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We’re studying Paul’s letter to the Philippians. I want to remind us this morning about this Philippian church. Paul was on his second missionary journey as reported in Acts 16, when God gave him that vision to come over to Macedonia, which meant come over to Europe from Asia Minor. Paul, Silas, Timothy, and apparently Luke traveled to Macedonia and that’s how they came to the city of Philippi, situated at the north end of the Aegean Sea.
Acts 16:11-12, So putting out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis; 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony; and we were staying in this city for some days.
Paul found Lydia down by the riverside, God opened her heart to receive Christ, and she invited them to stay at her house. Then Paul cast a demon out of that pesky fortune-telling girl, which enraged her masters who had used her to make money. Those masters went after Paul, seized him and Silas, and beat the tar out of them. They had them thrown into the inner prison and fastened their feet in stocks. At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns when suddenly God sent an earthquake that made that jailhouse literally rock, the doors flew open, and the chains fell off the prisoners. When the jailor was about to kill himself with his sword, Paul cried out, “Don’t kill yourself! We’re all here!” The jailor trembled with fear, brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Paul said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” Long story short, the jailor and others in his household believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, were saved, Paul baptized them, and the jailor fed Paul and Silas and rejoiced greatly. The next morning when the officials came to release them, Paul pulled his Roman citizen card and let them know they had imprisoned him illegally. The chapter ends with Paul and his men going to Lydia’s house, encouraging all the believers, and leaving town. Philippi is mentioned again in Acts 20:6 when Paul is on his third missionary journey and briefly stops by to board a ship on his way to Troas. Now Paul is writing from prison in Rome to the church in this leading city to encourage them, thank them for sending him financial support, and to give them godly counsel about some bad operators who had infiltrated the church.
Last week we saw Paul exhort them to press on, to pursue Christ, to forget the past and go forward, don’t slow down, don’t stop, don’t lose any ground you’ve gained in pursuing Christ. Keep that pursuit front and center and don’t take your eyes off that goal to become like Christ. Press on, stretching out to the finish line, pressing on to the goal of seeing Christ.
That brings us to Philippians 3:17-19.
Philippians 3:17-19, Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. 18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.
There are two issues in this brief passage: the importance of following godly examples, and the danger of ungodly influences.
OBSERVE AND FOLLOW GODLY EXAMPLES.
Philippians 3:1, Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.
Note those words “example” and “pattern.” The power of influence is huge in the sanctification process. Godliness is both taught and caught. You may remember men or women in your life who lived in such a way that they influenced you to be more faithful to Christ, to become more like Christ. You’ve been blessed if you have or had parents who loved the Lord, loved each other, and gave you godly examples to follow. When you’re a student in Bible college or seminary you come to love and respect your professors, you watch how they talk, how they respond, how they love God’s Word and take it seriously. I had a Greek teacher in college, Dr. Taylor, who so impressed me I even tried to walk like him. That’s not what Paul is talking about, but influence is huge as believers.
Paul here literally says, “Keep on imitating me.” He isn’t speaking out of spiritual pride. He’s the first to confess he is the chief of sinners and the least of the apostles. Last week we saw he isn’t perfect, but he knows the importance of the godly influence of a leader. He’ll say the same thing in Philippians 4:9, “What you’ve learned, received, heard and seen in me, do these things.” He knows God has called him to be a model for God’s people. In 1 Corinthians 4:16 he tells the Corinthians, “I exhort you, therefore, be imitators of me.” In 1 Corinthians 11:1 he says it again, “Be imitators of me” but then adds, “just as I am of Christ.”
This is the power of personal example. It’s Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Discipleship is never just, “Do as I say.” Jesus modeled faith and godly living and serving every day for His disciples. One time He even got down and washed their feet. What did He say?
John 13:13-14, “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”
Be careful how you are following someone else, though. There’s a humorous story from the presidency of Calvin Coolidge. He had invited some Vermont friends to dine at the White House. These country folks worried about their table manners, so they decided to do everything just like the president did it. All went well until coffee was served. President Coolidge poured his coffee into his saucer. The guests did likewise. Mr. Coolidge added sugar and cream. So did his guests. Then the president leaned over and placed his saucer on the floor for the cat. But we don’t think Paul was calling these Philippians to imitate his eating habits.
