By: Gen. James Green
“Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose END is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)” (Phil 3:17-19).
PAUL WRITES ABOUT those whom have become the ENEMY of Christ (making them our enemy also). The word “end” means “to set out for a definite point or goal, the conclusion of an act or state.” He also makes mention of this state in Rom. 6:21 where he, writing about “servants to righteousness” verses “servants unto sin,” says “what fruit had ye then in those things whereby ye are now ashamed? for the END (TELOS) of those things is DEATH” (Rom. 6:21).
You see, the eschatological “result” of man’s acts, for sinful man’s “final destiny,” are “final perdition.” Peter also makes mention of this fact when he penned 1 Pet. 4:17: “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”
In case you are one of those “liberal” believers who “believe” that you will “get by” with your sins, take note of this: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).
The Bible teaches that “believers” will someday give an account for all the deeds done in the body: good and bad. Keep in mind the following facts:
1) all will be subject to judgment, no exceptions (Rom. 14:12; 1 Cor. 3:12-15; 2 Cor. 5:10);
2) This judgment will occur when Christ returns (Jn. 14:3; 1 Thes. 4:14-17);
3) The judge is Christ Jesus (Jn. 5:22; 2 Tim. 4:8);
4) One can suffer damage or loss (1 Cor. 3:15; 2 Jn. 8), of being ashamed before Him “at His coming” (1 Jn. 2:28), and of “burning” one’s whole life’s work (1 Cor. 3:13-15);
5) Everything, dear ones, will be made manifest. Nothing hidden! In 2 Cor. 5:10, the Greek word phaneroo means “to be manifest openly or publicly”; hence, the Judge will examine and openly reveal, in its true reality of: (not who and what we think we are)
(a) secret acts–Mk. 4:22; Rom. 2:16,
(b) our true character—Rom. 2:5-11,
(c) our words—Mat. 12:36, 37,
(d) our good works—Eph. 6:8,
(e) our attitudes—Mat. 5:22,
(f) our motives—1 Cor. 4:5,
(g) our lack of true love—Col. 3:18-4:1, and
(h) our work and ministry—1 Cor. 3:13;
6) We must give a true account of the degree of our faithfulness or lack of it (Matt. 25:21, 23; 1 Cor. 4:2-5) and of our deeds and actions in light of the grace, opportunity, and understanding made available to us (Lk. 12:48; Jn. 5:24; Rom. 8:1);
7) When we REPENT of our sins (in thought or deeds), they are forgiven (see Rom. 8:1), but take note of Col. 3:25; 1 Cor. 3:15 and 2 Cor. 5:10—compare Eph. 6:8 and Heb. 6:10;
8) The specific results of one’s judgment will be varied. If we’re in right standing, we will have confidence and not be ashamed at Jesus’ coming (1 Jn. 2:28). Rom. 2:10 tells us: “…glory, honor, and peace, to every man that worketh good;” and we’re to “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14); the prize is THE END, the antithesis, of those who work against Christ. You see, the sense of “conclusion” connects τέλος with the eschatological events which have yet to take place (especially the parousia);
9) Knowing all of this should cause us to live a godly life in Christ—fear the Lord, live soberly, watch, pray, preach, and teach the Gospel to others (see 2 Cor. 5:11; Phil. 2:12; 1 Pet. 1:17; 1 Pet. 4:5, 7; 2 Pet. 3:11; Mat. 5:7 and 2 Tim. 1:16-18 etc.).
Back to Phil. 3:19
“THE END.” Paul writes that this is the result of minding earthly things: “DESTRUCTION.” What is meant here, and other places, is not a simple extinction of existence (what is taught today in the backslidden liberal churches), but an EVER-LASTING state of TORMENT and spiritual DEATH!!
Other Greek words used are: “ruin,” “wearing out,” “perishing,” and “loss.”
Paul uses the Greek word “perdition” in Phil. 1:28. The author of Hebrews uses it also: “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving (continued) of the soul” (Heb. 10:39). Take note of verse 38, for those of you who believe the “once saved, always saved” LIE!: “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man DRAW BACK (his soul), My soul (God/Son) shall have no pleasure in him.” This fundamental principle, affirmed four times in Scripture governs our relationship to God/Son and our participation in the salvation provided through Jesus the Lord.
