Alright, let's delve into Philippians, chapter 3. Philippians, chapter 3 is truly excellent. Though some of it may be a bit difficult to grasp, for those who treasure Jesus Christ above all else – and indeed, He is a treasure – we will certainly strive and press on toward the goal!

Philippians, chapter 3, the theme is: "Imitate the Apostle Paul, Forgetting What Lies Behind, Straining Forward, Pressing on Toward the Goal."

The Most Corrupting Statement a Christian Can Make: "I am already saved."

I am not sure which denomination this comes from. When I first started establishing the church, I thought that before someone believes in the Lord, they should take some classes. But this turned out badly. I went everywhere to find materials, and among those materials was the "assurance of salvation." Oh, and "once saved, always saved," all sorts of nonsense. This is clearly wrong. How could I not see that they were saved? Because I saw too many corrupt things in the church.

So what did I see in the church? The most corrupting statement a Christian can make is: "I am already saved." Two old women, all they did was gossip, just gossip. Where was the likeness of Jesus Christ in them? I couldn't see it. I was actually very upset. Even now, I particularly dislike old women chattering and talking nonsense.

When did I develop this habit? When I was young, I liked to sit in a corner at home, reading and doing my homework. I thought, even if I work hard, I might not get into university. If I had already gotten into university and spent all day chatting and watching TV, would there be any hope? Then I saw the old women next door sitting on the kang in our house, legs crossed. Just passing by them, there was a foul, musty smell. And the things they said, I couldn't stand it. From then on, I particularly disliked old women gossiping about everyone else's business.

Later, I went to church. Oh my goodness, the old women moved into the church, or did the church move into their homes? It was all this. I was so annoyed. I thought, if the church is like this, and if heaven is full of such people, I think I'd rather not go. Whether I am judging these things or discerning good and evil, I don't really care. But I wonder, how can someone believe in Jesus and not show any signs of being saved?

So I tell everyone, the most corrupting thing for Christians is talking nonsense. One says, "Oh, sister, when were you blessed and saved?" The other says, "I was baptized in 2012, blessed, and born again." Then they ask, "What about you?" And this one says, "Oh, I was two years later, in 2014, blessed, and born again." You know, Christians particularly like to do this, to do it all at once. They feel that once they are baptized, they are saved, and they can go to heaven when they die.

Later, I taught classes in the church, and I hadn't made any courseware. Anyway, after I searched, it didn't match what I observed at all. What I observed was not like that. Brothers and sisters, you can tell just by looking. I thank God that in the first two years of my faith, God didn't let me see these things. But after two years, it seemed that my spiritual life had grown, and God showed me a lot of corruption in the church.

I knew a full-time co-worker in the church. He played the drums on stage, and he was very skilled with the drumsticks. He played the drums very well. He led the songs on stage very well. And his posture was so handsome and dashing, it captivated a group of young fans. If you understand, I won't describe it in such a detailed way. But when I interacted with them below the stage, it was bad. One of them borrowed money from me. Wasn't this like borrowing from a stone wall? I'm not a bank, I don't lend money. I saw that there were many shady things in the church. He led worship on stage, playing the drums, super handsome.

I have never been superstitious about idols. No matter how handsome. But when I interacted with him privately, it was over. At that time, I made a small decision. In the future, when I talk about Jesus Christ, I will talk about it honestly. What I am when I speak, that's what I am as a person. I am like this. I am honest, I don't talk nonsense. I am not one way on stage and another way off stage.
Later, I slowly observed, and after observing, the person on stage really seemed like Jesus. If he permed his hair and put on a brown robe, and carried a small canvas bag, oh my goodness, he looked super like the Jesus in the movie "Jesus." He should go and film the movie "Jesus."

This thing started from that time.

Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. (Philippians 3:2-6)

But do you think Paul would boast about these things? Boasting about these things, running around naked all day, "I'm circumcised." On the street, "Come and see, what's so good about it?" Looking at it, what's it like? It doesn't look like Jesus Christ. Whether it's about background, baptism, the law, circumcision, or whatever. Actually, no matter what mark you make on the flesh, or whatever. It's useless. Is it a head full of bad ideas, a stomach full of diarrhea? It's nothing, it's useless. What should we talk about? We should talk about whether we are like Jesus or not. We should talk about whether we are like Jesus or not.

