Find Heavenly Minded Role Models to Imitate by James Jennings — James Malachi Jennings

I've been away from this for months. And part of it has been I've been every other week in Austin for the last two months. But I want to go back to Philippians. We're going to be in v. 17 -21 today. Philippians 3.

Paul’s Call to Imitate Godly Examples

Let's read v. 17 -21. Paul in prison. And then he writes, brothers, join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many of whom I have often told you 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. But our citizenship is in heaven. And from it, we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself.

Let's pray. Lord, I just ask for some of that power that we just read right there. Lord, You have the power to subject all things to Yourself. Lord, You sustain everything. You created everything. Lord, I just pray You'd help me this morning that these sheep might be fed.

And that if any do not know You, that they'd be saved. Lord, we look to You. In Christ's name, Amen. So my title this morning is Find Heavenly-Minded Role Models to Imitate. Find Heavenly-Minded Role Models to Imitate.

Paul says in verse 17, join in imitating me. Keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example. That's where I get fined. Then he mentions those who are enemies of the cross. Their mind is on earthly things.

He says right there at the end of v. 19. Then he mentions His mind. His citizenship. His manner of life is of heaven. That's where I get heavenly-minded. He's on His road to heaven. His thoughts are not on the things of the earth supremely, but they're on things of another world, of a Savior who's going to come back.

And I get role models to imitate. Obviously, v. 17, join in imitating me. And look for those who have this example among you. And all of us, our lives, are an example to others. Even today, how we act, how we live this very day, we're putting forward a model before people.

Is it a model where we're adorning the doctrine of the grace of God? Think of this. How did you learn to pray? My three-year-old, she's not a Christian, but sometimes we'll have her thank the Lord at the mealtime.

Who does she sound like when she prays? Who? Yeah, me and my wife. Why? Imitation. Imitation happens all the time. Imitation is the act of becoming like another. It's copying the pattern of another. It's not talking about cloning a person and their personality and all of that.

But you're becoming like them in how they are towards Christ. The disciples themselves ask Christ, teach us to pray. They learn by watching Him pray. By Him even telling them some input on how to pray.

Why do you do family worship the way you do? If you're married and you have a family, and some night you meet with your family and you open the Scriptures, maybe sing a hymn, people call that family worship.

Why do you do it the way you do it? A lot of people would answer, it's because I was at another brother's house and I saw the way he did it. And I realized, wow, that's pretty good. I'm going to imitate that.

Why does your child dress the way they dress? I've noticed a lot of the children tend to dress like the parents. The boy dress like the dad and the girl dress like the mother. Imitation. They want to dress like mommy and daddy.

So much of what we have learned is from watching the examples of others. We're just taking in information constantly as we observe the example of others. So the issue is not if we will imitate, but it's who we will imitate.

It's not a question of if. It's going to happen. The question is who are we going to imitate? Who are we keeping our eyes on? What example are they putting forward to us of a manner of life? We're all being influenced by the examples of others' walk.

For good or for worse. You look at the text. Paul says, verse 17, those who walk according to the example you have in us. Verse 18, he says, many who I often told you, now I'll tell you tears, walk. Paul is thinking here about their walk.

Their life. Their manner of life. Their conduct. You know, one lost grandfather, I remember hearing the story. He was sitting there smoking his cigarette at 70 years of age. And his little grand boy, a couple of years old, went and took a toothpick and sat down and started acting like he was smoking a cigarette just like his grandfather.

Again, imitation. It happens from our kids in the physical realm. And it happens obviously in the spiritual realm. For us Christians. Proverbs 13 .20, whoever walks with the wise, is it a neutral thing if you walk with the wise?

No. Becomes wise. But the companion of fools will suffer harm. So when Paul, saying what he says here, he recognizes something. We're creatures of imitation. We're creatures who love to see examples of things being lived out.

And we love to follow that example. And if we don't have Paul's example, Paul realizes these people at Philippi are going to have other teachers, maybe even itinerant teachers coming through Philippi and they're going to be here around this body of believers, and I don't want them to imitate those people.

I want you to follow my example and the example of Timothy and Epaphroditus and of these other brothers. Paul says elsewhere, bad company, is it a neutral thing? No. Corrupts. Corrupts good morals. Bad company corrupts.

Walking with fools, you suffer harm. These are not neutral things. D .A. Carson said this, many elements are more easily caught than taught. And that's true. How much? We catch it. You see it. You observe it.

