Intro
We are in a profound transition both in the church and in the nation. The presidential election is only weeks away. The results will take our nation and our lives in one of two very different directions. The church is also being reconfigured. Even now it looks very different than it did seven months ago. But the changes are not over yet.
This is a time for God’s people to consecrate themselves to the Lord. We have been using the Ten Days of Awe on the Jewish calendar as a time for prayer, repentance, and preparation. Those ten days conclude with Yom Kippur on September 27th at sunset. The Day of Atonement is recognized as a day of prayer and fasting before the Lord. I would encourage you set aside time for God, not as a legalistic requirement, but as an opportunity to join millions of others in seeking the Lord.
Our text today is found in Philippians 3:20-21. I am reading from the New King James Version.
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”i
You have heard the saying, “He is so heavenly minded that he is no earthly good.” The intent behind that saying is to point out the problem of using spirituality as an excuse for not serving others. That point is well taken and we know that can be a problem. However, there is a subtle error that can easily be communicated through the saying: the idea that we should just give ourselves to practical, earthly matters, as if the spirituality is the problem.
The Bible refutes that claim. Scripture tells us that we must be heavenly minded if we are to produce works of eternal value.
Our text is one example of that instruction. I want to focus on three facts in our text that should shape the way we think about the world around us.
I. Our citizenship is in heaven.
II. We are eagerly waiting for our Savior from heaven.
III. At His coming our salvation will be made complete.
I. Our CITIZENSHIP is in Heaven.
That does not mean that we don’t have commitments and responsibilities in this life. The New Testament places high value in taking care of our families. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 5:8, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (KJV). That is very strong language. In his epistles to the Thessalonians Paul addressed people who tended to be “so heavenly minded that they were no earthly good.” Expecting the Lord to return at any time, some stopped working and stopped providing for their families.
To those people Paul wrote,
“For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread” (2 Thess. 3:10-12).
Work is a powerful protection against many temptations. When I am working, I don’t have time to be a busybody. When I am occupied serving others, I am not as tempted to be self-absorbed. There are two sides to resisting temptation. One is to say no to the wrong thing. The other side is to say yes to the right things. If we will be occupied with the assignment God has given us, we will not be nearly as vulnerable to getting involved in activities we shouldn’t be doing. The pithy statement, “Idleness is the devil’s workshop,” is not in the Bible. But the concept behind it is. The human mind will be occupied with something. That is its nature. It is designed to be occupied with God and the assignment He gives us to do.ii When that is happen worldly distractions are not so appealing.
The heavenly mindedness Paul is addressing in our text produces the right motivations and direction for doing good works. God has good works already planned for each and everyone of us to do. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Are you walking in the “good works, which God prepared” for you to walk in? That is where you will find your spiritual strength.iii
We must be heavenly minded so that we know what our assignment is. We must have our ear toward heaven so that our days are not spent in vanity. We go up the mountain to be with the Lord so that we are equipped to come down and serve others effectively.
Paul statement in our text is made in contrast to his statement in the previous verse about the ungodly. There he describes them as people whose “mind is set on earthly things.” They are earthly minded. That’s the focus of their attention. They care only about the things of this world. All their pursuits are here. All their treasures are here. They have no interest in heavenly matters. In contrast to that, Paul says, “our citizenship is in heaven.”
To be a citizen of heaven means that is your home. We are currently operating on foreign soil. The god of this world is the devil (2 Cor. 4:4). The whole world system “lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19). Throughout history men have sought to make a utopia out of this fallen world. It has never worked, and it never will work. Marxism promises a social system of equity and economic fairness. Instead it produces the tyranny of Stalin and Mao Zedong. Millions died as a result of their delusion.
The Bible prophesies a leader in the last days even more brutal and destructive than those men. The Antichrist will promise a socialistic utopia in this fallen world. He will promise global peace and equity. Initially he will seem to be delivering on those promises. But his leadership will not produce the promised utopia. Instead it will produce wars, famine, disease, and death like never before.iv Billions will die horrible deaths.
God’s program for social justice is already at work. It is founded on Jesus’s one redemptive act on the cross. That provides the legal basis for a righteous government in right relationship with the Creator. It requires the transformation of human hearts one person at a time. Without a new nature people will behave selfishly. Some are smart enough to mask it in a few acts of benevolence. But the human heart is desperately wicked.v Only a supernatural act of God can change that.
Fools think they can bypass that process by simply changing the social system. On the surface, that seems like a good short cut. But as long as the human heart is corrupt, the system will be corrupt. This is true whether it be capitalism, socialism, communism, democratic socialism, or any other system. Corrupt men corrupt the system. A capitalistic republic provides the best checks and balances against that corruption. That’s why America has flourished the way it has. But it is not perfect.vi The greed in the hearts of wealthy people has created a dangerous stress in our society. It’s interesting to me that people like Michael Bloomberg, George Soros, Mark Zukerberg, Bill Gates, and Laurene Jobs talk economic equity yet live in extreme luxury. If they are so committed to that principle, why don’t they do like St. Francis of Assisi and give it all to the poor? Their message rings hypocritical to me. Think about all the people they could help if they took their own resources down to that of the average American. There is something else motivating their political fervor.