So why did I want to establish a church later? Because I saw too many false things in the church. People say, "There are also many false things in your church." I'm not surprised. Anyone can mix into the church, but because of what? Because you are not the standard, but Jesus Christ is the standard. Don't get it wrong.

Like you, I don't think I have attained it myself, because I treasure Jesus Christ above all else. This is what the Apostle Paul said. Like you, I am not perfect, I have not attained it, but I strive. I only have one thing, I forget what lies behind, strain forward, and press on toward the goal. Who is the goal? The goal is Jesus!

How much do you resemble Jesus? You have no ability to cast out demons, but you are very good at casting out Jesus. You have no ability to cast out demons, but you are very good at judging the church and judging pastors. I once met some pastors who had a very powerful saying: "They have no ability to cast out demons, but they are very good at casting out pastors." What is this all about?

The Standard of a Christian's Pursuit is Jesus Christ

How much do you resemble Jesus? If you really have something, take it out and show it. Don't take that thing out, that thing is meaningless. I speak a bit rudely, but it's really meaningless. Someone says, "Ah, I saw Jesus last night." I say, "Come on." Did you take a picture? They say, "No picture, no proof." Don't talk nonsense. You saw Jesus? I say, "With your appearance, you saw Jesus? How come I can't see Jesus seeing you?"

The standard of pursuit is to be like Jesus. So the Chinese Mingding Doctrine speaks very frankly about this. Why did the Apostle Paul write to the Philippians? The Philippians felt, "Look, our church is better than the church in Galatia; our church is better than the church in Corinth. Oh, our church is so great." Really?

So brothers and sisters, don't think that I have come to the Chinese Mingding Doctrine, I am in a victorious church. Look, last week I gave a testimony, it was about my testimony. So what? That thing is useless. It's just that you experienced Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the standard we pursue. It's not that you have received grace, but because the one who serves you makes you receive grace.

So in our church, there are many amazing management methods. Those who serve have the say, those who don't serve stand aside. You say I donate a lot, you donate a lot, you also stand aside. This place is about who is more pursuing on the road of imitating Jesus Christ.

I tell you, brothers and sisters, don't be like what I said in the first point, the most corrupting statement a Christian can make: "Look how glorious I am." I say, "How are you glorious?" Someone says, "Look, I don't owe any money." Not owing money is glorious? Heavens. Another person says, "Look how glorious I am." I say, "What's wrong?" They say, "Look, my life is pretty good, my job is pretty good, I don't owe any money, I have savings, and my health is good."
Compared to the standard of Jesus Christ, it's far, far away. So I tell everyone, it's not about circumcision or not, attaining or not, being saved or not, it's about whether you are like Jesus or not!

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. (Philippians 3:20-21)

Do you understand? What are we pursuing? We are pursuing that one day we will really become perfect. When Jesus comes again, all our labor on earth, all the effects of our service, all the hope and striving in our hearts. Then tell everyone, "Forgetting what lies behind, straining forward," when we are on earth, it is like being in heaven. According to the standard of Jesus Christ, when you are on earth, you are increasingly pursuing to be like Jesus, how can you not be like Jesus?

If when you are on earth, you are pursuing to be like a demon, focusing only on your own belly. Your belly is your god, you glory in your shame, even though you are baptized, and you say, "I was baptized and saved in 2012." When Jesus comes, you will still become a pig. Become a dog, become a donkey. Where is the likeness of Jesus Christ?

So brothers and sisters, you must know that the Chinese Mingding Doctrine's view of salvation is about what you are like when you are alive. Is it real or not? Later, in many years of constantly establishing churches, we established the theological system of the Chinese Mingding Doctrine. The Chinese Mingding Doctrine is a set of pursuing to be like Jesus Christ, that is our example. How much do you resemble Him? When you open your mouth, you reveal the taste of discerning good and evil, how can you be like Jesus?

