“For our conversation is in
heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who
shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious
body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto
himself” (Philippians 3:20-21).
Introduction
The believers raise his point of vision from off
the earth to the highest Heaven. While the lost and the compromiser “mind
earthly things” (Philippians 3:19), true Christians must “look up” (Luke
21:28) and “Set” their “affection on things above, not on things
on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). We
have a glorious eternal future ahead of us if we live according to God’s
standards of righteousness rather than the corrupted version of the modern
church.
Conversation
The word “conversion” here has a similar
meaning to that found in Philippians 1:27. Here it simply refers to
‘citizenship’ and indicates that a Christian ought to be a Heavenly-minded
person. We are no longer citizens of earth but of Heaven – the Kingdom of God.
We have become foreigners and travellers on this earth (Hebrews 11:13), but God “hath
raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6), Just as we might guess at someone’s nationality
by their customs, dress and lifestyle, so the world ought to notice that we are
different and that we conduct ourselves as God’s children should. Jesus said
in John 15:19 that we no longer belong to this world, “If ye were of the
world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I
have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you”. Why is
this? The answer is simple, it is because we are “born from above” (John
3:3 margin). Some old translations of the Bible use the word ‘city’ instead
of “conversation” but this does not change the meaning of the text in
Philippians 3:20, and confirmed by Hebrews 11:16, “But now they desire a
better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called
their God: for he hath prepared for them a city”.
Christ
Christians eagerly await the soon coming return of
the “Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ”. The New Testament and many prophecies
of the Old clearly reveal that the Lord Jesus is coming back to this earth one
day. Therefore we are to focus our
lives around this glorious thought, for those who are anticipating Christ’s
return will not be captivated by the world. We “look” for the “Lord” to
come. There are numerous texts that speak of the divinity of Christ Jesus, but
here Paul uses the word “Lord” as an alternative to ‘Jehovah’. The Jesus
we know is literally Jehovah. Those who reject this truth can never have eternal
life with Him. Did He not give us a definite promise about this? “In my
Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go
to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also”
(John 14:2-3).
When a monarch or some other dignitary announces a
visit to a city, the people there make great preparations for his or her
arrival. Nothing is left to chance or put off until the last minute. How sad it
is then that so little preparation is made for the coming of the “KING OF
KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16)? The word “look”, though
only consisting of four letters in English, is made up from three other words in
Greek. 1. ‘Receive’ or welcome with joy and celebration, 2. ‘Off’,
meaning to forget about everything else that might otherwise detain us, 3.
‘Out’ or have one’s neck stretched out to see the important personage.
When combined these three words fully describe the true meaning of the word
“look” in Philippians 3:20 and reveal that we ought to yearn for the return
of Christ. “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not
the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 24:44) … “Looking for that blessed
hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify
unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:13-14) …
“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that
look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation”
(Hebrews 9:28).
Change
Our earthly bodies are going to go through a
complete transformation when we are called into the presence of the Lord Jesus
Christ. “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that
the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body” (2 Corinthians
4:10). Paul says that our earthly bodies are “vile”. Some might object to
this thought, but the very fact there is a cosmetics industry is proof enough
that beauty is not ‘skin deep’ but plastered on. The same could be said of
the fashion industry, for everyone is looking for that one piece of clothing
that sets them apart from everyone else. It is all because we are not happy with
what we see in the mirror until we spread it on and dress it up. Paul’s
meaning includes the idea that the flesh is ‘worthless and death-filled’.
We all need to make changes in our lives, but
adding more to our skin is not the answer. In fact only Jesus make quality
additions to us, thus making us fit for Heaven. “Behold, I show you a
mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the
dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall
have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is
written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave,
where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:51-55).
Our bodies of flesh are going to be permanently
transformed. The word “fashioned” [Greek ‘summorphon’] indicates a
complete, once-for-all-time change. “As for me, I will behold thy face in
righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” (Psalm
17:15) … “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead
dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Romans 8:11). There
will be no stores selling cosmetics in Heaven, for our new body will be made
“glorious”. Notice that there is nothing we can do to achieve this state,
since it is the “working” of Christ. “Working” [Greek ‘energia] refers
to the ‘creative energy’ of the Lord Jesus. The Midrash, a Jewish work,
states that “the holy
blessed God will beautify the bodies of the righteous in future time, like the
beauty of Adam”, but in fact our new bodies will designed after the beauty of
Christ.
Conclusion
Paul has briefly described the final part of the
salvation process. Scripture teaches that salvation was only the being of the
work of God in our lives and that it will not be completed until Christ returns
or we are received into His presence. “Being confident of this very thing,
that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of
Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). Therefore we have been born again
(saved), we are being renewed day by day as we follow the Holy Spirit, and one
day we will receive a resurrection body that can never deteriorate or die. Thank
God that He is “able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God
by him” (Hebrews 7:25), He is “able to keep [us] from falling, and to
present [us] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy”
(Jude :24), and that “this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our
guide even unto death” (Psalm 48:14). Our daily focus therefore ought to
be on the Lord. Let us continuously look away to Jesus. “Surely I come
quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).
