Walking With Christ

Philippians 3:17-21
(17)Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. (18)For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. (19)Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. (20)But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, (21)who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

This is a huge capstone to some of the things that I’ve been talking a lot about lately. In verse 19 it says that their god (little g) is in their belly. This is to say that they are controlled by their desires. They are owned by the physical and carnal desires of this life. They brag about how well they obey those desires. This is just another form of the religion of self that has existed since the beginning of time. We are called to give up the religion of self to server a higher purpose that is beyond ourselves and anything we can comprehend in this life.

In verse 20 it speaks about citizenship. This is a powerful reminder that living here does not make us citizens of here. We are just passing through and are ultimately serve a different master.

John 15:19
If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

“I chose you”! These words have so much power for any believer. The God who spoke the world into existence picked us.