Welcome to Day 2334 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Philippians 9 – Hanging Tough and Looking Up – Daily Wisdom

Putnam Church Message – 02/04/2023 Joy in Sharing – Hanging Tough and Looking Up – Philippians 3:12-21 Last week, our focus was a comparison message titled Human Rubbish vs. Divine Righteousness. We learned that all human efforts to live a life pleasing to God apart from Christ are pointless and fruitless. Today, we focus on Standing Firm without Standing Still in a message titled Hanging Tough and Looking Up. Today's scripture passage is Philippians 3:12-21.  Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.  Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.  But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. In a predominantly humanistic society like ours, it’s not uncommon to hear the glories of humanity exalted in exaggerated terms. Our “open-minded” media parades before our eyes immoral living as a virtue. They promise social progress through secular and even anti-Christian means. From politics to education, from spirituality to ethics, our sophisticated, twenty-first-century world functions on the presupposition that the only thing standing in the way is backward-thinking Neanderthals who can’t pull their noses out of an ancient, outdated book like the Bible. Yet God has chosen to leave believers on this earth, not to retreat from its pain and suffering, but to engage it—up close and personal. This calling requires us to strap in for a bumpy ride, to hang tough for the long haul. On this rough road between Christ's first and second comings, we must keep our heads up, our eyes forward, and our hearts heavenward. The Christian life is a marathon—not through the level, paved streets of a clean and friendly city, but across rocky, strenuous, dangerous terrain filled with pitfalls and predators. It’s comforting to know that we’re not the first Christians to make this journey through a wicked, hostile world. In many ways, the world is much better than ever in history. Although it may not seem like it based on most news coverage, there is less war, less poverty, less oppression, and less death now than ever, and that is with a large world population. The Christian influence in this world is making a difference. The kingdom of God is spreading throughout the world. Those who have gone before us have cut a path for us to follow. In Philippians 3:12–21, the apostle Paul establishes several markers along the route—important truths to take to heart and practical advice to follow as we hang tough…and look up. 3:12–16 When Christ confronted Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1–6), his whole world was turned upside down—or, rather, right-side up. He had been leaning on his laurels, relying on religion, trusting in tradition, and priding himself on his pedigree. But all of that disintegrated before the glorious, transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He experienced salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. From that moment on, joy entered his life—true, abiding, deep-seated joy that could keep him singing even during his darkest days and most depressing circumstances (Acts 16:25). But this didn’t mean Paul had “arrived.” His Damascus road experience didn’t pluck him from earth and place him in the foyer of the heavenly Jerusalem. Instead, it turned him from the wrong path and started him on a new journey. A new quest for Christlikeness had commenced. The obstacles on the path and the distractions from the world became even more dangerous, requiring him to “press on” (Phil. 3:12). We can see several vital principles in Paul’s profound description of the journey of faith in Philippians 3:12–16. I find at least five reminders Paul felt were important to share with those on that same path. First, God’s plan is progress…not perfection (3:12). Paul was clear: I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection.  Paul was on the same path as every one of us. He had been justified (declared righteous by God) based on the merits of Christ, and like all of us, he was in the process of being sanctified as he looked forward to one day being glorified through resurrection. Perfection in this life is not possible. We are frail, fallen, feeble humans; and we will continue in this state until our death. Not only are we imperfect, but so is everyone around us. The best, most moral, most Christ-like person who has ever lived is still a wicked sinner saved by grace, unable to be compared to the perfect standard of holiness we see in Christ. But constant progress toward Christlikeness is possible. I’ve seen believers frustrated with their lack of stunning progress in pursuing Christlikeness. I’ve seen them wear out. I’ve seen them fail. They get down on themselves for their inability to measure up to an impossible standard in this life. This is precisely when they need to hear that the plan is progress, not perfection. We press on despite knowing we will never fully arrive at Christlikeness in this life. Second, the past is over…so leave it behind (3:13). We can press on through the long haul by keeping