Emulating the Joy of a Spiritual Mindset

Spiritual living, the Christian life, is a process of pursuing Christ’s likeness. The Christian life is a process of pursuing Christ’s likeness, that in simple terms is the direction of the whole matter of sanctification.

Jesus began His ministry saying “Follow me”

Matthew 4:19 (KJV 1900)

19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

He continued this call

Matthew 16:24 (KJV 1900)

24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

This message has not changed today.

Our goal in the Christian life is to be like Jesus Christ.

We are pursuing Jesus Christ that we may be like Jesus Christ.

Remember Phil 3:12

Philippians 3:12 (KJV 1900)

12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13 (KJV 1900)

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

Philippians 3:14 (KJV 1900)

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul is saying, There is no perfection here. I have not arrived. However, I am in hot pursuit of becoming like Christ.

So this morning we are left with How can we make this happen?

It happens with knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Knowledge we get from the Word of God!

The Old Testament sets the scene for Jesus Christ.

It presents the need for Him and announces that He is coming.

The Gospels record His arrival.

The Book of Acts records the impact Jesus had on this world.

The Epistles explain the significance of His life and ministry.

Revelation shares the consummation of Jesus Christ.

That is why we study the Bible. We learn about Jesus Christ.

The second part of making this happen comes through the application and apprehension of Jesus Christ. This is accomplished through the Holy Spirit working in our lives.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (KJV 1900)

18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

So, we commit to the study of God’s Word and we commit to the submission to the Spirit of God.

We are to be like Christ. This should be the consuming factor of your life as a believer.

The simplicity of the focus of the spiritual mind.

Getting the body to cooperate is something else.

That is why Paul says,

Philippians 3:7 (KJV 1900)

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

All of our desires that we thought were assets were actually liabilities.

Is Jesus Christ sufficient?

Christ should be your everything.

Colossians 2:3 KJV 1900

3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Colossians 2:6 (KJV 1900)

6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

Colossians 2:9 (KJV 1900)

9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Colossians 2:10 (KJV 1900)

10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Philippians 3:15 (KJV 1900)

15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

If we have come to the conclusion that Christ is sufficient, then our thinking should have changed, our attitude is different. If not, then God will reveal this to you. This is done through conviction and chastening.

Philippians 3:16 (KJV 1900)

16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

Wherever you standard is at right now, move on from there. Pursue the likeness of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God wants us molded to the image of Jesus Christ, the one who was obedient to the Father, who died for us, was buried and rose again. He left us the Holy Spirit to mold and shape us into the image of Jesus Christ.

Paul gets very practical now.

Philippians 3:17–21 (KJV 1900)

17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Follow an Example:

Philippians 3:17 (KJV 1900)

17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

Example are not pedestals. Paul is not perfect and I am not perfect.

What Paul is saying is “I am not perfect, but I moving toward perfection.”

Remember, we are all imperfect people. We are all sinners, hopefully saved by grace. But there are some saved people that are trying and some saved people that could care less.

Folks we need examples of people who can model what following Christ looks like.

How to deal with the struggles of life, disappointments, pride, trials, and tribulations?

Failure at any of these things does not bring us closer to Christ, but overcoming all these will bring us closer to Christ.

If I am going to get to where I need to be, then I need someone who has been there.

Paul is not perfect, Christ is perfect, but sometimes we need a physical model to get us to Christ.

Remember, this is a collective challenge. We are a team.

Paul said, in vs. 15 “Let us” be spiritual minded.

vs. 16 “Let us” walk and “Let us” mind the same things.

Paul says you can follow me, not because I am perfect, but because

Philippians 3:14 KJV 1900

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The Holy Spirit trusted Paul to write 13 of the epistles written after the book of Acts.

Paul was a model of victory and a model of temptation.

He models worship and service.

He models patience and endurance and suffering.

He models handling tempers, possessions and relationships.

He told the church of Corinth twice to follow him.

He told the church at Thessalonica to be an imitator of him.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 KJV 1900

6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

Philippians 3:17 (KJV 1900)

17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

“Mark” is the same word as “mark” or “goal” in vs. 14.

It means to look at the goal and fix on it. fix your gaze.

Find people you can follow.

Notice he uses the word “us”.

We know he is talking about himself when he used “us”, but who else could he be referring.

Probably Timothy who was likeminded.

Philippians 2:19–20 (KJV 1900)

19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.

20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.

Philippians 2:22 (KJV 1900)

22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.

He is also probably thinking about Epaphroditus.

Philippians 2:25 (KJV 1900)

25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.

Philippians 2:30 (KJV 1900)

30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.

Find someone that you can follow.

Remember,

Philippians 3:16 (KJV 1900)

16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

start where you are and find someone closer to Jesus than you are and follow them.

