I don’t suppose anyone reading this has been on death row. It’s hard to imagine what it might actually be like - when all the appeals have been heard, even to the highest court of the land, and now you’re just sitting there day after day waiting for the verdict. That was Paul’s circumstance when he wrote his letter to the Philippians.

The subject of this passage is, “Magnifying Christ in adverse circumstances.” The central purpose of the Christian life is to be the presence of Christ on earth and we fulfill that purpose by magnifying Christ no matter what, by life or by death - that’s a summary of the teaching of this passage, which I have titled: “When dying is gain.” No matter what, by death or by life, Paul says, we must present Christ so that He is magnified in us before the world.

If you wonder how you can magnify Christ no matter what, understand first that...

I. We Can Magnify Christ Despite Our Personal Circumstances (1:12-20)

Paul’s personal circumstances, at the time of writing this epistle, were abominable. He was imprisoned awaiting the verdict of his trial. Prison then wasn’t like ours today – no TV and three hot meals. For Paul it meant being chained in a dark, damp, cold cavern. Yet, despite such ugly and depressing circumstances, Paul could say “that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel” (1:12). How could he rejoice in such circumstances, not knowing whether he would live or die for his faith?

The answer is that he could rejoice despite his circumstances because circumstances didn’t determine his outlook. What determined his outlook was whether Christ was magnified. And the reality was that, even in prison, through his ministry, (1) the prison guards were responding positively to the gospel (1:13), and (2) the Christians in Philippi, who previously were timid about their faith, had become bold in their proclamation of the gospel when they saw Paul’s example (1:14).

Yes, there were those who preached the gospel of Christ insincerely, “from envy and rivalry” (1:15a) but others preached “from good will” (1:15b), being emboldened by Paul’s example, “knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel” (1:16). That there were those who “proclaimed Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment” (1:17) did not discourage Paul. Rather, it encouraged him that “whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed” (1:18a). Paul wasn’t endorsing the attitude of those who preached Christ out of envy and rivalry, but he looked beyond their motives to the end result, namely that “Christ is proclaimed.” For Paul, the proclamation of Christ undoubtedly embraces the truth about Christ’s person, his life, his teaching, and his works, central to which is Christ’s work of redemption. Indeed, this was the whole purpose and focus of Paul’s ministry, to make known the manifold riches of Christ, which were most supremely shown out at the cross.

“And in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice” (1:18b), Paul says. He rejoiced in all that God was sovereignly accomplishing through him in the spread of the gospel even in such adverse circumstances as his imprisonment, and even though some people preached Christ insincerely. Paul’s overriding goal was to magnify Christ no matter what, by life or by death, which at its core meant being conformed to Christ not only in his life but also in his death, the reality of which Paul was facing at that very moment.

This is the model of the Christian life and ministry - to be confident in God no matter what our circumstances, to be glad in Christ no matter what our circumstances, to be positive that God is alive and still in control no matter what our circumstances may be.

It’s so easy for us to think that God has abandoned us when our circumstances are depressing, hurtful, gloomy. Paul could have given up when he was cast into prison. He could have concluded that his life for God was over. But instead, he just went to work for Christ in the prison and God used him mightily for the advancement of the gospel (1:12-13) and for the empowerment of the Christians in that city (1:14).

We don’t know what God is going to do through us. We only see the present; we can’t know the future. So, let’s be very careful about jumping to conclusions about our circumstances and questioning “where is God in all this?” God is at work whether we can see it or not. Our calling is to magnify Christ no matter what, by life or by death.

How do you deal with adverse circumstances? When things don’t go your way, when ill health strikes, when you lose your job, when your spouse abandons you? Can you say that you still magnify Christ no matter what? That’s what the Christian life and calling is about. But, you ask, how can we do that? Where do we find the strength? What’s our assurance? Paul gives three reasons why and how we can magnify Christ despite our personal circumstances…

1. Because we can have full confidence in the prayers of Christ’s people (1:18b-19). Though Paul did not know what his future prospects were – whether he would be set free from prison or executed – nonetheless, he says, “^18b Yes, and I will rejoice, ¹⁹ for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance” (1:18b-19).

Paul knows that Christian people were praying for him. That’s why he is absolutely confident that all of his circumstances would turn out for his deliverance (cf. Ps. 34:3-6), whether that means physical deliverance from prison or moral deliverance from his accusers through God's vindication of his life and faith. Like Job, Paul is adamant in his trust in God (Job 13:15-16). “He will deliver me from this present circumstance. He will prove that my manner of life and ministry are true. No matter what others say or how it turns out in the end. He will vindicate me.”

God responds to the united prayers of his people: “^19a …through your prayers…this will turn out for my deliverance.” That’s why we pray for those who need deliverance - deliverance from economic slumps, from relational breakdowns, from spiritual attacks, from physical ailments, from false accusations, from persecution, or whatever other circumstances they may face. When God's people pray, you can have full confidence that God will intervene in your circumstances to sustain you, encourage you, and deliver you – physically or spiritually or both.

Prayer is our moral, emotional, spiritual, and, sometimes, physical lifeline. When God's people pray, our souls are nourished, our spirits are lifted, our hearts are refreshed, our hopes are reinforced, our faith is strengthened. For we know that God responds in dynamic ways to the fervent, united prayers of his people. I’m not saying that things will always be pleasant or the way we want them. But God is always there for us, whether in deliverance or sustenance.

So often we want to keep our troubles to ourselves. That’s part of North American culture particularly – self-sufficiency, independence. But that’s not the teaching of the New Testament. In fact, Paul himself frequently asked for the prayerful intercession of God's people, that he might be faithful amidst opposition (2 Cor. 1:8-11), that his ministry would be effective (Col. 4:3), that he might be bold in proclaiming the gospel (Eph. 6:18-20). We need the prayers of God's people. When my wife and I travel overseas we are very aware of the prayers of Christian friends here at home for us. That sustains us, protects us, empowers us, enables us to do what we do.

First, then, we can magnify Christ despite our personal circumstances because we can have full confidence in the prayers of Christ’s people. And, second, we can magnify Christ despite our personal circumstances...

2. Because we can have full confidence in the provision of Christ’s Spirit (1:19). “I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance (1:19). On the human side, God's people pray, and on God’s side, he supplies to us “the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” The two go together - the intercessory prayers of God's people and the empowering provision of God's Spirit. There is a mysterious relationship between the efficacy of our prayers and God's responsive action. There is this inexplicable interplay between human agency and divine intervention in sustaining and empowering us no matter what our circumstances may be. How can it be that we pray and somehow influence a God who knows the end from the beginning and who is unchanging? I don’t know how that works, but I know it is true.

Paul was confident that the Spirit of God would teach him what to say (cf. Jn. 14:26), give him boldness of speech when he stands trial, and enable him to face the verdict whatever that might be. In like manner, we can have confidence that when God's people pray, God supplies us with the Spirit of Jesus Christ to enable us to remain true to him despite circumstances, to sustain us and empower us to keep on living for him, to break down the opposition of our enemies, to effect our spiritual, emotional, physical, and psychological protection and sustenance when we are under attack.

We have the same basis for confidence as Paul. That’s how we can carry on despite our circumstances. That’s how we can magnify Christ despite our circumstances. That’s how we can be the presence of Christ on earth despite our circumstances. No matter what our circumstances may be our hope and confidence are that God is in control, supplying his Holy Spirit to us so that we can sustain a vibrant and consistent testimony for Christ. Otherwise, we would give up, excusing ourselves with “What’s the use?” But, instead, these two inseparable resources (the prayers of the saints and the power of the Spirit) form the basis of our courage and confidence.

So, we can magnify Christ despite our personal circumstances, first because we can have full confidence in the prayers of Christ’s people; second because we can have full confidence in the provision of Christ’s Spirit; and third…

3. Because we can have full confidence in the preservation of Christ’s testimony (1:20). “It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all boldness, Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death” (1:20). His future deliverance and his present confident expectation concerning the outcome of his circumstances were in harmony with one another. Because Paul was absolutely confident of God's intervention on his behalf, he is also full of hopeful expectation that his testimony for Christ will be preserved, that he will not be ashamed about anything. That was the focus of his life, that when his life ended he would not be ashamed of anything - not ashamed of the gospel of the grace of God, not ashamed of the accusations brought against him, not ashamed of the final outcome of his imprisonment, not ashamed of any failure on his part to speak for Christ at his trial no matter what the outcome may be, not ashamed of his message of Christ and him crucified, not ashamed of his mission as an ambassador of Christ, not ashamed of his calling as an apostle of Christ, not ashamed of the circumstances of his life - even though that included bodily weakness, rejection, abandonment, shipwreck, and imprisonment for the name of Christ.

