Daily devotion – Living like an athlete
This passage of Scripture connects where we left off Sunday morning to where we will have picked up Wednesday evening.
The glorious rapture that awaits all followers of Jesus Christ.
Phl 3:12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
We rightfully think of Paul as a spiritual giant – but Paul informs us here in his letter to the Philippians, that he had not yet attained the goals he was still striving for – those mentioned back in verse 10 – Phl 3:10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
Paul up to this time had been saved some 30 years earlier before he wrote this letter to the Church in Philippi. In that time he had won many spiritual battles. Yes, he had grown much also in that period of years. But Paul tells us there was still much more he desired that he had not yet attained!
The lesson for us here is that there must never be a stalemate, a plateauing, in our spiritual growth.
Paul pursued his relationship with Jesus like an athlete, like a runner in the Greek games. Paul said he had not yet achieved spiritual maturity. He was still pressing on. He was still pursuing!
Paul sought to win the prize – Phl 3:14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
In the Greek games, the winner of the event, the race, was called to step up to the place where the overall judge of the games sat in order to have the prize given to him.
2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
Paul now urges each of us to live our lives to please God – Phl 3:15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.
Phl 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.
This walk should be a mature walk – one mark of maturity is a desire to go on with Christ with passion.
Live up to what Christ has already given you that you are fully aware of as His disciple – that being a righteous position in Christ!
Phl 3:17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.
Phl 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:
Phl 3:19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.
Paul said we could follow his example – how – to have the same relentless passion to pursue after Christlikeness!
But sadly, Paul tells us, some were living as enemies of the Cross of Jesus Christ! These were the false teachers, watering down the completeness of Christ’s work on the Cross of Calvary.
They were destined for destruction he says. This is not annihilation, but rather ruination by eternal separation from God!
The false teachers did three shocking things in the way they lived:
Paul tells us there god is their own belly – they had in mind their own physical desires and unrestrained gluttony.
Their glory is in their shame – instead of giving glory to God, they heaped praise upon themselves.
Their mind dwelt on earthly things. They depended on earthly things to gain favour with God.
Phl 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Phl 3:21 who 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.
The people living in Philippi were living as colonists whilst their citizenship was in Rome.
Paul tells us as Christians, whilst we physically live on this earth – our citizenship, our identity is in Heaven!
Note please here in these final verses….as Christians, Paul teaches us that we each are to have an eager anticipation of Christ’s soon return!
Paul does not tell us to keep an eye out for the beginning of the Great Tribulation
He does not tell us to be keen to see the coming on the world scene of the antichrist.
…and then to look for Jesus after all this…no!
…. from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ – this eagerly wait suggest in the Greek language the picture of us being on a ‘tip toes’ in anticipation for Christ’s soon return for His Church.
Finally, Paul tells us that at the Rapture of the Church, Jesus will transform our outward form, our physical body, so that we will have a body like Christs!
We each will have received a glorified body.
May you chew over these Scriptures, may you act upon Paul’s teaching and encouragement, for Christ’s return is closer now that at any other time in all history.
Are you ready?