Many . . . walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 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 3:18–21

Change requires both work and surrender. Paul says, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”—the Philippians were responsible to fight for their faith (Phil. 2:12). Yet he adds, “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (v. 13). In Scripture we are called to work because God works in us. In your battle against addictive habits, you will have to both work and surrender.

This duality is important. If you don’t fight sin, you will never change. You will fail to follow Jesus. Yet, if you think that all your striving is what produces change, you will drift toward self- reliance and self-righteousness.

Paul warns in Philippians 3 that we are not to neglect the first part of this equation: our responsibility. Verses 18 and 19 set up the warning. There are some who Paul says “walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.” Their lifestyle denies or distorts the gospel of Jesus. “Their god is their belly”—they are ruled by their desires. “They glory in their shame”—they delight in immorality. They set their minds “on earthly things”—they are consumed with ungodly thoughts. Their end is destruction. It’s a warning to all: if you do not make it your goal to follow Jesus, you will be an enemy of the cross. Paul warns us to strive after godliness.

Yet Paul reassures us, too. If all our hope hinged on our faithfulness, we would have little reason to hope. We are frail and fickle. Paul gives this encouragement in verses 20–21: Jesus Christ will transform you. While these “enemies” have their minds set on earthly things, Christians have a “citizenship . . . in heaven, and from it we await a Savior.” We have every reason to hope, because this Savior is coming. He will transform our weakness, frailty, fickleness, and inconsistency. The same “power that enables him even to subject all things to himself ” is the power at work in us. We can trust this Savior because he “[works] in us that which is pleasing” to him (see Heb. 13:21). We have the promise that “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). This is a rock-solid guarantee. We labor against our addiction because ultimately God will change us.

God calls you to action—there is no passivity in the Christian life. Yet you have this confidence: the Lord Jesus Christ will transform you! His work is the sure guarantee of your hope; your work is the response of confidence.

—David R. Dunham, author, Addictive Habits