In Philippians 3:2, Paul warned the Philippian Christians of some dangerous people headed their way.  They were Jewish Bible teachers who claimed to believe in Jesus as God's Messiah – but they insisted that non-Jews had to get circumcised and observe the Law in order to be accepted by God.  Paul refuted their teaching in Philippians 3:8 with a clearer definition of the gospel.  Now at the end of chapter 3, Paul warns of another spiritual danger.

What Is This Danger?

At first glance of Philippians 3:17-20, this sounds like hedonism, which is pursuing earthly pleasures like addictions, hobbies, relationships, and other worldly things. Using Paul’s descriptions to see what these men might be like in today’s world, take a look at his descriptions in reverse order:

• "Who set their minds on earthly things" – their biggest interest is their next drink or fix.
• "Whose glory is in their shame" – they boast about how much alcohol they can hold, how excited they are about their latest relationship, or some other earthly conquest.
• "Whose god is their belly" – they are driven by their addiction, talking about it all the time, fantasizing about it, spending all they may or may not have to get more of it.
• "Whose end is destruction" – their life is unraveling; they are headed for an early death.
• "They are enemies of the cross" – they mock the Bible's message that says they need God's forgiveness and reconciliation with Him.

This all fits with today’s societal woes, but it is unlikely that Paul thought the Philippian Christians were seriously in danger of being seduced into something like mass alcoholism.

When we consider the historical background of Philippi, we get a different view.  Philippi was a wealthy Roman colony.  Many Roman military officers retired here on large estates.  Many were Roman citizens, which was a high social honor.  Paul implies by his contrast in Philippians 3:20a that this mentality was part of the problem.  Paul seems to be warning them against materialism and nationalism.  

Consider:

• "Who set their minds on earthly things" – they are focused on Roman citizenship as their primary identity; they are preoccupied with a wealthy lifestyle.
• "Whose glory is in their shame" – they are preoccupied with boasting about their status as Romans citizens and all the benefits that that brings them, such as bigger homes, more money, and so on.
• "Whose god is their belly" – they talk and fantasize obsessively about owning and enjoying more things and  gaining  more political influence.
• "Whose end is destruction" – all their stuff will end up in the trash; all their political power will end up being meaningless and insignificant in view of eternity.
• "They are enemies of the cross" – they scoff at those who radically follow Jesus (see Luke 9:23) and call them "fanatics."

This profile fits the background and language much better than extreme hedonism.  It is also much more dangerous because extreme hedonism is usually socially unacceptable — addiction and other ugly sin habits — things such as materialism, nationalism and political partisanship are usually socially approved and rewarded.

Are We In Danger?

This passage is certainly an appropriate warning for Western Christians.  Western Christianity has been infected and terribly weakened by materialism and nationalistic/political entanglements.

These days, it seems as if there is an unclear line between participating in the political process versus identifying Christianity with political parties or causes, especially in North American Christian communities.  Christians can and should participate in the political process.  But, American evangelicals have often linked Christianity with political conservatism, often dubbed as  "the Religious Right".  A smaller segment, in reaction, has linked Christianity with political liberalism.  This has needlessly divided Christians, and both groups have been, and are being, used by political leaders to fulfill their own agendas.

There also seems to be an unclear distinction between being a good citizen versus connecting Christianity with one's country.  Christians should be good citizens of whatever nation they are part (see Titus 3:1-2).  But insisting on the American flag being in church buildings or insisting that America is, or was, a "Christian nation" breaks down the distinction between Jesus' kingdom, which He said was not of this world, and our nation, which has never been truly Christian and has always opposed establishment of any religion.

Continuing on in this dangerous trend, another danger lies in thanking God for material blessing versus promoting the pursuit of wealth in the name of Jesus. We should be very grateful for the many material blessings God has given us.  But to approve of the aspiration to material wealth, instead of warning against it like Paul did in 1 Timothy 6:9-10, and to tolerate and promote the preachers who preach health and wealth, instead of warn against them like Paul did in 1 Timothy 6:5 is a disgrace and has devastated our presence as "salt" and "light."  T

here is sadly no statistically significant difference between Christians' consumer spending or charitable giving and that of their non-Christian neighbors, when they should be  distinguishing themselves by their simple living and generosity.  How often do you hear evangelical leaders teaching that allegiance to these things is just as spiritually lethal as heretical religious cults, which is exactly what Paul is saying in this chapter?

The church is not immune from these dangers. We all desperately need Paul’s warning. Even mature, long-time followers of Jesus have fallen into all three of these problems. These matters are complicated and we are probably way more vulnerable to them than to theological works-righteousness.  How can we combat this danger?