If we are all pursuing to be like Jesus, what do you think will happen? Oh my goodness, when people come to you, you are like Jesus, and they will be healed when they come to you. Your service is simply laying down your life to serve. That's great, when people see it, oh my goodness, it's so good! So sometimes I want to be a little Versailles, not a Pharisee, but a Versailles, being a Pharisee is bad.

You know, many of these non-believers, when they interact with me, they feel very good. They say, "Teacher, I don't know why, but when I talk with you, I feel very comfortable." Because I consider living to be vanity, so you feel very comfortable interacting with me.

So brothers and sisters, you must know that you are full of positive energy. I also want to tell everyone, I am really full of positive energy. Whatever I do, I do it well, working is like working, serving is like serving. How good is that! Because of what? Because I take Jesus Christ as my example. Later, they discussed with me, they said, "There are several very厉害 carpenters: Lu Ban, Zhuge Liang, Jesus Christ." Jesus Christ is much more 厉害 than Lu Ban!

I tell you, if you can live out the glorious likeness of Jesus Christ on earth, your life will not have been in vain. That is also the salvation that Jesus Christ accomplished for us by dying on the cross, that is really good! Your whole being exudes the likeness of Jesus Christ.

Sometimes when I share testimonies, there are some stories I particularly like to tell. Once, someone invited me to dinner, I went to his place, I stayed in their hot spring villa. A hot spring villa, after staying there, it's just like that. When he invited me to dinner, I shared these things about the Chinese Mingding Doctrine with him. He said, "Pastor, let me ask you a question: Are there nine hundred and ninety-nine people going to hell and one going to heaven? Or are there nine hundred and ninety-nine people going to heaven and one going to hell?"

I said, "I haven't been to that place. If I had, I would tell you. I'm just afraid that if I go and can't come back, I won't be able to tell you." He laughed. I said, "But I have a logic. If you live like Jesus, you go to Jesus; if you live like the devil, you go to the devil. So let's look in the mirror and see who we resemble."

Why do I have such a pursuit? I want to share something from the bottom of my heart. I feel that life is meaningless, truly utterly meaningless. There's no point in living. Later, I met Jesus Christ, and I transformed this meaningless life into something meaningful.

Do you know why? Because originally, people lived to pursue being like Jesus. How wonderful it is to be like Jesus! So I started down this path, climbing up little by little from being weak, rotten, and terrible. Ah, thinking and feeling, how wonderful it is to live out the image of Jesus Christ! Wouldn't you say that's quite a pursuit?

I tell you all, I am truly pursuing. Pursuing what? Pursuing knowing Jesus Christ. What is the topic of Chinese Mingding Doctrine? Knowing God is endless. Don't think that you have already attained it, or that you are already perfect, or that you are already saved. Strive to pursue, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, pressing on toward the goal. The goal is Jesus Christ. Ah, how wonderful, it sounds so good!

Later, I told everyone that this has become a very clear view of salvation in Chinese Mingding Doctrine. What is salvation? While alive, live out the glorious image of God, a noble image, full of power. Isn't that good? No need to prepare for getting cancer, what's the point of preparing for that? Someone said, "One million is not enough for me. I changed a liver, and it didn't work. Then another kidney cost 500,000." I said, "Why don't you just change your head? When I see you again, I won't recognize you because your head has been replaced."

If medicine were so advanced that they could give you a pig's liver or a pig's kidney, and if it were even more advanced, they could replace your brain with a pig's brain, how much money would it take to solve the problem? Ah, it's better not to solve it. It's better to live out the image of God through the salvation of Jesus Christ while you are alive. What else do I need? I have a priceless treasure.

So from knowing Jesus Christ until today, I feel that Jesus Christ is a priceless treasure. Many people are very bad. Do you know how bad they are? When things are fine, they push Jesus aside: "Jesus, don't bother me, I'm busy." But when trouble comes, they come looking for Jesus. Wouldn't you say that's bad?

Regarding Knowing My Lord Jesus Christ as Supreme

This is Paul's attitude. Why should we imitate Paul? Imitate these things, regarding knowing Jesus Christ as supreme. Don't think that having a small surgery on your genitals is great; don't think that being baptized into Jesus Christ is great; don't think that being healed from illness is great; and certainly don't think that getting a sales order or a customer through Jesus Christ is great. Regard Jesus Christ as supreme. Consider everything else as loss.