Social justice will be established in the earth when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ (Rev. 11:15). Man’s systems must be subjugated to God’s rule. When all rebellion against God is put down and Jesus rules the earth, we will then have the social justice we desire. It will be possible because the King in charge is perfectly just, perfectly loving, perfectly righteous. In the meantime, we can and should oppose oppression and injustice. We should speak up for and lend a hand to the weak just as the good Samaritan did in Luke 10.vii In the New Testament social justice is something individuals and groups do, usually at personal sacrifice.viii It is not a political take over, and it is certainly not political change brought about through violence.
Our primary citizenship is in heaven. Our foundational loyalty is there. Before I am a Republican or Democrat, I am a Christian. Before I am an American, I am a Christian. Before I am an Assembly of God or Presbyterian, I am a Christian. I am committed to obey Christ above all others. I pledge allegiance to the Lord Jesus. All other associations are subject to that allegiance. If it comes down to obeying God or obeying man, we will obey God and let the chips fall where they may.ix
Our citizenship in heaven implies a lifestyle that represents heaven well. Paul has already said in Philippians 1:27, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (NIV). The New Living Translation says, “Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.” Paul always connects the privilege of our current citizenship with the responsibility to conduct ourselves accordingly.x
But in our text the contrast focuses on the privilege associated with our citizenship in heaven. We are not earth bound; we are heaven bound. Our minds are not slavishly set on earthly things. Our attention is heavenward, just has Paul has taught all through this chapter.
II. We are EAGERLY WAITING for our Savior from heaven.
This is a major theme in the New Testament. I heard it often when I was a new believer in the 1960’s. Sermons focused on the coming of the Lord. We sang about it out of our hymn books: songs like “We Shall See the King,” “The King is Coming,” “When We All Get to Heaven.” Then something happened in the ‘70s and especially in the ‘80s. The emphasis moved away from heaven to prospering here on earth. Some of this was good in that it taught us to believe God for answered prayer in the now. But it should have been an addition, not an exchange. We should have maintained the New Testament anticipation of our Lord’s coming.
The coming of the Lord for the church could happen at any time. In theological terms that is known as the doctrine of imminence: “at any moment coming.”xi The coming of Christ for His church is sometimes called the rapture. The term rapture is not in the English Bible, but the concept is there. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 promises, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” The word rapture came from the Latin word rapere used in the Latin Vulgate to translate the Greek word harpazo which means “to grab or seize suddenly so as to remove or gain control, snatch/take away.”xii So English Bibles usually translate it “caught up.”
We are continually exhorted in the New Testament to live in anticipation of that event. First Jesus established this expectation in John 14:2-3 when He said, “In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” When He ascended into heaven the angel affirmed this in Acts 1:11: “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
In Titus 2:11-14 Paul wrote, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”
Notice how this doctrine has a purifying effect on God’s people. When are minds are filled with an anticipation of His coming, we want to be ready. We want our garments clean. We want a joyful meeting. The Apostle John said, “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).
So, something very important is lost when this truth is neglected. When this hope grows dim, then people substitute other hopes. They place their hope in what the stock market may do. They place their hope in a successful business or perhaps in the better job that more education might earn them. There is nothing inherently wrong with hoping for these things. But if they become a substitute for “the blessed hope” then we can easily become earthly minded instead of heavenly minded.
In our text Paul describes himself and other believers as people who “eagerly wait for the Savior.” Is that a fair description of your mindset? Are you “eagerly” waiting for the Lord to come? The Greek means to await with expectancy. Is your life lived on your tiptoes in anticipation of that glorious day? That is part of the heavenly mindedness Paul is describing in our text.
As I have studied Philippians in depth, I have come to this conclusion. Paul’s primary objective in this epistle is to help the Philippians and us think right about life. The key verse is Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind [mindset; way of thinking] be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Are you seeing life out of this Philippian lens? Does your heavenly citizenship shape the way you think? Does the imminent return of Christ dominate your value system? All these truths ultimately affect the way we live. The thought life drives the behavior! The ungodly have their minds set on earthly things (Phil. 3:19). The godly are aware of their citizenship in heaven and live in anticipation of the Lord’s return.
III. At His coming our SALVATION will be made COMPLETE.
We are eagerly waiting “for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body” (Phil. 3:21).
That is the final stage of our salvation. That is the final transformation that will fully suit us for our home in heaven.xiii 1 John 3:2: “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” The change will be instantaneous, and it will be radical.
