“Notice [Paul] didn’t instruct [the Philippians] to listen to their teaching but to keep their eyes on how they live. The Christian life is more caught than taught. The same word Paul used to describe how the runner should keep his eyes fixed on the goal he now used here to describe the intensity by which we should watch the lives of our spiritual . . . mentors.”- Randy Frazee
“Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before, and now tell you again, even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. . . . Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven.”- Philippians 3:17-19 (NIV)
In Principle #15: Surround Yourself with the Right People of The Joy Challenge, Randy Frazee notes that Paul never asks for blind obedience here. Instead, his offer was conditional. To follow Paul only if he followed the life principles of Jesus.
Above all, Randy stresses, when it come to the important subject of joy, no one truly wants to go it alone. Because no one wants to engage in the frustrating dance of trial and error. Rather, we need the mindfulness to hang out with people ahead of us on the journey. People who can show us the way.
However, enemies of the cross of Christ infiltrated the church at Philippi. Dr. Gerald Hawthorne described them in his commentary on Philippians:
“They have become so preoccupied with the scrupulous observance of ritual detail . . . that they had no thought for anything or anyone higher. God became obscured by religion. The true God was replaced by a false God to whom devotion was duly paid.”
In conclusion, Randy underscores, we’re charged with this responsibility. To live according to the vision and values of our spiritual, heavenly passport. As a result, we must not allow our earthly environment to determine the quality of our behavior.
Today’s question: Do you agree with Randy that the Christian life is more caught than taught? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “A heavy burden – hate”