Worshiping the Gut God

“Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is their shame, with minds set on earthly things” (Philippians 3:19).

Queen rocked the national anthem of instant gratification. “I want it all! I want it all! I want it all! And I want it now!!” We live in a world dominated by the pursuit of our pleasure right here and right now. Yeah, I said “we.” As much as I like to fool the dude in the mirror, I’m just as guilty as anyone. But long before Freddie Mercury and the boys belted it out, the Apostle Paul wrote all about this very same self-centered you-only-live-once attitude. With tears running down his face, he warns his friends in Philippi how his heart breaks for those opposed to Jesus. “Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is their shame, with minds set on earthly things” (v19). Picture someone gunning a sports car at top speed headed for a bridge that’s out. They’re so caught up in the rush they can’t see the consequences. Their gut is their god. They’re proud of what they should be ashamed of. They’re completely focused on the short term. And it’s not going to end well.  

Paul is in the middle of one of writing a letter that just oozes with joy. The man from Tarsus may be behind bars in Rome (Phil 1:7, 13), but loves him some Philippians (Phil 1:3-4, 18). Their love for Jesus stokes his fires and pumps his tires (Phil 1:25; 2:17-18). But a funny thing happens smack dab in his delight for his friends back in Macedonia. He suddenly remembers once again those who “walk as enemies of the cross of Christ” (Phil 3:17). His heart aches for these rebels against God’s kingdom. In verse 19, he sees what they can’t or, better yet, what they won’t. They don’t care about the long term consequences. They’re all about the here and now. 

The apostle fast forwards to their dramatic conclusion. “Their end is destruction” (v19). It’s not going to end well. And why should it? When you’re fighting against God as one of the “enemies of the cross” (Phil 3:18), you’re going to lose. Every. Single. Time. Oh, you might think you’ve got the upper hand but it’s not going to last long. Shaking my fist at God might feel good but it’s a REALLY bad idea. Stop and remember exactly Who you’re poking in the chest. He’s the most powerful Being in the universe. He knows everything. He controls everything. He created everything. Did you catch that? EVERYTHING. And He created the entire universe simply by speaking. Why in the world would I think I’ve got any authority to talk back to my Creator? Jesus’ enemies think they’re rebels with a cause. Who does Christ think He is?!? Trying to tell me what to do, when to do it, and who to do it with!! I’ll show Him!!! They’re actually rebels without a clue!

Just about every Bible translates the Greek word here in verse 19 (Gr. apoleia) as “destruction.” It means utter ruin, total waste, or complete loss. The term describes any action demonstrating complete disregard for something. It’s no surprise that the apostle uses this same word when talking about how stupid it is when a clay pot tries to the Potter what to do. “What if God, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction (Gr. apoleia)” (Rom 9:22). God’s enemies gace utter ruin. Total waste. Complete loss. A post-apocalyptic wasteland would look like Cozumel compared to what’s ahead for those who fight against Jesus. 

Instead of worshiping Almighty God, these rebels seek to satisfy their all-hungry gut. “Their god is their belly” (v19). Don’t be fooled. Paul is not simply talking about folks who make never-ending trips to the all-you-can-eat buffet and wrap up their gorge-a-thon under the Chocolate Wonderfall. The word “belly” here is the koilia, literally means the hollow. Often we see it describing a part of the body, like the stomach, intestines, or the digestive tract (Mk 7:19). I’m not sure if Dr. Luke was an OB-GYN, but just about every time he writes about a woman’s womb he uses koilia (Lk 1:15, 41-42, 44; 2:21; 11:27; 23:29; Acts 3:2; 14:8). The apostle uses it here to paint a picture of the emptiness   in each one of us. It’s our desire for gratification of the body. He warns the Roman church to be on the look out for false teachers who are only concerned with satisfying their cravings and addictions. “For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites (Gr. koilia)” (Rom 16:18). Instead of praising Jesus, they worship their gut god.

