Fellowship of Joy in the Person of Christ (Part 3B)

Philippians chapter 3, and maybe I ought to stall a little more time and let the choir get out of here.

I thought it was kind of an awkward thing, but how about if I stall this way? Thank you for allowing my family and I to be gone a week on vacation.

But you didn't even know where we were going, did you? We had a great time and spent a week in the Smoky Mountains. And there's not another place on earth, really, that is more beautiful, in my opinion, or my humble but accurate opinion.

No place more beautiful than the Smoky Mountains. And we had a great time, great time spending it, not only in that beautiful place in the world, but also with one of our sons, our second born, and his wife.

And more importantly, our one and only grandchild, our granddaughter, Ella. And I will confess to you that she didn't exactly warm up to me. I was a stranger to her.

Of course, this was the only, I think, the third time I've had to be able to spend any time with her. But we had a good time, wonderful time. But I would also tell you that I'm glad to be back in the pulpit of this wonderful church and to preach to you wonderful people.

And you might remember, if you were here a couple of Sundays ago, that I did not complete what I started. And I guess you could say that in this approach to preaching, you never really finish on a Sunday what you started.

Because my desire is primarily to preach in a method that is called consecutive expository preaching. That is, preaching through books of the Bible. So, but really, not only did I not finish Philippians, of course, we have more to go with that.

But I really started something two Sundays ago that I did not complete a certain section of this book. And so I want to take up where I left off. That's one of the challenges to this approach to preaching.

You're going to be committed to preaching through books of the Bible. Invariably, you're going to have some breaks in it. And either you're going to be away or maybe God leads you to preach something else for a little while.

But you've got to always get back to it. And I'm committed to do that. In fact, I will tell you a little story about the great reformer John Calvin. And he was, by the way, doggedly committed to preaching through books of the Bible.

In fact, on one occasion, when the Geneva City Council exiled Calvin from his church and from his city, they exiled him for three years.

He was away from his pulpit, could not preach in his pulpit for three years. But then after that three-year period, he stepped back into the pulpit and he took up where he left off three years before that with the very next verse.

Well, I haven't been gone three years, just one Sunday. But I'm going to take up where I left off. And so take your Bibles and open them to Philippians chapter 3 and find verse 15.

Last time I read, I think starting with verse 12. And we covered 12, 13, and 14 last time. We're going to take it up here starting with verse 15.

And so if you have it there, let me read it to you. Chapter 3, verse 15. Therefore, let us, as many as are mature, have this mind.

And if in anything you think otherwise or have a different mind, God will reveal even this to you. And isn't he gracious to do that? Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule.

Let us be of the same mind. Brethren, join in following my example and note those who so walk as you have us for a pattern.

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, God little g, is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body, that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my beloved, my beloved.

All right. Tremendous text. Now, to remind you again, our subject. Our subject in chapter 3. Our subject has been the fellowship of joy in the person of Christ.

The person of Christ. That is, the person of Christ is front and center in Paul's thoughts, as he writes, and in his subject matter.

In verse 11, you might recall, and you can look at it again there in your text, in your Bibles. Verse 11, Paul wrote, If by any means, or somehow, I may attain to, reach the place of, or arrive at the resurrection of the dead.

That's what he said in verse 11. Meaning, he did not know the when of it. He did not know exactly the how of it, all the particulars, particulars, but he longed for the day when he would, as it were, graduate from the school of Christlikeness.

That's how he, how we could define the Christian life. It's a school. The school of Christlikeness. And so Paul longed for the day when he would graduate from that.

When God's refining work in his life would be fully complete, once and for all. And he would receive, again, as it were, his diploma.

His diploma from the school of Christlikeness. Which is, better defined, the perfection, spiritual perfection that one day would come at his resurrection.

That's what Paul longed for. He longed for that day more than anything else. And so should we. Now that's ground we've already covered. We should long for that day when Christ would come.

When Christ would gather his own to himself. And we would be with him forever and ever. And we would experience the completed work of Christ in our lives.

We would be perfect. We would be Christlike as Christ is. We long for that day. But, until then, what?

And this is Paul's point here. And so he says in verse 12, not that I have already attained it. That is, I long for it, but it's not here yet.

