“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.) For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 3:17–20, KJV)
When I got into running in a serous way, I began to study running techniques. I even had a running expert watch my running to see why I wearing our the heals on my running shoes so fast. The coach mentioned something called my gait. Basically, he referred to my running stride. The dictionary defines “gait” as a manner of walking or moving on foot. I worked a little on my gait to even things out.
Here Paul said that our walk as a Christian is very important. You see the spiritual gait of the non-believer is much different than the spiritual gait of the believer. Thus, Paul wrote, “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.” The reason he stated this is seen in verse 20, “For our conversation is in heaven.” The word “conversation,” is politeuma, which refers to the administration of civil affairs, or the commonwealth of citizens (Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon G4175). In other words, he stated that believers should have the gait of those who walk like citizens of heaven.
What is the difference between citizens of heaven and those who are citizens of this world system? He described these in verses 18-19. Those who are not citizens of heaven are enemies of the cross. They have an end that leads to destruction. They are driven by their bellies, that is their fleshly appetites. Their glory is in their shame, that is they are proud of things of which they should have been ashamed. They had their minds on earthly things that they sought for pleasure and in ways to justify themselves before God.
How is heavenly citizenship different. The walk of a heavenly citizen is a direct anthesis of these things. Heavenly citizens are not enemies of the cross but have allegiance and love for Christ and His work on the cross. Rather than being driven by their fleshly appetites they are driven by the indwelling Holy Spirit; they live Spirit driven lives. Rather than glorying in the shameful things they seek to bring glory to God who is worthy. Rather than setting their minds on earthly things they have their mind of the greater things from heaven, that is God and His righteousness.
So, let us have the gait or walk of a true citizen of heaven. This is the walk by faith in the Lord because of all He has done and provided for us. It is the Spirit filled walk that we need that sets us apart from the earthly citizen and by which we live above the elementary principles of this world system.
Renewing the Heart 