Living Like a Citizen of Heaven
Philippians 3:16-21

It’s Your Choice to Rejoice, Part 11
Let’s quickly review Philippians:
Chapter one: The Gospel! Chapter two: Unity through humility! Chapter three: Pursue Christ!
In Paul’s pursuit of Christ, he refuses legalism, the counts on what really counts, he rests in the righteousness of Christ, and then he follows, forgets, and focuses on the ultimate goal.
Here is the main thought of this closing section of Philippians 3:
Verse 20: “For our conversation is in heaven.”
This means that while living on this earth, we are already at this present moment, citizens of heaven. The word conversation, also used in Phil. 1:27, means “citizenship.” We get our word “Political” from the original language word. Have you forgotten where your citizenship is? Have you forgotten that you are RIGHT NOW, REAL CITIZENS of an eternal Kingdom, a Kingdom whic shall never pass away? We are ambassadors for Christ, pilgrims, strangers, and foreigners in this world. We are right now the sons of God; God is our Father, Christ is our Savior, the saints are our companions, angels are our servants, and the Scripture is our Constitution, our Daily News, and our roadmap through life!
Citizens have a function. We have a job to do. Citizens have a responsibility.
1. Walk In Heaven’s Pathway
A. Walk with God, following Him.
You have grown to a certain point in your Christian life: keep walking in that line. Do not get out of rank. Be like Enoch and Noah who walked with God. You are a soldier in the army; keep walking in file, keep walking in rank. “Walk in file; keep in step!” You are a participant in a race, keep running the race on the track. Do not start doing your own thing, going your own way, and walking according to your own desires. Paul is really just saying, Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh in another way. If you have done something that is right, then keep doing right. If you are applying the principles that have brought you success, then keep applying those principles.
What if you are bored, and the monotony of living the Christian life has gotten you tired? Does the monotony of life tire you out? Does doing dishes, laundry, and shopping get you tired to the point where you will not do it anymore? Keep walking in the Spirit! Keep reading the Bible, praying, coming to church. Do not get tired walking with God!
Romans 6:4, Walk in newness of life…
Rom. 8:1, walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit…
2 Cor. 5:7, we walk by faith, not by sight.
Gal. 5:16, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Eph. 4:1, I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.
Eph. 5:2, Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Eph. 5:8, Walk as children of light…
Col. 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. Walk IN him!
Col. 4:5, Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
1 John 1:7 walk in the light, as he is in the light.
B. Walk with those who walk with God, v.17.
One of the best ways to keep in the right pathway is to follow godly examples. We are to MARK those who are walking in the pattern of Christ! The word MARK means to look carefully and fix the attention upon someone. We are to point out those who are walking with God and follow their example! Say it with me: MARK THEM WHICH WALK, SO AS YE HAVE US FOR AN EXAMPLE.
How are we to do that? We must KNOW the truth ourselves. We must know what it means to walk with God, and then we are to DISCERN whether that other person is walking in the truth, walking in true doctrine and holiness. We must make JUDGMENTS, beloved, righteous judgments, according to the Bible. We are to do all things in love, but we are to do it for our good and God’s glory.
We are not to walk in darkness or as other Gentiles walk. We are not to walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness (2 Peter 3:10), we are not to walk after “ungodly lusts” (Jude 18). Be not deceived, evil communications corrupt good intentions and blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. We must discern the difference between the one walking in light and the one walking in darkness; to discern the difference between one walking in truth and the other walking in lie, walking in love or walking in lust, we must make JUDGMENTS, righteous judgments, according to the Bible! Do not be ashamed of the Gospel as you walk with God and other Christians. Do not be naïve either, for this world is no friend to Jesus Christ. We can even expect to be hated and persecuted in this world, for the world system is at enmity with God. Here is a huge trap that Christians are falling into: we want to be loved, approved, and accepted by this world system. We want their endorsement, support, and respect. Now, I am not saying we should be arrogant and obnoxious, but the words of Jesus stand:
John 15:19,20, If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you…if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
Follow godly examples: Paul says, follow me, as I follow Christ. We are to follow those who are following Christ. That is why it is so important to be in a good Bible believing church where others are following Christ. Follow those who follow Christ!
Paul says, be a co-follower with me. 1 Cor. 4:16, Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. 1 Cor.11:1, Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. 1 Thess.1:6, And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord…
C. Set an example for other Christians!
What a bold statement! Can you tell those watching your life, follow me as I follow Christ. I am a citizen of heaven. Follow me as perform my function and fulfill my responsibilities as a child of God. Then he says, you be wise and discerning and look carefully at those walking around that you are able to imitate. We all need mentors and people to model. I have mentors in the ministry that I learn from and follow. Fathers must be mentors to their sons; mothers mentor their daughters. Older Christians should guide, disciple, and mentor the younger believers. Our church has a balance between brand new believers and those who have been saved for some time. You older Christians, realize that younger believers are looking for real life models. What does it look like to follow Christ? You learn it, then live it, then love it, so others can follow you. Do not be afraid to say to others, FOLLOW ME, and look carefully after others who follow Christ. Find a spiritual mentor so they can encourage you to follow Christ.