I have not already obtained or attained to what will happen, what will be mine at the resurrection. And then he kind of rewords it.

He says, or in a sense, to put it another way, not that I am already perfected. That hasn't happened yet. I haven't yet made it.

I have not arrived. And the implication, of course, from this, Paul is saying to you, to me, you haven't made it yet either. And so, he says, I've got some instructions for you.

Something you need to know. Something you need to incorporate into your lives. Something you need to apply to your lives. Something you need to live out. I have news for you. The spiritual perfection that God desires to do in you.

This Christlikeness. He's going to get that job done. He's going to get it done. You can count on that. That's his design. That's his desire. And God never fails at what he desires to do.

But, that does not mean that you are to just sit back idly by and let, so to speak, let God do it. To somehow buy into this notion that the Christian life is simply let go and let God.

And so, Paul says, I have some instructions for you. You're to join with God in this.

In this school of Christlikeness. You're to join with God in this work. In striving toward that goal that one day you will realize.

You're to participate with God in this. And so, this is the purpose of this section of Scripture in chapter 3. This is Paul's objective in the text.

And so, on the one hand, he says, long for the prize of heaven. Yes, I certainly do. But, for now, for now, set your mind on the race.

The Christian life. Set your mind on running it well. Set your mind on finishing it well. How important is that? Set your mind on winning.

And this is what Paul is telling us. Now, I've taken these instructions of Paul's and I've organized them into what I have called five basic principles for a goal-oriented Christian life or spiritual life.

Five basic principles for a goal-oriented spiritual life and understanding that that goal is what? Christlikeness. Somebody's listening.

Thank you. I know you all are. You know, that is the goal. Christlikeness. So, five basic principles for a goal-oriented spiritual life.

Again, to set this up, one of Paul's oft-repeated words in this letter is the word mind. I don't know if you've noticed that, but already, a number of times, as we've been working our way through this letter, he has used the word mind.

For example, in Philippians 1.27, he said, stand fast in one spirit with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel.

And again, in Philippians 2, in verse 2, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

There's that word again. In Philippians 2, verse 3, let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself or themselves.

Philippians 2.5, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. And then in our text for this morning, Philippians 3.16, let us be of the same mind.

And he repeats the same thing pretty much, but adds a little bit to it in chapter 4 and verse 2. Be of the same mind in the Lord. All right, so over and over again, the word mind, but I skipped one and it's in verse 15.

And it helps me set, kind of set the tone, set the stage for these five principles. He said, therefore, let us, as many as are mature, what?

Have this mind. Now, what mind is that? What mind is that? Well, I would suggest to you that it is to live a goal-oriented spiritual life and that goal, again, being Christ-likeness.

Have that mind in you. And so, Paul provides us five principles. They are, and we've looked at a couple of these already, but let me review just a little bit.

Number one, principle number one, have a spiritual-minded dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction.

A spiritual-minded dissatisfaction. And the point being that if you and I are going to run the race, this Christian life, and if you and I are going to keep moving forward, progressing in our spiritual maturity as believers, if you and I are going to do so always focused on reaching the goal, which again is Christ-likeness, then we must always have a healthy measure of dissatisfaction with where we are spiritually right now.

Not disillusionment, not discouragement, not down-in-the-dumps kind of attitude, but a healthy dissatisfaction. Paul said in verse 11, he said, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead, but then he said in verse 12, not that I have already attained it or obtained it or acquired it.

Not that I've already acquired it, this perfection, or that I've already been made perfect or been perfected, matured. That is, Paul is saying, I have not yet, I have not come to the place yet where I am fully grown spiritually.

That's what Paul says. It's a healthy measure of spiritual dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction. A spiritual-minded dissatisfaction with where you are right now in relation to the ultimate goal of Christ-likeness.

We need to follow Paul's example in that. That makes us ready for the second principle, and that is to have a single-minded devotion. A single-minded devotion.

Paul, you could say, without any doubt, without any argument, Paul basically wanted one thing to happen in his life spiritually. One thing.

And so Paul had embraced that one thing. And I've defined it as a singular devotion toward a singular direction in life with a singular determination.

