腓立比有一个特殊的地位，它是罗马的殖民地。罗马帝国为鼓励罗马人移居此地，宣布居民的权利比照罗马本土公民，例如免税权。腓利比人也以身为罗马公民感到骄傲，在使徒行传16章里面，腓立比人自称「我们罗马人」。腓立比与罗马本土相距好几百哩，当地的居民却以罗马人自称，可见他们非常自豪于罗马人的身份。

腓立比位于欧洲与亚洲来往的交通要道上，是个繁荣的大城市，附近的山脉更是富藏金矿和银矿。考古学家曾在马其顿王腓立比二世(Philip II of Macedon)的陵墓里挖掘出大量黄金，其数量仅次于埃及法老王图坦卡门(Tutankhamun)的陵墓。马其顿王腓立比二世的儿子比他还出名，就是建立庞大帝国而于31岁英年早逝的亚历山大(Alexander the Great)。

这个城市有辉煌的历史，有罗马公民的尊贵地位，有大量的财富，并且有凯撒皇帝为他们的「救主」。同样具有罗马公民身份的保罗，他在给腓立比教会的信上怎么说呢？他对这些「地上的罗马公民」说：我们是「天上的国民」（不只是罗马公民），并且等候「救主」（不是凯撒），就是主耶稣基督从天上降临。 （3:20）

腓立比书是喜乐之书，但是谈到腓立比人的骄傲与自满，保罗却「流泪」。因为保罗看见这城里有许多人的行为使他们成为基督十字架的仇敌，他们的结局是灭亡，因为他们的神就是「自己的肚腹」，他们以可耻的事为荣，念念不忘世上的东西。 （3:18-19）

保罗提醒腓立比教会不要效法这个世界，因为你们已经是「天上的国民」，并且凯撒不是你们的救主，唯有「耶稣基督」是你们的救主。无论你们在这世上是多么尊贵，在上帝面前都只是「卑贱的身体」。然而，当真正的救主耶稣降临的时候，他要用自己的大能改变你们卑贱的身体，和他自己荣耀的身体相似。 （3:20-21）

世上的虚荣往往阻碍我们认识耶稣，也阻碍我们认清自己在基督里的尊贵荣耀身份。保罗为了赢得基督，「已丢弃万事，看作粪土」（3:8）。这里的「赢得」可以理解为「拥抱」。如果一个运动员想要在比赛中拥抱奖杯，但他的手里还抓着某个会造成负担的东西，他如何能有机会赢得比赛拥抱奖杯呢？

如果不有所舍，就不会有所得。想想看，为了赢得基督、拥抱基督，有什么是你需要丢弃的？

简体圣经 | https://www.bible.com/bible/140/PHP.3.RCUVSS

繁體聖經 | https://www.bible.com/bible/139/PHP.3.RCUV

Philippi held a special position as a Roman colony. In order to encourage Romans to settle there, the Roman Empire declared that residents would have the same rights as Roman citizen, such as tax exemptions. The people of Philippi were proud to be Roman citizens and referred to themselves as "we Romans" in Acts 16. Even though they were hundreds of miles away from Rome, they identified strongly with their Roman identity.

Philippi was a prosperous city located on a trade route between Europe and Asia, and the nearby mountains were rich in gold and silver mines. Archaeologists have excavated large amounts of gold from the tomb of Philip II of Macedon, second only in quantity to the tomb of King Tutankhamun of Egypt. Philip II of Macedon's son, Alexander the Great, was even more famous for establishing a vast empire before dying at the young age of 31.

This city had a glorious history, a prestigious status as Roman citizens, immense wealth, and even Caesar himself as their "saviour". However, when Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, he reminded them that they were not only "earthly citizens of Rome", but also "citizens of heaven" waiting for Jesus Christ to return from heaven as their true Saviour (3:20).

While the book of Philippians is a joyful one, Paul wept when he considered the pride and self-satisfaction of the people of Philippi. He saw that many of them were acting as enemies of the cross of Christ, their god being their "belly", taking pride in shameful things, and constantly thinking about worldly things. (3:18-19)

Paul urged the church in Philippi not to conform to the ways of the world, for they were already "citizens of heaven" and Caesar was not their saviour, only Jesus Christ was. Regardless of how esteemed they were in this world, before God they were only "lowly bodies". However, when the true Saviour Jesus Christ comes, He will transform their lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.

The vanity of the world often hinders us from knowing Jesus and recognizing our precious and glorious identity in Christ. Paul said, “I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” (3:8) Here, "gain" can be understood as "embracing." If an athlete wants to embrace the trophy in a competition, but he still holds onto something that causes a burden, how can he have a chance to win the competition and embrace the trophy?

If we do not give up something, we will not gain anything. Think about what you need to give up in order to gain and embrace Christ.

Reading the Bible | https://www.bible.com/bible/59/PHP.3.ESV