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. (Philippians 3:7)

Paul thought this was meaningful and that was meaningful, but later he found that none of it was meaningful.

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:8)

Why? Because he hasn't fully attained it, he's not quite like Him yet. Still far away, he finds that the more he walks, the less he resembles Him.

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:9-11)

Do you see that? This is what Paul encourages us to imitate. We must imitate the Apostle Paul. This is how the Apostle Paul believed in the Lord. It's good to believe in the Lord this way. Our original way of believing, saying "I am already saved," that's too rotten. What is that? It's garbage, it's dung.

I lament, discarding everything and regarding it as dung. If you have such a heart, brothers and sisters, you haven't reached this stage yet. I don't require you to reach that stage, but you cannot change the standard of Jesus Christ. If you haven't reached that point, see it from afar, this is my pursuit. Adjust your eyes to a 45-degree angle and look up. You say, "Ah, 45 degrees," adjust it to 60 degrees, that's fine too. If you want, adjust it to 90 degrees, always look up. Once you see the glorious image of Jesus Christ, that is my pursuit. Then you will see the glory of God, and everything on earth will be dim and meaningless.
Brothers and sisters must know that believing in the Lord is the key. You see, some people come to me and say, "Ah, teacher, my son; my work; this and that." What about the end? I tell you, if you are always focused on earthly things, then you will get earthly things. If you are destined to get cancer, you will get cancer; if you are destined to get lupus, you will get lupus; whatever you are destined to get, you will get.

If you are willing to repent and say, "Ah, I made a mistake in the past," you may still have a chance because God has abundant grace and mercy. But if you continue to run according to the flesh, our God will send someone to serve the enemies who attack him. What can we do? We cannot go against God, can we? If we imitate Jesus Christ, we will also send one over.

So brothers and sisters, be careful. If you do not regard Jesus Christ as supreme, if you regard Jesus Christ as a rag, if you regard Jesus Christ as a stepping stone, if you regard Jesus Christ as your maid, as your servant, what do you think God will do to you? Such a precious gospel, such a powerful gospel, has been twisted and misunderstood. According to their own will, they say, "Jesus, come here!" Do you think He is your servant? He is the King of Heaven, that's no joke.

You cannot say, "Look, I'm sick, and you don't care about me." Isn't your illness caused by Jesus sending a little demon to mess with you? You must fear Him. If you don't fear Him, who else will He mess with? You say, "Why is God so bad?" But God's standard is established in heaven. If you do not follow God's word and do not carefully obey, you will be cursed. If you carefully obey, you will be blessed. Never argue with God. Never use Jesus Christ as a servant. He is the King of Heaven, not a joke.

If you regard Jesus Christ as supreme, if you believe in Jesus Christ, and through faith in Jesus Christ you gain righteousness, what happens? God counts you as righteous instead of a sinner, and demons have no right over you. Remember, if you don't do this, God will count you as a sinner. Demons can legally corrupt sinners. God cannot be mocked! Do you understand? I encourage everyone not to mock God anymore.

If you mock God, the demons behind your family are already very powerful, and then they deceive you, and you follow them, thinking you are not bad. Thinking you are not bad is very hateful. If you think you are not bad, will you still strive to pursue? Will you still forget what is behind, strive toward what is ahead, and press on toward the goal? Will you still imitate the Apostle Paul, imitate Jesus Christ? No. You think you are not bad? You say, "What? I have already believed in the Lord like this, what else do you want me to do? I tithe every month." Bad, pride has come.

Ah, don't argue with God, what's the point of arguing about this? We are sinners, but God has opened a way for us to live out His glory. We were originally sinners, we should have been cursed, but God gave us His Son Jesus Christ, who shed His blood and sacrificed Himself for us, dying on the cross to save us from this dark power, so that we can live out His glorious image. But look in the mirror and see how you are living.

You say, "Teacher, I feel uncomfortable when I hear you say this." Shouldn't you feel uncomfortable? You have not regarded Jesus Christ as supreme, and you still feel uncomfortable after hearing what I said. Can the demons not make you uncomfortable? It sounds good to listen to, yes, it feels good to take drugs, but what's the point?