They didn't just sit down and teach it to you, but you watched their life. And you caught a whole lot just by how they lived. We're influenced by the standards of others around us. All of us. This happens whether we recognize it or not.

So Paul, in view of this, in view of knowing we're creatures of imitation, in view of realizing you're going to imitate someone, Paul, he says to those at Philippi, brothers, join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

And I'm calling this example of a true Christian who's heavenly minded. You look at them and you can see their mind is not on the things of this earth. Those things have grown very dim in light of the glory and the grace of Jesus Christ.

Their citizenship is in heaven. They are living for Him who is coming back to judge the world with righteousness. That's their example. Now some in response to Paul, one of the first questions you get when you read this verse, brothers, join in imitating me, you think, why didn't he say imitate Christ?

Why does Paul say join in imitating me? Join in imitating me. Paul does not go the route here of saying just imitate Christ. He actually directs people towards himself, which that could appear to be a proud, carnal thing to call people to imitate yourself.

Now, 1 Corinthians 11, what does Paul say? Imitate me as I imitate Christ. Is our ultimate example Jesus Christ? You better believe it is. But Paul's view of the Christian life is we need people living in the here and now who have Christ living through them for us to imitate.

We don't just look at Christ in the Scriptures, but Christ living through people. We observe their walk right now and glean from them. Another thing we can observe from Paul even commanding this, it shows Paul's idea of Christianity is one that Christians are not so far away from Jesus Christ that you would never imitate them.

But Paul's idea of Christianity is Christians should be so obviously like Christ, where you can say, go look at their example and follow them. So true Christianity, Paul realizes, is not something where you have to scratch to see is that a Christian or not?

I can't tell. His life doesn't seem consistent with the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul recognizes true Christians, they're not perfect, but you're going to be able to look at them and see things in them that clearly show the Lord Jesus Christ is living through them.

They're living by His strength, by His power. John 13, Jesus said, I've given you an example that you should also do as I have done to you. Is Christ the greatest example? Absolutely. Is He the greatest servant who ever lived?

Absolutely. But, Paul doesn't dismiss that and say don't look at the example of other Christians. We get a minimum perspective on His life in the Scriptures. There are a lot of real world circumstances that we can't turn to the Bible and look at a verse and it says this is what you do.

But you can turn to a Christian who's godly their life, and you see as they walk by the Spirit with Scripture principles in their mind, they make a certain decision, and you recognize that was the Christlike decision.

I should imitate them in that. And again, Paul is not some proud man who's just saying imitate me. If you notice there, he says, walk according to the example you have in us. Us. Timothy, probably for certain, he was thinking of Timothy.

Epaphroditus. He just talked about a brother in chapter 2, Epaphroditus. Paul was thinking of Epaphroditus. Look at Philippians 2 .26. He's even mentioning Epaphroditus to the church there. He says, he has been longing for you all, this man who has been sick near to death, and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.

Distressed that you heard he was ill. So part of Paul, he's thinking, look at that guy Epaphroditus. You see the example he sets when he suffers? He's not distressed that no one doesn't know about his suffering.

He's distressed people do know about his suffering. And that's the Christlike response to have in the midst of suffering. So Paul is thinking of these guys, no doubt, when he says the example you have in us.

Timothy, Epaphroditus, and ultimately, the Lord Jesus Christ. So Paul says imitate me. Keep your eyes on those who walk. Who walk according to the example you have in us. I don't think Paul's main idea here is doctrine.

And we'll look at this a little more later. I don't think his main idea is doctrine. He says example, and he says walk. And when he looks at those who are enemies of the cross, he says they walk in this manner.

That word walk could be rendered live. Look at how they live. Does doctrine affect how you live? Absolutely. The good examples you find, they're gonna have good doctrine because that's the only way they're gonna truly be able to live holy.

But there's certain people who have good doctrine and don't live holy. And they're not a good example to imitate. Paul is thinking like he was in Philippians 1 .27, let your manner of life be worthy of the implications of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

You think of other places Paul mentions imitate. Hebrews 13. Paul says there, consider the outcome of your leader's lives and do what? Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

So Paul, not Paul, sorry, the writer of Hebrews, whoever wrote Hebrews there, he says look at the leaders, look at their way of life, look at the outcome, the end of that, which is gonna be glory. Look at that destination they're going towards and imitate their faith.

