Rev. David Holwick
First Baptist Church
West Lafayette, Ohio
August 19, 1984
Enemies of the Cross
Philippians 3:15-21, KJV
Verse 15: "Let us therefore, as many as be perfect be thus-minded." I have a problem here -- in a past sermon I asked for a show of hands and not one of you claimed to be perfect, but maybe some perfect people have slipped in since then. If so, please stand --- just like I thought. My problem is that this passage only applies to perfect people. If I preach on it for half an hour you'll all fall asleep like.... There's still another problem I have. According to verse 12, Paul himself had not reached perfection. It should be obvious that this verse is teaching something else and there are at least two possible solutions.
One solution is that Paul is being ironic here. Apparently, some Christians in Philippi really did think they were perfect in God's sight. With his tongue in his cheek Paul is saying -- "Since you guys think you're already perfect, you have to agree with me, otherwise, you wouldn't be perfect."
A second view is that the word perfect, or telios, is more accurately translated as mature or full-grown. The NIV follows this and says: "All of us who are mature should take such a view of things." For those who didn't share Paul's teaching, he is content to let God straighten them out.
In verse 16 Paul gets down to brass tacks:
"Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk (this is, live) by the same rule, let us mind the same thing."
The Christian life is not really a matter of understanding more and more. The real issue is to live up to what you already know is true. We may quibble about details but most of us know what kind of behavior God expects of us. We know what he expects and we know how far short we fall. For those who haven't done a very good job of this, Paul gives simple advice in verse 17:
"Brothers, be followers (or imitators) of me."
In this passage Paul does something that is always dangerous -- he sets himself up as an example. Those who do this become vulnerable because other people can't wait for you to fail. You have to be either extremely arrogant or falsely humble to present yourself as a model. The world is full of arrogant people who send the message "I have arrived. You would do well to follow me." A call to imitate rarely comes from someone who is humble; that's why this is a rare passage. Paul has already confessed his limitation in verse 12:
"I have not attained -- I am not perfect."
He is pleading for Christians to follow him not in his failures and limitations -- not even in his successes -- but in what really matters, being taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
Unfortunately, the Philippians were in danger of imitating a different kind of leader. In very strong terms Paul says in verse 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."
Christ has had many enemies over the years. Today we would probably think of communists or atheists, like Madeline Murray O'Hara. But Paul has a more deadly enemy in mind here -- Christians. If Paul was thinking about pagans, he wouldn't have to call them enemies because this would be obvious. In addition, Paul's tears are more likely to be caused by faithless Christian leaders than by any other group of opponents.
These Christians were dangerous because their sin was so subtle. They didn't run around saying, "I hate Jesus." They present themselves as super-Christians, believers who had arrived. It was their lives that betrayed them. In verse 19 Paul says:
"Their end is destruction, their God is their belly, their glory is in their shame, they mind earthly things."
Their god is their belly. This means more than being a glutton or a pig. The belly stands for earthly appetites of all sorts. From their perspective, Paul enemies thought they were being spiritual and wise. God created food and alcohol and amusements, so we might as well enjoy them to the fullest. They probably loved verses like 1 Timothy 4:4, which says:
"For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be refused, if it is received with thanksgiving."
Taken out of context this sounds like it justifies any behavior, even sin, and this is just what Paul's enemies did. They taught a "eat, drink and be merry" philosophy and probably looked down on those who believed in self-control.
Paul adds that their glory is in their shame. This means they were proud about things a Christian should be disgusted with. The word "shame" is often associated with sexual sin in the New Testament. From other passages in Paul's letters it appears that his opponents had any easy-going attitude toward sex -- it never seemed to be a sin to them. Sex was one of the appetites that could be taken in any dosage without harm. It was like eating or breathing.
Paul's opponents apparently did not believe in life after death or the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth. They spiritualized these doctrines and as a result Paul says their minds were only concerned with earthly things. These Christian leaders were not really Christians at all. Their end is destruction, Paul says.
It is interesting how heresies change shape but never really die out. The philosophy of Paul's opponents is still alive today and is the foundation of modern religious Liberalism. Modern Liberals, like Paul's opponents, eliminate the future, heavenly perspective of Christianity and focus totally on the here-and-now. Part of their reasoning is that Christians who hope in heaven never do any good on earth, which is sometimes true, but the real motivation of Liberalism is its earthly perspective, just like Paul's opponents. Liberals don't believe appetites like food or alcohol can get out of control and result in sin - these appetites can only result in disease, which isn't your fault anyway.
Sexual sin does not bother Liberals either, unless it includes violence or force. Under other circumstances, sexual practices can usually be justified. The great crusade right now is to legitimize homosexuality. Quakers in England have approved a document which states "Homosexuality is part of what God called 'good' when he finished his creation." The United Church of Canada now believes that homosexuality cannot be a factor when it comes to ordaining ministers. Homosexuality to a liberal is not a sin but an alternative.
Liberals are not the only modern people who agree with Paul's opponents. The lives of many who claim to be born-again Christians are not much different. They lack control over their appetites. They are obsessed with the material possessions of this world. In short, they are enemies of the cross of Christ.
In verse 20 Paul challenges the narrow perspective of his opponents. Christians are not limited to this earth but should also share the perspective of heaven. He says our conversation -- that is, citizenship -- is based in heaven and our leader will one day return from there.
Perhaps the greatest promise is found in verse 21. In this life even the best Christians are burdened by sin and weakness. Our bodies and personalities are vile, which means lowly. If we were honest, we would have to admit that much of the time our appetites get the best of us. The good news is that God can do what we cannot. He will transform us into glorious beings, just like the risen Jesus.
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Typed on November 9, 2005, by Sharon Lesko of Ledgewood Baptist Church, New Jersey
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
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