2013년 6월 2일 영어예배 설교

The enemies of the cross of Christ
(Philippians 3:17~19)

To us Christians there is an identity that is more important than the identity of physical blood or present systems such as family or nationality. It is the identity of the church made into a single body through the blood of Christ. And according to the Bible, it is obvious that the identity of church members made into a single body through the blood of Christ is our first, last, and ultimate identity. As already defined by the Bible, the church, or the visible church in this world is not a perfect church, and consists of true believers and fake believers, or the wheat and weeds are mingled. And also as the Bible speaks, the mixed situation will continue by the harvest day, or the Judge Day of Jesus second coming. As limited and imperfect humans, not only are we not able to truly distinguish the false church members from the true church members but also we are just instructed to love and accept each other with humble minds. This is because someone’s present appearance and apparent situation does not necessarily mean the one’s true identity in both cases of good and bad, and we don’t have the right to judge others at all. In spite of that, according to the Bible’s teaching, it is also very clear that there are certain distinctions in churches which are unacceptable and we must condemn. And in today’s text, we can find some frightening expressions on those who show these distinctions which must be expelled from God’s church ? ‘enemies of the cross of Christ.’ More surprisingly, this term is not about people outside the church but about some people inside the church. Today, I wish to consider with you what the distinctions are which should be expelled by the Christian people who have true identity as the true church members, and also briefly consider what the distinctions are which true Christian church members should have in this world.
In verse 17, “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.” At first glance, this verse seems that as if Paul touts himself as the most ideal man. But this does not come from his pride or arrogance. This expression means that the members of the Philippian church should follow the other members who show good examples as a Christian who has a true identity and characteristics of a church member. And Paul directs them to follow the way he himself is standing within Christ, and is emphasizing the fact that they are true family and community shared true identities as members in Christ and who cannot but imitate each other. This reading of the verse becomes clear in chapter 4 verse 1 as the conclusion of today’s texts, “Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.”
And the Apostle Paul says that true believers standing together in Christ are absolutely distinguished from those who think only of those things on earth. In verse 18~19, “For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” At this point Paul reveals his pained state of mind “even with tears” and this is due to those many who “walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.” These “enemies of cross of Christ” do not point to those non-believers who persecuted believers outside the church then. In the previous verses, Paul warned about those legalists who put church in chaos and led believers astray. But in the early church there were those who ran on the polar opposite side of the legalists and they were amoralists. Although they held onto the name of believers, they did not apply any regulations following the words of the Bible to their lives and lived extremely liberated lives. That exhibited almost no difference from non-believers, so Paul concluded they were no different from “walking as enemies of cross of Christ.” They might have confessed their beliefs through their mouths but if there is not even the smallest appearance of adherence to those beliefs in their lives but remain wholly committed to the earthly or the worldly, there is no question that they were not reborn in Paul’s eyes. That is why Paul warned in verse 19 that “their end is destruction.” The term “destruction” used here does not mean temporary destruction but an eternal one. In other words, it is used as the opposite concept of salvation. Regardless of being a nominal believer, if one’s head is full of earthly things and if their lives are no different from non-believers, then their ultimate end cannot but be different from those non-believers’ and will arrive in the same “destruction.”. “Their god is their belly” means they live as if worshipping their bellies as god. In other words, the lives of amoralists center only on pursuing and satisfying their bodily desires. There are those who come to church then and even now to whom even believing in God is in reality yet another method to fulfill their physical desires. The expression, “they glory in their shame” means “they uphold their shame as their glory.” In other words, not only do they not know to be ashamed of sins in front of God but rather treat these sins as something they could pride themselves in front of others. To pursue and succeed only to satisfy their greed is really a sin to be ashamed of in front of God but how many of those who call themselves believers do not know of this? These are none other than those “with minds set on earthly things.” In other words, awake or asleep, these are people who are attached singularly to bodily things and their every movement is propelled only by material things. This is truly outrageous but it is a reality that the weeds, the false believers, whose roots show only interest and purpose in how to live more happily on this earth are mixed in this church on earth. Paul could not but shed tears in thinking of this.
