17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

Paul appealed to the believers to be followers together of him. Paul had just finished describing himself as an example of one who is running for the prize. Then he continues his letter, urging these saints to imitate him, to be followers together of him. Paul is commanding them to do this. Paul commanded the believers to stop imitating others who were not doing them any good, spiritual speaking, and to imitate him. This is a truth that we need to desperately apply today. We need to surround ourselves with Godly and faithful examples and to stop imitating people who are not edifying our lives spiritually speaking.

2nd Thessalonians 3:6-9
6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

The Philippians were to use Paul and his group as standards to imitate, and all others were to be set against the standard. The believers were to, "mark them". They were not to be indifferent towards them or ignore them, hoping the problem was going away. They were to mark them, meaning---to scope them out! Paul will explain why very clearly in the closing verses of this chapter.

18 (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:

Notice this. Paul said that the "fakers" of the faith are not the remnant, but they are the many! The church of Jesus Christ is filled with "phony pseudo-saints". Filled to the rafters, from pulpits to the door with the kinds of people described by Paul in this chapter. Look at the verse again (read). Many are conducting themselves at enmity with God by their sin, opposing (God) in the mind and in the behavior. These are those who refuse to follow the clear instructions and imperatives of scripture. They are God's enemies and they need to be seen as such. The church in Paul's day, and today are being inundated with God's enemies and the church is not marking them, they are not watchful of them, they take no heed to themselves while they allow all kinds of things to enter right into the church, destroying the very purpose of why she exist. Notice that Paul continually reminded these saints of this truth, even to the point of weeping. The word often is translated, frequently. Paul made it a part of his teaching to warn these saints frequently of the enemies of Christ that continue to come in to the church. In fact, then tense of the verb, weeping, indicated that when Paul was writing this very letter, he was weeping over the fact that he continued to warn them of the enemies of Christ. Paul uses this same warning to the church in Rome in Romans 16:17-20

Romans 16:17-20
17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all [men]. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you. Amen.

17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Now, I urge you strongly brothers to set a mark, to watch and observe, to consider, to take note, to take aim at those who are the source of divisions (dissension, disunion) and, (not but) offenses (scandal, a trap and a stumbling block). We are to take note of any and all people who fall under this category. Well who are these people? First of all, it may not be those who are the obvious in your thinking. You may think that Paul is referring to some rabble-rouser in the church, some malcontent, some trouble maker, and you would be right at this assessment. However, that is not who Paul is necessarily referring to alone in this passage. The first characteristic of those who are divisive and stumbling blocks to the work of God and to the saints are those who walk contrary to the doctrine which you have learned. Instruction, teaching. Listen to me very carefully. To walk contrary means to hear what is taught to you from the word and the application of the word and the various and numerous instructions that are given you from your pastor and other saints, and you respond to them in a casual manner. It means that you receive what is taught with an attitude of apathy, blasé', indifference, being unconcerned. It means that you'll walk beside the teaching but not in the teaching. It means that when you are taught the truth and the speaker demands your best for God and instructs you in the ways of God more clearly and you refuse and chuckle and make light of what is said to you, you are a stumbling block to the work of God and to the saints and are walking contrary to the teaching that was given you.

The mentality that only those who are the obvious trouble makers and false teachers are spoken of here in this text is not true. By our lives we either cause people to stumble or cause others to be faithful to God and that does not come with our words, but with our lives. Every person in the church needs to evaluate his or her life according to the word and see if indeed by what we do with the teaching that is given by the pastor, will I be a blessing to others when I obey joyfully, or will I be a stumbling block to others and to the work of the Lord by making light of it in my life?

Those who live contrary to the doctrine that is taught on a consistent basis are to be avoided by those who are faithful to God. To avoid means to turn away from them.

18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

The second characteristic of those who are obviously contrasted against the faithful workers of the Lord in the first 16 verses is that they do not serve the Lord. To serve the Lord means that you are His slave. You do what you are told to do by Him. Your life and mine does not belong to us anymore, we are given over completely to the LORD Jesus Christ. Those who will make light of the teaching and of the Lord are serving (a slave) to their own desires, their own passions and lust, their own appetites and wants.

The third characteristic of those who are stumbling blocks to the work of the Lord and to the saints is that they use kind speaking, kind words and false praise. They say that they are on your side, but they are not doing it for the love of God. They want to be around the teaching for identification with the truth and they are notorious for flattery and praise, but it is with the intent to deceive, not to edify.

Notice, if you please, who are the ones being deceived. It is not the mature, it is the simple. This refers to someone who is naive and because they were naive, they were deceived. "Don’t believe for a second that your supposed open-heartedness and kindness toward everyone which lacks in wisdom will keep you from being deceived."