That was the focus of his life, that his testimony for Christ would be preserved such that, at the end of his life, he would not be ashamed of anything. “I never want to be ashamed of how I’ve spent my life,” he says, “but that now as always, with all boldness, Christ will be honored (magnified) in my body, whether by life or by death (1:20b).” Because of the intercessory prayers of Christ’s people and because of the empowering supply of Christ’s Spirit, Paul’s unwavering conviction and unswerving commitment is that in his life and testimony he would demonstrate his customary boldness, even now while waiting in prison for the verdict of his trial, such that Christ will be magnified before others in his life no matter what his circumstances or the outcome may be.

It didn’t matter that he was facing the death penalty for his faith and message. It didn’t matter that he was chained in a Roman prison, guarded by Roman soldiers. It didn’t matter that he had no one to defend him. It didn’t matter that everyone and everything seemed against him. His confidence was that the provision of Christ’s Spirit in response to the prayers of God’s people was sufficient to enable him to preserve the same testimony he always had, to persevere in proclaiming the gospel with the same boldness he always had, to defend the truth with the same courage he always had, to sustain the same faith in God that he always had, so that Christ would be exalted, highly honored, magnified in his life.

So, what does it mean “to magnify Christ”? It means to make Christ real before others, to bring Christ into view in a tangible way, to be the presence of Christ on earth so that when others see you they see him, when others hear you they hear him, when others are attracted to you they are attracted to him. John Piper describes it this way:

“You can magnify like a telescope or like a microscope. When you magnify like a microscope, you make something tiny look bigger than it is… Pretending to magnify God like that is wickedness.

“But when you magnify like a telescope, you make something unimaginably great look like what it really is. With the Hubble Space Telescope, pinprick galaxies in the sky are revealed for the billion-star giants that they are. Magnifying God like that is worship.

“We waste our lives when we do not pray and think and dream and plan and work toward magnifying God in all spheres of life. God created us for this: to live our lives in a way that makes him look more like the greatness and the beauty and the infinite worth that he really is. In the night sky of this world God appears to most people, if at all, like a pinprick of light in a heaven of darkness. But he created us and called us to make him look like what he really is. This is what it means to be created in the image of God. We are meant to image forth in the world what he is really like (John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Life, 32-33).

So, to magnify Christ means to live our lives (in our behavior, our thinking, our relationships, our ethics, our attitudes, our language, our goals, and our choices) in such a way that we make visible the One who is otherwise invisible; that we bring into view the One who is “unimaginably great”; that we make known the One who would be otherwise unknown. “And that,” Paul says, “is the purpose of my life – to preserve my testimony for Christ, to magnify Christ in my body (physical flesh), whether by life (freedom from death row) or by death (execution for his faith).” He fully expects to be delivered but whatever the outcome, he wants to magnify Christ and so “to image forth in the world what (God) is really like.” No matter how hard the circumstances may be, Paul is singularly focused and undeterred in his goal. Vindication isn’t his goal, exoneration isn’t his goal, clearing his name isn’t his goal, retiring and taking life easy isn’t his goal. His goal and the overriding passion of his life was that through his life and testimony (undergirded by the prayers of the saints and the power of the Spirit) he will magnify and glorify Christ.

Notice that it does not say “in” life or “in” death but “by” life and “by” death. In other words, he is not referring to his life or his death as circumstances by which he would magnify Christ, but as the manner and the means by which he would honor and glorify Christ. How can he have such unswerving commitment to this end? Because he is confident of God's care and control of all things; because he is confident of God's protection, intervention, sustenance, and response to His people’s intercession.

“But,” you say, “I understand how we can magnify Christ by our lives, but how do we magnify Him by our death?” On May 14, 1988, newspapers throughout the U.S. carried the story of a bus carrying the youth group from the First Assembly of God church in Radcliff, Kentucky, that was involved in what was called “the worst drunken driver accident in Kentucky” history in which 24 children and 3 adults died. At that time, Ninie Harmon was a reporter for a small newspaper in Lebanon, Kentucky. Though she did not cover the story, many of her reporter friends did.

Chuck Kytta, the youth minister of the church, was seated right behind the bus driver, and when the gas tank exploded, a heartbeat after the collision, he was instantly encircled in flames. When Chuck saw the flames around him, witnesses said, he looked up, lifted his hands and cried out, “Jesus, I'm coming home!” Some of the kids said he was smiling. Ninie Harmon wrote, “I was not a Christian in 1988, so I couldn't make any sense of what Chuck did. Here's this guy standing in flames, moments from a horrible death and he's smiling?” No matter how hard she tried, Ninie could not erase from her mind the image of Chuck Kytta. She wrote, “The only way to explain how a man could calmly accept, almost welcome, a painful death was to acknowledge that he understood some great truth I didn't, that he had something - faith? hope? God, maybe? - something I didn't have. And try as I might, I couldn't help yearning for whatever he had that made death a thing to embrace rather than to fear.”

Two years later, Ninie would come to faith in Christ. She says, “Chuck Kytta planted a seed in me that took root in my heart. One day, I will see Chuck in heaven. I'll tell him how the manner of his death pointed me toward eternal life” (Ninie Harmon, “Jesus, I'm Coming Home,” The Southeast Outlook, Louisville, Kentucky).

By his death, Chuck Kytta magnified, honored, and exalted Christ. In Paul’s case, his death would magnify Christ by his unswerving faith in Christ no matter what by paying the ultimate price for his faith in Christ, by illustrating that nothing even as powerful as death could disturb his faith in Christ. In our case, we can magnify Christ by our death, by maintaining our trust in him right to the end, by being confident in Christ even at death’s door, by praising God in death for a life that he redeemed.

I was vividly reminded of this one time when my wife and I visited a brother from our church in hospital. Here was a 93 year old man, lying in a hospital bed recuperating from hip surgery while also battling an infection. But despite the circumstances he was full of praise to God, saying: “There has not one thing failed of all his good promises” (1 Kgs. 8:56). Jim Hayley was magnifying Christ, no matter what. This is a message of motivation for us all that, no matter what the circumstances of life may bring, we can magnify Christ by life or by death.

So, we can magnify Christ despite our personal circumstances. And...

II. We Can Magnify Christ Despite Our Personal Desires (1:21-26)

The pivot and apex of Paul’s argument is that, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (1:21). This sums up his life. This is why he got up every day. This is how he could face tomorrow no matter what the circumstances. This was the passion of every heartbeat. Life, for the apostle Paul, was living Christ, being the visible manifestation of the ascended Christ, demonstrating the life of Christ to a lost world, proclaiming to needy people the redemption that is in Christ Jesus by grace through faith, preaching “Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2; 1:23).

Living Christ is, then, the characterization of Paul’s life - not a life of mysticism or isolation from the world, but the life of Christ lived out in him, the life of one who has been taken captive by Christ, the life of one who is united with Christ and devoted to him. Everything he worked for, hoped for, trusted in, taught, loved, and obeyed was for Christ and about Christ from the moment of his Damascus road conversion experience. For Paul, there was no other reason for living than that. That’s why he encountered Christ on the Damascus road. That’s why he went into Arabia for three years to learn about Christ and the gospel. That’s why God sent him to be the apostle to the Gentiles. That’s why he was commissioned by the church at Antioch to engage in a ministry of church planting.

So, we can understand why, for Paul, “to live is Christ” but what does he mean that “to die is gain?” When is dying gain? What benefit is there to dying? How would dying perpetuate the work God called him to? In what sense is death gain? To die, for Paul, was gain because that would be the culmination and fruition of everything for which he had lived! The sole purpose and object of his life was to gain Christ (see Phil. 3:8). While he lived, he gained Christ by counting everything he had once highly valued as nothing and Christ everything, by entering into the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings and being made conformable to Christ’s death, by striving toward the resurrection of the dead. This is the reward of the cross!

And when he died, he would also gain Christ because then he would gain the ultimate prize, attaining the resurrection from the dead (Phil. 3:11). He would gain Christ by dying because the ultimate goal was not merely to live Christ but to enter into the fruit of that life by being with and like Christ. That’s when dying is gain, because that is the end of a life well lived, the reward of a race well run, the prize of a fight well fought, the fulfillment of a lifelong goal (2 Tim. 4:7) - to see the One who had died for him and be completely and perfectly like him. This is why “to die is gain” because life is but the conduit to glory, because life on earth is but an interlude before life in heaven, because death holds no terror or sting for the Christian – it is merely the portal through which we attain our final goal. This is the reward of the cross!

Only if you can truly say that “for me to live is Christ” can you also truly say “and to die is gain,” not because you have some sort of morbid death wish, not because you are tired of living and want to give up, not because you have a perverted view of life after death, but because your whole goal is to be present with the Lord.

If your life in Christ is not the “loss of all things” (Phil. 3:7-8), then to die is not truly gain. If you have not surrendered everything earthly in order to pursue everything heavenly, then to live is gain and to die is loss. If your priority now is to accumulate earthly treasure rather than heavenly treasure, then to live is gain and to die is loss. But, for Paul, that paradigm is turned upside down. For him, possessions and position are illusive rubbish, but a relationship with Christ is eternal treasure (Phil. 3:8). Therefore, to die is the final step in gaining what he had given up everything to attain.