Imitate them. Colossians talks about walking in a manner worthy of the Lord. So how do you, when you find someone to imitate, how do you even imitate them? We'll look at this more later, but he says, how do you do this?

You observe. Look at verse 17. Keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. Keep your eyes on them. You'll look at them. You'll watch them. You see how they live. You're constantly observing them.

You're observing them at the meetings. Look at chapter four, what Paul says in verse nine. He says, what you've learned, received, heard, and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Paul is saying there are things your eyes have seen in me. Things you have heard and received and learned. And he says, practice these things. Practice these things. Brethren, our lives make a massive impact, first and foremost on our kids, on our children.

Missionary Dan Smith, when he was 12 years old, he was lost and his aunt was dying, and his aunt lived with them for two years as she was dying. And he said this, before she died, the year or two she was with us, cast a very strong and fragrant influence over my life.

The loveliness of Christ shone out of her. There was something there which I could not define, but which riveted my attention and drew me to her. Her life like a fragrant rose rising out of its green leaves and casting a sweet smell.

There was something there which I could not define, but riveted my attention and drew her to me. A 12 year old boy witnessing his aunt as she's dying. She was an example. She was a testimony. She was preaching something to Dan Smith about Jesus Christ.

So, Paul commands us, join in. Join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. What specifics am I to look for when I'm imitating someone? What specifics do I look for?

Christlike Humility and Selfless Example

Paul back in chapter two, he mentions he's talking about the mind of Christ and he says in verse three, he says complete my joy by having the same mind and what's this mindset like? Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility, count others more significant than yourselves.

Let each of you look not only to his own interest, but also the interest of others. And Paul says that's the mindset of Jesus Christ. The thing you want to look for in someone to imitate is what makes them like Christ and the thing that makes people like Christ is humility.

Selfless humility is one thing. You imitate those like Paul who endured in strong hardships. The Philippians saw Paul in prison suffering and yet responding in a righteous way. They wanted to imitate that.

You imitate someone whose constant boast is in Christ. We see that in this letter to those at Philippi. Many other things. Paul said this in 2 Thessalonians. He didn't eat bread without working, meaning Paul, he could have been supported by the churches, but he decided instead of being supported, he'd work night and day to provide his own money to get his own food.

You know why Paul did that? Paul says, to give you and ourselves an example to imitate. Paul actually consciously did things as a Christian because he wanted to give a good example for others to imitate.

And he looked and he realized, even in 1 Corinthians when he says, imitate me as I imitate Christ, the very thing he just talked about before that was doing everything he can to please people, to not take advantage of his rights, to not take advantage of his liberties.

He died to his liberties in order that he might be an example to imitate. So imitation is huge. Seeing someone's example, following their pattern, it's huge in that we should be looking for those that we can imitate, not just the Lord Jesus Christ, yes, Christ, but Paul says himself and others who are imitating that example.

That's not human worship. Paul realizes how practical that is for us to have living people before us that we can imitate. Let me pray. Lord, I pray for you that you would help our minds be focused. Lord, would you fill me with your Holy Spirit?

Lord, I'm weak and needy. Just pray you'd give me some grace right now so that I and some of the sheep could be fed. In Jesus' name, amen. Now this is the next question we've got to ask. How important is it to have godly Christians to be imitating?

How important is that? How high is that on your priority list? It can only be as high as the Scriptures make it. We're about to find out how serious the Scriptures make this. But how high is that? Do you observe older, godlier Christians and you look at their example and you imitate it?

Younger sisters, are you around only the young sisters or do you make it a point to be around the older sisters to see their example that you might imitate it? It makes a massive impact. I've known of sisters who've wanted to go over to someone's house just to observe the person and talk to them.

And that changed them more than any sermon did just by observing the life. How important is this? To have examples. Well, Paul, thankfully, he gives us two reasons that we should find heavenly-minded role models to imitate.

He gives us two reasons. So I don't have to make anything up. I'm going to the Scriptures and Paul gives two reasons why it's important to find a heavenly-minded role model to imitate if you're a Christian.

If you're lost, this doesn't apply to you. You need to go and trust Christ. But for the Christian, this is massively important. Two reasons. Look at the text. The first reason is in verse 18. He starts with the conjunction for, meaning brothers join in imitating me because this is so.

Now we're going to look at that in a second. I want to explain something first. The second reason is in verse 20. In your ESVs, what word do you see there? The word but. Meaning Paul, he says their minds is on earthly things, but ours are like this.

