Enemies of the Cross of Christ; Philippians

May the mumbling commence!

Yesterday, we considered one extreme in embracing the faith… of taking pride in our ancestry and traditions.  It is one concern that the Apostle Paul had for the Philippian church.  There is another extreme that worried Paul.

There must have been a group of people who were embracing the appetites of their bodies.  There must have been an attitude of entitlement and an attitude that Christ’s work will cover the sins that we pile up in our lives.  This, too, Paul spoke against in his letter to the Philippians.  Read from later in Philippians chapter three (NAB):

For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.  Their end is destruction. Their God is their stomach; their glory is in their "shame." Their minds are occupied with earthly things. 

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself. (Verses 18-21)

Enemies of the cross of Christ…  What does it look like to be enemies of the cross of Christ?  What does the cross signify?  It signifies shame in the Hebrew culture, but that does not mean that we are to glory and revel in our shame.

The enemies of the cross of Christ refuse to sacrifice anything that they feel their bodies need.  For them, appetites are king.  Food, indeed, can become a god – a place where we seek comfort.  It is a god of our culture – just look at the prevalence of obesity in America. 

Sex can also be a god.  It is a god of our culture.  Look at serial marriage.  Look at the rejection of marriage by many of the newest generation.  Sex can be a poor substitute for love and intimacy.

These, indeed, are earthly things.  And it seems that not much has changed over the millennia.  We still have an active struggle with these appetites.  None of them can fill the need that we have in rightful relationship with God and all creation.

Let us not live a life as enemies of the cross of Christ.  Do not reject the squashing of shame that Jesus accomplishes on the cross.  Do not refuse to sacrifice for the good of others.

Hand yourself over to God – who will conform our bodies, will glorify our bodies, and will transform our bodies into the very image of Christ Jesus.  Then, and only then, will we attain the beauty of our creation through our Creator.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out