But now Paul discusses the “what if.” What if I live, and what if I die? He has already said that it doesn’t matter because he will magnify Christ whether by his life or by his death. But, if he had a choice, what would be his personal desire? If we had a choice, what would be our desire? Here’s the answer...

1. Our personal desire isn’t the deciding factor (1:22-24). “²² Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful labor for me. Yet I do not know which one I should choose. ²³ I am torn between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. ²⁴But to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake” (1:22-24). Paul seems to be on the horns of a dilemma. “I don’t know what to choose. I’m hard pressed to decide.” He sounds like Tevia in “Fiddler on the Roof,” trying to decide whether to allow Mortel, the poor tailor, to marry his daughter, Zeitel.

Tevia says to Mortel: “You’re just a poor tailor.”

Mortel replies: “I promise you, Tevia, your daughter will not starve.”

And Tevia thinks out loud: “Oh! He’s beginning to talk like a man. On the other hand, what kind of match would that be with a poor tailor? On the other hand, he’s an honest, hard worker. But on the other hand, he has absolutely nothing. On the other hand, things could never get worse for him - they could only get better.”

Similarly, Paul argues out loud: “On the one hand, “^22a if I live on in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me” among God's people, because then he would be able to continue to teach them and to serve with them “in the defense and confirmation of the gospel” (1:7) - that would be good. “^22b Yet I do not know which one I should choose. ^23a I am torn between the two (1:22b-23a). On the other hand, “^23b my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better” (1:23b) - far better because to die is gain. But then again, “to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake” (1:24), presumably because he could continue to pastor them, teach them, build them up in their most holy faith (Jude 20) and assist them in their gospel outreach (1:5-7).

His dilemma here is not between life and death, about which he has no choice anyway, but between the desire to be with Christ (which, for him, is “far better”) and the need for his continuing ministry (which, for them, is “more necessary”).

“To depart and be with Christ” expresses the same idea as to “fall asleep in Jesus” (1 Thess. 4:14). These are simply euphemisms for death itself. At death, the Christian departs this world, your physical body is committed to the grave, and at the same time your spirit enters immediately into the conscious presence of the Lord, awaiting the moment of reunion of the spirit and the body at the coming of Christ. If the death sentence should be the immediate outcome of his imprisonment, Paul anticipates with great joy and anticipation the reality of being instantly with Christ. But if that should not be the case, then he would continue to await the upward call of Christ at His return, that glorious moment of the resurrection of the believing dead toward which Paul is striving - “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (3:14; cf. 3:20-21).

These are the two blessed prospects for the Christian: (1) to die and to be ushered spiritually into the immediate and conscious presence of Christ; or (2) to continue to live on in the flesh eagerly awaiting our resurrection at the imminent return of our Lord and Savior at the resurrection of the dead (3:20-21; 1 Thess. 4:13-18). Whichever it should be – to die now or to live on until the return of Christ - both experiences achieve the same goal, to “be with Christ” which in Paul’s view is “far better” than our present earthly experience.

So, what to do? Paul answers the question. Our personal desire is not the deciding factor, but rather...

2. Fulfilling God's desire is the deciding factor (1:25-26). “²⁵ Being convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶ so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus because of my coming to you again.” The tension is resolved. He is confident that their spiritual needs supersede his personal desire. If he is set free from death row, it is for their benefit - “^25b for your progress and joy in the faith” - with the result that “²⁶ in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus because of my coming to you again” (1:25b-26).

That’s the deciding factor – doing God's will in serving others, producing fruit for God. For Paul, if he is set free, it would not be for his benefit but theirs - their spiritual growth, the strengthening of their faith, their spiritual encouragement, their joy in Christ. That’s the mission of the Christian life, to always fulfill God's will not our personal desire, to always minister Christ to others so that their faith in Christ is strengthened, their joy in Christ is more abundant, and their spiritual needs are met. This is the life of a servant of Christ, to be the presence of Christ on earth by magnifying Christ no matter what, by death or by life.

Final Remarks

You can magnify Christ despite your personal circumstances because you can have full confidence in the prayers of Christ’s people, in the provision of Christ’s Spirit, and in the preservation of Christ’s testimony. And you can magnify Christ despite your personal desires because your personal desire isn’t the deciding factor; rather, fulfilling God's desire is the deciding factor.

Christ is most magnified when we proclaim his substitutionary death on the cross for our sins and his glorious resurrection for our justification. May we never be ashamed of this message (Rom. 1:16; 2 Tim. 1:8, 12; 16; 2 Tim 2:15), which is so simple and yet so profound and life changing. May the message of the cross be central to our lives and ministry for in it, gruesome and cruel and unjust as it was, we magnify Christ in all his glory and supremacy.

To what extent does your life magnify Christ? Does your life (your speech, behavior, attitudes, relationships etc.) bring Christ into full view before others? Do your school or college friends notice that you have a totally different perspective and objective in life than they do? When people at work face difficult situations, do they turn to you because they know that you have a peace and confidence that transcend earthly living? Are you fully using your spiritual gifts in the church and community for the benefit of others? After you die, what will other people say about you or what would they write on your tombstone as their impression of you? Would they say: “He lived Christ,” or, “She was the living presence of Christ to me.” Will that be the legacy of your life?

Above all else, at the end of my life, I want others if possible to truly say: “He pointed me to Christ. He brought Christ near and personal to me.” A few years ago I wrote a poem based on our text entitled “Whether by Life or by Death.” For some of you this may bring back memories of loved ones who have already gone to heaven. For my wife and me, it brings back the memory of her brother who suffered a fatal stroke on August 26, 2006.

To live for God’s glory, that’s why we’re here on earth;

To worship our Maker, and praise his matchless worth;

To show in deed and word that Christ now reigns within;

To show and tell a dying world how to be saved from sin.

To live for him I understand, but what is dying for?

Is there a purpose even there, in pain and suffering sore?

Can we somehow serve God in the hour of our death?

And bring him glory even then in our dying breath?

“Oh, yes,” says Paul, “to live is Christ; to die is gain.”

Whether by life or death we can honor his name.

In our life he’s our Sovereign, Saviour, and Sanctifier.

In our death, our comforter, security, and peace-maker.

Sometimes, I think it’s easier in life more than death,

To live as Christians, fulfilling our purpose on earth.

But many have gone before who’ve shown us how to die

In the certainty of meeting our Savior from on high.

They knew the joy of heaven when they said their last goodbye.

They knew that God was in control, whatever ahead might lie.

They sought to honor God in the best way they knew how,

By loving Christ with all their heart, then at his knee to bow.

If you don’t live Christ, then you’ll live self, satisfying your own desires, chasing materialism, advancing your position, achieving greater recognition in the world. And that, says the preacher in Ecclesiastes, is “vanity and a striving after wind” (Eccl. 1:14) because you end up with nothing, life slips through your fingers.

What about your church? Do you collectively embody Christ? Does your church minister to the needs of others, loving those who feel unloved, caring for those with burdens beyond their ability to bear, extending hope and peace and joy through the salvation that is in Christ to those who desperately need him? Reaching your community for Christ isn’t about events or programs, it’s about ministering to people at the basis of their need. We’ll only reach our community for Christ if, in his name and for his glory, they see him in our actions, hear him in our speech, recognize him in our relationships, and discern him in our consistency with the message of the gospel of Christ.

Is that true of you in your community? Are you ministering to the people of your city, people whom only Christ can deliver from their destructive habits, from their sexual immorality, from the grief of loss and broken relationships? Do the outcasts and disenfranchised people of your city know that if they come to your church, they will receive the unconditional love of Christ through you? Do those suffering from addictions in your city know that if they come to your church, they will be nurtured and restored to physical and spiritual wholeness and well-being? Does the homosexual community in your city know that through you there is hope and salvation and healing? Are they coming to your church because they recognize that Christ is present among you?

May God enable us to fulfill our Christian calling, magnifying Christ no matter what, by life or by death, to be his living presence in a world that desperately needs him, to radiate his presence to others whether by life or by death.

On December 13, 2003, the world was stunned by the news that U.S. soldiers had captured Saddam Hussein in Iraq. News agencies delighted in repeatedly showing pictures of this man being checked out by a doctor for head lice. The soldiers who captured him mockingly told him “President Bush sends his regards,” and the world laughed in derision. The man who once defied nations, who once lived in pompous extravagance, who once disposed of people like worthless animals, was displayed to the world, disheveled, dirty, and disgraced, hiding in a hole in the ground. This man had gone from a powerful dictator to a pitiful desperado, from a decadent palace to a dismal pothole.

Nearly 2000 years before, another man made a long journey downward from heavenly splendor to earthly squalor. He was displayed to the world in abject humiliation, not in a rat hole but on a rugged cross, not with lice in his hair but with a crown of thorns on his head. Out of greed and arrogance, Saddam Hussein desperately tried to hang on to power but was deposed by forces stronger than himself. But out of obedience and love, Jesus, our Saviour, voluntarily surrendered his power and humbled himself.

