Passage: Philippians 3:15-21

The Big Idea

Maturity only grows through a humble, dependent relationship with Jesus. A hypocrite is someone wearing a mask, claiming a changed life through their own effort while the heart stays the same. Paul describes such people with tears: enemies of the cross, ruled by appetite, proud of what should shame them, minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. We look to the Savior, who will transform our lowly bodies by the same power that subdues all things. Our security isn’t in performance but in relationship: He supplies, we receive.

This Mind (3:15)

Paul says those who are mature should think this way, and if anyone thinks differently, God will reveal that too.

This points back to what we’ve just studied:

the supremacy of knowing God, everything else is rubbish;
and pressing on to know Him through three streams that become one river: the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings and being conformed to His death.

Paul says maturity only develops through this kind of relationship.

Anyone who tells you that you can mature without humble dependence on God isn’t telling you the truth.
Anyone who turns your attention away from Jesus is immature, like a child who thinks they know best: “Ooh, pretty green antifreeze. I’m gonna drink it!” The result is death.
But Paul trusts God to reveal this to His children.
If you think you can thrive as a Christian without trusting the Lord, God may wake you up with trials you can’t handle.
In trials, our minds either turn to the Lord or turn to someone or something else.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Our minds either trust the Lord completely or lean on our own understanding.

Jesus said that anyone who is willing to do God’s will will know whether His teaching comes from God (John 7:17).

God is able and willing to help us understand how things really work.
His requirement is that you want to do His will.
That your desire isn’t to get your plan done, but His. Not your kingdom come, but His kingdom come!
If you want to know how things really work, take up your cross and follow Jesus, and your heart will be filled with direction and understanding.
So many believers lack direction: “What’s happening? I don’t understand!”
Take up your cross and follow Jesus. These questions get answered, not always with words, but with an unmistakable assurance in the heart, a peace that passes understanding. That’s how God teaches.

Walk by the Same Rule (3:16)

Paul says: only let us keep walking by the standard we’ve already reached.

This points back to growing in knowing the Lord.
As we progress in humble dependence, we experience life in the middle of death.
We’re surrounded by death, even affected by it, yet God gives us life as we trust and come to Him daily.
Our walking and our thinking are closely connected.
If we want to grow in living as a living sacrifice to God, we keep our minds focused on the life Jesus offers, not our own.
It will grow. Not at the speed we choose, but at the speed God decides.
Wherever you are on the journey, today is a day to move forward with Jesus!

Some approaches to spirituality are all about “the journey”: “We’ll just walk with you on your spiritual path until you figure it out. Try whatever you need to.”

That isn’t how Paul did things. He showed people how to think and walk in humility and faith. He showed them the path, because he knew the truth.

It’s not arrogant to believe you know the truth. Believing God’s promises isn’t intolerance.

It’s life to know and walk with Jesus. Anything else is death. Doctors aren’t accused of being intolerant toward cancer. Sin is a disease, and Jesus is the only cure. Anything that isn’t humble dependence on Jesus is part of the problem.

Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6).

If the journey is about knowing Jesus and walking with Him, wonderful.
If it’s about finding out “what works for you,” it’s rubbish.

Follow the Pattern (3:17)

Join in following my example, Paul says, and watch those who live by the pattern you have in us.

So how should we minister to people?

By example. By pattern.
Live a life of humble trust in Jesus.
With a mind that thinks rightly:
“I can’t do anything.”
“Jesus does everything.”
“So I cling to Him in all things.”

This is the opposite of a hypocrite.

In Greek, a hypocrite was an actor, someone who wore a mask.
There’s no need for a mask when you’re simply confessing your need and weakness and receiving from God. It’s a life of humility.
It’s our joy to be weak, because God’s strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

A true follower of Jesus has new life through a living relationship with Him: “I just look to Jesus in His Word and receive His life through the Holy Spirit.”

A hypocrite claims to get there by effort: “How did you change? I just did it. I really buckled down. I found this ten-step program.”

Each answer hides the fact that the heart hasn’t changed. People can’t change their own hearts. They can’t stop being sinners on the inside. So they say one thing and do another, because they aren’t really different. Even the world can’t stand hypocrites. They’re easy to spot.

Enemies of the Cross (3:18-19)

Paul says many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; he’s told them often, and now tells them even with tears. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, their glory is in their shame, and their minds are set on earthly things.

Hypocrites have a clear way of thinking: their minds are on earthly things, not heavenly ones.
Heaven’s call is to relationship: “Come, follow Me.”
Their plan is, “I follow my own thoughts and opinions, the way I see it.”
They’re enemies of the cross.
Not that they dislike Jesus.
But they won’t surrender to the way of the cross. They won’t lay down their lives and dreams to know and follow Him.
Anything that requires admitting weakness, failure or need, they resist.
They fight surrender, resist humility and don’t know the way of faith.

How should we think about them?

Their end is destruction.

