Do you have good balance? I suppose that we could find out by testing your balance this morning. I could have all of you stand up. Then ask you to hold out your hands as I push against them one by one. Then ask you to stand on one foot and then to stand on the other foot without falling over. And finally to close your eyes. Uh oh. It’s amazing how such a simple little thing like closing your eyes can so significantly affect your sense of balance. With your eyes open you might have felt pretty steady, but with your eyes closed, not so steady. With your eyes closed, you lose that focal point that perspective that helps you steady yourself and maintain your balance.
This morning the Lord asks us to check what we might call our “spiritual balance.” Through the words of the Apostle Paul we receive this encouragement, “Stand firm in the Lord.” How do we make sure that we are standing firm and steady in the Lord, that we have good spiritual balance? Just as our physical balance can be significantly affected by where we are looking, so also our spiritual balance is affected by where we are looking. The words of the Apostle Paul found in Philippians 3 and 4 remind us of where to and where NOT to look to keep that good spiritual balance, so that we continue to “Stand firm in the Lord.”
I think it helps us to better understand these words if you understand the place and people to whom this letter was written. The first century city of Philippi was one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire. Its importance came from its location. It was located at a mountain pass where a literal highway called the “Ignatian Way” connected the Easter and Western worlds. The city of Philippi was in many ways the gateway to the Roman Empire and therefore had been heavily fortified by the Roman government. There were a large number of active duty Roman soldiers stationed there as well as a large number of retired Roman soldiers who lived there. Philippi turned into a miniature Rome – its citizenship, architecture and culture thoroughly Roman.
Paul had first travelled to Philippi on his second missionary journey around 50 AD. He had met a number of memorable people such as wealthy woman named Lydia, a fortune-telling slave girl, and a suicidal jailer – all of whom came to faith in Jesus as their Savior. Paul was very aware of the struggles that would be ever present for these Christians living in the city of Philippi. He had heard good things of how they continued to live their Christian faith even after he left to travel to other people and places to proclaim the message of Christ. Paul knew that it was going to be a constant struggle for these Philippian Christians, to do as he encouraged with these words, “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and my crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!” (Philippians 4:1). Keeping that spiritual balance would require them opening their eyes and being fully aware of the world in which they lived.
Listen again to what Paul writes, “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” (Philippians 3:18,19). Let’s take a couple of minutes to consider what Paul is saying here and how it applies to us.
Notice that this isn’t the first time, and probably would not be the last time, that Paul warned them about those things that could have a negative affect on their spiritual balance, their standing firm in the Lord. Why the repeated the warning? Because he understood the seriousness of the struggle and its eternal ramifications. The same is true for us today. To think, “I’ve heard that all before” is to play right into the hands of the devil and to set yourself up for a big fall. Appreciate the repeated warnings that come from God through the Christians in our lives.
Next, notice Paul’s REACTION when he sees what is taking place in the world. He is not angry at the world. He is seriously sad for people. He sees people who, “live as enemies of the cross of Christ.” notice that Paul does not just say, “enemies of Christ,” but, “enemies of the CROSS of Christ.” These are not necessarily the people that are out there saying that they hate Christ and all those who follow him. These are people who see no need for the CROSS of Christ. They do not appreciate what the CROSS of Christ has accomplished for them. And even sadder, they see no NEED for the salvation from sin’s eternal punishment that Christ gave his life at the cross to win for them. And why is that?
Paul tells us, “…their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.” Where are they looking, what is their god? They are looking at themselves. They are consumed by and controlled by whatever they want. Their goal is simply to do whatever satisfies THEM, to do whatever makes them feel good, what brings them pleasure, what will immediately satisfy their sinful nature’s appetite. And when you become your own god, guess what? You are free to do whatever you’d like. The shame, the guilt and the reluctance that they might have felt at one time about doing or saying or treating people a certain way, eventually begins to go away, and “their glory is in their shame.” Where do they end up looking? “their mind is set on earthly things.” They are looking down, focused only on the things of this world, trying their best not to think about what God might want, or what comes after this life. And sadly, what is the result? Paul tells us, “Their destiny is destruction.” It’s like that person, walking down the street, staring at their cell phone, consumed by what they are convinced is so important, that they don’t even realize that they’re about to step into oncoming traffic.
Philippi doesn’t sound so strange to us, does it? The struggles that those Philippian Christians faced are quite familiar to us. The phrase, “their god is their stomach and their glory is in their shame” seems like a rather fitting description of the world in which we live. We are repeatedly told, “If you want it, you should have it. If it feels good, do it. Don’t deny yourself. Be yourself. Don’t feel guilt or shame. Take pride in whatever you do.” The world tries to convince us to live life staring down at ourselves, to close our eyes to what God says, and run full speed ahead, hoping for the best. Sadly, that perspective of life just leaves people destined for destruction.
So, where SHOULD we be looking to make sure that we stand firm in the Lord and don’t lose our spiritual balance? Paul tells us three places. He begins with this, “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” (Philippians 3:17). #1 Look AROUND for Christian role models. There is value in seeing how fellow Christians live their Christian lives on a daily basis. Maybe it’s to learn from them in specific areas like parenting, marriage, student-life, dating, retiring. You can learn from them in how they apply God’s Word to the decisions they make and their interactions with others. You find someone who can provide Christian encouragement, who can help hold you up when you’re being pushed and pulled. A person who can lead you back to the cross of Christ when you see how you have lost focus, and fallen into sin. Together you can find comfort and strength in what the cross of Christ proclaims to fallen sinners, “You are forgiven in Christ, and you stand securely in the Lord.”
#2 Look UP at what is yours. Paul writes, “But our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). This is the heavenly perspective we too often might take for granted. It is the confidence and peace that comes from knowing what is going to happen to you after this life. This world is only a temporary stop for us on our way home to heaven. That is not to minimize the things that we do in this life. They are important and God calls us to be faithful in our use of the time and the various ways he allows us to serve others during our time in this life. But let’s balance that against the temptation to think that everything depends on us and how much we get done. First things first. Make sure that you are ready for heaven through faith in Christ, and then that as many people around you are ready for heaven through faith in Christ.
#3 Look AHEAD at what awaits you. Paul writes, “And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who… will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20,21). The bodies that we have are daily reminders of life in this sinful, broken world. The achy joints and stiff backs, pulled muscles and broken bones, tests and treatments, fading eyesight and memories – are part of life in this world. But Jesus says, “I’ve got something better than this for you. I am going to transform your body so that it works perfectly forever, no more problems and pains.” Knowing that’s what’s coming, gives us a better perspective on even the physical struggles we daily endure.
As we look in those directions: looking around for Christian role models, looking up to heaven’s home and looking ahead to the glory that what awaits us – that is a perspective that will continue to give us good spiritual balance – helping us always to “Stand firm in the Lord.” Amen.