This is more than just food. Paul makes it clear this is a worship issue. Instead of choosing God, they choose whatever will fill that void in the short run. I don’t have to tell you that this isn’t just a first century issue. Today we have a handy dandy word for it: self-medication. Folks stuff themselves with all sorts of stuff in order to find satisfaction. Food. Alcohol. Drugs. Nicotine. Sex. Porn. Gambling. Shopping. Addiction certainly has a psychological component but the apostle doesn’t want us to miss its spiritual nature. When we worship and satisfy our gut god, we tell Jesus that He’s not enough. What we call instant gratification, God calls idolatry. Sometimes we devote ourselves to activities which clearly do us harm. But other times, we overindulge in something God created for our benefit. As one author likes to say, anytime we take a good thing and make it a god thing, that’s a bad thing. Just because I can, doesn’t mean I should. The apostle says it this way. “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be dominated by anything” (1Cor 6:12). Scientist, mathematician, and theologian Blaise Pascal wrote about this hole and our misguided attempts at worshiping the gut god. “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.” I need to put down the donut and stop worshiping at the altar of the gut god.

Another indication of someone rebelling against God is when “their glory is their shame” (v19). Stated another way, they’re very proud of what they should be very ashamed of. Stuff they should be repenting they’re bragging about on Facebook. Long before the first post on social media, Solomon warns his son about this. “In everything the prudent acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly” (Prov 13:16). Do I flaunt my faults as a way of getting attention? Do I want the world to see just how far I can push past the envelope of decency and self-control? Do I shine the spotlight on my recklessness There’s always somebody willing to do something stupid for a crowd. It usually begins with the infamous words, “Somebody hold my beer.” The New Living Translation paraphrases this as “they brag about shameful things” (v19 NLT). The Message is a bit more, umm, graphic. “Belches are their praise” (v19 The Message). Something tells me they’re NOT excusing themselves. God’s heart breaks for the damage and destruction we do to ourselves when we’re proud of our shame.

The final symptom of speeding toward our destruction is when we have “minds set on earthly things” (v19). A photographer’s tripod head can both tilt up and down as well as pan side to side. If it locks up and can only pan, the photog can only shoot whatever is at eye level. He can do a 360 and spin all the way around, but there’s no way to tilt his camera to record anything else above or below. Think of an enemy of Jesus as having a broken tripod head. All they can see are “earthly things” (v19). The difference is they have absolutely no desire to look up. They fail to look at the supernatural or divine. Sometimes this is arrogance. Sometimes it’s foolishness. Sometimes it’s simply tunnel vision. 

But don’t get cocky and look down on those who don’t look up. You and I fail to tilt and look to God all the time. Do we see random meet ups as divine appointments scheduled for us by Jesus? Do we continually see all the ways God has blessed us? Our families? Our jobs? Our homes? Even what seem to be problems, troubles, and trials? Do we see others as He sees them? Do we keep our eyes peeled for the pain of people He brings into our lives? Do we see their hurt? Do we see their loneliness? It’s okay to look at things here on earth when we look through His lenses. 

Meanwhile there’s that car racing toward that broken bridge. The folks behind the wheel don’t give a hot hoot about what’s ahead. They only care about instant gratification. They've got Queen cranked up on the stereo. Their gut is their god. They’re proud of what they should be ashamed of. They’re completely focused on the short term. And it’s not going to end well.  

Worship in Progress

What are you waiting for? Yeah, I’m talking to you. What needs to happen before you worship God? For many of us who’ve been away from church for a long time, we think we need to get our life together before we can ever dream of getting religious (whatever THAT means!). We think we need to get cleaned up. We think conditions need to be perfect. We think everything needs to be just right. But here in Ezra 3:1-7, you’ll see that the people were so stoked about worshiping God that they weren’t going to let the mess get in their way. They made worship a priority. They didn’t need a building. They didn’t need a temple. They simply needed God. They needed to celebrate who He was and what He has done. It was a work in progress and a worship in progress.

