Jesus taught that there are two paths, the narrow way that leads to life, and the broad way that leads to destruction. (Matt. 7:13-14) In Philippians 3:17-21 Paul tells us more about these two paths and the characteristics of those who follow each.
Paul divides these two paths in several ways. He speaks of them in terms of his reaction to them. He calls the Philippian faithfuls “my joy and crown,” and “dearly beloved.” These are people who glory in the cross. He speaks of the others “weaping” for they are the enemies of the cross.
Second, Paul divides the two paths by their perspective. The enemies of the cross are spoken of as those “whose end is destruction.” Notice he speaks of their future. This is in harmony with both Psalm 37 and 73. (read them) The reason their future is destruction is because they live for the present. Notice first that their god is their belly. This is a synecdoche for all bodily appetites. They live for pleasure. They are hedenists. John calls this the “lust of the flesh.” (1 John 2:16) Second, their glory is in their shame. They brag about doing things that ought to bring shame. The words shame, ashamed, etc. appear 222 times in the Bible. The first and last times it speaks of nakedness. Psalm 4:2 speaks of those who turn God’s glory into shame. In Prov. 11:2 we are told, “When pride cometh, then cometh shame.” Examples of this are legion but Paul says it is a shame to speak of them. (Eph. 5:2) Taking pride in shameful activity is an expression of what John calls the pride of life. Third, these people whose end is destruction have their mind on earthly things. It is the things of this world that consume their thoughts, plans, and goals in life. This is not the mind of Christ spoken of in 2:5. John calls this the lust of the eyes. Yes, believers can live like this and lose rewards they would have laid at Jesus’ feet.
In contrast Paul’s group is characterized by our present perspective. Our citizenship is right now in heaven. We live better now by knowing where we’re going. We are characterized again by three things, each contrasting one of those in the other group. First, instead of living for the belly, we look forward to the Lord glorifying this body. He will one day change our bodies to be like His glorious body. So the destructive pleasures can be resisted, knowing the body and its appetites will be greatly improved! Secondly, instead of living for what things the world can offer, we look for the Savior. Heaven is not so much a place in Scripture, as a Person. “That where I am there ye may be also,” Jesus had said. The joys there are well worth any denial of distractive or destructive things down here. Thirdly, instead of the pride of willful shame, we look forward to the time when Jesus will “subdue all things unto Himself.” This is the same Greek word commonly used to describe submission to authority. This time it will be by coercion. Since Jesus will reign with a rod of iron and subdue all to Himself, we are wise to get started by submitting to Him now and attaching glory to that which is truly glorious! The other five uses of glory in Philippians exemplify this with glory going to God the Father and God the Son.
Again, the enemies of the cross ruin their future by concentrating on the present. Those who glory in the cross secure their future by focusing on their present citizenship. We are to live as citizens of heaven, as sojourners who look for a city which has foundations whose builder and maker is God.
