Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it. [Philippians 1.27-30]
What struggle was Paul still in the midst of? He was still in prison because he would not recant regarding the lordship of Jesus Christ alone. Paul was living what the latter half of Hebrews 11.32-40 described:
How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us. [Hebrews 11.32-40]
Now, notice back in Philippians 1.27-30 what Paul said about his struggle: Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself.
What is the sign to our enemies that they are going to be destroyed? It is that we are not intimidated in any way to turn from our faith in God Himself alone by turning to anything or anyone else.
So, the question should burn within our hearts, "Who are our enemies?" For the answer, we must look no further than to the apostle Paul himself because he answered that question in perfect clarity to the Church in Corinth:
We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient. [2 Corinthians 10.3-6]
Human reasoning and false arguments are grouped together as strongholds and then further described as proud obstacles preventing people from knowing God (think, "God himself" as presented in Philippians 1.27-30). The New King James Version of this passage gives further clarity:
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. [2 Corinthians 10.3-6 NKJV]
What this passage is saying is that any and every argument that presents itself as "reason" or "logic" not to believe exactly what God has said, is the enemy not only to be overcome, but to be brought into punishment (warned of destruction).
Here is an example of what God said:
“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7 (Commandments 1-3)]
What is an idol? An idol is anything or anyone that is trusted in addition to, if not altogether instead of, God, for that which God said He Himself would provide.
Modern day idols include, but are not limited to: debt, insurance, medicine and technology. These all promise benefits (usually at a hefty price tag) that God said He Himself would provide. These idols are not "carved images" in the traditional understanding of such, but are equally, and nonetheless (even arguably more so), the carefully crafted, highly advanced products of man's ingenuity. These idols all offer what God has promised and, to God's people in particular, present themselves to be inspired or given by God thus making gods of themselves. And here is where our enemies manifest in human reason and logic (the ways and means of man) and must be brought into obedience to Christ.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]
Modern day idols reason and argue (intimidate) that it is foolish to reject them or deny their services. So powerful is their argument that the Church has sadly cowered at their demands. But what did Paul say?
Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. [Philippians 1.28]
And, herein lies our problem: We do not believe God's Word enough to face off with the enemies of human reasoning and false arguments refusing their 'benefits' so that God Himself is seen as our only source and supply. Consequently, in our 'bowing' to them, we do not signal their defeat, but only strengthen their idolatrous reason and logic.
NOTE: When there must be an exchange of money for "God's blessings" of provision, protection, health, or conveniences (provided by debt, insurance, medicine and technology), that exchange of money glaringly demotes and degrades God to the position of one who must be (can be) bought. Let that soak in.
The fear of doing without, suffering loss, being sick, and not having the latest and greatest conveniences is intimidating, especially to Western culture. Consequently, and not ironically, Western culture is where the idols of debt, insurance, medicine and technology have their greatest influence - where they wield their greatest intimidation. When God's people however, refuse to be intimidated by the fear tactics of modern day idols, it signals those enemies' functional end. But the unintimated believer, even in suffering or death, is still going to spend eternity with God. And, for their unintimidated faith, Hebrews says, they earned a good reputation.
Father, I am grateful that Your Word doesn't say I must "live" to please You. I am grateful that the only thing that pleases You is my faith - regardless whether I live or die. May I live as one unintimidated by the false arguments and human reasoning that say I must live and prosper at all cost. May my life be a sign to every idol with the human reasoning and false arguments that support them, that their end is in sight and that my God Himself, Jesus Christ, is my salvation forever. So be it.
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