October 24, 2015
Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:18-21
18For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Questions for Reflection:
What was bringing Paul to tears? What does it seem was going on that Paul was warning the church at Philippi about? What did he describe this group’s destiny, god and glory as? It’s very likely Paul was addressing a problem that was similar to what he faced in Corinth. In Corinth, there were false teachers that were encouraging individuals to seperate their spiritual life from their physical lives. They told them that this freedom allowed them to act however they wanted to. It was leading to sexual sin, eating food dedicated to idols and several other issues.
How did Paul encourage the Philippians to change their mindset in verse 20? How does identifying our citizenship as in heaven help address the challenges the Philippians were facing? We may not face some of these exact problems today (at least in America) but we still face temptations. Remembering that we are living for another time, another place, helps keep us focused on what ultimately matters. Jesus Christ will bring all things “under his control.” Spend time today reflecting on what in your life demonstrates your allegiance to Him and if there are changes that might need to be made to reflect that more.