Then in verse 17 Paul urged them to follow other godly examples in their lives. He may be thinking specifically of Timothy or Epaphroditus, whose character he has already described in glowing terms in chapter 2. But here it comes home to all of us. You and I are to be living, walking, breathing patterns or “types” (Greek word tupos) of followers of Christ, of people who are pursuing Christ, pressing on toward that goal of being like Christ. We are to be people who are demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit, running the race, and whose hearts are set on the right things.
This is a daunting and humbling responsibility in the body of Christ. MacArthur notes, “Beloved, it weighs heavy on my heart that I have that responsibility as do the elders of this church, and every church and every pastor, and teacher, to be people you can follow. That is a God-ordained mandate.” The he adds how important it is that we teach the truth and be faithful to the Word of God, “but it must all be sustained, supported, surrounded, under-girded by a virtuous life.”
This is exactly what Paul told Timothy.
1 Timothy 4:11-12, Prescribe and teach these things. 12 Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.
And Titus:
Titus 2:7-8a, in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, 8 sound in speech which is beyond reproach.
And what Peter told the elders of the churches:
1 Peter 5:3, proving to be examples to the flock.
And what the author of Hebrews told the believers:
Hebrews 13:7, Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.
Be careful whom you follow. Do the people you hang out with love Christ? Are they, like Paul, people of the cross, humble, dying to self, putting their sin to death, pressing on spiritually, concerned for people’s souls, reaching forward to honor Christ and become more and more like Him? And remember, this doesn’t mean anyone is perfect. No one needs to go around tooting their holiness horn. All this should drive us to prayer, confession, and asking God for grace to honor Him.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones strongly suggests we read biographies of men and women God has greatly used, “I have found nothing of greater value and encouragement.” In godly biographies you see truth lived out. One of my favorite biography books is Trial and Triumph: Stories from Church History. You’ll meet Polycarp, Augustine, Peter Waldo, Wycliff, and Huss, Luther, Tyndale, Calvin, Ann Askew (a favorite), Bunyan, Edwards, Whitefield, Wesley, Newton, Brainerd, Paton, Spurgeon, Machen, and Wurmbrand. This would be good reading for home schoolers!
BEWARE OF BAD INFLUENCES.
Philippians 3:18-19, For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.
Paul is so broken-hearted about the direction of some folks there in Philippi that he is even weeping as he warns them to watch out for many who would lead them astray. And what a tragedy especially when leaders fail in their character – often in immorality, whether adultery or pornography or financial embezzlement. In 2023 it was recorded that 62 billion dollars of all giving by Christians around the world was lost to embezzlement or fraud of some sort. When pastors are writing their own checks, look out!
Nothing influences our lives more than the people we hang out with. Paul doesn’t say there are some here; he says there are many, and he has often warned them. These people he’s talking about were probably antinomians. Antinomian means against law. They believe you can believe in Christ, be justified, but you don’t have to be sanctified or live in submission to Christ as your Lord. They say if you make a decision for Christ, pray a prayer, you’re in – regardless of whether you follow Christ or not. Paul is weeping. These deceivers have gained a foothold in that first church of Europe, that great church of Philippi, and Paul is grieved.
Last week we emphasized that justification always leads to sanctification. If you genuinely believe in Christ, the Spirit of God is in you and motivates you to pursue holiness. You’re not perfect, but you are a new creation in Christ Jesus and your life will show it. These antinomians say, “No, we’re saved by grace and grace means we have no responsibility to keep God’s commandments. It’s okay to sin because God loves everyone, regardless of any evidence of regeneration in your life.” One pastor twice guilty of adulterous affairs wrote a book, Jesus Plus Nothing Equals Everything. He gives no call to put off the deeds of the flesh and put on the fruit of the Spirit. He says you can be saved even if your life never changes; since you made a decision, you’re on your way to heaven. That’s called easy believism and that’s exactly what’s happening here in the Philippian church.
Now Paul penetrates deeply into the character of these dangerous people. In Acts 20:29 he called them savage wolves who would arise among them. In fact, the New Testament spends lots of time warning us of false and immoral leaders or teachers. Second Peter 2 and Jude go after these evil people with a vengeance calling them seducers who lead God’s people astray. Let’s see how Paul describes them here.