And that being, in his words, verse 12, to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. That is, his single, was his single devotion.

That is, just as Paul was headed to arrest Christians in Damascus, he said that Christ arrested him, and now he's saying, I want to arrest, I want to apprehend the very thing Christ apprehended me for.

That is, his purpose. He wanted not only to discover God's purpose for his life, but he wanted to lay hold of it. That was his singular devotion, singular direction with his singular determination.

He said in verse, in verse 13, forgetting, forgetting, put behind me, those things which are behind and reaching, stretching, straining forward to those things that are ahead.

And what things would those be? The things pertaining to the goal. We need to strive and stretch and strain forward to lay hold of those things that pertain to the goal.

That is, that everything in your life as a believer, every decision you make, every move you make, everything about your life is consistent with and complements that goal of Christlikeness.

This was Paul's single-minded devotion. He further defined it as the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. That is the final, finish line in this race.

That is perfection in Christ. Alright, now we're up to speed. Ready to move on to the next principle. And it is this. Third, have a scriptural-minded discipline.

A scriptural-minded discipline. Now notice how he lays this out for us. It's really very straightforward, very simple. Verse 15, Paul said, therefore, let us, we believers, as many as are mature, let us as many as are mature, that is those who are spiritual adults, those who are grown-up Christians, do what?

Have this mind, he says. Have this mind. And what mind is that? Well, essentially, Paul's mind.

Paul's mind is what he's saying. Have my mind. Those of you who are spiritual adults, those of you who are mature, have my mind.

Think the way I think. Live for, or have a mindset, the same mindset that I have. This is what Paul is saying. Now, we already know what his mind was.

We've already studied those passages. Let me remind you. Verse 3, Paul said, I place no confidence in the flesh. That was the mind of Paul. That is, Paul's saying, I don't trust Paul.

I don't rely upon Paul. I'm not looking to Paul myself for my resources. I place no confidence in the flesh.

That was the mind of Paul. But not only that, he said in verse 7, what things were gained to me, of worth to me, the things I have accomplished, the things that I have accumulated, acquired, those things in the world that I have valued above, spiritual things, those things that were worth to me, gained to me, great gained to me, I count them as loss.

I count them as loss for Christ. That was the mind of Paul, remember? That was his mind. He says in verse 8, I count all things lost for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ, Jesus my Lord, and I count them as rubbish, rubbish, refuse, that I may gain Christ.

And for what? Verse 9, to be found in Him. This was the mind of Paul. To always be found in Christ. To know Him, he further says.

And to know the power of His resurrection, he said. And to know the fellowship that comes through suffering. This was the mind of the Apostle Paul.

And so Paul was saying to every one of us who named the name of Christ, he's saying, are you mature in the faith? Are you? Are you an adult Christian?

Not adult by age, but adult spiritually and according to maturity. Are you then have this mind? Literally, have my mind.

And then he says, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Now get that. Only the Apostle Paul could say something like that and get away with it.

Only the Apostle Paul could make such a statement and it means something and it to be real. Essentially, let me just paraphrase it.

This is what the Apostle Paul is saying. He's saying to you and to me. He's saying, if any one of you thinks any differently than I do, you're wrong.

you got it wrong. You're not thinking right. But then he goes on to say, and again, if I might just paraphrase a little bit, but he's saying, but God will show that to you.

God will show that to you. I'm confident about that. So in this sense, Paul is not browbeating them or criticizing them or, you know, whatever term you want to use.

He's saying, if you're thinking differently, it's wrong thinking. If you think different than I do, you're wrong. But God will show you. And in essence, he's saying, and I'm going to be patient with you about that.

Going to be patient with you. And now, let me ask you something. How will God reveal? Paul said he'll reveal it to you where you're wrong.

How will he do that? How will God reveal where you are wrong in your thinking about life, about eternity?

You know the answer to that, don't you? Through his word. Through his word. And so if that be the case, get into it.

That said, this is very simple, very straightforward. Scriptural-minded discipline. Get into it. Read it. Study it.

Listen to the preaching of it every chance you get. Place yourself under the teaching of it every opportunity you have.

By the way, Sunday morning, worship service is not the only time. We have a Sunday night service, too. Where God's word is taught.