Let’s set the scene. After being held captive in Babylon for 70 years, God’s people are allowed to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. Yahweh had allowed Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians to haul away the Hebrews because they had completely turned their backs on His goodness and grace (2Ki 17:7-1; Jer 2:7-13). But their situation had changed drastically since they had been thrown in the supernatural penalty box. God dropped the hammer on Babylon when He sent King Cyrus and His Persian to knock them off the top spot as the world’s superpower. The LORD then stirred Cy’s heart to let God’s people pack up and head home  (Ez 1:1-4). Almost 50,000 Jews packed up and made the 500 mile trip back home. Just as Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt into the Promised Land, Zerubbabel led them on the Exodus 2.0 (Ez 2). 

Once the Hebrews are back home, the flipped their calendar over to the most special time of the year. “The seventh month came” (v1). This is the seventh month of the Jewish calendar, not seven months after they hit town. It’s Tishrei, a month that falls within our September and October. For the Jewish people, this is the most wonderful time of the year. It’s when they celebrate the high holy days. It’s the Big Three of Hebrew holidays. The Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Booths. The city may be in shambles. The temple may be a pile of rubble. But that’s not going to stop God’s people. Their rebuilding project may be a work in progress but they’re going to worship in progress.

Despite the devastation all around, the people made worship priority one. “They built the altar of the God of Israel,” (v2). They didn’t let the lack of a temple keep them from worshiping God. They knew that this was NOT about a building! They didn’t need some brand spanking new church building in order to thank the LORD for who He was and what He had done. It’s about worshiping God! This is all about keeping the main thing the the main thing. And God is THE Main Thing! Rebuilding the temple is a work in progress. This is worship in progress.

Ezra tells us how they cranked up the grill “to offer burnt offerings on it, as is written in the Law of Moses” (v2). We find all the details of these offerings in everyone’s favorite book of the Bible, Leviticus. The LORD tells Moses all about these in Lev 1:3-17. There we read that we should “offer a male without blemish” (Lev 1:3, 10). That’s a preview of Jesus’ sinless sacrifice for our sin almost 500 years later. The other holy days of the seventh month are also listed in Leviticus (Lev 23:24-44). 

The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) falls on the first day of the seventh month. This is the Jewish New Year’s Day and is a celebration of Creation of Adam and Eve. They blow a ram’s horn called a “shofar” to kick things off (makes me wonder if you have to have a “shofar’s license;” think about that one for a moment). This points us to Jesus “for by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him” (Col 1:16). And for those of us who are “in Christ, he is a new creation” (2Cor 5:17).

On the tenth day of Tishrei, they would celebrate the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). God spends the entire chapter of Leviticus 16 going in great detail of this incredibly important day. This is the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people. As part of an elaborate ceremony, the high priest offers sacrifices as a sin offering for all the people. God uses these sacrifices to cleanse them of both their sins of commission and omission over the past year. Five centuries later, Jesus would one day act as the ultimate High Priest offer Himself for our sins once and for all (Heb 7:24-28; 9:11-14). Because of what Christ did to celebrate the supreme Day of Atonement on Calvary, we no longer have reason to do it every year.

Less than a week later, the Israelites would celebrate the Feast of Booths (Sukkot) on the fifteenth day of the month. They would remember how their ancestors lived in temporary booths when God brought them out of Egypt after Exodus 1.0. It’s a celebration of God’s deliverance from slavery. In 500 years, Jesus would deliver us from our slavery to sin (Rom 6:18).

So what does this passage about the Jewish high holy days have to do with a 21st century follower of Jesus? As you can see, each of these celebrations point to the One who would come to and fulfill them all. They also remind us that we don’t need a temple to worship God. We don’t need a gorgeous church building to show our love to Him. We don’t need to have all our ducks in a row in order express our thanks to Jesus. We don’t have to get ourselves all scrubbed up and buttoned down to worship God. We can worship Him in the rubble. We can worship Him in the mess. We can worship in progress.

