“For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame. They are focused on earthly things, but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself.” [Philippians 3:18-21 HCSB]
A portion of the above passage was in my email the other morning.
Philippians 3 begins with the marvelous passage of Paul’s credentials as a Jew. It moves on to his greater emphasis for knowing Christ and being found in Him. The last portion of Chapter 3 centers on reaching forward to take hold of the “prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” [vs14]
There were three things in that final passage that caught my attention. One, the phrase “they [the enemies of the cross] are focused on earthly things,” two, “our citizenship is in heaven,” and three, “He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body.”
The enemies of the cross of Christ are focused on earthly things. That really made me think. Am I focused on earthly things more than heavenly ones? We certainly need to be aware of the things of this world. We need to be prepared for the things of this world. But our primary focus should be on heavenly (eternal) things.
After all, our citizenship is in heaven. We are subjects of the King of Kings and LORD of Lords. We serve Him first and foremost.
And that most wonderful reward!!! One day this dusty, deteriorating, shrinking, vulnerable body that is subject to the things of this earth now will be transformed into a body which will last for eternity! Hallelujah! AMEN!
