Today I'm finishing up Philippians Chapter 3, looking specifically at verses 15-21. Paul states that we who are "perfect/mature/or grown in Christ should have "this attitude." What attitude? That which he mentioned in verses 12-14. It's living life in such a way that we are consistently striving for the "prize," that fullness in Christ or the life lived so that God will say to us when we meet Him, "well done, good and faithful servant."
If we say that we are in Christ, that we are Christ followers, and we have a "different attitude (than what He would want us to have)," Paul says that God will reveal that to us, also. This requires that we are consistently spending time with Him so that we can best sense His leading...even though, just like Paul, we have not obtained (or even really gotten close to) perfection, we are to live up to what we know. Do you get that? We are all at different places Spiritually. Some are new believers, having just started following Christ, and some of us are further along on our journeys. Paul instructs us here, saying that we are to live up to what we know.
We have a guest speaker here at Mason Dixon Baptist Church, Scott Smith (SNS Ministries), who is an incredible, effective man of God. Last night he challenged the church with what it means to be fully surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. He shared about how it all comes down to following Christ in every facet of our lives, that we are to hear what Jesus says and then we are to do it. This is what Paul is sharing with us, also. We are grow in Christ, spend time with Him, learn what the Word says, and then we are to DO IT! It's hard (almost always!), it takes sacrifice, it will usually go against what we "want" to do, but we are to DO IT.
Paul tells the Philippians that they should follow his example, and we too should find others who are walking the walk and "observe" or follow the example of their lives. Paul shares, though, that there are many who claim to walk, though they are really enemies of the Cross...WOW! Yes, there are many who "say" they are Christians, who show up at church week after week, who serve in positions in churches, whose names are on church membership rolls...but it's one thing to say it, but quite another to LIVE IT!
Our challenge today is this: are we more concerned with the now of life (stocks, houses, those things that feel good in the now) than with pleasing God? Are we drawing near to Him NO MATTER THE COST? Paul shares in verse 20 that if we are indeed Christ followers, "our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ..."
Have a blessed week!
PJ
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