•That I may KNOW Him…and the power of HIS RESURRECTION, and…the FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS…being CONFORMED to His DEATH…(what does this look like for us?
•Reaching forward, to those things which are ahead…I press TOWARD the goal for the prize of the UPWARD call of GOD IN CHRIST JESUS.
•Note those who so walk…pressing toward the goal…follow that pattern!
•For MANY walk as ENEMIES of THE CROSS of Christ…(Really meditate on what this means, being an enemy to the CROSS of Christ…what does the cross represent?).
These are people who’s end is destruction…not salvation; their belly is their god (😮), their glory is in their shame; and they set their mind on EARTHLY things.
•For OUR CITIZENSHIP is in HEAVEN.
“…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”
Philippians 3:10-21 NKJV