My Example, Philippians, 3:17-19
Philippians 3:17-19 · Vern Peterman · Oct 19, 2003
Philippians (2003), No. 36
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/48262259521145

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

There's a couple of things to remind you. We've got this next week here, Wednesday and Saturday are the cleaning days, and we could use some more help in getting some of these tasks around the church taken care of. I think Nancy's gone around and listed some different things.

And do you know what we can threaten you with if you don't sign up? Nothing. We teach grace here. Okay. Anyway, the other reminder is this next Sunday you can set the clock back, okay? It's not that we mind if you're here an hour early, but we thought you might appreciate the extra time. Okay. Alright, now we're digging into this next passage.

As I've studied through this, I get excited about this stuff because there's such richness in it. There is just marvelous truth that the Lord has put here. This is God's Word. These are God's thoughts that He has seen fit to convey to us. And as I look at it, this is wonderful stuff. Okay.

In Philippians 3, 17 through 19, Paul is continuing on his thought. Remember, this chapter 3 is kind of different from the previous chapters. It's not that they're wholly different, but he has given them some warnings and kind of given a perspective. And he's continuing on with this perspective, and now he's getting into kind of some personal application with it in terms of the He's talking about believers at Philippi, and obviously delivering a message to us in the process.

This is the passage of two examples, we'll call it. He says, join in following my example. Observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. Now, obviously he's not there, but he's saying, we were there and we were in communication with you, but there are those there He gives the second example, and he says, then there are those, the others.

He says, many walk, they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their appetite, whose glory is in their shame, and who set their minds on earthly things. Two examples, completely juxtaposed to one another. Opposite. One in one direction, one in the other.

Now he's laid that out, and he says, So we want to ask that question, and not answer it right away, but we'll get there. Are these Christians that he's talking about, or are these unbelievers? So we want to ask that question. Pretty severe words for Christians, huh?

And then the next question is, what difference does it make? He's going through, highlighting these. Why does it matter? What difference does it make? So we want to answer at least those two questions, probably some others. As we look at that passage, one phrase sets itself out here.

It says, join in following my example. We'll want to take a look at that. The King James has here together, be followers together of me. If we were to put this into concise Greek, not smooth English necessarily, but concise Greek, It comes out like this, together followers of me you must become. Together followers. A key word comes out of this, this join and following, our followers together.

Sumimitis, sun plus mimitis, that's the compound word again, and you know he loves putting that sun prefix in front of things. So this is one where he's got one of those compound words that starts with S-U-N, and remember we said that this is sun, not the sun but the moon, but the sun, okay? And so what we have here, he puts that in front of a word when he wants to get the idea of together. We have been seated with Christ, and he puts this prefix in front, together with Christ, okay? That's this prefix that he puts in front of this particular word. Paul doesn't want them to be just imitating him. It's not a matter of just kind of looking over, how does Paul do that? Okay, I'll do that too, on the outside. He's not looking at an external copycat. Ever have a copycat? An external copycat?

It's irritating. That's not what he's looking for. He's looking instead for these are people who are looking to imitate him, not externally, but spiritually. He wants them to be walking in their present condition according to their position in Christ. That's the imitation he's looking for.

Not, gee, Paul said this word, so I'll use that word too. Or, Paul acted this way, so I'll act that way too. No, it's far beyond that. The next word, be, as in the King James Version there. This is a present middle imperative. The saints at Philippi must, of logical necessity of their own doing right now, be continuing to be together followers of Paul. Now, about that imperative. You must. We want to talk about that. Paul often wrote with imperatives. We've seen them before already. Remember those? He's doing it again. We better understand this.

It's not a moral imperative. It's not a, you'd better do it, or you're in hot water. So I was joking earlier about, you know what I have to threaten you with? Nothing. It's not a moral imperative. Notice that he doesn't say, you must do it or. Why does he put it? So we're going to cross this guy out. Get rid of his scowl.

Because it's a logical imperative. Why is it a logical imperative? You have this position in Christ, so based on your eternally established position that you have in Christ, it logically makes sense that in your present condition you live according to that position. One of the things that Mike was making note of in a Bible study recently, mid-week, is this very fact.

