Philippians 3:17-18

Journey Through Philippians

Paul criticized not only the Judaizers, but also self-indulgent Christians, people who claim to be Christians but don't live up to Christ’s model of servanthood and self-sacrifice. Such people satisfy their own desires before thinking about the needs of others. Freedom in Christ does not mean freedom to be selfish. It means taking every opportunity to serve and to become the person God made you to be. 

Paul challenges the Philippians to pursue Christlikeness by following Paul's own example. This did not mean, of course, that they should copy everything he did; he had just stated that he was not perfect. Rather, Paul was calling them to focus their lives on being like Christ, just as he did. At the time this letter was written, the gospels had probably not yet been written, so Paul could not tell the believers to read the Bible to see what Christ was like. Instead, he urged them to imitate him. That Paul could tell people to follow his example is a testimony to his character.  

Could you do the same? What kind of follower would a new Christian become if he or she were to imitate you? To live as enemies of the cross is to engage in lives of physical gratification and self-centeredness. It's time for Christians to recognize their place as citizens of God's Kingdom. We need a comprehensive worldview based on the way our creator intended life to be lived. Simply said, I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back. The cross before me, the world behind me, no turning back, no turning back. Becoming a faithful follower of Jesus doesn't happen overnight. It takes a lifetime to fully understand and commit to what that means for each of us on an individual basis. Our daily walk with Christ is only as good as our commitment level to serving and following him.