The problem with that word there is in the original, it's again the same word for. It's another one of the reasons Paul is giving to have a heavenly-minded role model to imitate. So I'm about to pull two reasons from 18 and 20.

In 18 and 20, both start in the original language with for. Meaning Paul is saying imitate me, follow my example, look to others, and then he's going to give us two reasons. Two reasons why to do it. Two reasons why this is essential.

Two reasons why this is important. So first one, the first reason why you need to find heavenly-minded role models to imitate is that there is a danger if you don't imitate godly believers. And that danger is none other than actually becoming an enemy of the cross of Christ for yourselves.

You hear that? That's his first reason. If you don't find these, this is going to happen. Verse 18, for many, imitate me, look for examples of godly men because many of whom, I've often told you, now I even tell you with tears.

This isn't, Paul is not saying this without emotion. Told you with tears, they walk, they walk. He just said look for those who walk according to our example because there's many out there who walk and their example is that of a person who is an enemy of the cross of Christ.

They are hostile and opposed to the cross of Jesus Christ. Now, why would Paul even have to tell us about these many and call us to imitate him if not the very ones he's referring to are professing Christians?

I don't believe these are non-Christians because Christians aren't looking to imitate all the lost people in the world. We're looking to imitate people who are saying they're following Christ. So what's the danger?

If you don't have godly examples, you have to have some examples. You can't have none. You can't say that. You can't say as a Christian, I'm just totally unaffected by the lives of people around me. Bad company corrupts good morals.

Those who walk with the wise are gonna be wise. We're not neutral. We are influential in seeing how people live. And if I don't choose intentionally to set myself around those who are imitating Christ, imitating Paul, Paul is saying, guess what?

If you don't actively do that, you're gonna end up over here where you're gonna be imitating those in the opposite category who are enemies of the cross of Christ. Imitating the godly life of a godly believer will prevent you from being deceived by an ungodly life of an ungodly professing Christian who is earthly minded.

I mean, to illustrate, America, we have many people who are American citizens. Just saying you're an American citizen, just saying like Paul, I'm a heavenly citizen. My citizenship is in heaven. What do you want to do?

You want proof. Show me your ID card. Show me the proof. Don't just show me the ID card. What does your life look like? If you're an American citizen, are you serving on the jury? When called upon? Do you defend the country if need should arise?

Do you pay your income taxes? Do you respect and obey federal, state, and local laws? If you say you're an American citizen and you throw all that away and you set yourself as that example, you're not really that.

You can be in this country, but in Christ's kingdom, you can't. If you say you're a heavenly citizen and you're living for Christ, but you're earthly minded, Paul says, no, you can't do that. There's no such thing.

Every true Christian, if they say they're a heavenly citizen, there has to be proof of that. So he calls those at Philippi with tears to imitate him out of safety for their own souls' endurance in the race.

He realizes that's what's at stake here because you're going to go after some example. And you know, I think we'll look at this more specifically, but I think the idea is at Philippi, they were professing Christian preachers because it doesn't seem like Paul is dealing with directly anyone in the church there.

But it seems like the idea is there's professing Christians who come in and they may be preaching the same thing as Paul, but their life, their walk, that's what he's talking about, how they live. Their walk is contrary.

So how important is it to have godly Christians imitate? It's very important. And we should put a high standard on this. So the second reason Paul gives is verse 20. Again, it says, but, and I agree, there is, he's saying in contrary, but at the same time, he's connecting it, I believe is one of the reasons, for our citizenship is in heaven.

So imitate me because of how I'm living presently. You want a good reason to imitate Paul and Timothy? Look at their final destination. Paul and Timothy's final destination is heaven. You want a good reason not to imitate the bad examples?

Where's their final destination? Destruction, hell. That's a pretty compelling reason to imitate them. Look at our final destination. So the second reason Paul deals with why you should imitate Paul, Timothy specifically, is because they, unlike the other athletes in the race, are those who exercise self-control in all things and will cross the finish line to heaven.

The others, no way you want to imitate them. They're not going to get across the finish line. With that end of destruction, we'd be crazy to go and imitate those who live with an earthly mind. You know, the one who lives now like a heavenly citizen is the only one that proves their citizenship is truly there.