When on deputation to raise our financial support in coming to New York City, I was able to see many pastors and God graciously gave me some good pastor friends that are examples to me. I saw men with balance, godliness, good families, strong ministries, and I seek to remain in fellowship with those men today and call them when I need counsel. They would do anything in their power to help me if I needed them.
2. Identify Heaven’s Enemies, v.17-19
Identify gospel enemies, those hostile and yes, HATEFUL to the cross of Christ.
Now this goes against our “feel good” atmosphere today. Do not forget it, we are soldiers for Christ and there is a spiritual battle going on in our heart, our church, our city, our nation, and our world. Are there enemies of the cross; that is, they despise the preaching of the blood atonement? They despise the teaching that man is a depraved sinner, lost, and unable to save himself. They are enemies of the message that forgiveness of sin is through Jesus Christ and Him alone.
Before I say some things that may get you upset, let me first say that we have an obligation to MARK those who both walk with God (Phil. 3:17) and MARK those who teach error. We are not to IGNORE false teachers. We must point them out. We are to mark those who are walking right, and we are not to ignore them, and we are to mark those who are gospel enemies, and we must not ignore them.
We are to mark those who walk after the right example, and we are to mark those who teach error. Mark the right walkers and you will know the errors. The truth will make you free.
Romans 16:17, Mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned: and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly: and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
The word MARK means to look carefully and fix the attention upon someone. We are to point them out.
A. The REASON we must point out Gospel enemies:
? We must MARK them out because gospel enemies are in abundance: “For many walk…” Paul says that there are MANY ENEMIES of the cross. Enemies are those hateful toward the gospel and have great hostility to the cross. They are opposed to the cross.
1 John 4:1, Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out in the world.
Yes, many false prophets are among us who are enemies of the cross of Christ.
B. The ATTITUDE we must maintain in marking out gospel enemies:
? We must mark them out frequently, “of whom I have told you often…” There is nothing wrong with pointing out false doctrine and false prophets. As a matter of fact, it is wrong NOT to point out false doctrine. I do not say this is ALL WE DO, but it must be a part of our spiritual diet. Marking and identifying gospel enemies is part of a balanced, healthy spiritual diet. Paul told them often of these gospel enemies.
*2 Tim. 1:15 *2 Tim. 2:16-18
? We are to point them out tenderly, “and now tell you even weeping…”
Paul is broken hearted, compassionate, and affectionate with his strong stand on the Gospel. He shows mercy and tears toward those who teach contrary to the grace of God. Paul is visibly weeping out loud. Paul did not weep feeling sorry for himself in a prison; he did weep that there were MANY who trampled the grace of God. Marking gospel enemies is not something that we rejoice in doing. We ought to be broken hearted that so many are lost. We ought to be broken hearted that so many are blind leaders of the blind.
C. Paul then tells us three CHARACTERISTICS about these enemies:
? Their DESTINY is Destruction, that is, they are lost and on their way to an eternity separated from God. Their end will be death in the lake of fire.
? Their DEITY is their own belly. Not that their belly itself is their god, but that their own appetites is what they require. They are self-worshipers. Their god is self-gratification. Many people are like that today. They make the satisfaction of their earthly desires their major pursuit. Their life is one big TRIVIAL PURSUIT! Yes, the belly is a very demanding god! It ever craves, growls, and knocks for self satisfaction. Their god is their belly, and that means, their god is the Devil himself. The world lives for the world and loves this world system of things. All that is in the world, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world. The world LOVES this system of things and willingly makes sacrifices for the lusts of the eyes, the flesh, and the pride of life. The enemies of the cross gladly make sacrifices for this world system and do not think twice about it. They shell out all kinds of money, they are willing to sell their soul and compromise their conscience for ALL LITTLE MOMENTARY PLEASURE for their belly, their earthly appetites. Yes, they sacrifice their TIME, they lose their FAMILY, they regard it as a NORMAL thing, to do whatever is necessary in order to fill their belly with some sinful amusement. OH, their god is their belly! What a TEMPORAL deity that is! One that must be satisfied again and again, because no matter how much you eat today, you will need to eat again tomorrow. Gospel enemies are those who say they are saved but live as ungodly and as worldly as the unsaved!
? Their DELIGHT is in the earthly things that result in shame. “Whose glory is in their shame.” The rejoice and boast in the very thing that ought to cause them to be ashamed; yea, and one day will cause them shame! Is there not Gay Pride parades; and Halloween Parades where they glory in the devil himself.
So, you say, Matthew, who are these Gospel enemies?
Who are these? Not just outright unbelievers, but many who say they are followers of Christ. Why are there many enemies to the cross? Because of the absolute depravity of man and because of the narrowness of the way of salvation. Man does not like to hear, there is only one way of salvation. Man also does not like to hear, YOUR WORKS CANNOT PLEASE GOD or MERIT HIS FAVOR!
