Thoughts on Philippians – Part 1
PHIL 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
PHIL 1:2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
PHIL 1:3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
PHIL 1:4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
Paul had been called to go into Macedonia and the first place that Paul preached was Philippi. It was the first place in Europe where the gospel was preached.
The first person that Paul preached to was Lydia and the Lord opened her heart. Lydia got saved and a church was started in her house. Paul then cast out an evil spirit from a damsel. Paul and Silas then get thrown into jail. At midnight, God interposed in a remarkable way with an earthquake. The doors of the prison were thrown open, and the jailer and all his family were converted and then baptized.
Later this church at Philippi sent aid to Paul when he was in need.
These are the people Paul is writing to in this letter.
PHIL 1:3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
Paul had many good things to remember about these people. And he gave God the thanks for it. He realized that without God he would never have met them. It was God that sent Paul to them at Philippi.
We should also give God thanks for the people that He brings into our lives.
PHIL 1:4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
PHIL 1:5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
We should also remember the people God brings into our lives in prayer, and we should make requests on their behalf with joy.
PHIL 1:5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
PHIL 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
PHIL 1:7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
They had been in fellowship in the gospel with Paul from the first day he met them until he wrote this letter. They were consistent and faithful to the work for decades by this time. Watching this made Paul confident that His Lord will continue to do a work in them all the way to the end. Either until they died or if Jesus came back before them.
Yes that was about 2,000 years ago and Jesus has not come back yet. But He will. And it could be any day. Some mock Christians for living this way. But this is the way we are to live. Paul and those he was writing this letter to lived with their eye upon the truth that Jesus could come today.
When He comes back is totally the Father’s business. Knowing when is not our place. Our place is to live like it could be today. Living that way changes things. It changes your perspective on the world and the things in the world.
Those things are just not as important when you live with your eye upon the fact that the Lord could come today.
It changes your priorities. It changes how you spend your time and it changes what you think about and it changes the things you do. Living like Jesus could come today changes the things you do and it will change the things that you will not do.
Living like the Lord could come to day is how Jesus wanted all Christians to live for the last 2,000 years. And it is still how Jesus wants us to live today. And one of the main reasons for this is this principal is a huge help to us in living a life that is pleasing to our Lord. Living this way helps us to keep focused on laying up treasures in Heaven on not on this temporary Earth.
PHIL 1:8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
PHIL 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
PHIL 1:10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.
This is another place in the Bible where love and knowledge and judgment and what you do are all connected.
We are to learn more about Jesus and how He wants us to live. Then we are to love Jesus by using that knowledge. Jesus said if ye love me keep my commandments. Love and knowledge and action are tied together.
Learn what Jesus wants. Judge your own life and actions according to that knowledge and then love Jesus by acting accordingly to what you have learned.
This is how to be sincere about your faith and in following Jesus. This is how you live to be without offence till the day of Christ. And of course you cannot grow in knowledge without studying the Bible.
PHIL 1:10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.
We don’t work to get saved. We don’t live right to get saved. No one can ever live up to God’s standard, which is not sinning ever. One sin is enough to condemn. We are saved by putting our faith in Jesus. “Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling”
However, just because you don’t live right to get saved does not mean that you are not supposed to live right. After you get saved you are to strive to be sincere and without offence. That means don’t offend man with your sin and don’t offend God by living in sin. And you are to continue living a holy and separated life until Jesus comes back. We are to be a new creature in Christ. Gone is the cussing, gone is the booze, gone is the rock music. Our thoughts change, our entertainment changes, and our desires change. The fruit of our life changes.
PHIL 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
A born again believer will have fruits of righteousness to show. His life will bring glory and praise to our Lord. Is it sad to me how many people who claim to be Christians live like the world.
PHIL 1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
PHIL 1:13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
Many hard things came Paul’s way. From ship wrecks to beatings, to imprisonment, and betrayal, as well as many others. Many people will quit when faced with just one of them, let alone having one hard thing after another. Many today will quit even upon little things. A simple misunderstanding or because someone said something wrong.
Paul understood that God is in control and that the hard things that came his way were for a reason. In verse 12 we see that the things that happened to Paul actually helped in the furtherance of the gospel. They were used as opportunities to witness for Jesus.
They also had an effect upon other Christians. In verse 14 we see that how Paul handled his hardships and his boldness for Christ and thru them encouraged others to also be bold.
PHIL 1:14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
If something hard comes your way, it might just be because God is giving you an opportunity to witness for Him and to encourage other Christians to be bold also. The purpose for the hard time might be for the furtherance of the gospel.
PHIL 1:14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
PHIL 1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
PHIL 1:16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
PHIL 1:17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
Paul was in prison and many of the brethren in the Lord were affected by this. He says they waxed confident because Paul was in jail and they were bolder to speak the word. But their reasons and attitudes were not all the same. Paul lumps them into two different groups.
One group is preaching Jesus out of love, and they are doing it more boldly because Paul cannot. Since Paul is in prison and since people need the Lord they are picking up the slack. They are voluntarily picking up the work. They are putting their hands to the plow and doing it in love and preaching Jesus correctly. Praise God for this group and everyone like them thru the ages.
The other group makes you shake your head and go really! What a messed up group. They are preaching Christ but not sincerely. They think they are adding affliction to Paul’s bonds.
Kind of like rubbing it in that Paul is in prison and can’t do it. We can do what the great Paul cannot. And they are not preaching Jesus correctly; it says they are preaching with contention and not sincerely.
They are doing it in a way and with an attitude for the purpose of getting to Paul. Paul says they are supposing to add affliction to his bonds.