Many people, not small in number, have confessed to their belief in Christ but still only think of worldly goods and sully Christ’s name. Having observed that there would be those who are not non-believers outside the church but those who call themselves believers within the church who would end up not among the ranks of salvation but fall in the hell of destruction just like non-believers, Paul had repeatedly warned these poor souls and was once again speaking to them in tears. The matter is not pursuing a happy life on earth itself. The problem is the fact that their pursuing and having interest in the earthly things and happy life here is their goal and purpose in life. They almost never think of our Lord Jesus Christ in their daily lives. They almost never think of their identity and duty as the person who follows Jesus Christ. They almost never think about their final destination, or heaven in which our Lord Jesus Christ is awaiting for us. They are almost never interested in how God’s church is going on in history, their days, and what their church is doing in their days. They almost never consider like this “how can I live out today to glorify my God as Christian people at the situation that I am in.” They only grasp and cling to the very earthly things given as means and methods for living out true Christians life. They are only interested in their happiness, success, well-being, comforts, and every earthly things related only with them and their family. All the factors that is given for glorifying and enjoying God and serving our Lord Jesus Christ, they are serving the very factors as their god. For them, God, or the Lord Jesus Christ is just a factor for happiness and well-being of their family and themselves. Jesus Christ is not their God, purpose and reason of life, the object they should serve in their life. But Jesus Christ is just their god who protects and comforts them, that is, for them, Jesus Christ is just their means and methods for their own life. The most severe and worst fact is that they consider themselves Christian, or the true members of God’s church because they enrolled in one of the churches in their local community and attend it every Sunday, and mainly participate in the activities of the church. It is not that much surprising because it is nothing new in history, but it is true that this kind of phenomenon is a sad thing. The Apostle Paul describes these kinds of people, “For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” If that is so, then how easy is it to fall prey to the illusion that if one is within the church on earth that one is automatically guaranteed salvation? Then how foolish is it to just hang up church signs and insist on unity regardless of theological differences and automatically accept everyone as brothers and sisters in Christ if one carries a Christian name tag? This is because one is not a member in Christ if one does not have a firm belief in salvation that “only those who believe in the cross of Christ can have salvation.” No matter how many crosses stand on top of the bell tower, that church is nothing but an enemy of the cross; no matter if there are crosses hanging from their necks, those people are nothing but those who put the cross to shame.
Therefore, those believers who think that believing in Christ is only to live their lives more happily cannot be a true member in Christ but enemies of Christ who still think only of earthly things. Why don’t you contemplate on the meaning of the expression, ‘enemies of the cross of Christ? The cross of Christ is the very name that figured out all our terrible sins. The cross of Christ is the very name that demolished the wall standing between our Lord and us as the result of our sins. The cross of Christ is the very name that gave us totally new life and identity through shedding His precious blood, the blood spread on, aimed at, and perfectly worked for the chosen people like you and me. The old rugged cross of Christ is the unique hope and the only way for us to be rescued from deadly sins and live eternally with triumph. Without it, we are doomed, we are over. The cross of the Christ is the climax of human history. Then, Paul’s argument is this – they are not just ones who are not related with God’s church but ‘the enemies of the cross of Christ.’ This is the reality that is suggested by Christianity in history. Church asserting that the role of the church is to lead this human society to kinder and more righteous ways cannot be a true community in Christ. They are not practicing Christianity in one God but belong to a different order and are nothing more than heretics who shame the glory of God. Even as we speak there are many people in this church on earth such as these who “walk as enemies of cross of Christ.” I really want us to find the true meaning of our lives only in Jesus Christ. If we consider ourselves the very glorious and amazing name, “Christian”, we should live out our lives every day activated and motivated by our Lord Jesus Christ. Only these kinds of people are the very people called “Christian” in the Bible, in history and in our century also. As Paul is urging us in today’s text, please follow and imitate this kind of true Christian people, and not follow the people who even if they call themselves Christian, in fact their god is their belly and walk as the enemy of cross of Christ. Remember again, this world and its history, were created by our Lord, has been running under the control and has been sustained by our Lord, and will be finished by our Lord. The world and history itself is concerning, for, and of our Lord, as Romans directs, “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” Despite humans’ every uproarious and seemingly glittering claims of their initiative on the world and history, this impregnable and solid truth as the core axis of the universe has still been going on and working towards its final destination. Therefore, thoroughly be on the Lord’s side. Deeply and completely be involved in our Lord Jesus Christ with your life. Clearly acknowledge and serve our Lord Jesus Christ as the main concern and reason of your life in your days in your life. This is the only way to arrive in “salvation with triumph” otherwise, to the only way to arrive is in “destruction with their gods.”
I hope you become believers who stand in the Lord imitating the ones who show good examples, not following the ones who although their present outer appearances look like true members of God’s church, in fact they are the enemy of the cross of Christ who serve only their belly as god.