Follow a Good Example; Set a Good Example: Devotion for Pipestone LWML Zone Spring Board Meeting
"Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 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.
“Therefore, my
brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the
Lord, my beloved” (Philippians 3:17-4:1).
Grace to you and peace
from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
“Set a good example.”
You’ve probably heard this before. “Parents, do you want your children to grow
up in the Christian faith? Set a good example!” “Son, you’re the oldest. Set a
good example for your brother and sister.” “Bosses, want to improve the
attitude and atmosphere at work? Set a good example!” It works the other way,
too. “Want to succeed in your job? Follow Jane’s example!” “Watch how Steph
Curry shoots the basketball. Follow his example!” No matter what sphere of life,
good examples are important to set and to follow.
St. Paul knew this
well. Having explained several principles of Christian living, the apostle set himself
and other mature Christians as examples to follow as we seek to put these
things in practice. “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on
those who walk according to the example you have in us” (Philippians 3:17). By
offering himself as an example, Paul was not boasting. He followed the example
of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1) and he understood that setting a good example
was a necessary part of his calling as an apostle and pastor (see 1 Timothy 3).
Because the Philippians were surrounded by pagan immorality and by false
teachers who wanted to deceive them, they needed good examples. So, in genuine
concern Paul pleads with them to follow his example. We also would do well to
ask ourselves what kinds of examples we follow and what kinds of examples we
set for others.
Earlier, Paul had
warned about the Judaizers, who taught that certain works they regarded as
particularly holy and righteous had to be added to faith. Now he warns against
certain “enemies of the cross” who went to the opposite extreme. Apparently,
they too claimed to be Christians, but their openly wicked and sensual
lifestyle contradicted the confession of their lips. To them “Christian freedom”
from laws and restrictions such as the Judaizers wanted to impose could also be
extended to mean freedom from all laws, including God’s unchangeable moral law.
This philosophy was no doubt
appealing to these newly converted Christians who had been so used to the immoral
lifestyles of the pagan world. Paul had earlier warned them against this lawless
teaching. Now he warns them again. Indeed, it is because of his deep love and
concern for their spiritual welfare, with tears he warns them against those who
call themselves Christians but who stand for everything that is opposed to
Christ.
Christians show by
their lives that they have caught the spirit of the cross. Their lives are
characterized by unselfishness, humility, and the unceasing desire to know
Christ more deeply and to imitate Him more fully. Enemies of the cross are
those who substitute selfishness and self-indulgence for love and humility. “Their
god is their belly,” Paul says, “and they glory in their shame, with minds set
on earthly things.” “Belly,” here, represents all the desires and appetites of
the sinful nature: such as greed, gluttony, drunkenness, and sexual immorality.
Instead of working to
control their perverse appetites, these pseudo-Christians surrender themselves
to those appetites. By regarding the satisfaction of their fleshly, sinful
desires as the most important thing in their lives, they make their desires become
their gods. Far from being ashamed of the kind of lives they are leading, they
boast about them, even going so far as to claim that such living is consistent
with their Christian confession. The apostle dismisses all such twisted claims with
one terse phrase: “Their end is destruction” (Philippians 3:19).
We can readily identify
with the apostle’s warning here. Like the Philippians, we also today are
besieged with the lofty-sounding claims of modern, worldly-minded “Christians”
who urge us to follow their example. Some shamelessly accommodate themselves to
the thinking of the world and the satisfaction of their fleshy desires. These enemies
of the cross not only defend but openly and boastfully advocate sins like adultery,
homosexuality, and abortion—even though the Bible expressly condemns such
things as abominations in God’s sight. They haughtily proclaim biblical morality
to be irrelevant and out of date.
Even more dangerous are
those “Christians” who show by their lives that they have made worldly things
like money, possessions, and pleasure their gods. It is not very difficult even
for those who really believe they are loyal followers of Jesus to become
enemies of the cross in that way. We all need to regard all those temptations
to live for ourselves and not for our Savior with the apostle’s sobering warning
ringing in our ears: “Their end is destruction” (Philippians 3:19).
The enemies of the cross
live for this world and its pleasures and sins. They are earthbound and world
oriented. Such concerns, however, are unsuitable for us Christians, who live in
this world but are not permanent citizens of the world. Our citizenship is in
heaven. Our rights have been secured in heaven, and our interests are being
promoted there. Our names are recorded in heaven’s book of life. To heaven our
prayers ascend, and our hopes aspire. Many of our brothers and sisters in
Christ are already enjoying the presence of our Lord in heaven. And one day, we
and they will enjoy the fullness of this citizenship in the resurrection of our
bodies.
As heavenly-minded
believers, we do not want to let earthly concerns blind us to the importance of
our heavenly citizenship. We want to use the time the Lord gives us now to
prepare ourselves for the Savior’s return and our entry into the glory of
heaven. So, we gather with our brothers and sisters to receive Christ’s gifts
through Word and Sacrament. We share the Good News of salvation with those who
do not yet know our Savior. We look for opportunities to serve our neighbor
with acts of love and mercy. And we seek to model the Christian life to others.
“Therefore, my brothers
[and sisters], whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in
the Lord, my beloved” (Philippians 4:1).
What tremendous comfort
these inspired words bring us as we stand grieving at the graves of loved ones
who have died in the Lord. What a powerful encouragement they provide for us to
continue to serve the Lord with our bodies as we press eagerly forward to the
goal of the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are
from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway
Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved.
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