explore9_14_90803

Posted: 9/5/03

LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for Sept. 14

Paul reminds readers of heavenly citizenship

Philippians 1:18-30

By John Duncan

Lakeside Baptist Church, Granbury

To live as a Roman in Philippi meant to live life focused upon the bread and the circuses. “The bread” meant dinner parties, the grain dole from the Roman government, three meals a day, and trips to the marketplace (the agora) to purchase food much like a trip to Wal-Mart. “The circuses” in the Roman world was descriptive of the Roman's penchant for entertainment, for chariot races, for the duels of the gladiators, for sporting events and even for trips to the theater to watch dramatic performances. It also meant to live in the Roman colony of Philippi as a Roman citizen with its laws, duties and conduct.

To live as in Rome was to live in the ideals of Rome, to live under the watchful eye Rome's emperor and to live with a view toward Rome in its glory. In Philippians 1:27, Paul exhorts the Christians at Philippi to conduct themselves as citizens of the gospel of Christ. Paul chose words to describe what it meant to live as a citizen who honors Christ, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

Paul considered his citizenship in heaven. It motivated him to live his life in Philippi under Christ with its grace, duties and conduct. How could Paul live as heavenly citizen while on earth?

Paul's belief: Supply from heaven

Paul prayed because he knew God would supply or furnish the necessary power for the gospel to change lives, even through preaching (Philippians 1:19). Paul yearned for people to live as citizens of Christ and to know Christ personally. Paul rejoiced because Christ delivered him (Philippians 1:19). He lived in expectation, like a child looking out the window in anticipation of seeing something exciting (Philippians 1:20, a possible reference to Christ's second coming). Paul lives in hope (Philippians 1:20), not wishing to shame Christ and longing to speak of Christ with boldness. Paul's one desire in living is to magnify Christ. Paul reiterates here John the Baptist's grand theme when speaking of Christ: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

Paul most likely has in his mind a pending court case where he will stand trial and defend the gospel. Yet his passion is living as a citizen of Christ, not with rights, but with its privileges. Paul knows that living as a citizen of Christ while on earth means that whether the judgment is life or death, he still knows God is in control. Paul notes, “To die is gain,” a monetary banking term meaning “interest earned” (Philippians 1:21). Paul knew living or dying for Christ produced heavenly rewards greater than earthly interest on a bank account.

Paul's feeling: Spiritual tension

Every believer in Christ's kingdom lives in dynamic tension–between heaven and earth, the spiritual and the temporal, and the spirit and the flesh. Christians encounter a tug-of- war between God's higher ways and our ways (Isaiah 55:7-8). Jesus expressed this tension in the Sermon on the Mount as seeking first God's kingdom (Matthew 6:33). Paul spoke of this tension by calling his life a temporary tent (2 Corinthians 5:1). The poet Gerard Manley Hopkins contested life as an inner turmoil between right and wrong where “selfwrung, selfstrung, sheethe-and shelterless, thoughts against thoughts in groans grind.” Life grinds and groans like parts of an engine grinding in tension against each other.

Paul expresses his own tension between the citizenship of Earth and his desire to enter heaven. On one hand, he desires to raise the anchor, loose his ship and set sail for his heavenly port where Christ dwells–to be with Christ (Philippians 1:23). On the other hand, he yearns to keep his life staked like a temporary tent so that he may abide with his fellow believers, to preach the gospel and to minister as Christians joyfully advance in their faith (Philippians 1:23-25).

In the grind and groan of life, Paul never loses sight of grace. To live in heaven with Christ as a citizen is better, but to serve Christ by ministering to others is a joyful necessity while on earth (Philippians 1:23-24). The tension of heaven and earth struggles, but God supplies grace to his heavenly citizens on earth. Paul never forgets two relationships–Christ and people.

Paul's challenge: Stand strong

Paul challenged Christians to conduct themselves as citizens of heaven (Philippians 1:27). Paul's use of the word for “conduct” (“politeuomai,” or polity) is a Roman word indicating to manage one's life as a Roman citizen to honor the Roman Empire. Paul turns the word indicating to manage one's life as a servant of Christ to honor Christ in his kingdom.

To honor Christ requires living like a soldier who stands strong in life's battle. It also means competing in life's race looking to Christ while agonizing for the faith (Philippians 1:27). Life as a battle and as a race means facing adversaries, suffering and even facing personal agony, but God supplies strength by his Spirit and salvation (Philippians 1:28-30). Paul's one aim in life or death in his quest for heaven from earth is to magnify Christ by living for Christ is his glory.

Question for discussion

What encouragement do you find in this passage of Scripture?