If you asked most Christians what Paul’s letter to Philippians is about they usually say: “Joy” or “Rejoicing.” In fact I would argue that this epistle is about unity – specifically, “unity through humility.” How do we know this? We know this because of the repeated references to a united, humble attitude (mind): (1) “one spirit ... one mind” (1:27); (2) “be of the same mind…being united in spirit, and having one purpose” (2:2); (3) “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (2:3-4); (4) “Have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had” (2:5); (5) “Let those of us who are mature think this way” (3:15); (6) “I urge Euodia and I implore Syntyche to agree in the Lord” (4:2); (7) “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (4:7).

Now, you could also say that Paul repeats references to “joy” and “rejoicing” as well in this epistle – that’s true. But his exhortations that they “rejoice” are precisely because they weren’t rejoicing. You don't have to tell someone who is rejoicing to rejoice. The Philippians lacked joy because they lacked unity. They were a church that was divided by arguments, complaints, people pushing their own agendas and promoting themselves (2:1-3). Unity of spirit seems to have been the issue at this church.

Philippians 2:1-4 is a continuation of the appeal in 1:27-30 to live worthy of the gospel, which entails “standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” (1:27). Verses 1-4 set the stage for verses 5-18.

What they needed was harmony in the church and the way to harmony is through humility. They needed to imitate Christ in his humility (2:5ff.) by “considering others as more significant (important) than yourselves” (2:3), by acting in each other’s best interests (2:4). This is the path to unity among believers.

The subject of the passage we are studying today is “Church Unity: like-mindedness in the church.” The point of this passage is that if you want your church to be united, you need to think less of yourself and more of others. The apostle Paul says that...

I. Our Unity Stems From Our Attitude To One Another (2:5-11)

Attitude is so important for how we live. You’ve probably heard your mother or schoolteacher at one time or another say, “You need to change your attitude.” And that’s what Paul says to the Christians at Philippi. He says: “You’ve got an attitude problem. You need to start working together. You need to show mutual concern, not self-ambition. You need lowliness of mind, not self-conceit. You need to look out for one another’s interests not your own. You need to change your attitude! You need the attitude of Christ!”

Paul now gives the supreme example of what he means by his appeal that they be of the same mind, of one accord, by not pursuing self-ambition but lowliness: “Have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had” (2:5). He is the supreme example of self-sacrifice for the benefit of others and of humility out of love and respect for others. This is the way to unity - the lowering of self and the elevation of others, just as Christ lowered himself so that others could be exalted. In fact, Christ-like humility produces harmony in the church.

Our mission is to live Christ (1:21), to be his presence on earth, and that includes practicing his humility, which, in turn, produces unity. To do this we need to express his attitude to one another…

1. The attitude of Christ expressed in emptying himself (2:6-7): “…who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be held onto (grasped)” (2:6). Before coming into the world and taking on human form Christ Jesus was in the “form of God.” Paul is not saying that Jesus was God in “form” (i.e. appearance) but not in reality. No, to be in the “form” of God means that he possessed all the characteristics of God that are essential to the reality of being God, for that is who he is - truly God, nothing less than God (Jn. 1:1), “in very nature God” (NIV).

Nonetheless, he did not consider his “equality with God” something to be held on to at all cost, something to be exploited for his own benefit, which, if he had done so, might have prevented him from humbling himself and “becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (2:8). But to the contrary, he let his position go, along with all its rights and privileges. Unlike human monarchs and presidents who desperately hold onto power and position, he gave it up! He did not consider equality with God something to be held onto ... but (rather) emptied himself (2:7a). He gave it all up!

(1a) He emptied himself by the position that he took (2:7a-b). As the Christian song by Donald McClurkin says: “He came from heaven to earth to show the way.” He gave up heaven to stoop to earth. Rather than holding on to his own rights and position, as the Philippians evidently were, Christ “emptied himself” (2:7a). He emptied himself by the position that he took, a position of no reputation, divesting himself of his privileges but without in any way ceasing to be fully God. Christ’s self-humbling stands in stark contrast to the Philippians’ self-exaltation and conceit (2:3).

He gave up his glorious position to take a despised position. The One who was adored by the angels of heaven became despised by the people on earth. He gave up his infinite riches to become poor (2 Cor. 8:9). He became voluntarily poor with no place to be born, no home to live in, no bed to sleep in, no tomb to be buried in. He took on our burden and debt of sin (cf. Jn. 1:29) - the sinless One became sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21).

He gave up the independent exercise of his divine rights to become dependent, obedient, submissive. He became the perfect servant whose mission was to do the Father’s will. As someone else has said: The only One who had “the right to assert his rights, waived them” (Wuest, cited in Hendriksen, 109). Majesty was given up for meekness. Self-existence was replaced by self-renunciation. Superiority was set aside for submission.

This is the mystery and wonder of the incarnation, that God became a man without ever ceasing to be God. This is the attitude that Paul is urging on us – complete selflessness that looks out for the concerns of others; not grasping onto our own rights and privileges but letting them go for the benefit of others. The story is told of the late Dawson Trotman, founder of The Navigators, who was visiting Taiwan on one of his overseas trips. During the visit he hiked with a Taiwanese pastor back into one of the mountain villages to meet with some of the national Christians. The roads and trails were wet and their shoes became very muddy. Later, someone asked this Taiwanese pastor what he remembered most about Dawson Trotman. Without hesitation the man replied, “He cleaned my shoes.” How surprised this humble national pastor must have been to get up in the morning and to realize that the Christian leader from America had risen before him and cleaned the mud from his shoes. That spirit of servanthood marked Dawson Trotman throughout his Christian life. He died as he lived, actually giving his life to rescue someone else from drowning (Jerry Bridges, “Loving By Serving,” Discipleship Journal, May/June 1985). This is the attitude of Christ that we need to demonstrate to one another - emptying self for the benefit of others.

What did this self-emptying look like? How did Christ do this? “... by taking the form of a servant (slave)” (2:7b). The point here is not “what” he let go, but “how.” This was an act of self-abasement, self-impoverishment. Note the irony here: Christ emptied himself by becoming human. Humanity is the highest of God’s creation, but becoming human for Christ was a lowering of himself (the Creator) to the position of the creature he had made. And, more than that, he took the position of a slave, the lowest place in human society.

Christ emptied himself by the position that he took - he took the form of a slave. He took that position in addition to, not in place of, his deity. The One who was in the “form of God” also took the “form of a slave.” That’s how he could be our Saviour, because he is the God-man, perfectly holy and perfectly human, and thus the perfect sacrifice and substitute for our sins. The “form” of a slave doesn’t mean that he appeared as a slave but really was not. He actually took the lowest position on the economic and social scale, someone without rights or privileges, the servant of all (cf. 2 Cor. 8:9; Lk. 22:27). In fulfilling his mission as the servant of God (Isa. 42:1-4), he became the servant of men (cf. Jn. 13:1-17). Christ entered world history not as the “Lord” but as a “slave.” He came “not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28; Mk. 10:45).

Hudson Taylor was scheduled to speak at a large Presbyterian church in Melbourne, Australia. The moderator of the service introduced the missionary in eloquent and glowing terms. After telling the congregation what Taylor had accomplished in China, he presented him as “our illustrious guest.” Taylor stood quietly for a moment, and then opened his message by saying, “Dear friends, I am only the little servant of an illustrious Master.” Taylor gave up a lot in order to serve God on foreign soil. But Jesus gave up far more – he gave up everything! We can’t even imagine what Jesus gave up in order to come to earth in human form and be a servant to mankind.

Christ emptied himself by the position that he took. And...

(1b) Christ emptied himself by the nature that he took (2:7c): “... taking on the likeness of humanity” (2:7c). Now Paul uses a different word – not “form” but “likeness.” Paul is saying that Christ was “similar to our humanity in some respects and dissimilar in others” (Fee, 213). He was similar in that he was truly and fully human, like us. He was dissimilar in that he was at the same time fully God. He was similar to us in his full humanity but dissimilar to us in his sinless nature (cf. Rom. 8:3). Thus, he was like us but not exactly because he was not solely human – he was God manifest in flesh (cf. Heb. 1:3). This concept is known as the “hypostatic union” – the union of Christ’s divine and human natures (Jn. 1:1, 14; Gal. 4:4; 1 Tim. 3:16). He took human nature and therefore experienced human needs and emotions (e.g. hunger, tiredness etc.) as we do, but he had no sin. He was “one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). So, though he was fully human, he was not identical to us because he had no sin.

To be united in the church and to express Christ’s presence on earth, we need to express Christ’s attitude to one another. First, the attitude of Christ expressed in emptying himself. Second...

2. The attitude of Christ expressed in humbling himself (2:8): “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

(2a) He humbled himself by the human form he took (2:8a): “And being found in human form (appearance), he humbled himself.” Notice that each time, his mode of existence (his form, likeness, outward appearance) is accompanied by a corresponding action. He was in the “form of God” and he “emptied himself.” He was in the “likeness of men” and he “humbled himself.”