Some believe that verse 39 merely refers to the lost having salvation presented to him or her, not to one who “draws back” or “falls away.” Well, verse 39 makes it plain that backsliding is meant; one who has tasted the goodness of God, to have known the perfection of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross, to have seen the light, to have brought into the Christian faith, and then SHRINK BACK in the face of trials/temptation/persecution, is to DENY the Gospel, to profane the blood of the covenant (v. 29)—to repudiate God.
Listen! The alternatives we face are “destruction” and “keeping” our souls, “losing” life or “finding” it (Mk. 8:35). You ought to take the time to read/study Hab. 2:4 (OT); Romans 1:17; Gal. 3:11 and Heb. 10:38.
Hebrews 10:38 affirms the cardinal truth that the “JUST” shall live by “FAITH,” and verse 39 affirms that one must continually believe in order to have his/her soul saved. Verse 22 tells us, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…” So, “faith” and “drawing near” to God through Christ Jesus are inseparable. Faith is defined as sincerely coming to God and believing in His offered salvation (through Jesus, His Son, see 11:6). By drawing near to God through the Son, one finds mercy, grace, help (see v. 1; 4:16; 7:19), one finds salvation/redemption (see 7:25), finds sanctification (v. 14), and finds cleansing (v. 22).
So, dear readers, clearly this implies that where there is NO DRAWING NEAR to the Father in sincere prayer and sincere fellowship with the Son, there is NO SAVING FAITH. The Son Himself equates “faith” with earnest “prayer” to God (see Lk. 18:8).
Remember Judas (Jn. 17:12) was called “the son of perdition” by Jesus. And in 2 Thes. 2:3 we find the words: “man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition” (“man of lawlessness”). Peter uses the expression “…even denying the Lord that BOUGHT them (by His blood),” in 2 Peter 2:1. We cannot miss what Peter is saying here: the false teachers within the Ekklesia who were DENYING (Greek arneomai, Strong’s #G720, meaning to disown or renounce) the Lord Jesus that purchased them by His blood. These, like so many today, had FORSAKEN the right way (the only way of salvation!), gone ASTRAY (v. 15), and became “wells without water” (v. 17). But at one time, they had escaped the wickedness of the world through the Lord Jesus, but now were again entangled in SIN (v. 20).
Peter says in verse 3 that these apostates were to face DAMNATION! These false Churchites (like Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, Ken Copeland, Joyce Meyers etc., etc., commercialized the Gospel, greedy for $$ and popularity, and living affluent lifestyles.
Peter chose the phrase “feigned words,” i.e., to express impressive stories that are not true, or maybe half-true. They love to give exaggerated statistics and say things that are non-Biblical in order to get $$, power, and fame. America is FULL of such perverts. They love to glorify themselves:
~ Benny Hinn, who loves to tell of all the people HE has healed!
~ Ken Copeland loves to tell how much $$ he has [a Billion plus]!
~ Rick Warren loves to tell of his acceptance of other political/religious/sexual perverts who are HIS friends!
~ Baby-boy Osteen loves to smile real BIG and stumble over the most simple scriptures—a real fool!
~ Joyce, the “God is crazy about you!” queen loves to act real down-home while making her millions too.
~ The MEGA SHOW-OFFS love to use feigned words, exploiting the unwary.
Don’t be fooled, dear ones, these people who use greed and deceit are assigned to DOOM and DESTRUCTION—their END has come!!!
Judgment
YES! IN JUDGMENT, both the lost sinner and false saint will face the fires of Hell (2 Pet. 3:7).
Peter goes on to make mention of the apostle Paul who wrote about those who will face DESTRUCTION (2 Pet. 3:16).
John, in Rev. 17:8 makes mention of the “beast” going into “perdition” (see v. 11 also).
