Living outside of the Beast’s power and control
PHILIPPIANS 3
What is it like to live outside the Beast’s kingdom, power and control? That kingdom where everyone lives for the success, merchandise, dainties, experiences, and pleasures provided by the Beast?
and that no one will be able to buy or sell , except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.–REVELATION 13:17 AMP
In this world system, managed and controlled by what the Bible calls the Beast, the mind is taken captive, away form life, in a system of deterioration. From the cradle to the grave mankind is educated (programmed) to pursue pleasures along the path to death. This is the only hope given by the Beast. We now call it accomplishing “the bucket list” by those successfully progressing along this path of diminishing pleasures.
The educators in the Beast’s system are dogs” in business suits and decorated religious robes.
Paul abandons his bucket list, andescapes his soul into the kingdom of God, toward everlasting life ,–never looking back. Along this (New Birth from cradle to glory) path, the knowledge necessary for progress is exclusively of the Logos. And it is ever increasing with each step predestined by God in heaven.
You will notice at the end of chapter 3, Paul is led by the Spirit to warm again about the Beast and his teachers the dogs in this dying world system.
“Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain into the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark [identify and follow] them which walk so as ye have us for an example.
THE DOGS WORKING FOR THE BEAST TEACH AND LEAD TOWARD DESTRUCTION
(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 [like dogs], and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) [They are spiritually dead, and only know the Beast’s earthly system.]
THE PATH TO LIFE, BORN FROM ABOVE TO SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD (Jhn. 3)
“For our conversation [the kingdom of which we are citizens] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.–Philippians 3:2-3, 7-14, 17-21 KJV