our eyes on the road ahead rather than obsessively fixating on what’s behind. To emphasize this point, Paul uses a Greek word that means “disregard” or “put out of mind.” Paul isn’t talking about forgetting people in our pasts/ vital life lessons/ edifying experiences /or positive things Christ has done. In this specific context, Paul’s talking about the “rubbish” that was strewn in the road when his old life before Christ exploded—all his self-righteous striving, and the harm he had done in his pride, arrogance, blasphemy, and heresy (3:4–8; 1 Tim. 1:13, 15). Living in the past—whether basking in old glories or pouting over old defeats—keeps us from advancing boldly into the future. Think about it. If you drive a car while looking only in the rearview mirror, how far will you get before you drive off the road? You can’t dwell on the past if your goal is to move forward. In relation to basking in the past, I find that people who live in the glory of past achievements slacken their efforts for what they might be able to do today. They keep calling to mind the way things were, perhaps even something God did, some great accomplishment He performed. The wisest man who ever lived wrote in Ecclesiastes 7:10, “Don’t long for ‘the good old days.’ This is not wise.” This is often seen in older churches or ministries that obsess over what they once were. We don’t want to dishonor our history, but we need to minister in the here and now. We honor the past, we are thankful for the past, and we learn from the past. But we don’t worship or dwell in the past. With respect to pouting over the past, I’m sure we’ve all had times when we couldn’t get our minds to stop rerunning scenes of defeat or episodes of disappointment. We all have them—every one of us. These experiences can be great teachers of God’s faithfulness despite our failures. But to keep projecting that same old reel over and over and over again in our minds will hinder us from engaging in new experiences, making new memories, and learning new lessons. Third, the future holds out hope…so reach for it (3:13–14). In the same pivotal movement in which Paul consciously lets go of his past, he turns his full attention to the future. “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us,” (3:14). Here, Paul employs language reflecting the intensity of an athlete running a desperate race to the finish line, eager to win first prize. The word translated as “straining toward” (3:13) is a vivid athletic term. One commentator notes, “It means that the athlete throws himself forward in the race with all his energies strained to the very utmost.” (Picture on Insert). If earthly athletes give their all for temporal awards, how much more should we, recipients of a heavenly call, push ourselves to receive a heavenly reward? Fourth, the secret is a determined attitude…so maintain it (3:15). Paul reminds us that it’s all about our attitude. The verb translated “take such a view” phroneō means to “set one’s mind on” or “be intent on.” In light of his example of looking forward, not backward, Paul calls his readers to focus all their attention and energy on pressing on in the Christian life. A quote from Charles Swindoll says it best. “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our Attitudes.” Paul stated that he hadn’t yet reached the end of his journey, which would only occur when he attained his heavenly home and was experiencing glorious, immortal life beyond the resurrection (3:10–11). And this state was certainly not his to be had in the present life. Until then, he would continue to press on toward greater and greater Christlikeness. In 3:15 & 16, Paul uses a similar but distinct term, the adjective teleios, to describe the type of person he addresses with his warning to press on. Paul graciously acknowledges that everybody grows up in Christ at different paces. In the spiritual marathon, some will be nearing the finish line at full speed … others will be farther behind … some will be limping along at a snail’s pace … and a few will be dragged along by others! Paul knew that not everybody was in the same condition for running the race at top speed. But he was confident that God would continue to work in them toward the upward call in Christ Jesus. Fifth, the need is to keep a high standard…together (3:16). Did you notice that Paul shifted the focus from himself as the example in 3:12–14 to include all believers in the journey in 3:15–16 by saying, “All of us”? Living the Christian life is a team effort, not a solo mission. As each of us maintains our own level of spiritual maturity, we also encourage others to do the same. We are to lock arms with our brothers and sisters in the family of God. If we see one of our family members slowing down in the race, we must take them by the arm and encourage him to press on. When we see someone out of breath from the exasperating challenges of life, we need to remind them to look up and look forward, to press on toward maturity. 