So, am I saying there's a danger of becoming an enemy of the cross if I don't have godly Christian examples around me? I'm not saying that Paul is. I believe that's Paul's logic here. And until this week when I've studied that, I never would have said something as strong as that.

But Paul does. Brothers, join in imitating me. Keep your eyes on those who walk. Why should we do this, Paul? Because, I've told you many times, even with tears, there are people out there that walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

These people walking contrary to true Christianity can deceive you and you can give in to their examples, be influenced by them, and as you continue down that path, your very life becomes one where you oppose Jesus Christ.

The cross of Christ. You oppose the cross. So who are these enemies of the cross of Christ? He gives four descriptions here. And before we look at this for a moment, one thing we need to realize is the main question in this text, in this message, is not who are the enemies of the cross of Christ.

If it mattered that much, Paul could have made it clearer for us. Paul's main thing is imitate godly Christians so that you don't end up being an enemy of the cross of Christ. So I don't want to get sidetracked from the main thrust here.

Who are they? I don't believe it's ISIS. You think of the Islamic State, people like that, they're killing Christians. They're enemies of the cross. I don't think that's what he's talking about. Verse four has four things that he mentions.

Verse four, let's look at these four things. And again, I don't think it's unbelievers, but professors, because a believer wouldn't feel temptation to imitate an unbeliever. Or even think about it. You just don't have Christians running around thinking where are these lost people imitate?

It's the professing ones that have the lure. Because they're under the banner of evangelical Christian. I believe the descriptions we're about to look at most likely point to a professing Christian teacher who by example was teaching you could serve your lustful appetites and be okay.

That you could be a Christian, live in your sin, live a lustful lifestyle, and it's okay. And Paul says it's not okay, you're an enemy of the cross. You practically deny that the cross is a redemptive work from sin's penalty and power by your life.

The Four Marks of Enemies of the Cross

Well, these four descriptions. Verse 19, these enemies of the cross. Verse 19, Paul describes them. The first thing he mentions, their end is destruction. Their end. Their way of life. Remember, Paul's thinking about how you walk.

He's thinking about your life. And he says that manner of life, they're living right now, you know what the end of it is? It may not appear like it now. But the end of that way is going to be hell. It's going to be destruction.

Think of 2 Peter. Talks about false prophets there. They bring swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality. And because of them, the way of truth will be blaspheme. Many will follow their sensuality.

We have a whole lot of that going on in our country today. People who have right doctrine, yet are living sensually, are compromising in all sort of moral areas of their life, and people are given into that example.

It must be okay. This guy's so famous, and he cusses, and he's a Christian, I must be able to cuss. Wrong! Paul says the next thing, their end is destruction. He says their God is their belly. Their God.

Who they serve is their belly. And that word, I think here, it's better rendered appetite. That's where it's put other places. I don't think Paul is totally thinking, these guys, their God is their belly, meaning their one sin is their gluttons.

And they're just eating all the time. Eating food. Yes, that's included. But I think his point is, their God, the one they serve is their own appetite. Their flesh, it says I want that, and they say yes every time.

All the time. Yes, I'll give my flesh that. That's who I serve. I have no self-control. Yes to lust. Yes to sin. Yes to earthly mindedness. All these thoughts of earth and storing up treasure on earth.

I'm just going to think about this. I'm not going to say no. But the cross of Christ says if you follow me, die daily and pick up your cross and follow me. Paul says that man's an enemy of the cross. He's not dying.

He's giving in to the lust of the flesh. Then Paul, he describes a third thing. They glory in their shame. Now my initial take on this had been because at the start of chapter three, he dealt with the Judaizers who were trying to add circumcision for salvation.

Months ago, that's what I took that to be. They glory in their shame. They should be ashamed of trying to get all these Gentiles circumcised and they're glorifying in that. Problem is, if it was the Judaizers here, some of these other things don't line up with them.

And the Bible doesn't really speak of circumcision as being something that's shameful. It just speaks of it being irrelevant. It's not a shameful thing. It's just, it's not relevant. Don't be trying to add that to salvation.

What I think Paul means here, these people who you and I could actually imitate in some way, if we're not imitating those who are heavenly minded, these people, they boast in that which they should be ashamed of.

They put, they don't only mock holiness and self-control and godliness on the pulpit on Sunday, but they glory so much in their sensuality, they'll stick the video on YouTube and share it with the world.

