Philippians — Week 9

When something healthy exists, we expect it to grow, and Paul's letter functions as a growth-check for the Philippians. Philippians 3:15-21 teaches that maturity is progress, not perfection, better today than yesterday, better tomorrow than today, with God himself committed to completing the work he began. Growth involves holding ground against spiritual opposition with the armor of Ephesians 6, inviting others into a relationship triad of someone to learn from, serve alongside, and pour into, and using rather than merely possessing spiritual gifts. Maturity happens when a believer moves from consumer to contributor. The closing image contrasts the enemies of the cross, whose god is their stomach, with citizens of heaven who await a Savior, anchored by a moving account of a father's earthly and heavenly citizenship.