3:17–21 In the concluding verses of this chapter, Paul’s words take on a serious tone … but only for a moment. He needs to remind his readers of something he has learned through personal experience: The path before us is not only littered with numerous pitfalls that can slow us down or distract us, but it is also occupied by predators—“enemies of the cross of Christ” (3:18). They sometimes look like us. Often, they appear to be trudging along the same trail as we are. In light of this real threat, Paul instructs the Philippians to press on. Let me sum up these instructions in three simple statements. I call these “marching orders” for the Christian from a seasoned veteran who has endured countless battles. First, we need godly examples to follow (3:17). To live as salt and light in this dark world, we need mature models in the faith like Paul—experienced saints who have faced challenges, lived through tragedies, and overcome obstacles. Paul expresses a similar thought in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.” But why doesn’t Paul just turn our attention to Jesus? Why point us to himself, a mere human example? Because God has intentionally given us contemporary models to follow. They, like us, are fallen, frail human beings indwelled by the same Spirit. They, like us, are striving after Christlikeness. They, like us, are seeking to live God-honoring lives amid a twisted, corrupt, sinful world. When we look at Christ, we see the perfection we will one day reflect; but when we look to imperfect men and women growing more like Christ, we see what we are. In this life, we will never measure up to the God-man; but we can follow in the steps of godly men and women. What kind of person makes a good model for us to follow along life’s dangerous path? Paul answered that question in a letter he wrote toward the end of his life to Timothy: "But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance. ¹¹ You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it,” (2 Tim. 3:10–11). At this point, someone might think, "Well, Paul was an apostle. I could see why Timothy would want to follow his example. But we don’t have any apostles today.” But Paul also said, “Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example,” (Phil. 3:17 NLT). He turned their attention not just to himself, but to any examples of Christ-like living in a Christ-less world. God has given to each of us people who live admirable lives on earth today. There is nothing wrong—in fact, there is everything right—about following their examples. The only warning is not to idolize or put them on a pedestal. They wouldn’t want to be on a pedestal if they're genuine examples of Christlikeness. So choose your spiritual heroes carefully, study their lives, and follow only those who genuinely seek or want to be like Christ. Second, we live among many enemies of the cross (3:18–19). In these verses, Paul sets up a basic contrast. After urging the Philippians to follow the pattern of godly believers (3:17), he gives the reason: “For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ,” (3:18). Paul then describes these opponents in 3:18–19. Their negative characteristics and bad attitudes were so destructive that they made Paul weep, and they can give us an idea of the kind of positive examples we need in our lives to counter the numerous purveyors of evil. Destined for eternal hopelessness, driven by sensual appetites, and dedicated to material things, these men and women who have rejected Christ’s person and work are lost, wandering souls. We bump up against them every day. They don’t need our condemnation, judgment, or agreement and affirmation. They need to be reconciled to Christ, becoming allies—not enemies—of His cross. As we travel along our path, following the good examples of godliness, we can’t forget why God left us in this world among the lost. Our mission is to call them to believe in the One they reject, to submit to His kingdom, and to enter with us into heavenly citizenship. Third, we belong among those bound for heaven (3:20–21). Paul dwells on the unbelieving evildoers for only a moment (3:18–19). He needed to warn the Philippians and contrast the way of the “enemies” with the path of believers, but he quickly turned again to the positive: our future hope as heaven-bound citizens of Christ’s kingdom. Remember, the lost “Their mind is set on earthly things,” (3:19); but as believers, Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. (Col. 3:2). We do this by always looking forward and upward, eagerly awaiting the coming of Jesus Christ, our Savior (Phil. 3:20). The Greek word Paul uses for “citizenship” is politeuma, which means “commonwealth” or “state.” Paul uses it to convey that our homeland isn’t here; our place of residence is entirely in another unseen realm. That makes us expats—“a colony of foreigners.” But we don’t need to see ourselves as helpless refugees huddled in an overcrowded camp. We’re more like ambassadors, emissaries, and representatives of the next world as we live in the present. Yes, one day our King will come. He “will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (3:21) and escort us to our final heavenly home. The remade earth, that Global Eden, where Heaven and Earth become one. As Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers