible that their God is their stomach refers to idolatrous practices.

But it is also possible that Paul is connecting stomach here with eating kosher meals. So the eating practices of certain—well, all the Jews who practice kosher eating habits, which aren't a problem for Jews per se, but for the Gentiles to pick that up, be similar to Gentile choosing circumcision to become a full member of the Christian community. So as Paul says to the Galatians, you know, "If these men, these Gentile men who have come to Christ, if they underwent circumcision, then they would be required to uphold the whole Law." This is in Galatians 5:3. Presumably this whole Law would include table fellowship. And so it may be that the God is their stomach phrase refers to these Gentiles who want to take up part of the Jewish Law as a way to feel like they are more faithful, blameless, and pure as Christians. It's hard to know. In the end, maybe it's Paul's genius that this is kind of a fluid descriptor, because whether they come as a Gentile pagan or as a Jew, the person who despises the cross lives for today and by the worldly standards will face destruction in the end.

V. Heavenly Citizenship & Future Hope

Paul doesn't stop here though. He, he moves to who the Philippians are and what the Philippians can expect. So rather than enemies of the cross, whose eyes are focused on today's events, today's standards, today's values, Paul says that our citizenship is in heaven. We await our Savior and that that one, Jesus Christ, will transform our lowly bodies, will be like him, because he has all the power and will be able to bring all things under his control, including, of course, the removal of evil.

So Paul asks in verses 20 and 21, he asks the Philippians to reimagine their daily priorities. What are your commitments? What are your values? What do you treasure? What are your goals? Thinking of all those things in light of the gospel promises. So we're not enemies of the cross. Instead, we're going to enjoy heaven, right? Instead of having our God be our stomach, instead, the Philippians are looking forward, awaiting a Savior, the Savior of the world. Instead of dying in one's shame, the Philippians' lowly body will be transformed into the likeness and glory of the Son. So Paul starts in verse 20 with the unusual word that's translated citizenship. This word "citizenship" doesn't occur anywhere else, this noun anywhere else in the New Testament, but it is a term that's used in the wider Greek world, and it indicates citizenship or a commonwealth, a group, ethnic group living abroad in a foreign city. And then and now often immigrants will live in their own community in a larger city. They'll live next to each other, being able to share goods and maintain friendship, sometimes maintaining also their heart language. 

This citizenship, this group is an active body. It like we might think of like an association. There are informal rules or customs, I would say, that govern the interaction between the groups. This language of citizenship that Paul uses here, this term, it does carry the sense of being in exile or not being in your homeland. You're a group whose main social home—your homeland is elsewhere. So it's a perfect term for Paul to use as he is thinking about the Philippian church. I think first, because it will stress their unity, they need to think of themselves as a coherent group set apart from the other groups in the city. But secondly, this term also, I think, has a special resonance for the church in Philippi itself. Because as you remember from our introduction, Philippi is a colony of Rome. It's a little bit of Italy there in Macedonia. And having this status gave the city a sense of importance. It was a high status. And what Paul does, I think, as he uses this political language, if you will, is he's asking the Philippian church to think about their heavenly kingdom and not the Roman imperial kingdom or environment in which they live. I think it's important to note that this citizenship that Paul talks about is not something that they will gain in the future. They have it now. They are citizens now. This heavenly home exists now. Paul says something similar to the Ephesians when he talks about how Christ is seated at the right hand of God, the Father, and we too are then seated with Christ. And so there is both this real heavenly home that in part we participate in as we are seated with Christ. But there is more to come, as Paul will say, as this verse continues, we eagerly await a Savior from there.

The image that Paul is bringing up here, and we'll talk about Savior in a minute, but the overall picture that he's bringing up here is of a victorious general that has returned from battle and he parades with his soldiers into the city. And everyone rushes out, men and women and kids, they all rush out to see this victorious general. The Jewish historian Josephus describes Vespasian's welcome into Rome. He's hailed as a benefactor. He's hailed as a Savior. And everyone, everyone—they actually left Rome and lined the sides of the street coming into Rome to catch a glimpse of this new emperor. We also know something similar happened to the people in Syrian Antioch. They lined the main street going into their city, which stretched out almost four miles, and they were welcoming the general Titus, who is Vespasian's son, as he is fresh from his victory over Jerusalem. 