Demolition Men

“It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit” (v19).

You don’t mess around with the demolition man. Well, that’s at least Sting’s advice. He sings of a dude who’s all about destruction. “I’m a walking nightmare, an arsenal of doom. I kill conversation as I walk into the room. I’m a three-line whip, I’m the sort of thing they ban. I’m a walking disaster, I’m a demolition man.” The former lead singer of the Police could well be singing about the false teachers in Jude. Jesus’ kid brother screams for everyone to hear about a crew of con artists that are tearing churches apart from the inside out (Jude 4, 8-13, 16, 18). He lets us know that they ultimately try to tear God’s people apart by causing division. They don’t give a rip about anybody but themselves. They’re spiritually bankrupt. They’re demolition men.

Jude begins by referring to a very specific group of people. He’s not just writing in general terms. He’s got his laser-guided weapon locked on a posse of false teachers. “It is these” (v19). The author has been very intentional in calling them out from the crowd. Remember, they’ve worked hard to weasel their way into local churches. Time after time, Jude wants us to know EXACTLY who they are and what they do. “These people…relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones” (Jude 8). “These people blaspheme all that they do not understand” (Jude 10). “These are hidden reefs…waterless clouds…fruitless trees…wild waves of the sea…wandering stars” (Jude 12-13). Jude writes that Enoch, the hall of famer in Genesis, predicted God would judge “these” folks (Jude 14-15). “These” are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage” (Jude 16). Are we clear who “these” people are? Good.

These spiritual hucksters are all about tearing people apart. They “cause divisions” (v19). This is the Greek verb apodiorizo, which means to separate, divide, mark a boundary, set up distinctions, and instigate division between people. The false teachers draw lines that aren’t really there. They pull people apart when Jesus brings them together (Gal 3:26-29; Eph 2:12-22, 4:3-7; Col 3:11). They build walls when Christ is all about knocking them down. They are all about division when Jesus is all about multiplication (Jude 2). They are all about destroying the church that our Savior has promised to build (Mt 16:18). They are demolition men. Let me step back for just a moment. Am I driving a wedge between people? Are my words and my actions paving the way for folks to know Jesus? Am I allowing God to use me as a uniter and not a divider (Phil 2:2)? Am I a demolition man?

Jude goes on to slap the false teachers with the label of “worldly people” (v19). He drops the Greek word psuchikos. This describes a creature driven by appetites and lust apart from God’s Spirit, a being concerned only about the material life. The New King Jimmy translates this as “sensual persons” (v19 NKJV). It’s a term the writers of the New Testament use to talk about folks who don’t see things from God’s perspective. “The natural person (Gr. psuchikos) does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1Cor 2:14). Jude’s other brother James warned about phony wisdom that is “earthly, unspiritual (Gr. psuchikos), demonic” (James 3:15). These spiritual snake oil salesmen only care about themselves. They leave a trail of destruction in their wake. That’s why they’re called the demolition men.

Just to make sure we’re clear on just how sensual and unspiritual the false teachers are, we see that they’re “devoid of the Spirit” (v19). Throughout Scripture, we read that every last one of God’s people receive His Spirit. The Holy Spirit began showing up in a big way in that upstairs bonus room at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). When Jesus saves us, He drenches us in His Spirit. He’s not an option or accessory that’s added later. You have the unlimited power of God living inside you as a believer (1Cor 3:16-17; 6:19). Tony Stark’s arc reactor ain’t got nothing on you. The false teachers are just the opposite of the recipients of Jude’s letter. When it comes to God’s Spirit, these con artists have a big, fat zero. Meanwhile, the followers of Jesus are “praying in the Spirit” (Jude 20). The Apostle Paul wanted his friends in Rome to know the difference too. “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him” (Rom 8:9). We’ve got Spirit, yes, we do! We’ve got Spirit, how ‘bout you? When it comes to God’s Spirit, the false teachers have a big, fat zero. Without the Holy Spirit, the false teachers are spiritually bankrupt. 