And what is Paul’s response?
PHIL 1:18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
Paul rejoices! He says either way Christ is preached. Even if Jesus is preached the wrong way or for the wrong reason Paul still rejoices. Why? Because God’s Word still went out. Some truth about Jesus still went out. And God can use that.
Working in the hearts of men is the job of the Holy Spirit. One of His jobs is to bear witness of righteousness and of judgment and of Jesus. The Holy Spirit bears witness to the truth of God’s Word even if it is not preached correctly.
Many preachers do not understand this principal. They put too much upon themselves. They forget that Jesus said without me ye can do nothing. Our Job is to simply get God’s Word out and God’s job is to work in hearts and illuminate the truth and take the scales off of eyes and work in the circumstances of life.
I do see a lot of people preach Jesus wrong. I am not talking about teaching heresy or serious error. We handle that differently. This is talking about their attitude and motivation is wrong or their method is wrong or they are filled with arrogance and pride. I will not argue with them or fight against them. Like Paul we should just let them be. God’s Word and Jesus is still preached.
PHIL 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
PHIL 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
PHIL 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
PHIL 1:22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
PHIL 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
PHIL 1:24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
Paul is in bonds and we see his faith here and dependence upon the Holy Spirit to supply him with the strength he needs and to give him boldness. Paul also mentions that their prayers have a part in this. Paul wants to magnify Christ every day all the way to the end.
And when death comes Paul will be with the Lord. No more suffering, no more sin nature to battle. Paul says to die is gain. And it is for the Christian who has moved on. Everything is far better for them.
But that is not true for the ones who are left behind. While we are here we can encourage, teach, be a blessing, help, and show forth an example to them as they watch us live for Jesus.
Their need for us takes priority. This is something that you do not think about much when you are younger. But when you get to old age, and your body hurts and you are sick and tired of this old sin stained world, your desire to go home grows. This world is not our home we are just pilgrims here. We are just passing thru.
And when that desire grows we also look at those depending upon us and we see it is more needful for them that we stay. They need our love and help.
On a personal note this is why at my age I am on the treadmill once or twice per day 7 days per week. While I look forward to going home one day, I am also working hard to stay around as long as I can to be a help and a blessing to others.
PHIL 1:25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
PHIL 1:26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.
PHIL 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
How we stand for and work for Jesus should not be dependent upon someone else; even someone like the Apostle Paul. Paul says whether I come or not, I want to hear the same thing. You should stand for and work for the gospel of Christ the same. How you serve Jesus should not change if I come or if I don’t come.
The only one that we should be concerned about in this is Jesus. Even if Paul never comes he wants to still hear that they are standing fast in unity striving for the faith of the gospel.
And notice Paul says striving together for the faith of the gospel. It is not to be a sideline issue. Working to get the gospel to the lost is supposed to be the main thing. Many do not understand this. Some churches will go out for 2 hours a month putting church invitations on doors. That is a good thing to do. And about maybe 10 to even 20 percent of the church will go. And I applaud every one of them.
So far so good, but then some of them will go I have done my duty and I am now all good, Jesus is happy with my effort. Really? Hmm… I really do not believe that fits what Paul is talking about when he says we should be striving for the faith of the gospel.
Instead of little church invitations, we need to be putting out the gospel. Actual Bible verses that show the need for and the plan of salvation. We should be getting the Word of God out every day digitally. We should be praying for souls every day. We should also be involved in helping others get out the Gospel to the world continually.
And this one might get some people upset, but striving for the faith of the gospel would mean that the most major part of the budget is devoted to getting the gospel out. A look at the financials of most churches will clearly show that they are not really striving for the gospel.
Churches are not to be entertainment centers or clubhouses. Our main purpose is to strive for the faith of the gospel.
PHIL 1:28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
One of the surest marks that someone is lost and going to hell is that they are adversaries to the gospel and to those who strive for the faith of the gospel. When they fight against you it is an out in the open for all to see the evident token that they are lost and going to hell.
When they attack we are not to get down about it. In fact it is a sign that you are saved. If you were lost they would not be your adversary. And this token of your salvation of having adversaries is actually of God. This is why we are not to be terrified by our adversaries. God is with us and God has a purpose for it. In fact all those that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
PHIL 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
PHIL 1:30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
It is not only the will of God that we believe on Jesus but also that we suffer persecution for His sake after we believe. Paul had what he call conflict in him. The context here is suffering persecutions from adversaries. And yes that can cause us to have conflict of emotions. We are to rejoice that we are counted worthy to suffer for His name. We are also to appreciate that it is actually a token of our salvation. And at the same time the persecution is unpleasant.
Paul says they have this same conflict. We are not to let this stop us from living for Jesus.
PHIL 2:1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
PHIL 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
PHIL 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
A group of believers that have assembled into a local body is who this letter is written to. And they are to be likeminded. A local church is to be of one accord, and of one mind. This is Christian unity. It is not being in unity with the beliefs of those who deny the virgin birth or who believe in a works salvation. A local church is not to be in unity with the world and with false teachings. The local church is however to be in unity with itself. All the members of that visible local church are to be likeminded.
And when they conduct business it is to be done without strife and without vainglory. Pride is not to come into it. This might sound simple. And it should be. But how often is it not the case. Christians still carry around their old sin nature after they are saved, and it can rear its ugly head. What is needed is the attitude that is mentioned in verse 3. “but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”
If everyone in the local church had that attitude, then everything would be done without strife and vainglory.
PHIL 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
See more lessons from Philippians