In Christ, our history has been changed. How about that? Your history has been changed. You don't have the history that you had when you were born. A lot of people will say, well, I was born here and I did this and I did that. That's your old history. Your history has now been changed. You have a new history. That history is the foundation of your position in Christ. You now have that new history and it's Christ's history. You no longer have the history in Adam.

That's why Paul can say, you must, not because he's there to hit you with a club if you don't, not because he's threatening you, but because it's a logical imperative. This is the only thing that makes sense. Let's turn that around the other way. When we don't walk according to our position in Christ, it is spiritual insanity. We're nuts. We're cuckoo. We're bonkers if we don't walk according to our position in Christ. Do you get me? We're bonkers if we don't walk according to our position.

So He's telling them, you must, not because He's ready to threaten you, not because He's going to club you, but because it's the only thing that's rational and sensible and makes sense. That's why. No threats. several passages you can take a look at to investigate this thoroughly, just to make sure Vern's not nuts.

Now, I've also told you a few weeks ago that my brother and I communicate with each other all day long. I'm sitting there preparing messages and he's preparing stuff, and when he goes, because he shepherds a church over in Boonville, a little tiny town in Northern California, And so, as he's going through stuff, and I'm going through stuff, we'll email and IM each other stuff back and forth. This last week, I was looking at this, and this is what came across. I IM'd with him. Instant message, that's what that means. Flooded with grace. Gulping from the Niagara Falls of grace. That's the position we're in, okay? My brother says, ha, I like that.

That is why faith in God and His Word rather than our own moral compass is where it's at. It's a revealed faith object and not inherent in us. In myself dwelleth no good thing. Entirely dependent on our position. Our position is in Christ. We have a different history because we are in Christ. We are not the same person.

And so Paul's musts, you must do this, his imperatives, are not based on moral imperatives. You notice he doesn't come back with You do this, or I'm going to so-and-so, or God's going to do this. He never does that. He starts off telling people their position in Christ, which is their new history as a believer.

Brand new history. You don't have the history you had. Okay? That's not you anymore. It's been replaced. You have Christ's history. Wow! Anyway, so it's like this. As brothers, as believers in Christ, we're drinking from the Niagara Falls of grace. We're coming here and we're trying to get a drink, and this is this grace just flowing like crazy at us.

It is so immense and intense, Ephesians 2.7 says it will take all eternity for us to drink it in. If you look at it this way, now you know why. This is the Niagara Falls of grace that is flowing towards us. That's why the imperatives are not a moral imperative. Do it or else. Do it or you're going to fall short. But it's a logical imperative. We have been blessed so abundantly. We have been shown God's grace so overflowingly, there's nothing we can do to help. God does not need or want our help. We've got grace like this. We can't even take a sip, but we're overwhelmed. Now, let's go into the next part of this.

Observe is a word that comes across there, or mark in the King James. Scopeo. And we're going to see this is related to the word that he just used for goal, skapos. The goal, which is Jesus Christ, in the analogy that he presented before. The goal in the chariot race was the skapos. You would look at that goal post, and that was the finish line, and you would keep your eye fixed on that.

He used that as the example of fixing our eyes upon Jesus. Now, this is a present active imperative, so here's this imperative. So the believers at Philippi must right now continue to be looking at those who walk according to the pattern given by Paul and his companions in ministry. This is not advice to sort of glance from time to time, but look at how they are gazing upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Look how they are totally occupied with him. You see that? Walk like that. That's what he's saying. You saw it in us. You see it in those who are totally occupied with Jesus Christ. Look at how they are occupied with Jesus Christ and looking at him, gazing at him. and he is walking about, beholding Him.

Next, he twice uses this word walk, and this word walk is not the same one he used previously, just a couple of verses before, but peripateo, this is walking about. And so here he has, this is wherever they're walking, wherever they're walking, the focus is not on specifically the place, you know, certain step patterns, the focus is wherever they're walking. That walking as they go about has this characteristic. The next word that jumps out there is pattern, okay, and the King James has example or ensample, rather.

