C.S.鲁益师观察到，如果你的目标只是获取地上的成功，那么即使地上所有的一切都过去，你也可能永远不会到天上。但如果你的目标是天上的事，主不但会满有恩典地将你带到天上，还会使你在地上的生活变得美好。所以如果你只盯着地上，就什么也得不到。但如果你瞄准天上，你就有了一切 – 丰盛的生命。
这也是保罗在结束腓立比书3章时的观点。在地上，我们都是某个国家的国民。但信基督的人有一个更重要的身份，即天上的国民。我们所有其他的身份都在这个天上国民身份之下。
保罗为腓立比人指出了这一点，是因为当时 – 也包括现在 – 有各种各样的影响会分散我们的注意力，使我们无法将神的国放在生命的第一位。我们每天都会收到这样的信息：活在当下，及时享乐，跟着感觉走，为自己着想。保罗声称，所有这些都使人成为基督十字架的仇敌。这一切都是以自我为中心的生活，丝毫不能反映基督的无私。但如果我们是基督的子民，有一天我们会变得像耶稣，列队在神国度的荣耀里。
主啊，愿祢向我们启示祢天国的荣形和我们是天上国民的真理，转化我们，使我们此刻在地上就成为祢独特的子民。阿们。
腓立比书 3:17-21
17 弟兄们，你们要一同效法我，也当留意看那些照我们榜样行的人。
18 因为有许多人行事是基督十字架的仇敌，我屡次告诉你们，现在又流泪地告诉你们。
19 他们的结局就是沉沦，他们的神就是自己的肚腹！他们以自己的羞辱为荣耀，专以地上的事为念。
20 我们却是天上的国民，并且等候救主，就是主耶稣基督，从天上降临。
21 他要按着那能叫万有归服自己的大能，将我们这卑贱的身体改变形状，和他自己荣耀的身体相似。
"Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who . . . will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." — Philippians 3:20-21
C.S. Lewis observed that if you aim to be successful only on earth, you may never get to heaven even as the things of earth slip away. But if you aim for the things of heaven, not only will the Lord graciously bring you there; he will also make your life on earth something wonderful. So if you aim only for earth, you get nothing. But if you aim for heaven, you get everything—life to the full.
This is Paul’s point too as he rounds out Philippians 3. We all are citizens of one country or another here on earth. But believers in Christ have a far more important status as citizens of heaven. All of our other identities fall in line under our heavenly citizenship.
Paul pointed this out for the Philippians because then—and now—there are all kinds of influences that distract us from giving God’s kingdom first place in our lives. We receive messages like this every day: live for the moment, go for the gusto, do whatever feels right, look out for number one. All this, Paul claims, makes people enemies of the cross. It all amounts to self-centered living and reflects none of Christ’s selflessness. But if we live as Christ’s people, then one day we will be made like Jesus, arrayed in all the glory of God’s kingdom!
Lord, may the contours of your kingdom and the truth of our heavenly citizenship be revealed in our lives, transforming us even now on this earth into your distinct people. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
