See the previous articles in this series:
“Press on Toward the Goal”
“Why Did Paul Press On?”
“Forget What Lies Behind”
“Keep Your Eyes on the Prize”
“Imitate the Godly”
In Philippians 3, Paul exhorts the Philippians to press on in their pursuit of Christlikeness with a single-minded devotion. Paul tells them to imitate himself and other godly Christians as they pursue Christ. He tells them not to imitate the false teachers who were single-mindedly focused on earthly things. These false teachers were pursuing their own fleshly desires to their own destruction. In Philippians 3:20-21, Paul draws a line in the sand. Rather than having a short-term, temporary focus, believers should have a long-term, eternal focus. In stark contrast to those who live for the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, Christians should be focused on their eternal home, their coming savior, and the future glorification of their bodies. Let’s jump into Philippians 3:20 to explore this verse: “But our citizenship is in heaven.”
Citizens of Heaven
Christians should not be single-mindedly pursuing earthly or worldly things, because this is not our home. We have an eternal home with Christ in heaven and one day in the new heavens and new earth. Pauls speaks of our citizenship. The concept of citizenship would be very near and dear to the hearts of the Philippians. Philippi was a Roman colony. People who lived there had Roman citizenship. Even though they lived in Philippi, which was located in Greece, they had the full benefits of those who lived in Rome. That included the rights, recognition, and reputation that came from being a Roman citizen.
In like manner, while we live on earth, our citizenship is in heaven. We have the rights, recognition, and reputation that comes from being a citizen of heaven. We are expats here and we must not get distracted from our eternal home. Set your mind on your eternal home. Keep the right long-term focus. Don’t be shortsighted.
Why should we be focused on heaven? Paul answers that in the next part of the verse saying “and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Because Christ is in heaven. Our love for Jesus should cause us to focus on heavenly things. As we pursue being like Jesus, we should await the return of Jesus eagerly with anticipation.
Living in Anticipation
As an adult, I feel like I don’t anticipate things like I did when I was a kid. As a kid, even looking forward to small things excites you. I remember I would look forward to my dad coming home from work every Friday night. I was of course looking forward to seeing my dad, but he would bring my sister and I snacks on Friday nights for the weekend. It was often a sugary cereal that we wouldn’t normally get to eat during the week, like Cookie Crisp—a cereal comprised entirely of little cookies. Incredible. Maybe it was Cocoa Pebbles. Maybe it was some other cereal that was essentially diabetes in a box.
I can vividly remember being about six years old playing wall ball in the driveway of my friend who lived up the street. I would be in the middle of hitting a self-serve power slam against the garage door when I would spot my dad’s car coming down the street. I would immediately stop what I was doing and start sprinting down the sidewalk to meet him in our driveway, because I was so excited to see him. That eager expectation doesn’t even hold a candle to what Paul is talking about. Even a kid looking forward to Christmas morning with excitement and anticipation doesn’t hold a candle.
We should eagerly await the Savior “who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body.” In a previous article, we already talked about the doctrines of justification and sanctification in relation to Paul’s pursuit of Christ-likeness, now Paul is talking about glorification. Glorification is the process by which Christ will transform us fully into his image. That includes our souls being made perfectly sinless like his and our bodies being transformed like his resurrected body.
Looking to the Resurrection
At creation, human bodies were created perfect by God. However, when Adam and Eve sinned, all of creation became tainted by sin. Our bodies were subjected to the curse. They now break down through the process of aging. They can get sick. They can get hurt. They can die. Paul says our bodies are “lowly” but he doesn’t mean that our bodies are evil. God made our bodies, so they are good. However, because of sin our bodies are perishable and they break down. In glorification, our bodies will be redeemed and transformed into perfect eternal bodies that will be like Christ’s resurrected body.
In 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, Paul contrasts the natural body of Adam with the supernatural, resurrected body of Christ. The natural human body is perishable, Christ’s resurrected body is imperishable. The natural human body is dishonorable, Christ’s resurrected body glorious. The natural human body is weak, Christ’s resurrected body powerful. The natural human body is natural and Christ’s resurrected body is supernatural. At the rapture, the bodies of dead believers will be reanimated and transformed to be like Christ’s resurrected body as they reunite with their already perfected souls. For those who are alive at the rapture, their bodies will be transformed to be like Christ’s resurrected body and their souls will be made perfect and sinless. At that point, believers will be fully conformed to the image of Christ. During the transfiguration in the gospels, Peter, James, and John got a glimpse at what Christ would look like in glory:
And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light (Matt 17:1-2).
After Christ’s resurrection, his body was glorified and perfected. When Christ comes again, we will be conformed to his image fully as he transforms our earthly bodies into eternal bodies like his. The way that Paul talks about our glorification is that it’s a sure thing. It’s not that he’s crossing his fingers because he hopes it will happen. It’s going to happen. In fact, Paul already alluded to the certainty of the believer’s glorification in Philippians 1:6 stating, “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.”
Paul further describes the certainty of this in Romans. He describes what is known as the “golden chain” of salvation in Romans 8:29-30:
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
If you’ve placed your faith in Jesus, before the beginning of time, God chose you for salvation, he called you, saved you, and will cause you to persevere to the end when he will glorify you. He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. Receiving a glorified body is the climax and consummation of your salvation. It is the end result of God’s plan of salvation for you. Christ redeems us body and soul. We will not be disembodied spirits for all eternity. We will have perfect physical bodies that will be able to physically interact with the new heavens and new earth.
Conclusion
Maybe today you’re facing major health problems. Maybe your body is breaking down due to the natural processes of aging. Perhaps you had an injury or disease that is causing you unbearable chronic pain. Or maybe you’re fighting a life threatening illness. Press on and look forward to your glorification. Imagine what it will be like to have a body that won’t be in pain, won’t age, won’t break down, and won’t die. That is your future if you have placed your faith in Jesus. Jesus himself will transform you “by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”
Throughout Scripture, we are told that Jesus was the agent of creation to create the heavens and the earth and he is currently holding the universe together. The reason that the atoms in your body are being held together and are not flying off in a million different directions is because Jesus is holding them together. That same power that he is using to subject all things to himself will one day transform our bodies. We will one day be fully conformed to the image of Jesus’ resurrected body.
