ONLY TWO MODELS

“For, as I have often told you before, and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ who, 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.” Philippians 3:18-21.

Paul urged his beloved Philippian believers to follow his example because he modelled his life after the pattern and example of his rabbi, Jesus. If they, in turn, followed him, they would be safe from the ravages of the world’s example which was selfish, self-indulgent and destructive. He even called them “enemies of the cross of Christ”.

I wonder whether those who call themselves “Christian”, even those who no more than tip their hats to God on a Sunday or at Christmas and Easter but live like the world, realise that they are His enemies. Whenever we stray into the dominion of the flesh, which is not the way He calls us to live, we become His enemies because self, under our old master, rules the appetites of our old nature.

The other model we have to follow is that of our rabbi, Jesus. Paul assured his readers that they had dual citizenship. They had no option but to be citizens of this world because they lived in it and were obliged to obey the laws of their country as far as they were able.

But they were also citizens of the kingdom of heaven. They were already resident in the realm of God’s rule, body, soul and spirit if they willingly submitted to His Spirit in them. The unseen presence of God called them away from fleshly indulgence to a life of obedience to Him and unselfish service to one another.

Those who live in God’s kingdom have not yet seen their king, but they await His coming with eager anticipation, His return heralds their final liberation from the old nature and will fulfill their hope of a resurrection body perfected like His body, never to suffer pain or sickness, and never to die again.

His return promises, not only the final transformation of His own but also the restoration of all things – the universe and all nature corrupted by the fall. This is as much part of our hope as our own salvation completed and perfected on that day. If we allow our imagination to take us into the future, what will it be like? Although we have no experience of living in a perfect body in a perfect world, at least we can think about ourselves and the animal world living in harmony and the natural world without bugs and weeds!

Paul encourages us as he encouraged the Philippians two thousand years ago, to anticipate and live in that realm now. It’s worth the discipline and the wait. If we live in and for our selfish appetites and desires now, we disqualify ourselves from enjoying the eternal bliss of a life beyond our imagination. Is it worth it? We can’t have both.

Like Jesus, Paul viewed all the events of his life, good and bad, from God’s perspective and adjusted his thoughts, his attitude and his responses towards trust and obedience. Circumstances that seemed disastrous at the time turned out for the good when he trusted God instead of resisting and rebelling. Even his imprisonment, uncomfortable as it was, turned out for good, and he was able to rejoice, first in the outcome and then in anticipation of the outcome because Jesus was in the driving seat,

Paul experienced this so often that he could say with confidence that Jesus would put everything right when He returned and took up the reins of government here on earth. We can only be part of that righteous rule if we submit to Him now and live in this world as citizens of His kingdom. We have to make the choice now. Which model are we to follow? Following the world’s model takes no effort at all. Just keep going as we are. To follow Jesus means learning to say no to our selfish desires and yes to His Spirit in us.

We are free to choose our way in life but we are not free to choose the consequences. Follow Jesus and the outcome is eternal life. Follow the flesh and the result is unthinkable

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.