Having come in human likeness, his humanity was self evident: he was born, grew up, had siblings, was hungry, tired, wept etc. To all outward appearances he was a man (and he truly was), but though others recognized his humanity, they failed to recognize his deity. They did not believe his claims to deity - they rejected his words and works; they hated him. As God he chose to “empty himself” and as man he chose to “humble himself.” This is the attitude that Paul wants us to adopt - self-renunciation for the benefit of others; emptying of self.

He humbled himself by the human form he took, and…

(2b) He humbled himself by the cruel death he died (2:8b): “…by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Again as the song says: “He came from heaven to earth to show the way, from the earth to the cross my debt to pay.”

He gave up divine superiority to take on human inferiority. He was born in a stable to an unknown, disrespected virgin. He grew up in obscurity and lived in poverty. He did miraculous acts of kindness for which he was persecuted. He came to his own people and they did not receive him. He was ridiculed, mocked, tortured and crucified.

Just as he gave up heaven to stoop to earth, so also he gave up life to submit to death. That’s how he humbled himself, by “becoming obedient to the point of death.” He gave up everything to become nothing, even giving up life to submit to death – the ultimate act of self-sacrifice. And this was no ordinary death but “even death on a cross.” This was the most painful of deaths. This was the most shameful of deaths - a condemned man carrying his own cross to a desolate place outside the city, crucified between two thieves, mocked by the religious leaders and the crowd (Matt. 27:27-31, 39-44). To die on a cross was an accursed death; he bore the curse of God on account of our sin (Gal. 3:10, 13).

This is the mystery of redemption: God on a cross! For the believer, the cross of Christ is central to all we believe, trust, and hope in. No wonder “none of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Cor. 2:8). The One who did not consider equality with God something to be held onto at all costs, in fact let it go by emptying himself of his divine rights and privileges, by humbling himself and appearing in world history as a man, so that we could see God in flesh and know the love of God expressed in its fullness through his death on the cross. This was the ultimate act of self-humiliation!

As Gordon Fee puts it: “The divine weakness (death at the hands of his creatures, his enemies) is the divine scandal” (Fee, 217), a scandal because the cross was reserved for slaves and insurrectionists, not for the Son of God. God on a cross was and is a scandal. It went against everything that the first century disciples knew and expected of the Messiah. It contradicted human wisdom that the Gentiles sought after; it contradicted the divine sign of power that the Jews looked for (1 Cor. 1:18-31). And it is the paradox of the Christian calling, that we are granted as a privilege on behalf of Christ to suffer for his sake (1:28).

Christ emptied himself and humbled himself. But...

3. God exalted him to the highest position in the universe (2:9-11): “⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and given him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow - in heaven and on earth and under the earth – ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Lest you doubt that the One who took the lowest place and suffered such ignominy could possibly be God, the story of redemption continues as the song states: “He came from heaven to earth to show the way; from the earth to the cross my debt to pay; from the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky.”

(3a) He is exalted to a position with universal identification (2:9a): “Therefore, God has highly exalted him and given him the name that is above every name.”

Notice that the subject of the verb now changes from Christ to God. Christ is now the object to whom God gives the most exalted position and the most extolled name. Obedience to death on a cross was not the end. God has exalted him like no one else (Eph. 4:10). He has raised Christ from the depths of death to the heights of heaven. He has exalted him from the lowest place on earth to the highest position in heaven where he is now seated at the right hand of God, crowned with glory and honor (Heb. 1:3; 12:2; Eph. 1:20-22).

It is the purpose of God that the name of Jesus (the Savior of his people) will take on special significance, not that of an earthly name but of an exalted Saviour. Some names conjure up vivid mental pictures, don’t they? For example, the picture of Princess Diana in that fatal car crash in a tunnel in France. But the name of Jesus towers above all other names. God bestowed on him “the name that is above every name.”

His exaltation reverses his emptying. The One who took the lowest place is honored with the highest place (cf. Matt. 23:12). The One who was condemned by man is exalted by God. The One who was crucified is the one who is crowned. The One who became poor is gloriously rich. The One who was rejected by man is fully accepted by God. The One who became a servant now rules as King. The One who wore a crown of thorns now wears a crown of glory. The One who was utterly weak is now all powerful. The One who was our sacrifice is now our high priest.

Christ’s self-emptying and humiliation are now displayed as proof that he is equal with God. This is God’s vindication of Him, that he is truly God. The mystery and paradox of God on a cross is resolved. His humiliation and crucifixion are but the prelude to his exaltation by God, so that what appeared to be defeat was in fact victory.

God has exalted him to a position with universal identification. And...

(3b) God has exalted him to a position with universal submission (2:10): “… so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow - in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”

His name will be revered by every creature. No person or creature will be exempt from bowing the knee to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

The homage that alone is due to God by his creation (Isa. 45:18-24a) is assigned here by God to Christ. This is the ultimate vindication of his deity. This is not just the homage of those who have been redeemed by him but the bowing of every creature in submission to his universal lordship and sovereignty. “Every knee” means heavenly beings, living humans, the dead, and the underworld of demons. When this name is known, its very mention will cause everyone to bow the knee in homage. The redeemed will bow in rejoicing and the condemned will bow in remorse: They will be forced to their knees.

His most revered name reverses his humiliation. The One who was mocked with a purple robe, scourged with cruel whips, humiliated with a crown of thorns, spit upon by wicked men, and condemned with despicable injustice, will be acknowledged and worshipped by every creature.

God has exalted him to a position with universal identification. God has exalted him to a position with universal submission. And…

(3c) God has exalted him to a position with universal confession: (2:11): “…so that at the name of Jesus…every tongue (should) confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” The bowing of the knee is the reverence of the lesser to the greater and the confession of the tongue is the acknowledgement of the creature to the Creator. His name that was once so despised will cause every knee in creation to bow and every tongue to confess that the Lord is Jesus Christ – He is God, the universal sovereign (cf. Acts 2:36). Jesus, the suffering Saviour, is the exalted Lord.

This is the grand finale to his humiliation and exaltation – the highest position and the divine title of Lord; the One with all power and authority. This is the ultimate goal for which we expectantly wait - the homage of every knee and the confession of every tongue - so that Jesus Christ has his rightful place as King of kings and Lord of lords. Though we acknowledge the rule of kings and governments, the ultimate rule is that of Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 2:36; Rom. 10:9; Rev. 17:14; 19:16). And all this “to the glory of God the Father,” for when the Son is honored so is the Father (Jn. 5:23). The unity of the Godhead is perfect.

That’s the model of unity for us. If we are the presence of Christ on earth, the unity of the Godhead will be the model for our unity. For our unity is the most powerful evidence that we are the presence of Christ on earth. And the key to our unity is having the attitude (mind) of Christ, lowering ourselves for the benefit of others.

First, our unity stems from our attitude to one another, and second...

II. Our Unity Shows In Our Activity With One Another (2:12-18)

“Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (2:12).

When your mind is transformed by the attitude of humility, your activity will be transformed by the attitude of obedience. Changing our mindset isn’t enough – a true change of mind toward one another will transform our behavior with one another. Obedience is the underlying characteristic of Christ-likeness, without which we cannot worship and serve in unity.

This is Paul’s challenge now. He has told us what our attitude should be, now he challenges us how we ought to act. It’s one thing how you behave when someone is watching, but the true test is how you behave when no one is looking. It’s how you behave when your parents aren’t around or your boss isn’t looking that shows whether you are truly obedient and loyal, isn’t it?

So, how do we maintain our obedience to Christ? We maintain our obedience to Christ by...

1. Working in ways that show our salvation in Christ (2:12-13): “...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (2:12b). This has nothing to do with the doctrine of the eternal security of the believer (although that is biblical and I believe it). This has nothing to do with working “for” our salvation. This has to do with working “out” our salvation - “working out what God in his grace has worked in” (Muller, cited by Ralph P. Martin in Tyndale, 115). We need to put into practice the attitude of Christ so that our salvation is evident in how we live and act together as a church, not in disunity, not striving for our individual rights, but in humility serving one another, esteeming one another better than ourselves and striving together for the faith of the gospel (2:3; 1:27).

We serve the One who will one day be universally acclaimed. That should cause us some fear and trembling, shouldn’t it? How can we be so individualistic, so self-centred, so preoccupied with self interest, when we see how Christ acted? So, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (2:12), Paul says. But, you say, how can we do that?

We can do it because “it is God who is working in you both the desire and the effort for his good pleasure” (2:13). God is the One who gives us the indwelling power to do it. He works in us in such a way that we desire his good pleasure and that’s what we work for - not for our own pleasure or our own interests but God's!

We maintain our obedience to Christ by working in ways that show our salvation in Christ. And we maintain our obedience to Christ by...

2. Living in ways that show our transformation in Christ (2:14-18). Churches that work together in God's power and for God's pleasure “do all things without grumbling or arguing” (2:14). That kind of behavior has no place among those whose mission is to be the presence of Christ on earth and who show his presence through their unity.