There's also Sunday school. where you can place yourself under the teaching of God's word. Men, there's Monday night Bible study.

Where God's word is taught. And there are many other opportunities. And so here it is. Paul is saying, if you're thinking wrong, you have wrong thinking about life, about eternity, then God will reveal it to you.

And He reveals it to us through His word. So get into it. Study it. Read it. Love it. Live it. Obey it. This is scriptural-minded discipline.

Everybody knows that, but I bet you've not thought of the next thing I want you to see. The next thing Paul says is really key.

I mean, key in our scriptural-minded discipline. And it's something that I dare say many of God's people have failed to see. Lost sight of in some way or another.

And really, it is a huge part of our spiritual growth. Here it is. Verse 16. Look at it closely. Nevertheless, or that said, to the degree that you have already attained, let us walk by the same rule.

Let us be of the same mind. To the degree... Do you get it? To the degree or measure or level that you have already attained maturity, that you have already attained spiritual adulthood to that level and that level is different for every one of us.

To that level that you've already attained, let's walk in that. Let's walk in that truth. Let us be of the same mind. Meaning, if we put it in simple terms, obey the truth that you have.

that never occurred to me. You say, that's so simple. Everybody knows that.

Do they? Do we? Now, think about it. How absurd and stupid, if I might use that word, sorry, how stupid we are.

And we'll say, oh, if I could just understand God's word better. Or, oh, if I just knew God's will, what God wanted me to do.

Well, you need to find out. But let me ask you something. What are you doing with what you know now? And this is the problem for every one of us.

From this knucklehead up here to everyone sitting out there. What? We need to ask ourselves, what are we doing with what we already know? What has already been revealed? What God has already told us?

And are you obeying that part of God's word and God's will? You already know. Can you imagine? Can you begin to imagine a church where every member, every member, from the preacher to every member, can you imagine a church where every member is obediently living out the truth they know?

And at the same time, striving to know more. Can you imagine? I'm not being critical. Remember that room for improvement is the largest room in the world and we're all in it?

Think about it. So here, five basic principles for goal-oriented spiritual life. Have a spiritual-minded dissatisfaction. Have a single-minded devotion.

Have a scriptural-minded discipline. And here's number four. have a success-minded discipleship.

A success-minded discipleship. You know, right off the bat when we hear someone say success-minded, we don't think of that in spiritual terms. We think of that more often in secular terms.

And how could a preacher say that we ought to be success-minded? That sounds very prideful. Not in this case. Are you intensely interested in growing in your faith?

Huh? Anybody? I know you're saying yes on the inside. I mean, intensely interested in spiritual growth, growing in your faith.

And engaging, involving yourself in every possible way to help bring that about. We ought to be.

Are you intensely interested in your own discipleship? That's to put it another way. You know, we typically, maybe even exclusively, speak of discipleship always in the second or third person.

That is, you. you. Or him. Or her. Or them. Or they. And we very seldom, rarely, speak of it in the first person.

Me. I. I. And so, we have a tendency to have this mentality that we need to be passively involved.

Let people disciple me. Pastor, disciple us. Spoon feed us. Give it to us. And we need to think of discipleship in the first person.

Taking personal responsibility for it. Being determined about it and deliberate about it. Paul, I think, is calling each one of us to that kind of discipleship.

That we would be responsible, personally responsible, for the discipleship of ourselves. And it, I think, kind of interesting in how he puts this.

He says in verse 17, brethren, born. Again, that's how you know he's speaking to Borgian believers. He's not trying to be gender exclusive.

He's speaking to the ladies, too. All believers. And then this word, join. Join. The idea behind that is take the initiative.

Take personal steps. In doing what? Following my example. Following my example, or literally imitating me.

And then he says, and note. I don't remember how it is in other translations, but in this translation he says, and note.

Alright, so here, let's put this together. Brethren, join. Take the initiative. Take steps. Be determined. To follow me. Follow my example. Imitate me.

And note or fix your eyes on or pay close attention to those who so walk.

That is, those who walk and live as I do. Paul is saying. As you have us for a pattern. A pattern.

Now, what does all that mean? The word pattern is the Greek word tupos, and it is from that word we get our word type, a type, a pattern.