Some people say, "Teacher, I am stumbled by what you say." I say, "Come on, you have never stood up." Some people say, "Ah, I feel uncomfortable in my heart when you say this." Shouldn't you feel uncomfortable? Some people say, "Ah, I feel like there is a voice of accusation when I hear you say this." Shouldn't you be accused? I am thinking, it seems that I don't regard Jesus Christ as supreme, and I still think I am right. Wouldn't you say that people are quite bad?

Maybe what I am saying is not suitable for you to hear, then you can go and listen to those things, like the gospel of grace, which is very comforting. But after being comforted, when trouble comes and the demons come, see if you will still be comforted when the demons comfort you.

This is because our requirements and standards are Jesus Christ. Because Jesus Christ is a supreme treasure, we regard Jesus Christ as a supreme treasure. If you don't regard Him as a supreme treasure, that's okay, there are many churches that are especially suitable for you. Our standard is established in heaven and cannot be changed. How can we change it? If we use you as the standard, it will be bad. Many people think they are the standard of the world, but that is a very rotten standard.

Not That I Have Already Obtained All This, or Have Already Arrived at Perfection, but I Press On

Don't get it wrong, Paul is not saying that I am already perfect, I have already attained it, there is no such thing, but I press on.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at perfection, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)

This prize is being like Jesus, like God, that is the glory of God.

All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. (Philippians 3:15)

How straightforward this is. If you think you are a mature person, you should strive to pursue. If you are not a mature person, you have nothing to say, you should strive to pursue. If you are a mature person, you should strive to pursue, if you are not a mature person, you should also strive to pursue, if you are not mature, will you not strive to pursue?

So, if you think you are a mature person, this is actually a very sarcastic remark. You Philippians, you think you are not bad. You are better than the Corinthian church, but according to the standard of Jesus Christ, you are far, far away. Think about it slowly. I advise everyone to strive to pursue in Christ Jesus.

Later, I realised that I could return to my hometown. So what if you are capable? I tell everyone, who can return to their hometown? If you are Abraham, you cannot return to your hometown. If you are Isaac, you cannot return to your hometown. But if you are Jacob, you can return to your hometown. Why? The level of faith is different. If you are Joseph, you can go anywhere. Do you all understand now?

Therefore, we must strive diligently. Do not ever think that you are already good enough. The moment you think you are good enough, disaster is near. Job thought he was good enough, and as a result, he suffered many calamities. Many among us think highly of themselves. Look at that, it is not the attitude of someone who is striving diligently. Look at that, it is not someone pressing on toward the goal. As soon as they achieve something, they think they are good enough. And what happens? Disaster strikes, and you cannot withstand it at all; you are powerless to resist. Only those who have the strength of an old horse feel they are good enough.

Whether it is a matter of life or death, I feel distressed in my heart. Why am I distressed? Because I see that many brothers and sisters truly lack the habit of striving diligently. I wish that brothers and sisters would imitate me, as I truly imitate the Apostle Paul, and I truly imitate Jesus Christ. This is not boasting, but I am truly striving diligently. If I say too much, you might think I am boasting again, but I truly feel that I have not attained enough; I have attained too little. I truly believe that I am far from perfect.

For example, a child who is taking the university entrance exam thinks they will get into Tsinghua or Peking University. From the first year of high school, they think they are going to Tsinghua or Peking University. Even the dog thinks it is going to Tsinghua or Peking University. But when they graduate from the third year of high school and take the exam, they cannot even get into a third-tier university. Why? Because they are watching television and scrolling on their phones, thinking, "How wonderful, I have already gone to Tsinghua or Peking University."
Never think that you are already perfect. I still feel that I am not perfect, and you must know that I often feel indebted to you all. If you think that I truly owe you something, then that is bad. Why do I feel that I owe you? Because I want to strive diligently to continue to break through. I want to go the extra mile; that is my pursuit. Is my service good enough? It is better than many, but I still feel that it is not good enough, not yet like Jesus Christ, not yet like the Apostle Paul.

