We are finishing this week looking at Philippians 3:20 today. It says, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” There is a wonderful blessing that is ours. We are citizens of heaven! That is true. All those who know Jesus Christ as their Savior are citizens of heaven. We live on earth, and there is a sense in which we are citizens of this planet as well. Most of us are citizens of America or another country. That is fine, we are part of this world, and we participate in this world, and we should be good citizens in this world. Primarily, however, we are citizens of heaven according to the spiritual blessings we have here.
Look at Philippians 3:17-18 and contrast as Paul does here. The citizenship of this earth is those who are earthbound. We will say it that way. People who do not know Christ are earthbound and we will contrast that lifestyle and that life with ours in Christ. That is what Paul does and in Philippians 3:17 it says, “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ.” Apparently, he was talking about some who at least proclaimed to be believers at one time. He recognizes that they are not Christians saying, “they are enemies of the cross of Christ,” so they are opposed to the true gospel. They are opposed to Christ Himself and the cross.
Philippians 3:19 continues saying, “whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.” Because of their status of being enemies of the cross they are headed for eternal destruction, perhaps destruction on this planet as well as their lives often unravel, but definitely eternal destruction. Their appetites control them. They are controlled by their desires and not by the Lord. They are magnifying things that they should be ashamed of and that is how they live. Everything about their thought life is wrapped around things on this earth. You would expect that of unbelievers, what else do they have? I have often thought of those who do not know Christ and who are doing well in this life making money and going up the ladder in their career and I have often thought that if they are never going to come to the Lord, I hope they enjoy the life they have now . . .