They're glorying in that which they should be ashamed of. They're laughing over sin, laughing over moral compromise, laughing over being earthly minded, glorying in it. And Paul says you should be ashamed.

When sin like that happens under the name of Christ, you should fall on the ground and have tears at the corruption of those who say they're Christians. They glory in their shame. What they should be ashamed of.

I mean, people say they're Christians and they approve of homosexuality. What? We should be ashamed. Not glory in that. Ashamed. You think of all the abuse of liberties, worldliness, divorce. They glory.

I've been divorced a couple of times. No big deal. I'm a Christian. No shame. No tears. I can't believe all that has happened. You think about Jeremiah. They have healed the wound of My people lightly saying, peace, peace, when there is no peace.

Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No. They were not at all ashamed. They did not even know how to blush. You think that's the idea? Paul's saying these people should be ashamed. They're not even blushing.

They're enemies of the cross. Enemies. And what's the fourth thing of these people who are enemies of the cross? Paul says their mind is set on earthly things. It's set. It's not just there a little bit.

It's set. I mean, they've taken their mind. Forget the spiritual. I'm setting it on earthly things. Love of the world. If you love the world, the love of the Father is not in you, John says. A mind that is focused on earthly things as opposed to heavenly things.

Earthly. Living in the futility of their minds. But as Christians, we shouldn't be living in the futility of our minds. Earthly, meaning they're looking to store up treasure on earth. They say they're a Christian, and yet their whole focus is on this world.

It's on the kingdoms of this world. It's on the things of this world. It's on the money of this world. And Paul is saying that person's actually opposed to the cross of Christ. You know, one thing from here.

Paul, he says their minds are set on earthly things. He doesn't even necessarily say set on sinful things. So Paul's idea, and maybe not even be there actually thinking of sinful things. I think he means that because he just mentioned they glory in what they should be ashamed of.

But just their minds consumed with things that are totally neutral to following the Lord. Has nothing to do with Christ. Everything focused on this world. Now consider this. He describes the enemies of the cross of Christ as those who are earthly minded.

You know what that says? You can know whether you're opposed to the cross or for the cross by what goes on in your mind. That gives it away. No matter what you say, Paul is pointing to something deeper.

What's going on in your mind? What's going on in your heart? So, my present understanding of who these enemies of the cross are, that Paul is warning us that they are setting an example and you could actually go near that example if you don't look at the godly examples of those pursuing holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Who do I think these enemies of the cross are? Enemies because the hypocrisy of their sinful life does more damage to the message of the Gospel than maybe those who come in and outright, totally deny the Gospel.

What's going to be more hostile? Those who say, I'm a Christian, I love God, but what does James 4 .4 say? If you love the world, what does that make you? If you're friends with the world, love the world, enemy of God.

Similar language there. Enemy of God. Based on loving the world, loving things consumed with the things of the earth. When you see a professing Christian whose master is his own lustful appetite and that's what he serves, he's actually an enemy of the cross.

So Paul says, an enemy. I maybe haven't used strong language like that, but Paul does. He calls him an enemy. You're opposed to the cross. We tell that to someone, you're opposed to the Gospel. You say you're a Christian, you're living in sin.

Regeneration. If you're a Christian, you're a new creature. The new has come. You're denying that. We say it like that, but Paul, he says, you're an enemy of the cross of Christ. So, think of the importance of Paul's command to find heavenly-minded role models to imitate.

Not earthly-minded, but those who, wow, their final destination is heaven. Look how they're living. Look at the selflessness. Look at the Christ-likeness. Look at the holiness. It's important because, again, Paul gives the danger.

If we don't imitate them, we could actually drift and fall away and become an enemy of the cross ourselves. You don't think Paul's just shedding tears here about people he doesn't know. Of some whom I've told you and often tell you, now with tears, walk as enemies of the cross.

No doubt, maybe even at some point, Demas, who was in love with the world and deserted Paul. In love with the world. He's an enemy of the cross. Demas maybe didn't even renounce his profession. He maybe has still been saying, I'm a Christian.

I'm a Christian. But I can love the world and have Christ. Paul says he's an enemy. Here's something we need to recognize. All of us could be deceived by someone with right doctrine, but a wrong life.

I mean, we cannot dismiss that and say, that's not going to happen to me. It could happen. You could just start being around someone with all the right doctrine in the world. And you know, their life, it's subtly they start to be more worldly, more compromised, justify sin, even joke about certain things and think they're funny that dishonor God.