Let us talk about shepherding. Our shepherding is truly just a drop in the ocean. Therefore, brothers and sisters should always have a sense of indebtedness. Do you truly have a sense of indebtedness? If you do not have a sense of indebtedness and you think you are good enough, you are definitely finished. Do not even think about it; God hates such people the most. I am speaking a bit harshly. Paul has not attained it, yet you think you have attained it? Do you think you are more capable than Paul? But I have a saying: "Is it a mule or a horse? Take it out for a spin." Once you spin it, it starts to leak. Once you put it to work, it is full of excrement and urine, like a lazy donkey on the millstone.

You say, "Pastor, after listening to you, I feel that I am far, far behind." You have spoken the truth. If you feel that you are far, far behind, that is excellent. But if you say, "Pastor, I am very discouraged. After you finished speaking, you destroyed my faith," I say, "Stop it. You did not have any faith to begin with, and I destroyed it? I do not have that ability."

Paul thought, after writing this, "Oh no, I have destroyed the faith of the Philippian brothers and sisters. I praised them for so long, but after reading this, oh my goodness." So what did Paul say?

Only Let Us Live Up to What We Have Already Attained

That Paul reached this point is especially precious. For the sake of gaining Christ, I consider everything else as dung. What level have you reached? You have reached a level where you consider 10% of things as dung. If you consider 10%, thank God. Right? "Oh, actually, I also see many things as not so important, but my work is still very important." That is fine; you are at that level. But can you go from considering 10% as dung to 20%? Can you consider 20% of things as dung? Can you go to 40%, 40% as dung? Can you go to 80%? You say, "Pastor, your speed is too fast; it has doubled all at once." Is it fast?

All economic growth is exponential growth. Did you know that? Inflation is exponential inflation. The interest on money in the bank is exponential interest, called compound interest. So how can such a good investment as becoming like Jesus Christ not grow exponentially? But still, only let us live up to what we have already attained.

I am not very capable; I only consider 10% as dung, and I still think I am good enough. In the end, everything in the world is precious to me. How can you possibly have joy? Everything can suppress you, everything can control you, and you still think you are good enough. You cannot even be criticised for doing poorly; as soon as you are criticised, you discern good and evil. How can you possibly live out the image of God?

Brothers and sisters, if a three-year-old child does what a three-year-old child should pursue! If a seven-year-old child does what a seven-year-old child should pursue! If you are over twenty years old and still pursuing the achievements of a first-grader! Is that not a waste of life? The more you live, the more you regress. Who can you face? First, you are letting yourself down; second, you are letting down your parents who gave birth to you; third, you are letting down God. Do you understand?

What level have you reached? When you first believe in the Lord, God protects you and is gracious to you. Strive diligently. After a few years, when you can serve, live up to the level where you can serve. Take one step forward at a time, and never retreat on this path of faith. I do not turn back. Remember, when I am seven years old, I think three years old is good. Look at how good the skin of a three-year-old child is. I even look at three months old; three months old is so fun. Let us play with you as a three-month-old child. We think it is quite fun to watch. Look how good three years old is, such a big head. Over thirty years old and still have a three-year-old's head. Not a three-year-old's head, but a three-year-old's brain. Does that not worry you? Your parents are worried to death, and God is also worried sick.

So when Paul looked at the Philippians, he said, "Imitate me. Strive diligently, do not be complacent, do not stagnate, like a giant infant." Some people graduate from university and are deeply in debt. What do you do? Why? Because the thoughts in their minds are still stubborn, always clinging to their own ideas, always wanting to be themselves. But the way they turn out is not good. Stop being yourself. If you want to be someone, be like Jesus Christ; that is so much better.

Do Not Be Enemies of the Cross of Christ

I tell you, people live out corruption because they have become enemies of God. Do you all understand now? This short book of Philippians has taken me fifty minutes to explain. How did they become enemies of the cross of Christ? They consider everything precious and set their minds on earthly things. In the end, they glory in their shame.

For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. (Philippians 3:18)

I ask you, is Paul praising the Philippians or admonishing them? He is admonishing them. If I were serving the Philippians, I would say, "What are you thinking? Your heads are full of nonsense." That is how I would serve. Paul tells them with tears; it is hard work. The Philippian church that he worked so hard to build, a group of very lovely brothers and sisters, was corrupted by these dogs.