First, they’re enemies of the cross. These people claim to believe in the cross, but how they live belies their real unregenerate nature. They totally misinterpret the meaning of the cross and leave out the truth that the cross is God’s one and only way to save people. Their unconcern about the sin in their own lives reveals they don’t really believe Christ suffered God’s wrath in his body there on the cross. Paul may be referring to those Judaizers who added works to salvation – you have to be circumcised to be saved. Today any denomination or religious movement that adds ceremonial works to the saving work of Christ on that cross are enemies of the cross. Any imposter who teaches that you can get to God without the cross or that you must add works to the cross is an enemy of the cross. There are plenty of enemies of the cross. “Oh, we love Jesus, we love the cross, we believe all that, but it doesn’t necessarily affect our lives. We may get drunk, be into pornography, shacking up with someone not my wife, even homosexuality or lesbianism, but when we get on TV we smile really big and preach Jesus not as a judging Christ, but the Jesus who loves everyone unconditionally and makes no judgments on people.
Their end is destruction. Their end is where they’re headed. And where they’re headed is not to heaven or annihilation, but destruction. In Matthew 7 Jesus talked about false teachers who pointed people to the wide gate and the broad way as the way to heaven, but the reality is those paths lead to destruction. Destruction is a sad, sad word. You live a life of 60 or 70 or 80 years on this earth, you never come to saving faith in Christ, and the end of it all is eternal destruction, everlasting punishment. Regardless of how much wealth, pleasure, and power you have, and despite what you have become, you are ruined, wasted, and destroyed. It’s called everlasting punishment outside of Christ and you end up separated from God’s lovingkindness and mercy forever. Revelation 14:10-11 says, “the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever.” Thomas Watson said, “that word ‘ever’ breaks the heart.” These wicked imposters infiltrated the Philippian church and are influencing others. No wonder Paul is so deeply grieved, even to the point of outwardly weeping. John Calvin faced the same thing in Geneva where there was a large party of libertines with antinomian thinking who caused all kinds of trouble for Calvin.
Their god is their belly or selfish desires. These people live to please themselves. I’m reminded of those Israelites out in the wilderness. When Moses didn’t come down from the mountain, they began to worship that golden bull and indulge in all kinds of sensual behavior. Likewise, these enemies of the cross in Philippi followed their desires. Instead of finding their delight in Christ, boasting in the cross like Paul, loving Christ above all, they loved their own sensual desires. Peter also wrote about false prophets.
2 Peter 2:1-3, But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
They celebrate shameful behavior. Verse 19 says, “Their glory is in their shame!” They are proud of how they have twisted morality around to excuse their sinning. They declare good as evil and evil as good. They try to convince you it’s not a big deal to commit fornication or look at pornography or dress in an immodest way saying, “Hey, don’t get all legalistic on us here.” They coat their godless behavior or teaching with virtuous verbiage, like “we care about everyone” or “we’re inclusive” or “we don’t judge anyone.” But listen to what Paul says in Ephesians.
Ephesians 5:3-5, But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
They are totally focused on this world, not eternity. Enemies of the cross totally focus on this world. Not just occasional thoughts, but the bent of their thought is toward the world. What is the bent of your thoughts? Is it looking unto Jesus, to become more like Him, to set your affections on things above rather than things on earth? Do you love the world? Is the love for the Father in you (1 John 2:15) You can’t fake this. What are you living for? Has God changed your affections? Do you find more joy in pleasing God or in worldliness and pleasing self. John Owen gives this good counsel: “When someone sets his affections upon the cross and the love of Christ, he crucifies the world as a dead and undesirable thing. The baits of sin lose their attraction and disappear. Fill your affections with the cross of Christ and you will find no room for sin.”
What is your life’s pattern? Are you following a godly pattern?
- Are the people in your life hindering or helping you in your pursuit after Christ?
- Are you helping or hindering others through your example of pursuing Christ?
- Do you have moral convictions? Do your friends have moral convictions? First Corinthians 15:33 says, “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
- Do you have the fear of the Lord and a love for His truth?
- Is pleasing yourself your highest priority or is pleasing Christ?
- Do you have a genuine interest in God, the Bible, eternity, and what Christ did for sinners on the cross?