John’s Imprisonment
Excerpt
These
verses give the reasons for the exhortations in verse 17: many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Believers should be
able to determine truth from error (cf. 1 John 4:6). Paul was so concerned
about the Philippians’ spiritual welfare that he warned them often and wept as
he did so.
As
enemies of God these false teachers were destined for destruction. Those Paul warned against were perhaps profligates in
incipient Gnosticism who trusted in their own attainments and not in the
sufficiency of Christ alone. All who do so are not children of God, so they
await destruction. This word (apĹŤleia) does not mean annihilation but rather
ruination by separation from the presence of God in eternal judgment.
Three
further descriptions of these false teachers follow. First, their god is their stomach. They had in
mind only their own physical desires and unrestrained gluttony (cf. Rom.
16:18).
Second, their glory is in their shame. Instead
of giving glory to God these teachers heaped praise on themselves. Ironically
they prided themselves in the…
Lightner,
Robert P. “Philippians.” The Bible
Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Ed. J. F. Walvoord
& R. B. Zuck. Vol. 2. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985. 662. Print.
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