Now listen again, let me repeat this truth that I mentioned to you. Christ is the perfect model. Christ is the pattern of perfection. But Paul and others are the patterns of the pursuit of that perfection. I see in Christ what I want to be, but I cannot see in Christ how to get there. Why? Because Christ didn’t follow some path to perfection, He was always perfect. You see? So if I look at Christ I see what I am to be, and if I look at Paul and other believers, I can see how to move that direction … as I see those who are able to deal with temptation and sin in the pursuit of the prize. So Paul says you need an example, you need someone to follow, you need a model, so follow me and those who walk according to the pattern that you have seen in us.

In other words, get some models and follow them. Now we’re right in the heart of discipleship. That’s what we’re all about. We need a human pattern to follow. Beloved, here is the essence of the matter of church leadership.

Find those godly pastors and leaders who are above reproach, whose lives are blameless, who are walking the way a believer should walk, who are being obedient. They’re not perfect, but the direction of their life is right. They’re pursuing the prize and follow them.”

Now, we come to the flip side.

Flee from Enemies:

Philippians 3:18–19 (KJV 1900)

18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

Many, not a few, but many are enemies of the cross of Christ.

In other words, they are everywhere. They are in our church they are outside of our church.

Understand, these enemies, are not those that are outwardly defiant against Jesus Christ. These are way more subtile. They claim to followers of Jesus Christ.

They advocate Christ, they identify with Christ, their names are on the church roll, they want spiritual leadership, but they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. They’re very subtle. It takes discernment to recognize to recognize these enemies.

Jesus described them as

Matthew 7:15 (KJV 1900)

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

They look outwardly like us.

How do we get past the outward?

We need discernment.

John warned in 1 John 4:1

1 John 4:1 (KJV 1900)

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

I continue to be absolutely astounded at the stuff and at the people that Christians will follow because they’re so undiscerning. If you have a lack of precise biblical teaching, as we do today, if you have a lack of precise clear doctrine, as we do today, you have a lack of precise clear thinking. And if you have a lack of precise clear thinking, you cannot have discernment. And so people are victimized by the widespread exposure of those who in truth are enemies of the cross of Christ.

Many Walk - walk being the idea of daily conduct, manner of life, course of living, this is their pattern.

Who are these enemies?

Those that Add to the Cross of Christ

Philippians 3:2 KJV 1900

2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

Remember these Judiazers.

These are in relation to the cross of Christ.

Now notice, please, when he says enemies of the cross of Christ, the concept of the cross of Christ means all the atoning work accomplished on the cross.

It’s not just the wood. It’s not just the death, it’s the cross work of Christ. It signifies the whole of what He did there as the sacrifice for sin who alone could provide salvation for sinful men. That is the heart of our faith.

That’s why Paul said, “I’m determined to know nothing among you except Christ and Him crucified.” We are saved by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ plus nothing. We believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and by that faith God imputes forgiveness to us and righteousness. But these Judaizers said that’s not enough, that’s not enough, you’ve got to add to that.

They would not deny the deity of Christ, they wouldn’t deny the cross of Christ, they wouldn’t deny that He died as a substitute for sin, they wouldn’t deny the resurrection, but they would say that’s not sufficient, you must do certain works. You must accomplish certain spiritual deeds. You have to earn your way in. They would talk about grace and yet they’re very definite works by which you earn favor with God.

Now, The Judaizers are enemies of the cross, but he is also writing to Gentiles at Philippi.

Those that Take Away from the Cross of Christ

The Gentiles had a philosophy that later became known as Gnosticism.

They had a dualistic philosophy. The philosophy went something like this. They believed in that dualistic viewpoint that says spirit is good and matter is … what?… is evil. Okay, or bad. That is a long standing philosophy. Okay. So they said matter is evil, it is intrinsically evil, it will always be evil, it can’t be anything but evil, spirit is good. So we are Christians in the spirit. Body is matter, body is matter is evil, therefore what your body does doesn’t matter at all. It’s inconsequential. Matter doesn’t matter. That’s their basic philosophy. Spirit matters, matter doesn’t.

So they would say if matter is essentially evil, then the body is essentially evil. If the body is evil in essence, it is going to be evil no matter what you do with it. Since it is going to be evil no matter what you do with it, don’t worry about it. Be a glutton, be a homosexual, be a fornicator, be an adulterer, be a drunkard, it doesn’t matter, it only effects the body not the spirit. That dualism went right into Gnosticism, it went right into what was called in theology antinomianism, it’s right in the contemporary libertinism of today which basically says, “Sure, I’m a Christian, I received Jesus, He changed my spirit but it’s inconsequential how I live, I live any way I want to live.”

This kind of antinomian libertinism that says, “Well yes, I believe in the gospel,” does the opposite of what the Jews did. The Jews said it’s the gospel plus, they said it’s the gospel minus. That when Jesus died He took care of our sins in the spiritual dimension, but it doesn’t matter how we live. So they subtract from while the Judaizers added to. So you’ve got them infiltrating the church and they say it doesn’t matter how you live, you’re saved anyway. We just believe in Jesus at one point, we get fire insurance out of hell, we live any way we want, after all, it’s only the body, who cares?

