The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 147

whom I har-c toJ..i ):0u oft<'o, and n~w tell you_ even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cr_0ss of_ Chnst: whose e:r:id is destruct.ion, whose god is their belly, o.nd whose glN_,- is 1? ~-heir shame, ~-~o mmd earthly thrngs." The apostle here refers to those who had Joined ~be ~hrist.ian Church, but whose hearts were unchanged and whoso 1 h<'Ology was anhnom1an. In sooth they were mere nominal Christians, having a namo to live, but were dead. Observe- L THAT THE CONDUCT OF MERE PROFESSORS OF CHRISTIANITY IS VERY BAD IN THE EYES _oF GENUTh"'E CHRISTIANS. To the eye_of Paul, who was Christly in spirit, idea, aud aim, t~e co~d':1ct of these men was revolt1_ng and lamentable. It av,pcarcd to him : 1. As antt-Ohristian. "They are the enemies of the cross of Christ.' Enemies not to the mere fad of the cross. To this, perhaps, they would have no hostility but otherwise. But to the spirit of the cross, which was self-sacrificing love, they 'were practically opposed; they did not "take up the cross" and deny themselves. 'l'lieo- retZ:ool/y they believed in it, practically they denied it. For some reasons the greatest "enemies of the cross" ar~ mere conv~ntional Christians; they practically deny that wlllch they profess thoo:retically to believe. All selfish, carnal, formalistic, ritualistic men are "enemies of the cross of Christ," and they are "many." · 2; As ruinous. "'Whose end is destruction." The conduct of the genuine Christian is restorative.' that of the spurious or conventional, ruinous. Sin. the principle of death, is in it'. ""When lnst bath conceived, it bringeth forth sin : and sin, when it is finished, brin"eth forth death." 3. As sensual. Their seosnality is here indicated : (1) By a partic:tar carnal indulgence. "Whose god is their belly." They ate and drank, not merely to allay_ the cravings of ~p~~te and to sostain their frame, but in order_ to gratify their gasrnc tastes and sens1bilit1es. The table to them was greater than science, literature the universe; it was their "god." (2) By a general habit of mind. "Who mind earthly things." No mao should disparage " earthly things." The earth is the pro- duction, the revelation, and the minister of God, and to appreciate it as a school of instruction, a temple of worship, and a means of subsistence is what all shoi.1ld do. But to "mind earthly things," to live entirely in them and for them, this .is the wrong ; and conventional Christians as well as heathens and worldlings do this. They "set their affections on them," seek their glory from them, and look for their happiness. io them. They are practical materialists, though theoretic spiritualists, I!. THAT THE CONDUCX OF KEBE PROFESSORS OF CHRISTIANITY 18 VEBY HEART-DIS- TRESSING TO GENUINE CHRISTIANS. " Of whom I tell you even weeping.'' The sight of a genuine tear he..s an electric force; no eloquence so mighty. Such a. tear streaming from the eye of a weak woman is powerfnl, from a strong man more powerful, from a. man of transcenc.ent greatness it is the most mighty moral force. Such a. man was Paul, and a greater than Paul never lived ; and here he is in tears. "Of whom I tell you even weeping." Such a man must have had a strong reason for such tears. Why did he weep ? 1. Because the conduct of such mere conventional Christians was a mal- representation of Christ, the ch:ief obfect of his love. Nominal Christians are the great slanderoos and calumniators of the world's Redeemer. That man who ignores Christ is a saint compared to him who calumniates him. Such is the mei:e nomina~ (?hristian. .All genuine Christians ~y well weep at t~e conduct of conve~t1?nal Ch;1st!an~, :who constitute the vast majonty of our population, and are the re1gnmg "pnnc1paht1es" in Chnrcb and state. 2. Because the conduct of such mere conventional Christians obstructs the progress of spiritual Christianity in the world. As obstructives to the flowing river of spiritual Christianity in the world, the Bradlaughs, as compared to the hireling preachers e.nd the un-Chrietly members of Churches, are but as small pebbles to huge boulders. The waters roll comparatively smoothly over the former, but a.re chafed e.nd blocked by the la.tter. . Co:scLUSION. It is time, hrothcrs, for us to estimate truly and to feel deeply the awful iocon!rruity bet"'een the spirit of modem Churches and the spirit of Christianity. Talk about ~nverting the world, the first thing to be done is to convert the Church I -D.T.