With all this said, in this connection, one should also cite 1 Peter 4:17, where the final (the END!) destiny is hinted at in the question. The way had been prepared both linguistically and materially for the sense of “final destiny” as the issue determined by the Eternal God. Both Hebrew and Greek scholars point out, as regarding the Old Testament, that this is already in the Psalms (13:21; 72:17 etc.)—obviously in the Old Testament the reference is to man’s earthly destiny, but the idea of the “final” or “definitive” is very plain). In Judaism especially, one finds the spread of the idea of a double fate in the hereafter.
The sense “END.”
ALWAYS KEEP in mind that the context must decide whether the expressions are to be taken temporally or quantitatively. Thus, εἰς τέλος means “to the end,” “forever” (note: in the headings of more than 50 psalms we read εἰς τὸ τέλος for the Hebrew meaning to be praised “forever” in divine worship).
Also, Mark 13:13 says that “…ye shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake: but he that endure unto the END, the same shall be saved (or remain saved).” This context tells us of our earthly perseverance in the faith and endurance in our loyalty to Christ in a Scriptural condition for FINAL salvation (see Heb. 3:14; 6:11, 12; 10:36). The glory of FINAL salvation is described in Rev. 2:7, 17-28; 3:5, 12, 20, 21; 7:9-17; 14:13 and 21:1-7).
The context of Jn. 13:1, and 1 Thes. 2:16, means “fully,” “in full, supreme measure,” in Luke 18:5=“finally.” These verses can also mean: “wholly and utterly” (as 2 Cor. 1:13, verse 14 is opposite=”in part”).
τέλος
THIS GREEK word also means “cessation” (not annihilation). Hebrews 7:3 speaks of the priesthood of Melchizedek (type of Christ) having no “end of life” (cessation). Christ’s priesthood will NEVER CEASE/NEVER END (Heb. 7:24, 25).
In general, the usage must be considered by context. Our faith and love are the beginning and “end of ζωή;” hope of life is the beginning and “end of our life,” the righteousness of judgment is the beginning and “end.” You see, and better listen, MAN’S ACTIONS HAVE A SPECIFIC FINAL RESULT, each going to his/her own place, to eternal life or eternal death—the “end” of living a sinful life is DEATH (Rom. 6:21, 23); the “end” of living a life in the Spirit is eternal life (v. 23).
when one studies this subject out, one will find various nuances (shades of meaning).
End of the Road!
WHEN PAUL penned Phil. 3:17-19, “destruction,” not eternal “bliss” was the goal toward which some were traveling. Paul describes a human condition which is forever recurrent in all civilizations, even NOW! Today’s church has many, many enemies of the Cross/of Christ—yet all claiming to be His! Their belly (Phil. 3:19) is their god. Hey! this can be taken literally folks, FAT professors of the Christian religion are a reality. There are sensuous gluttons about sex, drugs, alcohol, food etc…intemperate through and through.
As far as food/drink is concerned, men live to eat and drink…and it really SHOWS UP! Mounds and pounds of FAT! When was the last time (or even the first!) that you heard a sermon on overeating (which is a SIN too!)?
Having one’s mind set on earthly things (v. 19), conforming itself to what the natural senses “love.” But Scriptures tell us NOT TO BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD (Rom. 12:2). Very few “Christians” in our day know or realize that the present world system is evil (Acts 2:40; Gal. 1:4) and under the rule of Satan (Jn. 12:31; 1 Jn. 5:19). Very few know this; therefore, very few stand against the prevailing and popular forms of the “spirit of this world.” Is it any wonder that your pastor or evangelist will not preach against sin/sins? But God’s Word will not leave us in the dark about all this—we must abhor what is evil and love what is good (Rom. 12:9; 1 Jn. 2:15-17; see also Heb. 1:9).
BRAINWASHED!! Oh, how today’s churchites FEAR this word. HA! It would do today’s church good to be “brainwashed” by God. In order to make Heaven and miss Hell, we must have our minds WASHED of the humanistic, satanic filth, HAVING OUR MINDS CONFORMED TO HIS WAY OF THINKING (1 Cor. 2:16; Phil. 2:5). It is unBiblical and anti-Christ-like to allow our minds to be nesting places for demons: their plans, goals, ambitions, and their desire not to be ruled by God’s Holy Spirit. What is Christianity anyways?