To live in ways that show our transformation in Christ means…

(2a) Showing our morality in Christ (2:15a): “…so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation.” We are to be people who stand out in the world - people of integrity, uprightness, forthrightness, transparency, with nothing to hide, nothing to be accused of; people who beam the light of the gospel into a morally and spiritually dark, corrupt, and perverted world. That’s the kind of world in which we work and live - working in ways that show our salvation in Christ and living in ways that show our transformed morality in Christ.

Our transformation in Christ means showing our morality in Christ, and it means ...

(2b) Showing our testimony for Christ (2:15b-18): “^15b ...among whom you shine as lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding firm to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain” (2:15b-16).

We shine as lights for God in the world by “... holding firm to the word of life” (2:16a). This is the mark of people who are the presence of Christ on earth. This is the mark of those who are acting in unity.

We show our morality in Christ by being “blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish” and we show our testimony for Christ by “holding firm to the word of life,” the gospel, both in our words and in our works, “so that in the day of Christ,” Paul says, “I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain” (2:16b).

Our testimony for Christ in word and deed is a wonderful affirmation of the impact that the ministry of others has had on our lives. Such was the case of Paul’s ministry among the Philippians. He had labored among them and they had come to faith through him and had followed his instructions and example while he was among them. Now he exhorts them to continue even during his absence (2:12) to put into practice what he had taught them, so that “in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain” (2:16b). This would be his ultimate reward and expectation that, when everything is revealed in “the day of Christ,” he can be proud of them, that his work among them was “not in vain.” This surely should be the motivation for all genuine ministers of the gospel. Such a positive outcome, of course, would ultimately not be due to Paul’s efforts alone but to “God who works in you” (2:13).

Indeed, “even if” his current circumstances (awaiting the outcome of his trial) should end in his death, “being poured out like a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith” (2:17a), even then their testimony and service for Christ would cause him to be “glad and rejoice with you all” (2:17b). The imagery here is the sacrifice of his life on the altar of their faith. The two are inseparably linked - his labor among them and their faith, expressed particularly in their testimony, including their financial support of the apostle (4:10-20). This would not only be the cause of his rejoicing but theirs also: “Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me” (2:18).

Final Remarks

Remember our thesis: If you want your church to be united you need to think less of yourself and more of others. Our unity stems from our attitude toward one another and our unity shows in our activity with one another.

The example that underlies all this is Christ himself: “Adopt the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had” (2:5). If he was willing to give up everything and become nothing so that we who were nothing might have everything, how much more should we do the same for one another! If Jesus was willing to empty himself of his divine rights and humble himself to the lowest possible place, should not we be willing to humble ourselves so that we can live in unity with one another, respecting one another, serving one another in order to reflect the presence of Christ on earth? This is what Paul is calling us to in this chapter.

If we have the attitude of Christ, our unity will be marked (1) by our attitude to one another – the attitude of servants not masters, givers not takers, respect not contempt; (2) by our activity with one another – working in ways that show our salvation in Christ and living in ways that show our transformation in Christ.

To be the presence of Christ on earth is to be like Christ. It’s not about rules and regulations; it’s about being Christ-like in nature and action. As Gordon Fee puts it: “The principle is love (selflessness), the pattern is Christ (humility), the power is the Spirit, and the ultimate purpose is the glory of God” (Fee, 227).

Will you commit to being the presence of Christ on earth by being like Christ in attitude and activity? If so, what are you going to do about it? Perhaps you’re saying: “I need to change the way I think.” My attitude of loftiness needs to change to one of lowliness. My attitude of arrogance needs to change to one of humility. My attitude of ambition needs to change to one of sacrifice. Or, perhaps you’re saying: “I need to change the way I act.” I’m not really working out my salvation with fear and trembling that one day I’ll have to give account to God for how I act. I’m not really showing Christian morality in the way I behave. I need to be upright, transparent, honest, righteous in my dealings with others. I need to shine as a light for God in this dark world by sharing the gospel with those who need Christ, as the opportunities arise.” If so, would you make that commitment today that, with God's help, you’re going to be the presence of Christ on earth.

Perhaps you need to change your thought life by thinking about the things that are Christ-honoring, things that are good and pure. Perhaps you need to change your family life by putting Christ first in your priorities and conversations. Perhaps you need to change your work life by displaying Christ to those you work with. Perhaps you need to change your church life by ministering to others in meaningful ways for their benefit. Perhaps you need to change your testimony by speaking for Christ whenever an opportunity arises.

Whatever it takes, let us have the attitude of Christ toward each other, an attitude of humility that leads to harmony. And let us engage in activity with one another, activity that shows our transformation in Christ and our testimony for Christ. This is Christian unity through the cross. This is unity that can have a powerful impact on the world around us. This unity that brings glory to God the Father.

In our passage today, Paul urges us to carefully choose whom we follow and be certain of where we’re going. The title of this message is “The Focus of the Cross: Standing Firm in the Lord” and the subject is “our heavenly citizenship.” What we learn from this passage is that whoever you follow will influence where you end up, so be sure to follow those who point you to Christ.

Having urged us to follow Christ’s example of humility (2:3-11) and his own example of whole-hearted commitment to Christ (3:1-14), Paul now urges the Philippians to be steadfast in their discipleship, to be absolutely sure of who they are following and where they’re going so that they do not go astray – not following the Judaizers (3:1-2) but following Christ (3:7-11); not following false apostles but imitating the apostle Paul himself (3:3-14); not being influenced by those who might lead them astray but being steadfast in their Christian discipleship; not attracted by earthly things (3:18-19) but heavenly (3:20-21).

We all want to stand firm for our beliefs, ideals, goals, dreams, and convictions, but sometimes we get pushed off course by people and circumstances in our workplace, our school, our homes. Sometimes other people influence us to act or think in a way that is contrary to our Christian values and goals. Sometimes we fail to live up to our own expectations. Sometimes we are influenced by friends at school (and we start to run with the wrong crowd) or colleagues at work (and get involved with bad habits and wrong relationships). Sometimes disunity in the church can push us off course such that we become cynical and lose interest. Sometimes material possessions can get ahold of our hearts and distract us from our calling in Christ.

It’s so easy to be pushed off course, to lose sight of where we’re going, to not be discerning about who we’re following. Most of us have had other people in our lives who have influenced us, either for good or for bad. You can think of people whose influence on you was so profound that it changed the rest of your life. Perhaps, it was someone who told you the gospel and you trusted Christ as Savior and your life was changed. Perhaps it was an older person whose life motivated you to be like them – always steady, never wavering in their faith, always ready with a word of encouragement, always standing firm for the truth. You can probably identify those about whom you can say: “That’s who I followed. I trusted them. They led me in the right direction. They stood firm in Christ.”

Here Paul reminds us that to stand firm in the Lord, you need discernment about who you are following and you need direction about where you are going, because the truth is, as our thesis states, that whoever you follow will influence where you end up, so be sure to follow those who point you to Christ.

Notice first that if you want to stand firm in Christ...

I. You Need Discernment About Who You’re Following (3:17-19)

In his book, “Everyday Discipleship for Ordinary People,” Stuart Briscoe wrote: “One of my young colleagues was officiating at the funeral of a war veteran. The dead man's military friends wished to have a part in the service at the funeral home, so they requested the pastor to lead them down to the casket, stand with them for a solemn moment of remembrance, and then lead them out through the side door. This he proceeded to do, but unfortunately the effect was somewhat marred when he picked the wrong door. The result was that they marched with military precision into a broom closet, in full view of the mourners, and had to beat a hasty retreat covered with confusion. This true story illustrates a cardinal rule or two. First, if you're going to lead, make sure you know where you're going. Second, if you're going to follow, make sure that you are following someone who knows what he is doing!" (cited in Sermonillustrations.com).

You need discernment about who you’re following. Paul’s advice is ...

1. Follow those who push you toward Christ (3:17). “Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us.”

We are brothers and sisters in Christ; we are in the same family and have the same likeness, values, objectives. As fellow believers, Paul urges us to follow his example. Why does he want us to follow his example? Because his example is that of someone who follows Christ.

In 2:5-11 he has pointed us to Christ as the primary and perfect model of humility and self-sacrifice, and in 3:7-14 he has described how he has devoted his life to following Christ, imitating Christ, standing firm in Christ. In urging us to imitate him, Paul isn’t trying to form an egotistical fan club. This is not a call to imitate his religious success or his personal advantages as he defined them in 3:4-6. This is not a self-serving exhortation, not egocentric. No, this is a call to imitate his self-denial, his suffering, and the all-consuming pursuit of his life that he has just described in the earlier part of the chapter. He isn’t urging us to follow him as opposed to following Christ. Rather, he is pushing us toward Christ because that’s what his life has been devoted to. That’s why he says, “Join in imitating me.” This is a community effort. As a body of believers there should be one, joint imitation of a genuine Christian life as exemplified first in Christ himself (2:5-11) and also in the apostle Paul (3:7-14). “Incorporate into your life,” Paul says, “the same priorities, values, and goals that you have seen in my life.”