How Can We Combat This Danger?

Philippians 4:1 is an unfortunate chapter break, because the word "therefore" refers back to Philippians 3:17-21.  "Stand firm" here presumes the ongoing pressure of adversity and the temporal mindset and connotes ongoing resistance against it (see Galatians 5:1).  But this resistance is not just moral will-power and self-denial; "in the Lord" means that God has provided resources for us that are more than adequate.  We need to utilize these resources consistently.  This passage speaks of three such ways to stand firm:

1. The first way to stand firm that is spoken in this passage is to build deep convictions about the Bible's eternal perspective.  The "therefore" in Philippians 4:1 refers first of all to Philippians 3:20-21.  Think about how these truths not only contradict materialism, civic pride, and political idolatry, but also replace them with real hope.

It ultimately does not matter which country you are from or how much or little political power you have.  If you receive Christ (see John 1:12), your citizenship is in heaven and you are a member of God's eternal kingdom.

Our ultimate hope is not in the fate of our country or in any political agenda.  Our hope is in the personal return of Jesus to establish God's kingdom.

Our ultimate hope is not in how much money we have or in the perks or security that money brings.  Our hope is in the transformed bodies that Jesus will give us when He returns, like His own resurrected body.

Our ultimate hope is not in world peace or social order in this age, because Jesus has already told us that things will only get worse.  Our hope is in a transformed universe when Jesus returns to rule.

Paul was relatively immune to this danger because Jesus' eternal kingdom was a living reality and in the forefront of his thinking.  He refers to it at least 14 times in this little letter (See Philippians 1:6,10,21,23; 2:10,11,16; 3:11,12,14,20,21; 4:3,5)!  You can hardly read a single chapter in any New Testament letter without seeing multiple references to Jesus' return.

Is life in God's eternal kingdom a growing reality in your life?  Has your understanding of Jesus' return and kingdom increased this past year?  Do you think about this with increasing frequency?  Do you "eagerly await" Jesus' return?  What is the relationship between your answer and temporalism's influence on you?

2. The second way to stand firm that is spoken in this passage is to observe and imitate other Christians who live out this eternal perspective (Philippians 3:17-18a).  The contrast here is between the "many" who live out a temporal perspective and "those"—  always the minority — who live out an eternal perspective.  We are molded largely by the voices we listen to and by the models we imitate.

Our culture is constantly bombarding us with temporal things to draw and keep our attention — the ever-changing stock-market, celebrities, the news, and so on and so on. Unless we deliberately seek out godly models and closely observe their way of life, we will be carried along by the current of temporalism (see Romans 12:2a).

What does it look like to manage your finances with an eternal perspective?  To relate to your career with an eternal perspective?  To use your home and possessions in ways that have eternal impact?  To raise your children with eternal values?  Teachings and books are helpful, but they are not enough.  We need interaction with flesh-and-blood people who are living this out daily in the trenches of real life.

By God's grace, there are many within the worldwide community of believers who live this way.  And like Paul, they have joy rather than regret from living this way (see Philippians 2:17-18). These kinds of people are accessible, we just need to get close, get in relationship, and watch how they live their lives.  You have to ask them why they live this way.  You have to ask the Lord how to imitate their values rather than just heartlessly copying their actions.  Are you taking advantage of this precious resource, or are you, by default, being molded by your culture's models?

3. The third way to stand firm that is addressed in this passage is to work with other followers of Jesus to advance the gospel, rather than  fighting over things that do not matter.  Re-read Philippians 4:2-3.  Euodia and Syntyche were probably involved in a dispute about some temporal issue, possibly a political dispute.  By referring to Christians as having their "names being written in the book of life," Paul reminds them that their common citizenship in God's eternal kingdom outweighs whatever other differences they have. He thus urges them on that basis to live in harmony "in the Lord."

What we argue about is often an indicator of what we really value. Whether it is small things like music preferences, hobbies, or sports teams, or larger concerns like political preferences, Paul is reorienting us to not be divided by such things.  It is not necessarily divisive  to argue over how best to grow spiritually, or how to move our church forward in leading people to faith and maturity in Christ;  but we must also be ready to work and be good friends with other followers of Jesus,  despite these other disagreements.

What are the things you choose to argue passionately about?  How much difference will these things make 1000 years from now?  Does it ultimately matter whose sports team is best, which political candidate is best/worst, why your latest purchase is better than someone else's?  These arguments both divide and reinforce your temporal mind-set.  Do disagreements like these overshadow your view of other Christians, and affect whether you are willing to relate to them?  Why not think about how you can work together toward what will last forever – God, His Word, and His people?