Some turn liberty into legalism. Those legalists that he exposed in verse 2 are enemies of the cross. They made rules and regulations the way of salvation or sanctification. LEGALISTS are enemies of the cross, for if salvation is through my effort, then Christ is dead in vain.
Some turn liberty into licensiousness. ANTINOMIANS, those who turn LIBERTY into LICENSIOUSNESS, are also enemies of the cross. These say, OH we have liberty in Christ, so we can DO WHAT WE WANT! ANTI means against. NOMOS speaks of LAW. Antinomians are those who live without law and they allowed their liberty for an occasion to the flesh.
HUMANISTIC PHILOSOPHY is an enemy to the cross of Christ. Evolutionary teaching is a great, yea, one of the greatest enemies of the cross of Christ.
Religious MODERNISM that prevails in our own city is an enemy of the cross. Men like John Shelby Spong, an EPISCOPALEAN PRIEST who denies the most basic truths in the Bible, is an enemy of the cross. Churches that endorse lustful living, like RIVERSIDE CHURCH or even the JUDSON MEMORIAL CHURCH in the village, are enemies of the cross. Churches that put POLITICAL CANDIDATES in their pulpits, like ABYSINNIAN BAPTIST CHURCH who has had Fidel Castro to Hilary Clinton, people who are not saved in the very least, are enemies of the cross of Christ. I wonder why the same liberal politicians who cry from the housetops, separation of church and state, who refuse to allow churches to rent school buildings, will speak in churches! Conservative churches like Heritage are told that we must not endorse political candidates, but then liberal churches endorse liberal candidates de facto by inviting them to speak in their pulpits. That is all right. That way I know who the enemy is. I know who NOT to vote for! I know what churches are enemies of the cross!
Now, some people say, Matthew, you should not judge. All churches are all right. I say to you, study the word of God, study what is truth, and you will know that there is much error in the world. Do not be NAÏVE to all of the religious unbelief and compromise.
It is my conviction that…
ROMANISM is an enemy to the cross of Christ! You say, why is that , Matthew? Because they say that infant baptism is the way a person is born again; that all grace must come by Mary’s permission through the church! Think of this, the only way for a Roman Catholic to receive Christ is through the mass; and in order to take the mass you must confess your sins to a priest. Therefore, the way to receive Christ is THROUGH the church rather than through the grace of God.
MORMONISM is an enemy to the cross of Christ! Why is that? Because they say that Jesus is brother to Satan, and that Jesus is one of many who have attained to the position of god.
JEHOVAH WITNESSES are enemies to the cross of Christ.
NYC Church of Christ is an enemy of the Gospel! They teach that salvation is only through baptism in their church.
ISLAM is an enemy to the cross of Christ! They utterly reject that Jesus even died on the cross or rose again! They say that Judas died in Jesus’ place.
Many turn liberty into legalism, substituting rules and regulations for God’s gracious gift of eternal life.
“for many walk, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.
Walk in heaven’s pathway! Identify heaven’s enemies!
3. Anticipate heaven’s King!
Yes, the King cometh with 10,000 of his saints! Oh, what a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see!
We are to be people “waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 1:7 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13.
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, 2 Peter 3:12
Paul just finished telling of the destiny, the deity, and the delight of the enemies of the cross; now look at our destiny, deity, and delight! What a comparison! Of whose kingdom would you rather be? Our destiny is eternal glory; our deity is our Lord Jesus Christ, our delight is in His promise of a new glorified body!
A. Our Savior is the KING of all KINGS
B. Our Saviour will change our vile body, that is, transform the body of our humiliation, this humble body of flesh and blood that is getting old, decaying, and dying. I am getting older every day. That is hard to realize, because it seemed like I was always young! Now I have hairs coming out of my nose and ears!
(Illus. Edgar had a tenant who died in their apartment and a smell came from his apartment. He was dead, green, and purple, and smelly! What a vile body we inhabit! The word does not mean something filthy, but something humble, that is prone to sickness, weakness, disease and ultimately death. Doctors can operate on our body, give new hearts, new livers, new noses, do liposuction, do facial reconstruction, keep the wrinkles away, but it is still going to die! Cher will probably die looking like she is 35 years old, but inside, she will decay someday and go back to the dust.
C. The Savior will give us a glorified body! This is a body that is fit for heaven. So much is being made this election year of the health care plans and prescription drugs. Here is Jesus’ health care plan: a body that will never get sick!
The resurrected body of Jesus had flesh and bones,
Luke 24:39, Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
I can tell you this about the resurrection body: the life principle is not blood. The life of our flesh now is in the blood; not so in our resurrection bodies. You say, that is impossible! That just cannot be! Oh, yes it can, for God is able to subdue, that is arrange everything under his authority, and work it out according to His mighty power.
Is your name on heaven’s roll?
Are you speaking heaven’s language?
Do you obey heaven’s laws?
Are you loyal to heaven’s cause?
Do you look for heaven’s king?