I mean, the Jewish historian Josephus is not happy to describe these victorious parades because they represent the defeat of the Jewish people in Judea and in Jerusalem. But he gives us a picture, I think, of what it looks like for his time, for Paul's time, when people await a Savior. But in the case of the Philippians, of course, this is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Savior. This is the Savior who will return, the real Savior, the eternal Savior. It's interesting that Christ is not often designated as Savior in the New Testament. It's actually a rather rare title. Ephesians 5:23, we find it there and also in 2 Timothy 1:10, and then twice in Titus 1:4, 2:13. We also find it on the lips of the Samaritans in the Gospel of John 4:42, where they declare that Jesus is the Savior of the world. So it may be that Paul, in using the word "Savior" here, has an eye—I'll put it that Paul uses the term Savior here deliberately because those enemies of the cross who despised Christ's suffering, well, they don't fully understand him as Savior.

So Paul indicates that when Jesus, our Savior, returns, he will transform our body, which is a body of humbleness, of humiliation, such that it will share in the likeness of the body of glory that Christ now enjoys. What's interesting is some of the language that Paul uses here, you can find it in the Christ hymn of chapter 2, verses 6 through 8. Our body is currently in a state of humility. I might even say humiliation in the sense that as we follow after Christ, we ignore or we reject the social worth categories of this world. We embrace humbleness, whereas the wider world would want to stress social worth, promoting oneself. 

Our lowly bodies now, these bodies that we live in and that we act in, that we walk in daily as we represent Christ to others, they will appear to be lowly or in a state of humility, even as Christ accepted humbly, accepted with a sense of humiliation, and was obedient unto death. Paul, in describing our bodies as lowly here, is making a theological argument. He's not describing the material creation as somehow bad. I mean, it is broken in a certain sense. We're broken because we're sinful. We're weak because we're mortal. I mean, there's that part of just being a creature. But I think, Paul, when he says our lowly body, what he's trying to do is ask the Philippians to think back to his description of Christ, "Christ being found in appearance as a man. He humbled himself, became obedient to death." 

That's the picture that Paul is drawing on here. And we will be transformed. We are going to share in the likeness of Christ. And that language that Paul uses here, we find also used in the Christ hymn. The Son is in the very form of God. He took the form of a slave. We are going to be transformed into Christ's likeness, his glorious likeness, what he, what he gives us, his life that we will experience in our raised and glorified bodies. And that is why Paul says to the Philippians, keep watch, keep looking, because the Savior is returning. And when he does, our current situation will change and we will be transformed. The place to look for more on this would be 1 Corinthians 15, where Paul talks about how our perishable bodies will be raised imperishable. That which is corrupt now, which means broken and fragile, will be raised incorruptible, that we will receive a raised and glorified body that is fitted to live in the new heavens and the new earth. That's what we look for. That's what Christ our Savior will bring. And until then, Paul says, "We stand fast as mature believers, encouraging each other and pursuing, seeking, always striving for that which Christ has grabbed hold of us for."

Student: I was thinking about back up in verse 15, your discussion of mature, and a thought hit me. Mature is not perfect, and no one's ever fully mature. But it's almost like the verse should be read for those of us who are maturing, because it is a process. There's an end goal, but none of us are ever going to be fully mature, none of us are going to be perfect. I mean, it's just a comment. I mean, you can't really translate, not as a participle. Well, maybe you can. But I just thought that's actually what you are getting at, isn't it? I am maturing, and you can be maturing too. 

Dr. Cohick: Yes, absolutely. I think as Paul describes in just the previous verse, I'm pressing on, right? I don't consider myself yet to be there. But my habits, my posture, my focus is always moving forward, forgetting what's behind. And I think what Paul means there is allowing the past to drag him down. As he admits, and he continues to mention, he certainly does to the Corinthians, that he's the worst of all sinners because he persecuted the church. So it's not like he ignores his past and he whitewashes it. But he doesn't allow it to stop him from moving forward. Sometimes we can learn from our past mistakes, and that helps us go forward. When we sin, by acknowledging that God has forgiven us, it frees us to take that next step. So in both cases, learning from mistakes and truly accepting the forgiveness that God offers us, we can move forward. And that's the mature perspective. That's what allows you to keep growing.