Philippians 3:19 (KJV 1900)

19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

They are the enemies of the cross, then he says this, “Whose end is destruction.” This is the doom they face. Their eternal destiny is sealed in damnation. They will be in everlasting torment in hell. Why? They’re not true Christians. How do you know they’re not true Christians? Because they subtracted from the gospel. They subtracted what? They subtracted the transforming essence of it. They have a useless kind of faith that never brought a true transformation so that they were new creatures desiring what was right in the inner man. They’ll be doomed.

Watch out for the people who come along and are the legalists who add all the stuff. Watch out for the people who come along and are the libertines who subtract the virtue.

“Whose God is their appetite.” The word “appetite” is koilia, the word colitis comes from it. It has to do with the mid-section, particularly the stomach. It’s the … their God is their stomach, their appetite. It simply means their sensual desires, they’re driven by their desires, their drives, they’re sensual. They live off of unrestrained sensual pleasure. That’s so typical of false leaders who are libertines, who name the name of Jesus, say we’re the friends of the cross, but in truth are the enemies of the cross headed for destruction and you can tell they are because they have some kind of a gospel that has no virtue in it, no holiness in it, no transformation in it, no love of godliness in it. And they’re driven by their sensual desire.

whose glory is in their shame. Literally, whose glory is their shame, glory means boast. What this means is … the disgrace is this, they boast about what they should be disgraced for. The very thing that should shame them, they boast in it. It’s incredible.

Like 1 Corinthians 5 where the Apostle Paul says to the church,

1 Corinthians 5:1 (KJV 1900)

1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.

1 Corinthians 5:2 (KJV 1900)

2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

“Not only do you have someone in incest, but you have someone in incest,” he says in verse 2, “who is proud about it.” This is a libertine. “Hey, look, this is the way I’m living, but, you know, I’m covered by the blood, I’m saved, it doesn’t matter what I do. I can do whatever I want.”

They boast in the very thing that shames them.

On the other hand, the Judaizer is boasting in his self-effort which shames him, this person is boasting in his sin which should shame him. They’re proud of their shameful life style.

“They set their minds on earthly things.” In the case of the Judaizers, they’re into the earthly ceremonies, rituals, and stuff that is nothing more than earthly symbol.

In the case of the libertines, hey,

James 4:4 (KJV 1900)

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

1 John 2:15 (KJV 1900)

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

You ought to be able to tell the enemies of the cross. Don’t listen to what they say, look closely. Do they add to the gospel and say it’s not enough, you need this to be saved? Do they take away and say it’s too much, it’s too much, all you have to do is believe? It doesn’t matter how you live, it’s only the flesh? Beware.

So, find an example of the gospel you can follow. Not someone perfect but is trying to get there.

Flee the Enemies, those that add to the gospel or take away from the gospel.

and Lastly

Fix your Expectation:

What is it that makes us pursue the prize? It is the expectation, it is the hope of the coming of Jesus Christ who will change us to be like Him. We have to keep that focus clear.

Philippians 3:20 (KJV 1900)

20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

We have a heavenly perspective. We view heaven as our primary preoccupation. This is what motivates us.

We’re concerned to see the Savior.

We’re concerned to hear “Well done” from the Savior.

We’re concerned to be rewarded by the Savior.

We’re concerned for eternal glory, that’s their preoccupation.

You see, the Apostle Paul knew very little of creature comforts. He knew very little of pleasant emotions. He was uncomfortable most of the time, beaten, shipwrecked, stoned, left for dead, on and on and on, always sorrowful, always weeping over one thing or another, tearful, always in some kind of pain or another, disappointment, difficulties, deprivation. But he had no concern for pleasant emotions and pleasant feelings, he was committed to a productive life moving toward a goal. And that goal was all tied to heaven. So his preoccupation was heavenly. That’s why he could say, “Far better to depart and be with Christ.” Much better for him.

And this is the focus of life that is required if we’re going to pursue Christ’s likeness. Christ is a heavenly being. Christ is of heaven, from heaven, in heaven, heaven is His place, He is ours, heaven is our place. If preoccupied with Him, we’re preoccupied with heaven. It matters little to us what happens here, it matters a lot to us what happens there. He is there, that’s our place. So in verse 20 he says our citizenship is in heaven from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Listen, the prize is not heaven. the prize is Jesus Christ.

and listen to this.

Philippians 3:21 KJV 1900

21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Romans 8:29 (KJV 1900)

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

So when we die we are instantly a perfected spirit. When Christ comes, the bodies are raised and we are made instantly into perfect form of Christ as a perfect holy instrument for service, worship and praise with never an evil impulse, never an errant movement, with a mind full of the pure light of God’s truth, a brain of undilluted love, undilluted joy, undilluted peace, undilluted goodness, emotions in perfect expression at their fullest and yet in perfect balance. We ought to long for that with all our hearts.

What’s your prize?