explore10_5_92203

Posted: 9/19/03

LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for Oct. 5

Believers should live life of triumphant calling

Philippians 3

By John Duncan

Lakeside Baptist Church, Granbury

The Isthmian games of Corinth was one of the great festivals of sports in the first century (1 Corinthians 9:24). Like the Olympics, the games included a foot race. Competitors in the race competed for a laurel crown. The emperor invited the winners of the race to his box seat, a “high calling.” Paul uses the image of a race to speak of the Christian life in Philippians 3. Paul pursues the victorious race of living for Christ in anticipation of that day when Christ calls the victors to his throne on high, that is, the “high calling.”

The past behind: Press onward

Paul knows the race must be run while pressing onward. The runner cannot look back but must focus on the finish line. Paul knows his struggles (3:1-11). He battled false teaching and false teachers who like a pack of white-fanged dogs aimed to destroy the church. Paul struggled against his own will, his own pedigree and the temptation to trust in his education, heritage and lifetime achievements (3:3-6). He learned to trust Christ. Paul's one pursuit was to follow Christ. He considered his earthly achievements as trash compared to the treasure of Christ (3:7-8).

Paul desires to please Christ. He does not completely grasp all Christ has done. He grows spiritually and daily clings to Christ, placing the past behind and running strong toward God's kingdom (3:12-14).

Scholar Alfred Plummer sees “the strenuous effort implied.” Saint Jerome acknowledges “the ubiquity of God's saving purpose,” meaning Paul never forgets salvation in Christ as he strains in life's race. Salvation surrounded both Paul's own soul and his consciousness as he sprinted toward the race God had given.

Look upward

Paul kept before his eyes the goal (Greek, “scope”). Paul continually focused on the high calling (3:14). This required nurturing his own mind and regulating it to spiritual things (3:15). Paul did not let the pain or pleasure of the past cause him to look back. Rather, Paul passionately pursued what God had for each new day.

In so doing, Paul urged Christians to walk according to the same principle. Walk in “a disciplined path” (Fred Craddock). Walk with “no extravagances to the right or left” (Karl Barth). New Testament scholar F.F. Bruce says, “Paul encourages the Philippian Christians to continue to march forward as a united community, shoulder to shoulder, according to the teaching which they had received from him since first he brought them to the gospel.” For Paul, the goal was Jesus and keeping eyes firmly fixed on him until that day he would see Jesus face to face. This required a daily faith, a defined faith and a determined faith.

Paul's primary example is Christ. However, Paul understands the weighty responsibility that he possesses in service to Christ. He challenges them to walk like he walks because he pursues Christ's calling (Philippians 3:17). Paul also grieves due to the fact some walk a wayward path, out of line, and walk like wanderers lazily drifting rather than as runners firmly fixed on Christ (Philippians 3:18). Paul grievously names them as enemies of the cross. Paul never loses sight of salvation, but he always confesses the strain, the competition and the tension between the spiritual and the temporal, the downward pull of earth and upward call of God. Paul looks upward, but tears flow from his soul when he combats enemies of the cross.

What do the enemies of the cross aim for and run toward? Paul names three things: destruction (literally, “ruin”), worldly shame and a mind not set on God's race but rather set on bodies with the likes of human appetites and worldly thoughts.

Fred Craddock says, “Since the body is the center of their lifestyle, the end of their body is their destruction.” Paul's charge is to nurture the soul in Christ, not to pursue the lust of the body.

Heavenly citizenship

Paul knows the Christian who runs the race in pursuit of Christ's upward calling longs for heavenly citizenship. Paul invites the Philippian Christians to live on earth under the realm of heavenly citizenship (3:20). This powerful word Paul uses indicates the Christian's responsibility of witness is to promote their citizenship as one with Christ just as Roman citizens hale the glory of Rome. In other words, pursue Christ, promote his saving work and prayerfully press toward his glory. To live as a heavenly citizen on earth is to live like Jesus.

Paul lived in a world where all things were pressed under the subjection of Roman rule. Christians acknowledge a heavenly citizenship under God's rule. More important than subjection and obedience to the rule, law and conduct required by governments (Roman) was the willingness to glorify Christ by subjecting to the rule, law and conduct required by Christ. The emperor's high calling was one thing, but Christ's higher calling was the glorious thing!

Heavenly citizenship with Christian conduct and lifestyle means allowing Christ to transform (literally, “metamorphosis”) your life (3:21). Just as a caterpillar breaks free from a cocoon and flies as a beautiful butterfly, so too can the Christian soar when transformed by Christ. Transformation takes place in the discipline and effort in running the race of life for Christ.

Question for discussion

What, if anything, is keeping you from soaring?