And it actually refers, by the way, in the secular sense, in the secular usage, it refers to the imprint or impression that a hammer makes when it hits an object.

You know, if you've ever done any carpentry work, and you take that hammer and you miss the nail and hit the wood, it leaves an imprint, doesn't it? Some of you thought I was going to say the thumb.

Well, same thing. It leaves an impression, an imprint, and that's what the word tupos used for in the secular sense.

But here's the idea. I think all of you would testify to this. I believe so. If you are a student of God's Word in any degree, you would testify to this fact that the Apostle Paul has made an imprint in your life.

I mean, he wrote a large part of the New Testament. Now, of course, it's Christ that makes the imprint, but it's that believer, that Apostle Paul, as he was used by God to make an imprint.

an impression in our lives. And there have been many others over the years, you could testify, in your life, and I could in mine, who have made an imprint for good in your life and in my life.

Some of them are still alive. Some of them might be right here in this church. Some of them are dead and gone and they're with Jesus today. But here's what Paul is saying. Paul is saying, take the initiative. He's not saying, just wait on this and allow this to happen.

It's very deliberate. Take the initiative. Seek these people out in your life. Maybe in your church. Maybe it's an author. Maybe certainly a biblical author.

But seek these people out and note them or set your attention on them and pattern your life after them.

That's what he's saying. You say, is that okay to do that? Yes. Yes. For certain people, specific people, who like Paul, are mature in their faith and living out God's Word as an example to us.

Seek them out. Note them. Set your attention on them. Pattern your life after them. Take the initiative to do that. Don't be a lone ranger Christian. Just going out on your own, you know.

But then Paul gives a warning, doesn't he? Did you notice here in the passage? After he tells us to follow after Christian examples because they will place the imprint of the Savior on your life, after that he says, flee from Christless examples because they will place the imprint of Satan on your life.

Let me say that again. Did you get that? Follow after Christian examples because they will place the imprint of the Savior on your life. Flee from Christless examples because they will place the imprint of Satan on your life.

Verse 18, he says, 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. What a serious description.

serious enemies, not just enemies of Christ, mind you. Not just enemies of his church, but enemies of the cross of Christ.

What a damnable position to take. These are the people he's describing. Enemies of the cross of Christ. That is, they overtly oppose the salvation of souls through faith in the atoning work of Christ at Calvary.

They're not just opposing the teachings of Christ, they're opposing the atonement itself. What a designation.

Horrified. And then Paul declares their spiritual destiny. He says, whose end, their ultimate destiny is what? Destruction. Eternal destruction.

Hell is their destiny. And then he describes their spiritual character. What kind of character do they have? Whose God is their belly.

That is, they're utterly controlled by their sinful flesh. flesh. And then he says, and whose glory is in their shame, it's in their very sin.

That is, literally, he's saying that they even glory, gloat, praise themselves in their wickedness toward God. And who set their mind on earthly things, they are totally consumed by temporary things.

Earthly things. Things that are passing away. Not just evil things, certainly that, but all other things that are just temporary. They set their mind on those things. What a horrifying description of who they are, what they live for, believe, and where they are headed.

Don't admire people like that. Don't idolize people like that. And it's amazing. And to our disgrace, when you consider the kind of people today that many Christians idolize and admire.

Godless at best. Christless enemies of the cross, be they Hollywood stars, athletic stars, musicians.

see, Paul says, have a success-minded discipleship. Follow after Christian examples because they will place the imprint of the Savior on your life.

And flee from Christless examples because they will place the imprint of Satan on your life. Now, we need to wrap this up.

Five basic principles for a goal-oriented spiritual life. Have a spiritual-minded dissatisfaction. Have a single-minded devotion.

Have a scriptural-minded discipline. Have a success-minded discipleship. And one more, have a Savior-minded destination.

A Savior-minded destination. Someone has rightly said, our perspective on life will always determine our priorities.

That's a wise statement. Our perspective on life will always determine our priorities.

The remaining verses in this chapter and then on into the first verse of chapter four, I think serve to give us the right perspective. A right perspective on life.

Call it a biblical worldview. A right perspective. And then when we have this perspective on life, then our priorities will be right.

