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There are no cultures that perfectly embody the Kingdom of God. Nearly every culture has something that reflects God’s Kingdom, but all cultures have much within them that are antithetical to life in the Kingdom. Christians are not called to create nations or cultures where we “fit in” comfortably to the system or culture. We are called to be a subversive witness to the Jesus Nation within the nations of our birth. We are called to be citizens of heaven.

Paul calls the Philippian church to this within their Roman culture. He tells them that many within their culture live as “enemies of the cross of Christ” because “their mind is set on earthly things”. But for those in Christ, “our citizenship is in heaven.” We must live as if from another world. We are maladjusted to the ungodly things of our culture. We stick out.

But this can be difficult. Often we don’t know what desires and motivations within us come from “earthly things” and which come from “our citizenship in heaven.” Therefore, Paul tells the Philippian believers to follow his example to “keep your eyes on those who live as we do.” Life within the Church becomes critical when living as citizens of a different world. We need to remind one another of what is true, and how we are to live.

And Paul says that if we can do this, the Lord Jesus Christ “who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” We will be transformed by Jesus into His image, and live as true citizens of His renewed Creation.

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We live in a boastful culture. We don’t think of it this way, but self-promotion is the air we breathe in American culture. Social media posts that show off our successes and minimize our failures. Constant virtue signaling or outward shows of patriotism to display our allegiance to the causes or political parties that we think matter to the people in our lives. The ways we try to prove to others (or to God Himself) how religious and faithful we are. These are ways of proving our value to others.

It was not much different in the ancient world. Roman citizens, like those in Philippi, had their public ways of displaying their value and worth, and their allegiance to the empire. And Jewish believers, like the ones Paul addresses in these verses, also had their ways of boasting about their faithfulness to God - even before they followed Christ.

It’s unclear in Paul’s letter, whether or not there are those in the Philippian church who are advocating for Gentiles to be circumcised. It could be that there are rumblings within the Church about debates in other churches, and Paul is trying to get ahead of the battle. But it’s clear in Paul’s writing here that external opposition is not the only threat to the unity of the Church in Philippi, but also internal debates.

So Paul makes clear that if any Jewish believer had anything to boast about - it would be him. He lists all of his religious credentials, and then he calls it all “garbage, that I may gain Christ.” None of these things that people boast about in culture mean anything, all that matters is “knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.”

Being a citizen of the Jesus nation means that He is our ultimate allegiance, and every other thing we could pursue - it’s worthless in comparison to Him. Even our own life or death are not our greatest concern, because “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” And it’s for this reason that Paul can continue in His suffering in prison. Even though it would ruin his “boasting” in the culture, he is “participating in Christ’s sufferings.”

He has redefined success in light of the story of Jesus. Success may in fact look like suffering for Jesus or even being killed. But it does not look like success in the culture of this world.

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We live in a culture where individuality and authenticity are, quite possibly, our highest values. None of us want to see ourselves as “just like everyone else.” We want to be independent thinkers who carve out our own path, and (as Fleetwood Mac might have said) “go your own way.” Philosopher Byung-Chul Han refers to modern people as “entrepreneurs of the self”.

We all want to be our authentic selves, which we mostly take to mean - I want to be “true to myself”. Whatever desire I feel, I don’t want to repress it. Whatever feels right to me at the moment, it would be a “lie” to not act on it. And most importantly, other people can’t tell me who I am or who I should be.

But interactive life with God is the journey of being shaped in the image of Christ. Which doesn’t erase our individual identity, but it incorporates our identity “in Christ”. We join our lives to the life He’s currently living. This is a process of allowing the Spirit of Christ to be fully embodied in our thoughts, words, and actions.

And since our faith is embodied, we often need examples to follow. Though Christ is certainly our prime example, there’s something helpful about having examples before us in our Church community who can help us to see what Christ-likeness looks like in a lived-example.

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, his focus has been about the need for the church to be united, and this will only happen when each person exhibits the humility of Christ - doing everything without grumbling or selfish ambition. Paul then concludes this section by saying that he will be sending two of his partners in ministry - Timothy and Epaphroditus - to the Philippian church.

Paul says of Timothy, “I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.” Timothy is a living example of the others-centered, Christ-like humility that Paul has been saying is critical for the unity of the Philippian church. If Paul can’t be with the Philippians himself, he wants Timothy to lead the way for them in this.

Epaphroditus had actually been sent to Paul from the Philippian Church to aid Paul in prison, and now Paul is sending him back. Epaphroditus has now suffered for the cause of Christ, and can be an example to and leader in this Philippian that might now (or soon will be) facing persecution. Paul knows the value of embodied examples of the faith, so that believers can follow in their footsteps.

And even though we live in a culture of individuality and authenticity, which may not value following the example of others, this is a critical part of our discipleship to Jesus.

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Ronald Rolheiser once said: “Gratitude is the ultimate virtue, undergirding everything else, even love. It is synonymous with holiness. Gratitude not only defines sanctity, it also defines maturity. We are mature to the degree that we are grateful.” This seems to echo Paul’s statements in the closing of this second section of his letter to the Phlippians.

One of the central characteristics to a citizen of heaven is the level to which we live in gratitude, or as Paul says it: “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure.” His language here would remind Jewish believers of the stories of Israel in the wilderness and their constant grumbling and arguing against both Moses and God. Something that caused the deaths of many people in this wilderness generation.

Paul has just finished telling the church in Philippi to be humble, doing nothing out of selfish ambition. This will be evident when the Church becomes full of people who are able to do everything without complaining or division. When they do, they will be: children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” (Also, a reference to the wilderness generation) Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.

People who have truly understood and accepted the good news are people who have learned to live in gratitude. The “working out” of their salvation has finally worked through all the self-focus and self-interest that produces grumbling within us. And instead have learned to live in joy and gratitude no matter what their circumstances (something Paul will come back to later).

And a group of people who could suffer persecution with joy and gratitude in their hearts would truly shine like stars in a corrupt generation. It would be truly “other-worldly”.

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The second law of thermodynamics, practically explains that everything in the physical world is naturally moving towards disorder. Entropy is the measurement of chaos or disorder within a given system or category. Things fall apart naturally, so it’s harder to keep them together. This is true in the physical world, in relationships, and in any community.

Keeping unity within any community is difficult enough, but when that community is facing external pressure and (an impending) internal struggle, it becomes near impossible. The Philippian church seems to be facing opposition from their culture, and it appears (in later parts of the letter) as if Paul is worried that some of the internal disputes from other churches (such as in Galatia, Rome, and Corinth) might be visited upon the church in Philippi.

So what’s the solution? Paul points the believers back to centering their hearts and minds on the example of Jesus. They are to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Communities, relationships, families that stick together are ones where each individual is not looking out for their own self interest, but looking to what can I do for others? And Paul does not think this comes about naturally, but through a concerted effort of: being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Which the “one mind” they are to share is the mind of Christ, who led the way in humbly taking up the position of a servant and giving up His life for the sake of others.

This is the example the Philippian Church must follow if they are to remain united. They will not remain united based on shared mutual interests or the benefits of being a part of the community (since they are constantly suffering) or their mutual affection for one another. They can only remain united if each person centers themselves on Jesus, and follows His example of humility.

Which is why the following verses (12-13) instruct believers to continue working out their salvation. This is not an individual command to “earn your salvation”. This is an instruction to live out their salvation, which is something they do together - with one another, and with the Spirit of God. He is the one who will make this work happen, but we have to submit to Him. Gordon D. Fee argues that the phrase “God who works in you”, would better be translated as “God who works among you.” This is not about a private spiritual experience. But a reality of interactive life with God and others.