enemies of the cross (phil 3:18-19)

Philippians 3:18-19

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.

It seems like a terrifying thing to be described as an enemy of the cross of Christ. Their god is their belly and their minds are set on earthly things - satisfying their own desires for money, power, security or sex become the motivating factor in their lives. Success or failure, satisfaction and happiness are defined by these goals. They glory in their shame with a kind of perverse pride in disobeying God and their end is destruction - they are willfully cutting themselves off from God, the author of life.

This might be fairly easy to recognise outside the church, but applying these criteria to churchgoers can often reveal the same thing! We might be attending the church services, reading the bible and praying but we might still be motivated by earthly things - using God to try and satisfy the "god" our belly, wanting Him to meet my desire for a successful career, or a healthy life or a secure family life. Or we may be proud and self-righteousness, thinking that God is pleased with our moral efforts, when actually we are glorying in our shame

This is walking as an enemy of the cross of Christ. At the cross we can find life instead of destruction. At the cross we see that, while we were worshipping the god of our belly, the God of the universe loved us so much that he died in our place. At the cross we see the depths of our shame and the heights of His glory. When we look at the cross, we see something greater than those "earthly things" that occupied our minds.