We are currently in a developmental struggle. In our spirit (our innermost being) we are perfectly aligned with God through the new nature.xiv But we remain in our mortal, fallen bodies. We sometimes get sick. We are tempted with desires that are contrary to the will of God. We grow weary when we work, and we slowly lose strength as we age. The pieces of us that were in all the right places years ago are now in the wrong places. Our eyesight fades and our hearing gets dull. We do what we can to slow the process, but the process is there for everybody.
Romans 8:22-25 describes our current situation.
“For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”
One day soon, you’re going to receive a glorious resurrection body. Every one of you will be absolutely beautiful. You will have a body like the one Jesus has now. The limitations of mortality will fall away forever. The inner struggle between the flesh and the spirit will be no more. No more sickness. No more death. No more sorrow.xv The joy will be through the roof. The air will be celestial air. The fellowship will be unhampered in that perfect atmosphere of love.
Paul describes it in 1 Corinthians 15:50-54:
“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory.’”
When Paul compares that glorious future to the struggles we deal with now, he writes in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
How will all this happen? It will happen through the power of the Holy Spirit: the same power that is already at work in our lives. Look at Philippians 3:21 closely: “who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”
Not only will the Lord subdue everything in us that is contrary to His rule, but He will ultimately subdue everything that opposes His authority. He does it through a process that He has planned out. But the end result is certain. Think about the cosmic glory of what I am about to read from 1 Corinthians 15:22-28.
“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For ‘He has put all things under His feet.’ But when He says ‘all things are put under Him,’ it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.”
Isn’t that a beautiful thought in the midst of all the uncertainty of the world today?
Some things are unquestionably certain.
(1) If you’re a Christian, you are a citizen of heaven with the protection and favor inherent in that citizenship.
(2) Jesus is coming back to complete your salvation. Your future is glorious. We saw in Philippians 3:19 that the future of the wicked is destruction. But we see today that the future of God’s people is joy unspeakable and full of glory.
(3) All opposition to God will ultimately be subjugated so that we will live forever in world in which our loving, kind, and generous God is “all in all.” That makes me very happy!
ENDNOTES:
i All Scripture quotes are from the New King James Version unless indicated otherwise.
ii Cf. Prov. 10:5; 18:9; Luke 2:49; 10:2.
iii Cf. Deut. 23:25; John 4:34.
iv Cf. Dan. 9:27; 2 Thess. 2:3-12; Rev. 6:1-8;13.
v Cf. Jer. 17:9: Rom. 8:7-8.
vi There are imperfections in our political and economic system that we should seek to improve. There are bad cops. We need to identify them and hold them accountable. The answer is not found in defunding the police who protect us. When there are bad apples in the system, we must find them and remove them from places of authority. But it is insanity to destroy the whole service because of these people. That is like burning down the house to get rid of the mice. There are bad firemen who commit arson. Do we eliminate fire departments, or do we find the bad firemen and get rid of them? There have been nurses who killed their patients instead of healing them. What fool would want to solve that problem by doing away with the medical profession. There are corrupt teachers, corrupt pastors. The list could go on and on. The answer is to remove the bad apples, not to do away with these services.
vii Prov. 24:11-12; Isa. 1:16-18; 58; Zech. 7:9-10; Mal. 5:5; James 1:27.
viii There are many fine organizations like Samaritan’s Purse, Convoy of Hope, and others who seek to help those in need.
ix Cf. Acts 5:29. Of course, the strength to do this is dependent upon the grace of God.
x Paul does a similar thing in Eph. 4:1 when he says, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.” He does it again in regard to our familial relationship with the Father in Eph. 5:1-2: “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us. . . .”
xi J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology, 1958 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973) 202-203.
xii Bauer, Walter, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Christian Literature, translated and edited by W. F. Arndt, F. W. Gingrich, and F. W. Danker, 3rd ed. (Chicago: University Press of Chicago, 1979) 134.
xiii It’s amazing how many people are planning to go to heaven without the proper transformation necessary for living there. You must be born again (John 3:7). That is the beginning point of the transformation. Without being born from above, no one will go to heaven; nor would they be comfortable there if they could go. No one will go there with a fallen, self-centered nature. The new nature that comes through the new birth is absolutely necessary. Secondly, Christians are currently being trained, refined, and developed for our place in heaven. Every trial has a purpose. We are on the Potter’s wheel being shaped into the image of Christ (Jer. 18; Rom. 8:29). Finally, we will exchange these lowly [not evil or vile, but simply weak and mortal] bodies for immortal bodies like the glorious body of the risen Christ. Heaven is a wonderful place, but one must be transformed in order to dwell there.
xiv Cf. 1 Cor. 6:17; 2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Pet. 1:22-23;
xv Cf. Rev. 21:1-7.
