Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
Summary: Paul’s words remind us of the importance of staying focused on God’s will.
The words in this passage sound like they belong in a courtroom.
Not just any courtroom, but a heavenly courtroom.
These are the words that the prosecution uses to wrap up their case against the “enemies of the cross of Christ” (v. 18).
PROSECUTOR: “Their mind is set on earthly things.”
This is the foundation of the case. The people of God have their minds on God. The people of God are not concerned with “earthly things.”
What earthly things?
PROSECUTOR: “[T]heir god is their stomach.”
What a strange god! Yet imagine the power that gives to the people who have the food! Those who worship the stomach god will do anything to feed it. Those who dangle the delicacies have total control.
“When you sit to dine with a ruler,
note well what is before you,
and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to gluttony.
Do not crave his delicacies,
for that food is deceptive.” (Proverbs 23:1-3)
PROSECUTOR: “[T]heir glory is in their shame.”
This indictment goes to the heart of the matter. What is glory? What is shame?
If a person glories in what is shameful, what does that say about their values?
God made man to love God and love their neighbors. Not in a shameful, self-gratifying way, but in a godly, agapē, kind of love.
The first man, Adam, rebelled. He disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:1-7). When his “eyes” were opened, his mind knew evil — the opposite of doing God’s will — and both he and Eve felt shame.
At least they knew enough to be ashamed!
What about those who do not repent?
Paul says, “[t]heir destiny is destruction.” In another place, he writes:
“But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2:5)
These are hard words that are easy to ignore. Yet they are in the Bible. They tell a story. They teach us to take our faith in Jesus seriously.
Application: Keep our minds on Jesus!
Food for Thought: Who, exactly, is Paul describing in this passage?
Who, exactly, is Paul describing in this passage?
I did a little research on this question. Paul is most definitely referring to those who “walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.” (v18) There is some speculation that he is referring to false teachers, or even the Judaizers, of which he has spoken and warned about before.
Really though, those that “walk as enemies of the cross of Christ” are those that “live in opposition to the sacrificial gift of salvation of Christ” by seeking earthy pleasure or adding to the Gospel of Christ for some measure of personal gain or self justification. So in that sense Paul is speaking to anyone who would place themselves above God, above Christ, and above their neighbor, and does not walk in the love of Christ, self-sacrificing, taking up their cross, and submitting their will to the Lord.
Galatians 5:24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Matthew 25:31-46
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Chris,
Thanks for doing a “deep dive” on this question. Good thoughts!
“[A}nyone who would place themselves above God, above Christ, and above their neighbor” sounds like a good summary.
Good job Chris!
Who, exactly, is Paul describing in this passage?
In Philippians 3, Paul is warning believers about false teachers who are promoting human effort and works as the means to salvation rather than faith in Christ Philippians 3:2-6.
Philippians 3:2-6, “ Their fate is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame.”
Their minds are set on earthly things. These false teachers were essentially making their appetites and desires of flesh, their god, as they pursued feeding their flesh to be the ruling desire of their lives.
Thanks, Ron!
Well said! 🙂