The Greek is tupos, and in those days it was of an impression made by a die. In other words, if they were to stamp something in metal, they would have a tupos, okay, they'd hit that thing and it would make the same mark every time. It would stamp an impression.

That's the word that he uses. This is the source of our English word, type, but we mustn't take the English definition and carry it over here. The idea is that they live in their present condition in accordance with their eternal position. In other words, here you have it. Here's the position.

Bang! It makes the same impression every time. Every single one of us has the same position in Jesus Christ. Every single one. Mine isn't different than yours. Ours is not different from Paul's. Same position in Jesus Christ. Why? Because every single one of us has the history of Jesus Christ. Every single one. No exceptions. Again, this is not external behavior. This isn't, here's a list of the right ways to behave and follow the list and you'll be fine. He's talking instead about our position, about our relationship. That's his point. You have on the back side of your handout this chart in miniature and it shows these same words. Remember we used that word sunmimitiv, sunmimitiv rather.

And that has a bit of an exception in terms of that prefix there. Otherwise, it's the same as these other passages here. And there's this other word, tupos, that's also coupled with it. Those two are put together in this passage and also the First Thessalonians 1, 5 through 7 passage as well. But here is the same idea.

Paul is not just using that idea here in Philippians. He uses it again and again and again. Do you notice that? A great many of his letters are written with this message. As he instructs Timothy and Titus, those who are acting as his apostolic delegates, this comes across. He makes it clear to them, this is a lesson to be learned. Because he does it repeatedly and focuses it on Timothy and Titus, it's clear to us that that's a lesson for us to learn.

One of the things that is unique, this is the one place where he uses that Why does he use the word soon as a prefix, or as he contracts it, soon-mimitis? Why? Why does he use it here, the only place in the whole New Testament? As a matter of fact, Greek scholars have looked through all the ancient Greek literature. This is the only place they've found that word in all of the New Testament and all of Greek literature. Right here.

Paul picked out a word that is unique. He has been continuing from chapter one to talk to them about their unity issue. Do you notice that? From chapter one, remember at the end of chapter one he talked about striving together, of one mind. Single-mindedness.

He's been reinforcing that idea all along. Now he comes here and he doesn't just say, imitate, he says, together imitate. He's focusing on this unity issue with them. It must be a big one. He's not done. We'll see. He's got that issue to bring up some more. But here he takes advantage of the opportunity to not just say, each of you individually imitate, but I want you to together imitate me as I behold the Lord.

Philippians chapter 2, Paul gave four examples. Remember that? Timothy and Epaphroditus, as we step through chapter 2, examples. And now what does he do in chapter 3? He says, okay, you've been given them, now look at them, follow them. He's described the examples, including the very first one being Christ himself. But notice his example is not just externals, but who are you beholding? He reinforces that issue when he gives the analogy even of the chariot race or the runner's race as he goes into Chapter 3.

The next one that comes across, and this is a unique one, another place where he uses the word once, weeping. The Greek word is kleio. And this is a word, it isn't just kind of weeping in silence, this is a word that specifically means weeping and wailing out loud. This also is a place where he uses a unique word.

What's really clear is that Paul's sadness is not something he's secretive about or is a minor issue. He tells them all and he's weeping out loud audibly, noticeably, knowingly. He's weeping out loud over those who have taken this contrary path. Why? Couldn't he just say, well, that's their choice. No, he is not concerned about the path that they've taken. It does make a difference. It does matter. It matters profoundly. Let's take a closer look at that. It also reflects the tragedy of those who walk according to this other path, this other example. The tragedy is real and it's major. Remember one of the points that Hal brought up some weeks back is for believers there is no tragedy. That might tell us something here. For believers there is no tragedy, but this was one.

Now as we look through this passage here, one of the things that he brings out, this is kind of the other path. We've been focusing so far on the first path, the example that Paul and his companions and the others at Philippi, Now, here's the other example. Let's step our way through that.

He says, many walk. And one of the points to bring out here is those who walk not in keeping with Paul's example are many. Have you noticed that? Have you noticed that? The examples of those who walk contrary is a great many. You're going to find lots of examples out there. Ever heard of a good bad example? That's these guys, okay? There's lots of them. There's plenty.