These infiltrators are out to sabotage the local church. They try to tear God’s people apart by causing division. They don’t give a rip about anybody but themselves. They’re spiritually bankrupt. They’re demolition men.

Storm Surge and Shooting Stars

“Wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever” (v13).

So what in the wide world of sports do big surf, shooting stars and being afraid of the dark have in common. Well, Jude is so very glad you asked. The first two are descriptions of a crew of false teachers who have infiltrated local churches. The last is their eventual destination thanks to his big Brother. They destroy like the relentless and violent storm surge of a hurricane. They flame out like a shooting star with no lasting impact. But in the end, Jesus has a special place in hell reserved for them. And, unlike Tom Bodett, He will NOT leave the light on for them.

These spiritual snake oil salesmen are such bad news to the Good News that Jude has compared them to several infamous bad guys in the Old Testament. He goes old school because their sin is old school. He equates them to the rebellious Israelites (Num 14:22-23, 29-30, 35,37; Jude 5), the renegade angels (Gen 6:1-5; Ezek 28:14-17; Jude 6), and the Twin Sin Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 18:20-33; 19:1-14, 23-28; Jude 7). But wait, there’s more. Sexual sin, authority rejected, and dignitaries dissed (Jude 8). They don’t know when to shut up (Jude10). Jude flips back into the OT one more time for terrible triple play. In verse 11, he says they’re just like Cain, the first killer (Gen 4:1-15), Balaam, the profitable prophet (Num 22-25), and Korah, the rebel leader (Num 16). You see, their sin is of biblical proportions.

Jude doesn’t stop there. He uses a maritime image by calling these con artists “wild waves of the sea” (v13). They aren’t gently lapping ripples you hear when you’re snoozing in your beach chair. The original Geek text here describes a savage, violent storm surge. This is the fury of the sea unleashed. Have you ever witness the unrelenting fury of a hurricane? It’s absolutely terrifying. The brutal winds drive the surf over the dunes. Wicked waves hammer everything in their path. The false teachers hit town with huge promises of of how their message builds up. In the end, all they door is destroy. Jesus’ little brother isn’t the first one to draw this comparison. About 700 years before, the prophet Isaiah wrote, “But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt” (Is 57:20). The surf is definitely up. But the good news is that Christ can calm any storm.

Look up from the stormy sea to the night sky. These hucksters are just like “wandering stars” (v13). Sounds kind of romantic, doesn’t it? Well, take a closer look. The false teachers are shooting stars. They’re meteors that light up the sky and then disappear. They’re like fireworks exploding which only flame out. You know the kind of people he’s talking about. They ignite put on a dazzling show for a moment but fizzle out with no positive and lasting impact. There for a moment. Gone forever. Like a falling star. This is in huge contrast to Jesus who is the Light of the World (Jn 8:12; 9:5). He never goes out. As a matter of fact, our Savior will personally be the source of light in the New Jerusalem. “And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Rev 21:23). Jesus never flames out.

Jude lets us know that after these false teachers burn up on reentry, they’re eventually headed for hell. “For whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved forever” (v13). Maybe eternal torment and damnation isn’t what he’s talking about. Maybe our buddy Jude is just turning out the lights on them. First of all, there’s the “gloom.” This is the Greek word zophos. It means thick darkness, blackness, and a condition of darkness with feelings of despair and foreboding. Then we read “darkness” (Gr. skotos). It also means the absence of light. Paul used it when writing of the utter blanket of absolute darkness before God created light (2Cor 4:6). The phrase “the gloom of darkness” literally means “the utter blackness of complete darkness.” Jude’s trying to describe the fearful darkness of eternal, conscious punishment. I’m not sure if these con artists are afraid of the dark. But they should be. They will be. Hell is hot. Forever is a long time. It’s also very, very dark.

Don’t worry. Jesus will handle these shysters. He’ll calm the storm. He’ll provide eternal light. And he’ll flip off the switch on the false teachers. Forever.