Philippians 3:21

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.

The apostle here again places himself before his readers as an example: Become imitators of me, brethren, and watch diligently those walking thus as you have us as types. In this respect the apostle could set forward his own person and that of his coworkers as types and examples. Every pastor should he an example to his flock also in the matter of sanctification, that the members of his charge may look upon him as a pattern, that they may walk and live as they have him for their type and example. All true Christians will be glad to be imitators of the apostle, to follow his example and that of every true laborer in the Lord. And the more advanced Christians are, in turn, patterns for the weaker brethren to model after.

This is very necessary: For many walk regarding whom I have often told you, hut now also say it weeping, the enemies of the Cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god the belly, and the glory in the shame, that think upon things of the world. The good types and examples among the Christian brethren must he followed all the more carefully because there are also false leaders that may easily persuade the weaker brethren. Of these the apostle had often spoken in the old days of personal intercourse, he had given them a careful warning. But now he is obliged to repeat his warning with tears. From the reports that had come to him Paul had gained the information that there were false Christians, backsliders, among those that claimed leadership, such as had denied real Christianity. These men he now exposes as enemies of the Cross of Christ. In their entire life they deny the power and efficacy of the Cross, of the salvation of Christ and its message. Such false brethren must be shunned all the more carefully because their end is destruction. If anyone follows their leadership, he will be brought by them into everlasting damnation. All their show of sanctity is nothing but hypocrisy, as their victims will find out to their great sorrow. With all their Christian veneer, their sole object in life, the sum and substance of their thinking and planning, is eating and drinking, the gratification of their sensual appetites, of the desires of the body. They regard as glory, as something to be proud of, they seek happiness in, such things as are in reality their shame, with which they will only heap upon themselves the final contempt. Their so-called liberty is nothing but bondage to sensual lusts. They think only of carnal things, of matters pertaining to this world. Paul does not say that they are slaves of all vices. But he refers to such as boast of their moral living, of their civic righteousness, under its cloak, however, seeking only the gratification of matters pertaining to this world. These men were not members of the Philippian congregation, but were associated with the false teachers that were attempting to gain entrance into the congregation. The two classes of people supplement each other, the one seeking an outward, formal righteousness and teaching the people accordingly, the other making use of such outward forms for a cloak of carnal desires and gratifications. The characterization fits in many cases even today. The general disposition and moral tendency of the majority, even such as consider themselves Christians, is worldly. Outwardly a coat of Christian varnish, ceremonies and morality, and at the same time all the amusements and pastimes of the unchristian world. Such men and congregations are a steady menace to all sincere Christians. Every Christian is inclined to be as lenient as possible toward himself, and hence is easily led into paths of flowery ease, to the detriment of his soul's salvation.

The contrast afforded by the lives of true Christians is marked: For our citizenship is in heaven, whence we also expect the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our lowly condition to be in the same form as the body of His glory, according to the working of His being able to subject all things to Himself. Another lofty passage, which somehow transports the reader beyond the bounds of this earthly life to the blessed home beyond. They, the enemies, have all their interests here below, they desire only the gratification of their worldly ambitions. But the Christians' thoughts are directed heavenwards, because they are citizens above. Their home, their interests, are in heaven; that is their true fatherland, their home country; there their citizenship is assured to them. And the believers look longingly up to heaven, because they also wait for, they expect, the Savior from the heavenly state, from the home above. There the place is prepared for us, where we shall live forever, He is our Savior at all times, as our Advocate with the Father He is continuing the work of His office. But the last act of His salvation is before us, namely, when He will deliver us from all evil and translate us into His heavenly kingdom. Incidentally He will deliver us from our weak and sinful flesh which is a continual hindrance to all good works. When He comes, He will change the body of this our lowly, vile condition. He will change the aspect, the form of that body. That is the final goal of sanctification, so far as our physical body is concerned, that it be cleansed from its frailty, from its sinful condition, the result of the Fall. The body itself, subject to death, sinks into the grave and becomes a prey to corruption and worms. But that is not the end. Christ will, on the last day, change the form of the Christians into the likeness of His glorious body. ALL sinfulness, all weakness, all the consequences of sin will be purged out of our body. The glory of the exalted Christ will permeate this our flesh, and it will be made a spiritual body. The divine light and being will surcharge the entire body, making it a holy, glorious, beautiful body. That is the wonderful end to which we are looking forward. Christ will use His almighty power in bringing about this result. He, to whom even death and corruption are subject, will deliver us from all evils of this present world, and, clothed in the spiritual bodies of His glory, He will take us home.

Summary

The apostle warns against Judaizing teachers, states that he has more reason to boast than they, but that he has cheerfully cast aside everything else for the possession of Christ; he places himself as a type and example before his readers, urging them to strive forward in sanctification and thus reach the heavenly goal with its glories.