The Imitation Game (Philippians 3:17-4:1)

MPS: Everyone is either imitating Christ or the world. The world offers you death and destruction while Christ offers abundant life.

Imitators of Christ are different from imposters of Christ. (17-19) 

“17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.”

Paul expresses how they may live according to the promises of Christ by echoing a statement he made to the Corinthians,  “imitate me as I imitate Christ”. (1 Cor. 11:1) 

After Paul has spent this whole letter laying out encouragement and instruction for the Philippians he now shares with them how they can grow in Christ. They grow in Christ by the power of the Spirit, by learning Christ, and by imitating those who are mature.

The Philippians should be discerning in who they follow and imitate. Are their leaders imitating Christ or the world? An easy test is to discern what their leader’s greatest treasure is. Do they treasure Christ above all things or do they treasure the trappings of the world? If their leaders treasure the world then they have a real problem. However, if their leaders treasure Christ then the question begs itself, “Why are some of you causing division when God has appointed these leaders for you? Imitate them as they imitate Christ.”

By Paul invoking the phrase to imitate me as I imitate Christ, he is encouraging a common method of instruction in the 1st C. was to imitate a teacher, rabbi, or mentor. This is not only wisdom for the first century Philippian Christian, but is also a prudent and helpful methodology in making disciples today.

Sunday School classes, Bible Studies, Small Groups, Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, Women’s Ministry, Men’s Ministry, Young Adult Ministry, Senior Ministry, College Ministry are all methods in which churches have sought to make disciples. All too often we can look to programs for the answers in how to make disciples. We hire staff, institute a program, and voila we believe disciples will be made. There are thousands of books, articles, and podcasts devoted to teaching you and I to make disciples.

Instead Paul provides for us a very simple method in disciple-making, we are to imitate mature followers of Jesus as they imitate Christ. He has provided for the Philippians true and right doctrine and now his command is to share that belief with others. How are you to share right belief with others? Just like a 1st C. Rabbi, we are to train others in proper doctrine, live our lives alongside one another, and serve alongside one another.

Bible Studies, Sunday School classes, and other teaching avenues are all good but they aren’t the Gospel. They can help us learn the Gospel intellectually. They can help embed great truths within our hearts. But ultimately, these methods are a small piece in the discipleship pie. Parents should be teaching their children, fellow believers should be teaching fellow believers. This happens in car rides, coffee shops, doing chores, at sporting events, or wherever you live your life.

I encourage you to invite someone else into your life. If they know Christ then you can build your relationship around growing in Christ. Imitating Jesus together. If they don’t yet know Christ, then build that relationship on introducing them to Jesus.

“18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.”

“Even with tears” is evidence that Paul is identifying those who at one time or presently identify themselves with the Christian community. This term is used elsewhere and is reserved only for Christians or at least people that were once part of the Christian community. The fact that these individuals once identified with the Philippian Church and maybe still due yet live for worldly gain, pains Paul to the point of tears. Paul not only grieves their apostasy, but also the harm they have likely done to the cause of Christ.

These imposters of Christ claim Him but their testimony is at odds with the work of Christ. The situation Paul describes reminds me of those who profess Jesus to be their Savior yet are dishonest in their business practices. The imposter of Christ knows how to talk the talk but their walk doesn’t line up. They lack Christian integrity. These imposters will tell half truths, have false humility, and care more about getting their own way than seeing their brother or sister grow in the Lord. The reward for being an imposter is the same for the outright non-believer, destruction. 

The imposters care more about their earthly gain than the reward of Christ. There are of course those who are immature in Christ. They are growing and are in the beginning of their pursuit of Christ. They are learning how to crucify the flesh, learning what it means to follow Jesus. These are not the people that Paul is describing. Instead he describes and mourns a group that is anything but Christian, yet they claim to follow Jesus.

Paul is talking about those who have been in the faith, learned Christ and right belief, yet they only use Christ for earthly gain. They play the Jesus card when it suits their needs. Maybe they’ve joined the local church in order to gain influence over others. Their greatest desire of their heart is to see their own name proclaimed and not Christ’s.

Imitators of Christ inherit a Kingdom greater than this world. (20-21)

“20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,” 

The Philippians are Roman citizens and to identify with anything else would be met with hostility. As a Roman citizen the Philippians had special protections, they could own land, slaves, hold government jobs, and much more. They inherited this citizenship from the prior generation and it was a great honor. 

In contrast, the Philippian Church is called to set aside their Roman citizenship as their primary identity. Instead their identity is found in Christ. Their primary citizenship is in Heaven. The protections for this citizenship far surpass that of the Romans. For God is the one who is the validator, the securer, and the sealer of this Heavenly citizenship. As citizens the Philippians awaited the return of a far better and perfect emperor, Jesus Christ.

Like the Philippians our heavenly citizenship is of far greater worth and importance than our earthly citizenship. I once thought that the greatest gift that my family gave to me was to be born in the United States. I love our country as do many of you. I’m deeply troubled as many of you might be at the present situation our country finds itself. It seems like American values have fallen by the wayside. Long ago are the days in which citizens and politicians alike would set aside personal gain, anger, malice, and political differences to place the needs of others above their own.

I, like you, long for a day where integrity, hard work, compassion, kindness, and grit are once again at the heart of every American. However, I realize that this might never happen. My hope is not placed in my citizenship as an American or in the hands of politicians. My hope rests in Christ Jesus. My citizenship is held in the hands of God and that has been sealed by the blood of Christ and applied by the Holy Spirit. My citizenship is in Heaven.

“21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

Christ with whom we all await will provide for us a body that will no longer be subject to the fallen nature of this world. This is a result of Jesus’ return. It’s a promise made to us as citizens of Heaven. If our country promises us the opportunity of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; then God the consummation promises Himself, eternal life, and the worship of Christ unaffected by sin in our glorified state.

This gift of our glorified bodies is given to us by Christ the ruler of all creation. Paul indicates that all things are subject to Christ’s authority and power. This of course hints at Caesar and his authority over everything within his empire. Paul mocks emperors, kings, prime ministers, and presidents who believe that they have more power and authority than they really have. A King might think that he controls all things within his borders, but Christ who is the King of Kings has simply delegated his own authority and ready to overtake the civil authorities at His will.

God who blessed Egypt by making them the most powerful nation on Earth punished them for Pharaoh’s disobedience in allowing Israel to leave Egypt. God overthrew King Saul as he grew in his disobedience to the Lord and grew in his own corruption. God has overthrown corrupt and abusive governments since the 1st Century as followers of Jesus sought first the Kingdom of God rather than the temporary kingdoms that are found here on Earth.

Imitators of Christ stand firm in Christ. (4:1) 

“4 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.”

Imitators of Christ are part of a community that loves and rejoices with one another while standing firm in the Gospel of Christ. To stand firm is to persevere in the faith, to persist in right belief, in Christian community, and holding fast to the promises of Christ. For the Christian is indwelt by the Spirit and as such your faith will persist throughout your life. There may come a time of spiritual struggle, pain, or suffering. However, we learn through the Psalms that some of our greatest times of growth and reliance upon Christ will be given to us through this pain. We long to see Christ and inherit the Kingdom as we stand firm in the Gospel of Christ.

Tough Questions:

Are you an imitator or an imposter?

Do you base your life on Christ and hold fast to Him?

Would you recommend others to imitate you as you imitate Christ?