Here it is as Paul describes it, verse 20. For our citizenship is in heaven. from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, when He comes, will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Therefore, my beloved, long for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord beloved. That's a perspective on life.

that we should have. Remember, our perspective on life will determine our priorities. Five-fold perspective, real quick.

Jot these down. Number one, this perspective. Our real home is in heaven, not earth. Our real home is in heaven, not earth.

Paul said, our citizenship is in heaven. That's a perspective. A very real one. Our citizenship is in heaven.

Now you say, but are we not citizens of the United States of America? Yes, we are. But only second to our citizenship in heaven. And here's the beauty of it. When you have that perspective, then your priorities as a citizen of the United States of America are right ones and good ones.

It affects everything. When your perspective is, my citizenship is in heaven, then it makes a big difference in how you live as a citizen here. In terms to the laws of our country, in terms of lifestyle that is observed by other citizens of this country, in terms of our love for our country, our patriotism, the way we vote at the ballot box, all of it is affected by it.

You want to be a good citizen here? One that honors Christ? Then have this perspective, my real citizenship is heaven. It's heaven. That's a perspective. second, here's the second perspective.

Jesus is coming again. That's a perspective. It's not just a truth you believe, it's a perspective on life, that in any day, any day, any time, I'm expecting and know that Jesus will be coming.

So no matter where I am, what I'm doing, I know that at any moment He could come. That's a perspective. Would that have any effect on your priorities?

Paul said, we eagerly wait, wait and continue to wait, always looking for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Third perspective, we will be transformed when He comes.

We will be transformed. Paul said, He, Jesus, that is, when He comes, will transform our lowly body.

King James uses the word vile. That's a little too harsh for most of us, but it's true. Vile body. And He's talking about our sinful condition, flesh, that is saturated, polluted, with sin.

It has not yet been redeemed. And so when Jesus comes again, even our bodies will be transformed, be redeemed from one state to another, one condition to another.

To be conformed, He says, to His glorious body. That is a perspective that we're going to One of these days, this wicked body is going to be transformed and conformed to the very life of Christ.

This, again, is that goal to which Paul was striving and straining and longed for, and brought everything in his life to bear on, to reach that goal.

here's perspective number four. Everything will one day be made right. That's good news.

That's not the news that you would conclude or hear about on Fox News. Because, by all indication, when we watch the news, whether it's Fox or CNN or any of the other networks or pick up the paper and read the paper, by all accounts, things are absolutely out of control.

But he said, he is able even to subdue, to conquer all things to himself, to his kingship, lordship.

One of these days, he's going to do. So, next time you watch Fox News, think about that. Next time you watch some report about the woes of our economy and the soon collapse of it.

And next time you read something or hear some news commentator talk about the political strife of our nation. And the next time you turn on the TV and you see those maniacs over there in Egypt throwing Molotov cocktails and burning down our embassies and killing our ambassadors and next time you see all that kind of stuff just remember this that one day Jesus is coming he's not only going to transform our vile bodies and conform us into the very life of Christ but he's going to subdue all things under himself under his control he's going to make all things right glory hallelujah then one last one until then till all that happens we stand fast together in a deep fellowship of joy and mutual love for one another

Paul said my beloved and longed for brethren that's how Paul what Paul thought about the people at Philippi and that's how we ought to think about one another beloved longed for my joy my crown and then he says so stand fast literally so all of you together come together stand fast in the Lord my beloved that's a tremendous perspective on life community spiritual community we love one another unconditionally where we work together strive together and help one another and lift each other up and as he's already said in this letter humbly esteeming others above ourselves that's a perspective on life and so five basic principles for a goal oriented spiritual life have a spiritual minded dissatisfaction never be satisfied with where you are spiritually have a single minded devotion that is to lay hold of that for which christ laid hold of you have a scriptural minded discipleship get into god's word live it love it obey it have a success minded discipleship note those god has placed into your life that are spiritual scriptural examples and pattern your life after them take the initiative for your own discipleship and have a savior minded destination always always focused on christ who's coming he's coming and when he comes he's going to gather us up and he's going to subdue all things unto himself as king jesus king jesus king over all kings