What Has Happened?
WHAT HAS HAPPENED has been the abandonment of devotion to God/Christ Jesus, followed by a purely human religion of devotion to humanity—ME, MY, and MINE. No longer are “Christians” concerned with being “Biblically Correct.” Oh, no, they want to be “Politically Correct!” Men/women have become their own “God.” This abandonment has been deliberate. Church leaders have, over the years, became mere humanists who have consciously decided to trust in man/woman instead of the Father/Son/Holy Spirit. Therefore, many sitting under their teachings, or leadership, are unconsciously living by standards, values, and views, which place them into the category of “ENEMIES OF CHRIST.”
But, devotion to humanity is sheer vanity and insanity. This fact is pointed out by Paul in Romans one: “Therefore God gave them up” (1:24 and 26); “God gave them over” (v. 28). I would dare say that God has given today’s church up to a reprobate mind too. “Religious” man in this hour has become so set on deifying men, that he is CRAZY!…throwing moral/Biblical considerations overboard to trust sinful man. This is INSANITY!!
Condescending help of the mighty God toward the weakness of mere men is the very essence of treason—though in disguise.
Look at the BIG SHOTS called pastors, evangelists, prophets, healers. They totally identify with the world, and not God or His Word. So, in “the END,” man becomes a victim of the society he has created.
This “self” worship has gone so far that men are unable even to call their own souls their own. They exist for Big Name So and So, for Bro./Sister Big ministry. Actually, they are held captive by Satan and his demons.
BIG BUSINESS! The BIGGER it becomes, it grows more demonized. The individual conscience who once loved and served God, has now been overwhelmed and become impersonal: a mere number that PAYS for the minister/ministry with blood money. “Pay or you can’t stay!”
My suggestion is to GET OUT of those religious whorehouses. Stop looking for some magic panacea that will suddenly make you righteous. REPENTANCE, dear one, REPENTANCE REVOLUTION is what is needed.
No error is so fatal as overlooking repentance. When Christians no longer strongly believe in repentance for sin/sins with an overruling moral purpose, they inevitably lose their very own souls. The bias of “self-love,” “self-esteem,” and “self-interest” inevitably perverts man. Life becomes relative: men/women are developed to get some idea of some religious dreamer/schemer called ‘pastor, prophet, evangelist, teacher’ etc. “The END” is to make this relative morality absolute: a new man, a new Jesus.
New Revelation?
THIS IS NOT NEW. Paul wrote about it; Jesus warned about it. The revelation of the “love of self” becomes the universal norm, given to us, created by us for our DESTRUCTION. A mere social church reconstruction will never stop this nasty curse, but bloody revolution will—the blood of Jesus has never lost its power to cleanse/transform!
When the church dismissed God from rulership, “chance” replaced Him. Now we have the laissez faire mentality, leading believers to the inexplicable state of blind fate.
Follow Me!
PAUL WRITES in Phil. 3:17: “…be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.” Paul followed Christ in WORD AND DEED. He urged men/women to improve on morality—not letting moral degeneracy ruin things.
What are today’s church leaders telling us? They spew forth this: “Have your best life now!” bull, which is totally contrary to Scripture. This humanistic bull is the very antithesis of Biblical Christianity.
At the end of almost all of Paul’s letters, there appears a series of moral directions and exhortations. To most in church la-la land, this seems to be Pharisaism returned. Well, it would do today’s church good to have some of this “old Pharisaism” stuff, instead of “puff and stuff.” These effeminate men called pastors, teachers etc. are a disgrace to the human race. These bullish witches in britches are the same.
Some accuse Paul of egotism. No, he merely was CALLING THE WHOLE EKKLESIA TO JOIN AS ONE IN LIVING AS HE DOES. Remember that his readers were converted Gentiles to whom the Christian ethic was altogether new. We need to take heed to his admonition, for “THE END IS AT HAND.”