There's no loss of opportunity to find guys that will give you a good bad example. The other point is that they are enemies of the cross of Christ. By the way, this word enemies is a word that's frequently used in the New Testament in a very extreme form. This same word is often applied to Satan himself and to those who take an extreme position of opposition. It's an intense word. Here's what they're doing. You look at what is the cross of Christ. It is God's provision. This is the basis, okay? This is the basis on which God provides. For man to be an enemy of that is to be an enemy of grace. For man to be an enemy of the cross of Christ is to say, Hey God, what can I do to help?

Or, God, help me. These people don't like the cross of Christ because it says, there's nothing I can do to pitch in. They want to help. The flesh always wants to contribute. Alright, God, I know how to do that. Now, he says, enemies of the cross of Christ. Why? The cross of Christ is absolute. It's total. When Christ was done, he said, what? It's finished. Finished.

That's why in Hebrews 9 and 10 repeatedly the point is made, he died once for all. There is no ongoing thing for him to accomplish, or for you and I to accomplish either. Whose end is destruction. You look at, where is this going? Have you ever been going down a road and you realize you're not going to the right place, or not heading in the right direction? That's what Paul is saying here. The ultimate end, where they're headed isn't the right place. They just don't see it. And notice that that end is not a good one. He doesn't just say they're going the wrong direction, but he says where it's headed is wrong. The ultimate destination is irreversible spiritual damage. Irreversible, except for Jesus Christ. It's irreversible from man's standpoint, whose God is their appetite.

Bodily appetites and drives motivate these people. The Greek culture included a group called Epicureans, and we use that term now to kind of equal gourmets, but here's where it comes from. Here's a quote from an Epicurean philosopher, Euripides, and he says, So what's Paul doing? He's saying, I've read their stuff. God is their appetite. Whatever their body says do, that's what they do. That's the God that they worship.

If you look at Romans 16, 18, he goes one step further. It's beyond God, they are slaves to it. They are slaves to those appetites. Then the next one, whose glory is their shame? This is an oxymoron. Here's some examples. Henry Purcell is a well-known composer few people have ever heard of. Or here's another one, an authentic replica. Or perhaps a demanding patient. Anyway, okay. Extremely average. These are oxymorons, things that in and of themselves are a contradiction in terms. That's what he's doing here, whose glory is their shame. What's the point he's making? Their shame defines their glory. Their glory rises no higher than the thing that is their shame.

Nancy was remarking to me just before we were looking at this that really today's media just broadcast this left and right. You notice that? The stuff that they try to pipe into your living room through the cable or the antenna or whatever includes these very things. It's their very highest point is their lowest.

And finally, who sets their minds on earthly things. Their perspective pivots around things on this earth. I would give you a caution that there are even teachers among Christendom that fall into this category. They want to tell you that your hope is here on planet earth. They want to tell you to keep your mind fixed on earthly things. He makes this very point. That's not where it's to be. There is no hope in it. That is not the example that he is giving. Instead, they have a mindset on heavenly things. This mindset, here he's using this word phreneo again. Notice how he's continuing to bring up this idea of this mindset.

It's not simply a mental process, but it's the whole perspective. He keeps bringing this word up because He wants the people at Philippi to get the idea your whole perspective about life and eternity is what counts here, is what matters. A relationship with Jesus Christ isn't something you just sliver in alongside everything else. It's something that is all-encompassing and will impact everything in your entire life and beyond it.

He's trying to get that point across, and he now makes it again in chapter 3, and he's not going to let loose because he's got two more times in chapter 4. Boy, this is an important point, isn't it? He uses other words, as we've pointed out before, that he sprinkles throughout the book of Philippians to get that point across. Now, let's look at the expanded and explained version here. Okay, verse 17. Brethren in Christ, and by the way, this word brethren, he uses over a half a dozen times in this book. So this is another place that he's used it.