They have already obtained the assurance of salvation, they already think they are good enough, they already think they have received grace and are saved, they already think they are born again and saved. But they do not have the image of God. Are they not setting their minds on earthly things? Their god, their end is destruction. Their god is their stomach, they glory in their shame, and they set their minds on earthly things. Did the Philippians follow these people? They probably did. There are many of these people in the Philippian church, causing corruption.

What is happening? You already have the assurance of salvation? You are already saved? Once saved, always saved? Who are these people? I can tell you that these people are quite corrupt, lying through their teeth, are they not? Lying through their teeth. They do not have the image of God. What is the point of comforting people with false things?

Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must know that in Chinese Mingding Doctrine, I will definitely attack the pride within me. I will also definitely attack the pride within you. Do not think that you have already attained it. If something happens, it is normal. Do not say, "Look, I am so spiritual, why is this happening to me?" How could you say such a thing? Oh, brothers and sisters. Set your minds on the glory of God. Let us brothers and sisters be of one mind and live out the glory of God. Do not be like the Philippians, nor like the Corinthians, and even less like the Galatians. They get confused all the time. At first, their minds are confused, then slowly their brains are also confused, and then they lie in bed confused. Is that not a waste of life?

A person's life. Even if you strive diligently, you may not be able to reach the point of being completely like Jesus Christ. If you do not strive diligently, you are letting God down, letting yourself down, and letting down the glory of God. It is not because God lacks your glory, but because you are letting down the glory of God that you should have lived out. Can you belittle your work? If you belittle it, it will not control you. Can you belittle this trivial matter that you are pursuing? What is the point of earthly things? There is really no point. I wish that brothers and sisters would not experience those disasters. But I tell you, a person who sets their mind on earthly things glories in their shame.

Rejoice in the Lord

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. (Philippians 3:1)

If the Philippians are like that, can they rejoice? It is difficult. Someone says, "Pastor." I say, "What is it?" "My work!" Someone says, "Pastor." I say, "What is it?" She says, "Oh, my husband!" Someone says, "Pastor." I say, "What is it?" She says, "I really want to find someone to marry." What is that? It is all about those things. Oh, someone says, "Pastor, I feel so sad again." I laugh hahaha. To tell you the truth, I am crying in my heart. Although I laughed just now, I am actually crying. I say, "When will it end?" I cry and urge everyone, stop being sad.

Look, there is a joke that is written very well. What place disciplines people the most? Then it says the barracks, no. School, no. Hospital. Everyone in the hospital is like an animal. Once they are put on the bed, they are cut open everywhere. Cutting people's flesh is like cutting pork. Is that not an animal? And they are still unhappy in their hearts.

Go and take a look, the equipment in the orthopaedic department is just like the equipment we use for carpentry. Ah, a power saw, a drill, screwing in a screw, it is disgusting, covered in blood. Is that not how it is? Really, if you are not there, and you cover it with a cloth, you really cannot tell whether it is human flesh or pork.

Think about it slowly, why do we have to be cut open like pork when we have such good grace from Jesus Christ? Oh, I am really moved in my heart. Brothers and sisters, you must know that you must never waste such good grace, you must cherish it!

When we continue to store up wrath for ourselves until God's wrath, there is basically not much chance to turn back. Start to turn around and imitate the Apostle Paul. I tell you, when you consider everything as dung, you will live in joy all your life.

Paul said, "To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you." This is what Paul wrote to the Philippians. Do you think these words are pleasant to hear? They are not pleasant to hear. I let you rejoice, what trouble is it for me? Go and see how you are living, how entangled you are, your faces are as bitter as gourd skin, your whole bodies are withered. You are worried about this thing all day long, worried about that thing, why are you not worried about the kingdom of God?

Rejoice in the Lord! I tell you, a person who is not joyful, who is entangled in this thing today and that thing tomorrow, will either get cancer soon, or get lupus soon, or get some other difficult problem soon. The gospel of Jesus Christ is so good, listen to it carefully.

May God bless you all!