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To Imitate Christ or Not

17 Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame; and they are focused on earthly things. (Philippians 3:17-19)

Yesterday, we read Paul’s challenge to church at Philippi to change their mindsets into having that singular goal of pursuing Christ with everything. In verse 17, Paul, equipped with this mindset, encourages the believers to follow in his example as Paul follows Christ’s example of living, “Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us.” As Anders warns, “[The believers in Philippi] could model their lives after those advocating falsehood and fail to win the prize or they could model their lives after Christ.”

Then, in verse 18, we see that Paul is under great emotional pain due to seeing many people not following the example of Christ or his own life, which would place these people in direct opposition to Christ, “For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.” Anders again states, “The Christ way is a cross way, a suffering way. The enemies’ way is a pride way, a self-achievement way, a way of present perfection.”

Although the enemies’ way may not have as much suffering in the present life, in the end, they will face eternal destruction, as seen in verse 19, “Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame; and they are focused on earthly things.” When it says, “their god is their stomach,” it refers to the enemies’ focus on their fulfillment of their own physical desires. At the time, for the Jews, it was upholding the food laws to the point of having a self-perceived perfection. For the Greeks, it was giving into the pleasures of wealth and daily life. “Their glory is in their shame,” for the Jews refers to the attention of “shameful” body parts, such as circumcision requirements; for the Greeks, it referred to their sexual worship acts for their gods. In the end, no matter the ritual, without a saving relationship with Christ, both lead to destruction.

May the words of Paul be a warning that empty rituals and self-edification, which may for a time provide temporary pleasure, will, in the end, only lead to destruction and suffering. The path of Christ, though it may be difficult in seasons, at the end of the race, eternal joy and peace will be rewarded.

Blessings,

Isaac De Guzman

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