Those having spiritual relationship with one another because of positional relationship with him, you must have logical conclusion. See how I said that? Logical conclusion, not a moral imperative. Based on your position in Christ, be followers together of the pattern of beholding Christ that I have shown you. Not externals, but the pattern of beholding Christ. and likewise pay close attention to those among you who are also beholding Christ so as to live in the context of life according to the template that you have in us, as we are likewise occupied with Christ." Occupied with Him. Occupied with Him. That's his point.

Verse 18, I must make this critical distinction because there are many on this earth who live of whom I often told you when I was with you and now tell you even weeping out loud that they're enemies of the cross of Christ, standing opposed to or abusing His grace. Yet, have you noticed that there's two extremes? The one person doesn't want anything of grace. He says, I want to do it all. Just tell me what I got to do. The other person stands on the other end and says, oh, God is gracious, so I can do anything I want.

He says, either extreme, they don't understand. They don't understand grace. Standing opposed to or abusing His grace and standing opposed to the sufficiency of His death on the cross. Isn't it important for us to recognize that Christ died on the cross not so that we could earn our salvation, not so that we could help Him, or just so that we could ask Him to help us? If we are not to be enemies of the cross of Christ, we must understand the completeness of what was accomplished on our behalf. There is no place for us to contribute. There is no place for God to help us or for us to help Him. It is entirely His doing. The cross is entirely sufficient. When Christ said, it is finished, He meant it.

These are the ones whose destination is spiritual destruction because they stand opposed to the cross of Christ, whose worship as to a god is directed to their appetite, being a slave to it, and whose highest expression of glory is no better than their shame, whose mindset is entirely focused upon and pivoting on earthly objects, events, and processes. You see, as you look at this passage, one of the things that comes out real clear is that there is a perspective, the mindset, that Paul is seeking to get across to these believers here. He says that perspective is focused upon Jesus Christ, not as a, this is a part of my life.

Christ is my life. That's what he told the Church of Colossae. Christ is your life. Not a part of it, not a segment. We don't just come here and do our Christian thing and then step out and the rest of the world goes on as usual. Instead, he says, this is the principle thing. Everything pivots around my relationship with the Lord and my position in Him. Everything. One of the other questions we asked there earlier is, are these people, remember the ones of the second perspective, are they Christians? So let's ask that question right now.

Well, it's clear the way he describes them that these folks are pretty far down. As a matter of fact, their end is destruction. That's not very much something that describes a believer. His concern is that those who are indeed believers, even though they're not going to get pulled in with these entirely, but they would not live in their position, thereby sliding into the perspective and understanding and lifestyle of those who indeed are not saved. What's he telling us?

Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed. He's saying this, if you follow these people who have this example, that's not consistent with your position. You have a different history. Don't be persuaded by those who don't understand that. who do not believe and therefore have a different God, who are opposed to the cross. Don't be influenced by them even slightly. Don't be pulled and drawn by them. One of the things that's real clear in the New Testament is that Christians can easily be drawn like a magnet to the culture. This is entirely opposite to that. common point of, and that is that the New Testament message was absolutely shocking to those that read it. The words were shocking. The message was shocking. It was entirely contrary to the culture.

As the people read it, they didn't yawn, they were just absolutely stunned. Paul described things and told them things that the culture knew absolutely nothing about. He used words and pictures and illustrations that they would understand. Don't mistake me there. They understood perfectly well what he was saying, but what he was saying was not at all compatible with the culture.

And that's really what he's calling us to hear as well. The world is not going to give us the example that we need. And that's what he's looking at. Here's the two examples. He's not just saying, act like a Christian. He's saying, behold Christ, the one whose position you are in, and the one whose history you now have. That's his message. Let's pray.

Lord, what a marvelous passage of scripture you laid out for us here. Lord, indeed, it's all marvelous. And Lord, even more so, what a marvelous position we have in you. What a marvelous history we have in you. And Lord, as Paul has encouraged these believers here, he's told them twice that they must. We're just so thankful that that must is not a condemning must with a moral danger. But Lord, instead, Paul is desiring that they have full advantage of the glorious position that we have in you. And Lord, we pray for that ourselves as well. Teach us, Lord, moment by moment, day by day, to walk in that position in our daily condition. We just pray this in the glorious name of Jesus, our Savior. Amen.