Remember Your Ultimate Destiny

Introduction.

In my third and final sermon today, I want to again talk about some keys, some reminders of what it takes to live faithfully. That has been my contention of how we should live in the middle of the chaos, but sometimes, admittedly, it becomes a difficult journey. So, how do we do this? WE remember who is in control, we remember that nothing can separate us from his love, and we remember today our final destiny. Our ultimate destiny.

This becomes difficult. We have never been to heaven. We have never seen the streets of gold or the pearly gates. And, yet, the goal remains the same. We are headed somewhere and this shapes how we live our lives today.

Consider with me,

1 Corinthians 9:24–25 ESV

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

1 Corinthians 9:26–27 ESV

So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Or consider

Hebrews 11:15–16 ESV

If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Both of these passages reiterate what it is that I am speaking about today. So, we get into the passage, and we see

I. The Mindset to have; Press on.

As we get into the text, look and see what we are told.

Philippians 3:12 ESV

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

What is it that he has not obtained? Verse 11 gives us the answer.

Philippians 3:11 ESV

that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Paul makes it clear that he wants to attain the resurrection from the dead. Paul’s selective personal history here once again demonstrates how totally Christ-focused he is. For him Christian life is not simply a matter of salvation and ethics; it is ultimately a matter of knowing Christ. So too with resurrection; Paul’s focus is not on “everlasting life” or anything else such. The goal of the resurrection, the prize for which Paul strains every effort in the present, is Christ himself.

Fee, G. D. (1999). Philippians (Vol. 11, pp. 151–152). Westmont, IL: IVP Academic.

And the reason he want to know Christ, to be perfected in Christ is that Christ has made him his own. Christ has changed his life so drastically that he wants to run the race only to pursue Christ.

And this why 3 times he says, I press, or I strain towards the prize. I press, I strain forward to what lies ahead. Both of these words indicate an effort, a willingness to strive, a full out effort to make much of Christ in his life.

Now, let’s make it clear that we are not, Paul is not advocating working for our salvation. Our salvation is purchased through the sacrifice of Christ, and Paul tells us in

Philippians 1:6 ESV

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

This indicates that Christ will complete the work of salvation in our lives. But there is a sense in Scripture that those who are in Christ, who are dedicated to Christ, will live their lives in such a way to pursue Him, to chase after Him, to make Him their number one prize and possession.

And this is Paul’s mindset. Notice in verse 13,

Philippians 3:13 ESV

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

I have not achieved it yet, and still, I forget what is behind. I forget what is and was yesterday. Both good and bad. You can not successfully run a race looking behind you. You can’t pursue Christ when you are hung up on the past. You can’t pursue Christ when all you talk about is the glories of the past. Eventually you get to the place where they are laid behind and you press on.

Notice in verse 15 that this is a sign of maturity.

Philippians 3:15 ESV

Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 3:15–16

The apostle called his readers to share with him the pursuit of Christlikeness. What he wanted for himself he also wanted for them. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things (v. 15). What view of things? The one he had expressed regarding persistently pressing on toward the goal. One mark of spiritual maturity is a desire to go on with Christ. Paul’s appeal here was to maturing believers who shared his ambitions. He trusted God to make things clear to those who disagreed with him.

No doubt the greatest need among God’s people is to live up to what they already have in Christ. Most live far below their exalted position in Christ. Paul’s plea to the Philippians was that they live up to what they had already attained, namely a righteous position in Christ.

So the mindset of the apostle-press on.

II. The Warning to Heed-Don’t get sidetracked.

In verse 17, we are told these words.

Philippians 3:17 ESV

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

So he tells them that they should imitate him, the apostle who has just told them that he is pressing on, he has his eyes on the prize and nothing is going to deter him. Keep you eyes on me, and not just me, but also the others who are walking this way. Follow me and all who have this mindset.

And why are we to do this?

Philippians 3:18 ESV

For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

The reason we should be careful and pick who our examples should be is that there are way too many who are enemies of the cross of Christ.

How do we know that people are enemies of the cross?

Philippians 3:19 ESV

Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

This is something we need to remember and hold on to. If we are following individuals in our lives that meet this criteria, we will assuredly be shipwrecked and wind up in destruction, just as they will.

What are these criterion?

They serve their physical desires. All they care about is pleasing and satisfying their lustful, shameful passions.

Romans 1:29–31 ESV

They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

2. They glory in shameful actions.

Romans 1:32 ESV

Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

3. They only care about earthly things.

I wonder if this is not why our political discourse has reached such a fevered pitch. Could it be that there are those who are so filled with earthly passions and power that that’s all they care about. when you have no passion, no desire for another world and this is all there is, the pursuit of power, you will fight hard. You will strive hard.

I was reading this week in

1 Corinthians 15:32 ESV

What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

Paul is telling us he’s gone through some serious stuff, but who cares if the dead are not raised. Eat, drink, and be merry.

We must not allow ourselves to become sidetracked in any way.

The mindset to have press on. The warning to heed. Don’t get sidetracked. Finally,

III. The Reminder to Hold on to; Our Citizenship is in Heaven.

Paul tells the church to pursue Christ above all. Paul warns you to not become sidetracked, and finally, he reminds you of something to hold on to.

Philippians 3:20–21 ESV

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

The New Bible Commentary 3:18–21 Call to a Heavenly Citizenship

The thought of those whose lives are dominated by the desire for earthly things leads the apostle to say that true Christians know that their life and citizenship is even now in heaven with Christ (cf. Eph. 1:3; 2:6; Col. 3:1–4). Philippians could be proud of their citizenship in a Roman colony (see the Introduction), just as we all have an earthly citizenship which has its privileges and its obligations. But they, and we, have to value above all the gift of a heavenly life and citizenship, and we live in hope of our future inheritance that we will receive in its fulness in the future. Thus we eagerly await the reappearing from heaven of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

This coming will bring about that change that Paul discussed in

1 Corinthians 15:53–54 ESV

For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

Philippians–Colossians Vers. 20–21

The privilege of his citizenship was the protection of every Roman. By pleading this Paul escaped the lash. But that would be a poor loyalty which only pleaded privilege without the homage of submission. The loyal Roman would behave himself as a freeman. Regard for others would be instilled into him by reverence for the law which protected all. They are not loyal Englishmen who by their vices have brought shame on the English name in foreign lands. Attachment to one’s country will lead a man to live worthy of it. 2. You see how loyalty to heaven affected Paul. It was a pain to him that there were Christians unmindful of their heavenly character, dishonouring themselves and casting contempt on their citizenship. The honour of the heavenly citizen is the strong motive by which he appeals to his disciples. Loyalty to a higher order is an energy to resist temptation. True patriotic pride is an impulse to sons to prove worthy of their sires; a name is theirs which they must not dishonour. The higher law of the household constrains many to purity of thought and manly struggle. The thought of home, wife, children, parents, deprives temptation of all its force. Loyalty to the sanctities of household piety is the energy of a pure and reverent life. In this way Paul appeals to the Philippians when he says “we are citizens of heaven.” He is putting them on their honour, while around them are many who have fallen from their profession. 3. Reflect on the obligations of your heavenly home. How pure, lowly, gentle, &c., you expect to be when there. But to all this we are actually called now. Many a man reflecting on his end hopes for a previous time of amendment. In this he shows his recognition of the heavenly character. And we are now citizens of heaven, and its life must be our life on earth.

Conclusion

So, what does this mean for us. We are in a fallen, sinful, destructive world. and while we are called to live in this world, to love and care for, and get invested and involved, yet we hold to it loosely because we know that this is not it.