Thursday, January 22, 2004

Philippians--Joy in Service

This is lesson 8 in a study of Philippians. To start at the beginning, click here.

Paul moves from the attitudes we as Christians must develop to some personal matters.

But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me; and I trust in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly. 

But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need; because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard; because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me. (Philippians 2:19-30)

We can surmise from this that Epaphroditus is carrying Paul's letter the to Philippian Church. We can also surmise that he had brought news and financial support to Paul from the Philippians. Paul calls him a brother, fellow worker, and fellow solider. As a Christian, Epaphroditus was a brother. As one who labored for the spread of the gospel, he was a fellow worker. As one who endured hardship and exhibited discipline, and life-risking self-sacrifice, he was a fellow soldier. Paul advises the Philippians to "hold men like him in high regard." Indirectly we come face to face with the cost of discipleship. In a later letter to Timothy, Paul writes:

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. (2 Timothy 2:1-7)

Paul plans to send Timothy to the Philippians, but not until Paul is more sure of his personal status. Indeed, I get the idea that Paul would like to travel with Timothy. Timothy is one who is genuinely concerned for the welfare of the churches. It seems that many traveling evangelists are not. Although Paul earlier was pleased just to know that Christ is preached, he advises the saints to be wary of them. Once again, character matters.

Friday: The Legalists

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Tuesday, January 20, 2004

Philippians--Joy in Service

This is lesson 8 in a study of Philippians. To start at the beginning, click here.

Do small actions matter?

Let me begin a different way. Who got to you today? Who got under your skin? Who did you talk to about this irritation? What people brought their relational gripes to you? Where did the conversation go?

Such small things. Such a small attitude. It's common.

Do such things matter all that much? Paul would say, "Yes!"

Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me. (Philippians 2:14-18)

"Do all things without grumbling or disputing" Why?

  • It is proves that we are innocent and blameless.
  • It shows that we are children of God.
  • It is the way that we appear as lights in the world of a crooked and perverse generation.
  • It shows that the word of life actually has had an effect on the way that we conduct ourselves

It would seem that small things can matter in a big way. It would seem that the choice before us is to "Be a grumbler" or "Be a light." When we grumble and dispute among ourselves we damage the message we are hear to proclaim.

The correction to this is to take Paul's words in reverse order:

  • Learn and hold fast to the word of life. This is the gospel message of salvation by faith and walking by the Holy Spirit so that His fruit becomes manifest in out life. Hold fast the word of life, walk by the Spirit, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and many other New Testament phrases communicate this principle.
  • This will lead to our living increasingly blameless and innocent lives. We will not be burdened and made irritable by guilt and regret. We will have more open and direct fellowship with God. We will become quick forgivers, because we will increasingly know that for which we have been forgiven.
  • Our tendency to be cheerful will lift the mood of others. As more do the same, our labors will be characterized by unity of purpose and harmony. Grumbling and disputes will not dominate our relationships with each other.
  • The world will then know that we our Jesus' disciples by the love that we manifestly show each other and we will be like lights in a crooked and perverse world.

This is such a fitting conclusion to this section of Philippians that began with "If there is any encouragement in Christ," moved through "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus," challenged with "work out your salvation with fear and trembling," and now shows the fruit to cast light in a dark world.

Surely this is enough to make us want to do better. What disputes are you willing to drop? Who can you forgive for the sake of peace? What restitution can you bring to someone you have wronged? Paul is not talking about heresy or exhortation or such things as will build up the body. Paul is talking about the everyday stuff that we let get between us.

So please take the time to read and grasp all that Paul has said in these short 18 verses:

  • Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 
  • Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 
  • Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, 
    • although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 
    • but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 
    • Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 
    • For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 
  • So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. 
  • Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. 
  • But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. 
  • You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me. (Philippians 2:1-18)

This is a good path.

Thursday: Note bearers

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Monday, January 19, 2004

Philippians--Joy in Service

This is lesson 7 in a study of Philippians. To start at the beginning, click here.

We receive the free gift of salvation by faith. 

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

There is nothing that we can do that will obligate the Lord to grant us heaven. If there was something, then we could boast in the achievement. Since no one can, there is no room for boasting, but there is plenty of room for gratitude.

Salvation is a free gift--at least free for us. It cost Jesus plenty. It is a rich gift that not only provides a future home with the Lord, but provides real benefit today while we breathe this creation's air.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

"But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the Lord, "I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." (Jeremiah 31:33) 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25)

What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? (James 2:14)

You can read the Bible and believe what it says about God and His Messiah who died on the cross. You can say to yourself that this is true, but until you cross the line and commit your life to the truth, you have knowledge and knowledge is not faith. Believing something to be true is not faith. Faith is trusting that something is true. If I have faith, I will be saved. This is so important that we owe it to ourselves to know that our faith is genuine. This is why Paul then writes to the Philippian saints:

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13)

These words demand that we slow down and understand them. I have heard quips about "working out the salvation that God has worked in" and that is not wrong. But does such a quip explain the "fear and trembling" part? Perhaps not. Here are some of my ideas:

  • Salvation is about receiving forgiveness for the sin that we have committed so that we can have a relationship with God. If a gospel presentation emphasizes eternal life in heaven over eternal life with God, it has a subtle appeal to self-interest and may not awaken faith. I have written more about this in an essay on the Parable of the Rich Young Ruler.
  • Being casual about sin and righteousness after professing faith is a bit like flirting with others after marriage. There is a loving God to please and His Presence to seek. This is not the same as legalism. My wife works to please me not by following a list of demands that I have written, but because she loves me and has come to know me. I have done the same with here. Pleasing God and obedience is a matter of our hearts and the desire to know and please Him is an expected byproduct of faith.

God wants us to succeed. As Paul writes, "it is God who is at work in you." If we have no interest in making manifest His work in us, then we should fear and tremble until we know why.

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (1 Peter 1:6-7)

Peter tells us that having a proven faith is more precious than gold. He also tells us that suffering and persecution is part of proving our faith to be true. When trials come your way, do you find evidence of your inner faith working itself out for yourself and others to see?

Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32-33)

Making faith a private affair is like keeping a marriage secret.

When a Christian has proven faith, he or she has an assurance of salvation and Paul's words about "fear and trembling" cause no concern. Such proof lies in:

  • A hunger for God's presence.
  • A desire to please Him out of love and affection.
  • A new understanding of Scripture as you read or hear it.
  • A life that moves towards maturity.
  • Growing compassion and love for others

My desire is that this lesson finds you as comfortable at the end as you felt at the beginning. Such a thing does not require perfection, only growth. Do you see your faith actively working in your members resulting in change over time?

Tuesday: Paul's evidences for a worked out salvation.

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