Enemies

Today, Paul offers an important warning.

Philippians 3

12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.

13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,

14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.

16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.

17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.

18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.

19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.

20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

Enemies. Yesterday, Paul was talking about his desire to know Jesus (reread Philippians 3:10). Today, he continues that thought. He describes a passion (“press on”) for knowing Jesus so well that he is truly like Him (“perfection”) ... a passion that isn’t distracted by the guilt of his previous mistakes or the pride of his more recent accomplishments (“forgetting the past”). He also warns us about a second distraction ... “enemies of the cross of Christ”. I found Dr. Constable’s suggestion, regarding this verse, helpful ... “Perhaps he (Paul) described them as enemies of the cross because what they taught was contrary to the spirit of obedience to God that had led Jesus to the cross (cf. v. 10).” As Jesus followers, we ought to be passionate about honoring (obeying) Jesus and wary of people that make light of honoring Jesus.