Do you have a hero or someone you greatly admire? Often they are movie stars or some other public figures. Children frequently love superheroes. That doesn’t always leave when they get older, as we see with the abundance of superhero movies. If they are into sports, they might have a baseball or basketball star that they want to be like. Role models can help to encourage practicing or studying to become like them. Sometimes, though, a hero we or our children pick out ends up not being all that admirable. Rock musicians are often into drugs, and movie stars frequently live rather immoral lives. We have to be careful who we set up as role models for both ourselves and our children. In our Scripture for today the Apostle Paul touches on who we should follow as examples. Let’s see what God’s Word has to teach us.
As mentioned, we all like to have heroes. As Christians, we need to be careful with who we pick to be our or our children’s role models (vs. 17). They should be good and godly examples we choose to follow, not those the world sets up, such as Hollywood or social media influencers. As Paul wrote to the church that was in the city of Philippi, he told them to be careful whose example they were following. What kind of life did those role models they picked live? Were they following the Lord Jesus Christ? As Paul pointed out, not everyone in Christian circles in the early church, and certainly not today, are true followers of Jesus (vs. 18-19).
Paul warns us that there are those who claim to be Christians, but they aren’t. They are only posing as Christians. Rather than following Jesus and His example, they only seek to satisfy their own desires. Paul calls them enemies of the Cross. How can one be an enemy of the Cross today? These are people who talk a lot about Jesus, but do not look to the Cross of Jesus for their salvation. Many of these do not believe in hell or any damnation, feeling that God is all love, and that He would never condemn anyone. They believe that everyone is going to heaven. If that was the case, there would have been no need for Jesus’ atoning death on the Cross, and His sacrifice for our salvation. There are some who do not like a “bloody religion”, and thus want to eliminate any mention of the Cross and the shed Blood of Jesus. These must be labeled as enemies of the Cross.
Others who pose as Christians, but who are not to be taken as good or godly role models are, as Paul stated, those whose god is their belly, and who glory in what should be their shame (vs. 19). They are controlled by their earthly nature, following sensual desires, gluttony, and immorality. They glory in what is really shameful. These so-called “Christian” leaders attempt to pervert the Gospel for their own personal gain, as their lives revolve around material things. God’s Word says that these false leaders, and those who follow them, will find that their end is destruction, eternal damnation. If they ignore the Cross of Christ, and His sacrifice thereon, they will find that the loss of their own soul is their ultimate destiny.
As our Scripture continues, Paul reminds us that heaven is our true home (vs. 20-21). That is where our citizenship truly is. If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, heaven is where our name is registered, and where our inheritance waits. It is in heaven where we will receive a body just like the body of the Risen Savior, one that no longer struggles with pain, disabilities, or physical limitations.
So, as believers, who are our role models, our examples? Sadly some continue to look to the world for their examples, or to false “Christian” teachers. If we must have a role model other than the Lord Jesus Christ, let’s be sure that he or she is truly following God’s Word, and are not enemies of the Cross. We need to live like a citizen of heaven, and not be so tied to this life that we would be sorry to see Jesus return. Don’t get discouraged. We are not home yet!
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