The highest priority and value that we can have is knowing Christ and living close to his cross, keeping the cross central in our lives. And you can do that by renouncing everything of worldly value in order to “gain Christ” (3:7-8), by not relying on your own righteousness but on the righteousness of Christ (3:9), by deepening your intimacy with Christ through identification with his sufferings and conformity to his death (3:10), by striving to attain to the resurrection from the dead (3:11), and by pursuing Christ’s goals for your life and not your own (3:12-14).

Paul wants us to imitate his example of “striving toward the goal” of being with and like Christ (3:14), of living on earth as a citizen of heaven (3:20), of seeking to be the presence of Christ on earth, of hating the world and all it stands for. “Be it far from me,” he says in Galatians 6, “to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which (or, by whom) the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14).

Paul is not suggesting that he is the exclusive role model. There are others as well who live as he does: “Pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us” (3:17). He says: “Just use discernment concerning those whom you follow. Join together with those whose lives have the same priorities and values, convictions, teaching, purposes, and goals as mine. Follow those who are pursuing Christ-likeness in their lives. Don’t be confused or sidetracked by those who are pursuing other goals but follow and imitate those who are genuine, godly role models, who live on earth as citizens of heaven, who live the same pattern of life as I do.”

The basic principle here is that whoever you follow will influence where you end up, so be sure to follow those who point you to Christ. So, who are your role models? Who are you imitating? Who are you following? Is it celebrities - is that who you want to be like? Is it powerful people - is that who you are attracted to? Is it older kids at school - is that who you are imitating? Or, are you following someone who points you to Christ? Someone who generates in you a love for God's Word, who stimulates in you a desire for holiness, who encourages you in the Lord, who loves to talk about God's word with you. Make sure you use discernment concerning those whom you follow. Make sure you follow those who model Christ-likeness, whose values, goals, and conduct radiate the presence of Christ on earth, those who stand firm in the Lord.

If you use discernment about who you follow, you will follow those who push you toward Christ and you’ll...

2. Avoid those who pull you toward the world (3:18-19). ¹⁸ For many, about whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, are enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹ Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame; their mind is set on earthly things.”

Paul’s warning is repeated and passionate: Don’t follow those who masquerade as Christians but who underneath are really anything but Christian. Don’t naively follow anyone who comes into your church, for not everyone is a genuine follower of Jesus Christ. Some people are religious frauds. They are religious but wrong - zealous propagandists who promote a false gospel and turn others away from Christ. To them, the gospel is foolishness, a scandal (cf. 1 Cor. 1:17-2:5).

Not everyone is living a Christ-centred, cross-focused, heaven-directed life. And don’t think this is a small problem or rare occurrence. There are “many” of them - many apostates who identify with the church, who look like Christians and want to be accepted as Christians but who are deceivers. They come to church from time to time; may even be vocal about their opinions; might even become leaders in the church; some even have large ministries of their own with glitz and glamour. But when you examine their lives closely, you’ll see that they aren’t Christians at all. They are “enemies of the cross of Christ.” You can detect it in their behavior, their lifestyle, their habits, associations, values, and priorities. It isn’t what they say that condemns them (for what they believe is often cleverly concealed) but it’s what they do.

How much more deceitful can they be? How much more injurious to the cause of Christ can they be? They actually put people off Christianity because of how they live. They turn people away from following Christ by tempting them with material and sensual incentives. They are enemies of the cross of Christ. They don’t want others to think they are enemies but their lifestyle indicates that they are. They are the opposite of those who stand firm in the Lord and live close to the cross. Enemies of the cross of Christ are those who oppose all that is true of Christ (2:5-11) and oppose those who follow Christ (3:5-14).

For Paul, the cross of Christ divides the world. Either you are for the cross (you submit to it in repentance, accept it for salvation, live by it in faithfulness) or you are against the cross (you refuse to submit to it, won’t conform to it or be identified with it). For Paul, anyone who does not live in conformity to Christ and his cross is an enemy of the cross; there is no middle ground. So, how do you recognize such people? 3:19 gives us a list of characteristics…

First, you recognize them by their self-condemnation: “Their end is destruction” (3:19a). Instead of counting present things loss in order to gain Christ, these people have their priorities reversed. Instead of living with an eye to the future glory, these people live only with an eye for this present world. They count present possessions to be gain but their end will be the judgement of God - destruction not glorification! (Matt. 25:46; cf. 2 Thess. 1:9; 2 Cor. 11:15; Rom. 6:21, 23). So, first, you recognize them by their self-condemnation.

Second, you recognize them by their self-indulgence: “Their god is their stomach (3:19b). Perhaps this is a reference to Jewish dietary laws and traditions which they elevated above all, making such laws and traditions not only their objective in life but the means of salvation - they replaced God with religious rituals. They were characterized by unrestrained pursuit of physical pleasure, carousing, uncontrolled eating and drinking (cf. James 1:14; 1 Pet. 1:18; Rom. 16:18), but they had no appetite for spiritual truth.

Third, you recognize them by their self-glorification: “Their glory is in their shame” (3:19c). Perhaps this is a reference to circumcision (cf. 3:2) which in itself is private and somewhat embarrassing, but in which they glory (boast) and demand as a condition of salvation. Whatever this refers to, clearly what would cause others to be ashamed is for them a point of pride, of boasting. They have no conscience of sin, no sense of shame. Perhaps it’s verbal vulgarity (which, they often consider funny, something to be proud of), or deceitfulness (cheating, lying, untrustworthiness), or sexual immorality (adultery, fornication, pornography), about which they boast for “their glory is in their shame.”

Four, you recognize them by their self-gratification: “Their mind is set on earthly things” (3:19d). They aren’t citizens of heaven at all. Their focus in life is the opposite of Paul’s - their minds are set on earthly, temporal, material things not on heavenly, eternal, spiritual things. They live for the here-and-now, for things that give temporal gratification not eternal (cf. Rom. 8:7; Col. 3:2, 5, 8). They are more interested in present possessions than in spiritual conversions. They are more concerned about living now than living eternally. They are focused on physical realities not spiritual. They hold a laissez faire philosophy of life - live-and-let-live. They say: “If others want homosexual relationships, then let them - it’s their personal preference. If others want abortions, then let them – it’s their body, their personal choice. If others want no-fault divorce, then let them – it’s their life, easy-come-easy-go. If others want voluntary euthanasia, then let them – it’s their right to die with dignity. If others want extra-marital affairs, then let them – it’s strictly between consenting adults.”

In other words, enemies of the cross of Christ are thoroughly worldly in their thinking and lifestyle. They do what is right in their own eyes. “Morals are all relative anyway,” they argue, “so don’t pass judgement on others. What may be evil for you is not evil for someone else” (cf. Rom. 3:8). It all seems to tolerant, doesn’t it, so nice, so compromising, so self-giving, so culturally acceptable. But here’s the rub in today’s society: Any standards, practices, and beliefs are acceptable except those that are biblical, Christian.

The big problem with this attitude towards life is that, “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death” (Prov. 14:12). The big problem is that, “It is appointed for people to die once, and after this the judgement” (Heb. 9:27). The big problem is that, “God has set a day on which he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has appointed” (Acts 17:31). The big problem is that “Their end is destruction,” Paul says. They have no hope; they will be cut off from God with no prospect of salvation. Their destiny is eternal separation from God in the lake of fire.

You see, you can’t be a Christian and live any way you want. Don’t think that if you agree to a certain creed, constitution, or theology that you are necessarily a Christian. A true Christian is one in belief and behavior, and your behavior signifies what you really believe. Don’t think that you can practice any kind of morality and still be a Christian. You can’t live without the fear of God before your eyes and still be a Christian. So, don’t follow people who live religious, legalistic lives but with no evidence of Christianity.

Be sure to look around you and check people out. Find out what their goals are in life. Are they temporal or eternal? Are they accumulating earthly or heavenly rewards? Is sensual pleasure and sexual freedom a priority for them? Are they undisciplined in their appetites for food and drink? Paul says: “The people you should follow are those whose standards, goals, practices, beliefs, and desires are like mine, “standing firm in the Lord” (4:1) as Christ’s disciples, whose focus is on the cross and whose goal is heaven.

A disciple of Christ does everything to enhance and promote the gospel, wants to know more of Christ and the cross - his atonement for sin, his grace, his love, his forgiveness. A disciple of Christ mirrors the presence of Christ on earth. The life-long pursuit of a disciple of Christ is to love him more deeply, follow him more closely, trust him more fully, and know him more intimately. Whereas, enemies of the cross of Christ show by their lifestyle, priorities, attitude, and thinking that they are focused on self not Christ. They want personal pleasure not Christ’s sufferings; they depend on their own good works not on Christ’s righteousness; they want their personal safety not Christ’s death. And by infiltrating the ranks of God's people under false pretenses they influence others away from Christ to follow their example, their practices, and their goals.

