As I was reading Philippians 3 this week, there were several verses that really stood out to me.
Paul starts this chapter by talking about all the things that used to define him. He talks about his background, his education, his culture, and his status. These were all things that gave him value and identity before he met Christ.
Then in verse 7 he says something remarkable:
“I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.”
A few verses later, he goes even further and says that compared to knowing Christ, all of those things are garbage.
That is such a powerful statement.
Paul understood something that we often forget. The things of this world are temporary. Our possessions, our accomplishments, our titles, our status, and even our struggles are all temporary. The only thing that truly lasts is our relationship with Christ.
Sometimes we place so much emphasis on our identity in this world. We identify ourselves as a mom, an executive, a teacher, a coach, a leader, or by whatever role we happen to fill. None of those things are wrong, but they were never meant to be our primary identity.
Paul reminds us that what matters most is knowing Christ.
When everything else is stripped away, that is the one thing that remains.
The second section of Philippians 3 contains one of my favorite passages in Scripture.
Paul is very honest about the fact that he has not arrived. He knows he is not perfect. He knows there is still work for God to do in his life.
Yet instead of becoming discouraged, he says:
“But I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.”
I love that.
Paul is not saying his past never happened. He is not pretending he never made mistakes. He is simply refusing to allow his past to determine his future.
He keeps moving forward.
He keeps pressing on.
He keeps pursuing the purpose God has for his life.
That is such an important reminder for all of us.
There are so many people who spend their lives looking backward. They are trapped by guilt, shame, regret, or old mistakes. Paul shows us a different way. He says to get up, keep going, and keep your eyes fixed on what God is calling you toward.
We may not be perfect, but we can continue moving forward.
As Paul wraps up this chapter, he returns to a theme that has shown up throughout the entire book of Philippians. He challenges believers to live lives that reflect Christ.
In fact, he tells them to follow his example.
That is a pretty bold statement.
Imagine being able to tell someone, “If you want to know what it looks like to follow Jesus, watch how I live.”
That should be our goal as believers.
We should not have one version of ourselves for church and another version for the rest of the week. We should not have hidden areas of our lives that we hope nobody sees. Instead, our lives should consistently reflect the One we claim to follow.
Paul also warns the church about people whose lives show that they are enemies of the cross. He says they are focused entirely on earthly things. Their appetites drive them. Their attention is fixed on this world and what it can offer.
As I was reading that section, I was reminded of something I wrote about recently.
People are not looking for an echo of the culture.
The world does not need more Christians who blend in with everyone else. The world needs believers whose lives point people toward something greater.
Then Paul closes the chapter with one of the most encouraging verses in the entire book:
“But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior.”
That statement would have meant a lot to the Philippians.
They lived under Roman authority and took great pride in their citizenship, their culture, and their history. Paul was not telling them those things were unimportant. He was reminding them that there was something even more important.
Before they were citizens of Rome, they were citizens of heaven.
The same is true for us.
Before we are Americans, Republicans, Democrats, Baptists, Methodists, executives, teachers, coaches, or anything else, we are children of God.
Our primary identity is found in Christ.
That is really the message Paul is driving home throughout this chapter.
As believers, there should be something different about the way we live and carry ourselves. We belong to a different kingdom. We have a different hope. We are living for something greater than what this world has to offer.
So let us remember what Paul remembered.
Let us hold the things of this world loosely.
Let us forget what is behind and press forward toward what God has ahead.
And above all else, let us remember who we are.
We are citizens of heaven.
Find more encouraging content BELOW!
Jasmine Lozano 