The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 134

_Ve111. 17-:-21.-0elestial citize~hip. Paul, havin_g urged the duty of forgetting the tlungs behmd, now speaks of his own example still more pointedly. He has been minding this rule and walking before men as an illustration of its power. And in this occupation with the future. his idea has been that he is a citizen of heaven and 1s conducting himself daily as one who belongs to that better country. But, ~vhile ad,ancing to the statement of this celestial citizenship, he pauses parenthetically over the stat~ of those whose citizenship is of the earth and earthly. 'l'he contrast of this paragraph is between the citizens of the world and the citizens of hea.ven. We shall look at them in the order presented by the apostle. I. 'l'HE CITIZENS OF THE WORLD. (Vcrs. 18, 19.) And here we have several things to notice. 1. The object of their adoration is the" belly-god." In heathenism the aim of life is for the most part to gratify the flesh. Appetite is master. The mind and heart are simply the slaves of appetite. Now, it is clear that, a.s a worshipper can never rise above the object of adoration, the man who worships appetite sinks into a mere quivering mass of appetite. Lust calls for satisfaction. Eating, drinking, and the gratification of the fleshly lusts become the Rum total of life. The meaning of this devotion is the degradation of the man below the level of the beast. 2. Their glnry is in their shame. That is to say, instead of being ashamed of their lustful courses, they actually glory in them. 'l'hey parade their de~ations. It is a terrible descent when men lose the sense of shame and brazen it out. 3. They mind earthly things. 'l'hat is, they look no further for their rest. They settle down in this plague- stricken land. They allow their notions to be bounded by the horizon of the seen and the temporal. They take no broader view than this life affords them. 4. They are conS£quently enem.iu of Christ's cross, over which the holy are compelled to weep. For the cross is the great foe of worldly mindedness. It opposes the lusts of the flesh; it oppoees the adoration of the appetites ; it opposes self-indulp;ence in every sinful form ; and consequently the citizens of this world a.re its foes. But do we weep over these misguided men with the p:1thos of a Paul? Do we shed over them the tears of compassion, of zeal, of charity? We ought not to be content until the world's state evokes our tears. II. Tim CITIZENB OF mu.VEN. (Vers. 20, 21.) Paul declares here that "our citizenship ('roA1nvp.a) is in heaven." Now, this idea suggests: 1. That we OU,[Jht to feel, aB "strangers and pil.grifTl.ll here." Just as citizens of a foreign country do not feel at home, so heavenly citizens cannot feel at home on earth. They will recognize a cert.a.in strangeness in their environment, and be evermore looking away from earth and things seen to their" fatherland" (r...,.p£311 of Heh. xi. 14). But_: 2. Our hope should centre in tM heavenly city. Earth cannot satisfy our longings; our hope flits away from earth to heaven. "We look for a city which hath foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God." Heaven is regarded as our home, and we feel drawn as by a home-sickness towards the celestial world. We have "a desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better." 3. We eq,ect the advent of the Saviour and the trans- farmati<m of the body. The Lofd Jes1;18 has his home in heaven and i_s seated in _the focw; of power. His energy ( i11•nu11)_ JB such that he can su~due all th1_ngs unto ~1~- self. And he is to appear for the special purpose of transform.10g our bodies of humilia- tion that they may be conformed" to the body of his glory" (Revised Version). His glorious body in the vigour of in,mortal youth is the type to which our changed bodies shall be conformed. Hence we hope for physical adaptation to an immortal career. And these gifts we expect from heaven and through the advent of our Saviour, "A.ble-bodied citizens" we are yet to be. We are to lay down these tenements of clay and to be clothed with temples which will stand the wear and tear of an eternal existeDce. In these magnificent bodies we hope to serve God ceaselessly. As citizeos of heaven, we shall need no respite from active service; there shall be no night and no repose in heaven; unwearyiDg work shall prove life's laating benediction.-R. M. E. Vera. 1-16.-The t,w ~ . Conumplated close oJ the Epistle. "Finally OH, In. 1-21.] THE EPISTLE TO THF, PHILTPPTANS.