Trench was absolutely right when he said;

"He who himself means no evil to others, oftentimes fears no evil from others. Conscious of truth in his own heart, he believes truth in the hearts of all."

This is nothing but foolish gullibility and Paul’s solution to this madness is; I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. The implication was, many were naive and exercised no discernment between good or evil. They thought, as many do today, the best of everyone. The pitfall behind that thinking is to assume that everyone who comes our way has the best in mind. This is vanity and just plain foolishness as well as a lack of discernment.

19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all [men]. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you. Amen.

Here is the high point. Paul gives the trademark of those who are the true followers of Christ. Their obedience is widespread, is reaching all. Their reputation of their obedience is widespread to all the saints. It is their obedience to the teaching of the word of God and the pastor(s) that manifest to everyone that they indeed are followers of the Lord. Paul says I am rejoicing over your obedience to the Lord, but at the same time I want you to exercise wisdom concerning that which is good and that I want you guiltless concerning that which is evil. I want you to be separate from evil and wise in that which is good.

(Go back to Philippians 3)

19 Whose end [is] destruction, whose God [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

The destruction which consists of eternal misery in hell, is in view here. This is the end of all who are the enemies of the cross of Christ. Whatever you may think about the destiny of those outside of Christ be they religious or not, the FACTS are that their end will be destruction.

So who are the enemies of the cross of Christ?

1. Those who teach anything else for salvation other than Christ atoning death.
2. Those who supplement anything to Christ for salvation, in addition to His atoning death.
3. Those who are false teachers and followers of them.
4. Those who are carnally or earthly minded. Romans 8:5-9.
5. Those who are not running the race of the Christian life
6. Those who refuse to submit to, or imitate or pattern their behavior after Godly leadership or who oppose said leadership.
7. Those who disdain, reject or walk contrary to sound, Biblical teaching.
8. Those who cause divisions and who are a stumbling block to other believers
9. Deceivers.
10. The disobedient.

Paul goes on to say in the text that their God is their belly. Immediately people associate this only with food and that is a wrong assumption. Someone would justify their belief that it refers to food only because of the translation of the word and the amount of times that the word is translated, belly. The fact is that this same Greek word is translated, "womb" and it is used more times for womb than for belly. I don't see anyone saying that Paul stated that the god of the deceiver is a woman's womb. The word means appetite of any kind. It speaks of the fulfilling of base, carnal desires. The context refers to a desire for materialism and earthly pleasures as opposed to Heavenly desires and behavior as the next verse will indicate.

He goes on to say that these false teachers, glory in shameful things. They take pride in their confusion. It is the same description that Peter gave of the arrogance of the false teacher, when he said in 2^nd Peter 2:12-14

2nd Peter 2:12-14
12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, [as] they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots [they are] and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

(Go back to Philippians 3)
Paul said also that they mind earthly things. They are carnally minded. (Romans 8)

20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

Now, again, Paul uses himself and his group as examples that are contrasted against the false teachers. You can look at the false teacher and know where his life is geared to. You can look at the true teacher and preacher of truth and see where his life is geared to. Paul said our conversation is not earthly, but is in Heaven. Now this word, conversation, is not what you may think it means. First of all, it has nothing to do with a dialog between 2 or more people, nor does is it translated, lifestyle, as normally it is used in the KJV. In fact, this word is used only 1 time in the entire NT in this form and it means the following:

The constitution of a commonwealth, form of government and the laws by which it is administered. The commonwealth of citizens.

Paul is saying, what governs the believer is Heaven's laws and standards. Also, as already stated, the definition of commonwealth refers to its citizens. In other words, we are people of Heaven, our names are enrolled as citizens of Heaven. Believers are a Heavenly colony. This is clearly the translation of the text in this verse. Believers are not living for the here-and-now. We already know that this earthly body will perish and then we will receive our new bodies. The believer lives in the hope of that resurrection to come. We know that this earth and everything on it will perish. The believer knows this to be true and sees the absolute sense to live for that which he cannot lose, instead of holding to things he cannot keep. We are looking to go to our true home, which is in Heaven, from where we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are looking for that blessed hope, patiently waiting for the coming of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Christ will transform our lowly body into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of supernatural power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. We don't have time to live lives of frivolity as the world, seeking the pleasures of this life, when we are going to live with an eternal joy, the likes of which this entire world can never experience. So our life is lived towards an upward call, a Heavenly call. We are enrolled in Heaven, our names in the Lamb's book of life. Our hope is in seeing Jesus, our deliverer from the power of sin, the penalty of sin and one day from the presence of sin.