So, first, if you want to stand firm in the Lord you need discernment about who you’re following, who you are imitating, who you associate with, who you want to be like, for whoever you follow will influence where you end up, so be sure to follow those who point you to Christ. And, notice second, if you want to stand firm in the Lord...

II. You Need Direction About Where You’re Going (3:20-21)

Trail magazine is one of the most widely distributed magazines for climbers. In the February 2004 issue, they provided directions for climbers descending Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain. Returning from the 4,409 foot peak in bad weather requires explicit instructions. The article gave step by step advice on navigating the trail down. But the directions were wrong. Roger Wild, the mountain safety adviser for the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, discovered the mistake and immediately contacted the magazine, advising them that anyone following their directions would be taken directly over the north face. “I find it incredible,” he wrote, “that Trail has published advice which is so obviously and dangerously wrong.” Trail magazine admitted that a crucial step in the instructions was inadvertently omitted. Those following the article would pay a high price for the missing information. In poor visibility, climbers depending upon the directions would walk off the edge into Gardyloo Gully, a drop of 1,000 feet (“Directions Take Climbers over Cliff,” in Preaching Today, March 2004).

If you want to stand firm in Christ, you need direction about where you’re going, to know where you are headed and what the future holds. For those who stand firm in the Lord the truth is that...

1. Our present address may be on earth but our eternal home is in heaven (3:20a). “For our citizenship is in heaven from where we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Here is the focus of the cross on display in our lives: “Keep your eyes on heaven” for that is where we belong, that’s where our Savior is now, that’s where he is coming from, and that’s where we are going.

This is the second and ultimate reason for following Paul’s example. The first is because “many are enemies of the cross of Christ” (3:18). The second is because “our citizenship (like Paul’s) is in heaven.” In contrast with those who are citizens of earth, those who stand firm in the Lord are citizens of heaven. That’s where we are going; that’s where we belong. Our right and title are there, not here. Our inheritance is there, not here. Our true, lasting, eternal home is there, not here. We live in the reality of our heavenly home and destiny.

Here Paul connects back to 3:17 by returning to “our...we” instead of “their…they.” On earth, we are pilgrims, strangers, and foreigners (cf. 1 Pet. 2:11; Heb. 11:13). “Pilgrims” because we’re just passing through; we are temporary residents - “Here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come” (Heb. 11:14). “Strangers” because we’re unknown - our culture, our language, our behavior, and traditions are all different. “Foreigners” (exiles) because this is not where we belong; this is not our home country (cf. Eph. 2:19; Heb. 11:13; Jas. 1:1; 1 Pet. 1:1; 2:11). Our eternal home is in heaven – that’s where we belong; that’s where we’re going; that’s where our conduct and character are derived from. We are “born from above” (Jn. 3:3). Our names are “written in heaven” (Lk. 10:20), in “the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev. 21:27). We live for heaven, in the light of heaven, in accordance with the objectives and standards of heaven. We long for heaven where we will meet Jesus face to face and enter into our eternal inheritance (cf. Jn. 14:1-4; Rom. 8:17). From heaven “we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” to take us there, to our eternal home. We are already citizens of that country even though we are not there yet.

Our motivation to imitate Paul’s example is that our lives on earth would reflect our true citizenship, that our conduct would be consistent with our heavenly destiny. And we do this by living the same style of life as Paul, a life that is focused on the cross, a life lived in the power of the resurrection, a life lived in fellowship with Christ’s sufferings, a life lived in conformity to Christ’s death. This is an “already-but-not-yet” kind of life. We are already citizens of heaven but we are not there yet - the full realization of what is already true still remains in the future. That’s why “we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (3:20b) to come from heaven.

Our pursuit of the heavenly prize will conclude with the coming of our Savior from heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s who we are eagerly looking for because he will take us to where he is now. The enemies of the cross of Christ look for an earthly savior, someone to bring them earthly peace and happiness, and such a person will come, the man of sin (2 Thess. 2:3ff.), the antichrist (1 Jn. 2:18). But our Savior is the “Lord,” the sovereign of the universe; “Jesus,” who saves his people from their sins; the “Christ,” the messiah of God (Rom. 8:19, 23, 25; 1 Cor. 1:7; Gal. 5:5).

Those who stand firm in the Lord aren’t lax about their faith. We aren’t uncertain about where we’re going. We aren’t distracted by the things of earth. But rather, we live in the eager expectation of Christ’s coming from heaven. We won’t be surprised when he calls us home. We won’t be frightened by the sound of his voice for he is our “Savior” (cf. Tit. 2:13; Eph. 5:23; 2 Tim. 1:10). We won’t be shocked when the dead in Christ arise from their graves because we who are alive at that time will join them to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess. 4:17). We are living on earth as citizens of heaven. We are “standing firm in the Lord,” longing to hear his voice and see his face, waiting to enter heaven. That’s where he is now, in heaven (Jn. 14:4), and that’s where he is coming from.

The second coming of Christ isn’t preached much anymore. Perhaps that’s an indication of where our focus is, so preoccupied with life here that we don’t have time for the life to come. Perhaps things on earth are so attractive and influential that the prospect of heaven has lost its appeal and power. Make sure as you look to the future, that you know the direction where you’re going.

For those who stand firm in the Lord, our present address may be on earth but our eternal home is in heaven. And...

2. Our present existence may be on earth but our eternal transformation is in heaven (3:21). “...^20b the Lord Jesus Christ...²¹will transform our humble bodies into the likeness of his glorious body, by the power that enables him to subject all things to himself.” Those who stand firm in the Lord know where we’re going. We live with the expectation of redemption - that’s our eternal reality. And we await Christ’s transforming power, for the one who is our Savior is the one who will be our “transformer.”

Our transformation will be a glorious conformation. He will “transform our humble bodies” into conformity with “his glorious body.” Now, we have bodies that suffer from the effects of sin and death - they are “lowly / humble” bodies, bodies of humiliation. Now, we have bodies that age and decay but he will transform them in, what Gordon Fee calls, “the great eschatological reversal” (380) – the reversal of “lowly bodies” into “glorious bodies.”

He will transform our humble bodies “into the likeness of his glorious body.” Then our earthly bodies will be conformed to his glorious body. Then we will have a body suited for glory like his body, a body that is fully conformed to his image (Rom. 8:29; cf. 1 Cor. 15:49, 51; 1 Jn. 3:2), a body that is free from all the effects of sin, a body that is incorruptible, immortal, so that we who even now are striving to be “conformed to his death” will be fully and finally conformed to his glorious likeness. The enemies of the cross of Christ now glory in their shame, but we look forward to being conformed to his glory. Our present suffering will end in future glory. Their present glory in self will end in their future eternal destruction.

But how is such transformation and conformation possible? How can saints who were fed to the lions be transformed? How can those burned at the stake be reconstituted? How can believers who have been dead for years and whose bodies have returned to dust be glorified? How can those who were drowned at sea be refashioned? It’s all possible by his cosmic power, “... by the power that enables him to subject all things to himself.” That’s how it’s possible. The same power by which he is able to, and in fact will, “subdue all things to himself” (2:10-11; 1 Cor. 15:28) is the power by which he will also transform our humble bodies at the resurrection to be conformed to his body of glory. That’s his cosmic power - the same power that raised Christ from the dead and that created all things and sustains all things will also transform us. That’s when our redemption will be complete, when we will no longer live on earth but rejoice in heaven, when we will live where our citizenship is, when we will fully and finally and perfectly glorify God in thought, word, and deed, all by his sovereign grace and power.

Final Remarks

“Therefore, my dearly loved and longed for brothers and sisters, my joy and crown, in this manner stand firm in the Lord, my beloved” (4:1). These Christians were Paul’s “joy” and “crown.” They were the fruit of his labors in the gospel. No wonder he wants them to know who they are following and where they are going. He doesn’t want them to follow those who might take them in the wrong direction. He wants them to stand firm in the same way that he stood firm. He wants them to imitate his lifestyle, attitude, beliefs, and practices, because whoever you follow will influence where you end up, so be sure to follow those who point you to Christ.

So, use discernment about who you follow. Follow those who push you toward Christ and not those who pull you toward the world. And know the direction where you’re going. Set your direction towards our eternal home and our eternal transformation, and, in so doing, “stand firm in the Lord, beloved.”

Are you standing firm for Christ? Are you more in love with him now than you were last year? Is your church a more vibrant testimony in your community now than it ever was? What is the purpose for your existence? Is it to manifest the presence of Christ on earth or to manifest your own sinful desires? Is it to find pleasure in God or in earthly things? Is it to achieve eternal goals or temporal? Christ’s coming is near, our home is prepared, and our salvation is secure. So, let me challenge you with this: “Stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.”

We continue our discussion of Evolutions' Achille's Heels. Chapter 2 is on Genetics and DNA, its complexity and its maintenance. This chapter is by Dr Robert W. Carter Ph.D. Marine Biology