It won’t turn out well for them.
It’s a disease with a 100% fatality rate.
So be merciful and loving, not harsh. Notice that Paul speaks of them with tears.

Their god is their belly.

They’re devoted to pleasing their flesh and fulfilling their desires.
Surrendering sin isn’t an option.
Life is about doing what they want and getting what they want.
Giving, sharing and pouring out their lives for God and others isn’t appealing. They might do it, but as a burden, not from the heart.

Their glory is in their shame.

They’re proud of what they should be ashamed of.
They think their efforts and their religious activity look impressive. But they should be ashamed of rejecting a real relationship with Jesus for man-centered religion.

Citizens of Heaven (3:20)

But our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The contrast couldn’t be clearer:

They look to earth. We look to heaven.
They trust in self. We trust in the Savior.
They identify with earth’s powers: effort, ability, strategy. We identify with heaven: we’re members of a Person, His body, His kingdom, His will and power.
They’re earth’s citizens by birth. We’re heaven’s citizens by the new birth.
How are we born again? By believing in the Son of God and trusting Him (John 3:16).

Two ways of living life: a card-carrying member of Adam’s family, living on what’s inside us; or a citizen of heaven, a child of God, living by the power and life of the Holy Spirit, equipped by the New Covenant of grace!

Paul says we aren’t sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our sufficiency is from God, who made us ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:5-6).

Being a citizen of heaven means access to a new covenant, a new way of relating to God, where He does the work of changing us, and we simply look to Him in humility and faith.

And as we behold the Lord’s glory with unveiled faces, we are being transformed into His image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).

This change is called transformation.
It happens as we look at Jesus, as our minds learn to trust and follow Him.
He transforms us. That’s the New Covenant in a nutshell.

He Is Able (3:21)

Jesus will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself.

We wait for this Savior, and we wait on Him.
He transforms us. It’s His work, His ministry.
He is able.
There’s a working power by which Jesus transforms our lives to look like His. It’s the Holy Spirit.
What problem do you have that Jesus can’t subdue? None! Every problem finds its answer in Jesus.
Even spiritual battles. Even the things the enemy tempts us with.
How do we overcome temptation? We come to Jesus, ask and trust Him to transform us and subdue our rebellion.
He’s able. He gives us a heart that wants a pure life, and then the power to live it.
He doesn’t give it all at once, because we’re learning to live as dependent children with our heavenly Father.
So our security isn’t in our performance, but in our relationship. God cares far more about our relationship with Him as Father than about our behavioral success.
In fact, it’s through that relationship that a changed life comes! Abide in Him, and you’ll bear much fruit (John 15:5).

“Jesus can subdue all things! I want to see that! It would be so exciting to walk in victory all the time!”

It would.

But we can’t forget the relationship. We can’t make it all about holy living and doing things for Jesus. Do those things matter? Yes! Should a changed life be visible in a believer? Yes! But Scripture describes those fruits as the by-product of a personal relationship with Jesus.

When the disciples came back excited that even demons submitted to them, Jesus said not to rejoice in that, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20).

Paul contrasted hypocrites with citizens of heaven. Here Jesus keeps His followers close even in success. Relationship! Humble, dependent relationship.
Success can be dangerous for a believer.
When we think we’ve finally gotten over a hump, we forget how spiritually bankrupt we are on our own.
We neglect prayer and the Word. We stop feeling our desperate need for Jesus. Worship becomes a dry job.
Humility is the key!
Jesus isn’t afraid of or embarrassed by your weakness. He’s drawn to it! He gives grace to the humble.
We think, “I should be over this by now.” But Jesus has freed us from the law. He isn’t placing those expectations on you. You’re doing it to yourself.
The law does a great job of exposing our sin. It keeps shouting our failures. It forces us to admit our need for a Savior.
Yet Jesus gives His life through the Spirit so that the righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled in us as we walk by the Spirit, not the flesh (Romans 8:3-4). We live in humble dependence on a loving Father and His promise to supply all our needs through Jesus.

Jesus told us to rejoice in our relationship with heaven, and that’s how Paul began this chapter: rejoice in the Lord (Philippians 3:1).

He Supplies, We Receive

Our relationship with God looks like this:

His work, our agreement.
His power, our rejoicing.
His transforming, our yielding.
His giving, our receiving.
His works, our faith.
His promises, our believing.

That’s the framework of a true relationship with God: He supplies; we receive.

Is that how you’re living? A continual flow of the Spirit and His resources from your loving Father into your heart, and then out to the people in your life?

Grace Takeaway

If you’ve been wearing a mask, trying to look changed through your own effort, there’s no shame in taking it off. The Father is still inviting you to draw near and receive His grace and power. Your citizenship is in heaven, and your Savior is able to subdue all things, including what you can’t conquer in yourself. Turn from self-reliance, lean on Him, and let Him do the transforming. He supplies. You receive.

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How to Think About Hypocrites