Our Names Are on Heaven's Record
The citizens of Philippi were privileged to be Roman citizens away from Rome. When a baby was born in Philippi, it was important that its name be registered on the legal records. When the lost sinner trusts Christ and becomes a citizen of heaven, his name is written in "the Book of Life" (Phil 4:3) Citizenship is important. When you travel to another country, it is essential that you have a passport that proves your citizenship. None of us wants to suffer the fate of Philip Nolan in the classic tale The Man Without a Country. Because he cursed the name of his country, Nolan was sentenced to live aboard ship and never again see his native land or even hear its name or news about its progress. For fifty-six years he was on an endless journey from ship to ship and sea to sea, and finally was buried at sea. He was a "man without a country."The Christian's name is written in "the Book of Life," and this is what determines his final entrance into the heavenly country (Rev 20:15). When you confess Christ on earth, He confesses your name in heaven (Matt 10:32-33). Your name is written down in heaven (Luke 10:20) and it stands written forever. (The Greek verb "written" in Luke 10:20 is in the perfect tense: "it is once-for-all written and stands written.")
A friend in Washington, D.C., arranged for my oldest son and me to tour the White House. She told us to be at a certain gate at 8 o'clock in the morning and to be prepared to show evidence of who we were. David and I walked up to the gate, and the guard politely asked our names. We told him, showing our credentials. He said, "Yes, Sir! Mr. Warren Wiersbe and David! You may enter!" We got into the White House because our names were written down on the proper list, and our names got on that list through the intercession of another. So it is with our entrance into heaven: because we have trusted Christ, our names are written down, and we will enter glory on His merits and intercession alone.
Those who "mind earthly things" talk about earthly things. After all, what comes out of the mouth reveals what is in the heart (Matt 12:34-37). The unsaved person does not understand the things of God's Spirit (1 Cor 2:14-16), so how can he talk about them intelligently? The citizens of heaven understand spiritual things and enjoy discussing them and sharing them with one another. "They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error" (1 John 4:5-6). But speaking heaven's language not only involves what we say, but also the way we say it. The spiritually minded Christian doesn't go around quoting Bible verses all day! But he is careful to speak in a manner that glorifies God. "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man" (Col 4:6). No believer ought ever to say, "Now take this with a grain of salt!" Put the salt into your speech! Salt prevents corruption. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers" (Eph 4:29).
The citizens of Philippi were governed by Roman law, not Greek law, even though they were located hundreds of miles away from Rome. In fact, it was this policy that put Paul into jail when he first visited Philippi (Acts 16:16-24). Paul himself used his Roman citizenship to guarantee his protection under Roman law (Acts 16:35-40; 21:33-40; 22:24-30). In Phil 3:17, Paul warns the Philippian believers against imitating the wrong kind of citizens. "Be followers together of me." Of course, Paul was a follower of Christ, so his admonition is not egotistical! (1 Cor 11:1) Paul knew himself to be an "alien" in this world, a "pilgrim and a stranger" (see 1 Peter 2:11). His life was governed by heaven's laws, and this is what made him different. He was concerned about others, not himself. He was interested in giving, not getting. His motive was love (2 Cor 5:14), not hatred. By faith, Paul obeyed the Word of God, knowing that one day he would be rewarded. Men might oppose him and persecute him now, but in that final day of reckoning, he would be the winner.
Sad to say, there are those today, like the Judaizers in Paul's day, who profess to be citizens of heaven, but whose lives do not show it. They may be zealous in their religious activities and even austere in their disciplines, but there is no evidence of the control of the Spirit of God in their lives. All that they do is energized by the flesh, and they get all the glory. It is bad enough that they are going astray, but they also lead other people astray. No wonder Paul wept over them.
The Cross of Jesus Christ is the theme of the Bible, the heart of the Gospel, and the chief source of praise in heaven (Rev 5:8-10). The Cross is the proof of God's love for sinners (Rom 5:8) and God's hatred for sin. The Cross condemns what the world values. It judges mankind and pronounces the true verdict: Guilty! In what sense were the Judaizers the "enemies of the Cross of Christ"? For one thing, the Cross ended the Old Testament religion. When the veil of the temple was torn in two, God was announcing that the way to God was open through Christ (Heb 10:19-25). When Jesus shouted, "It is finished!" He made one sacrifice for sins, and thus ended the whole sacrificial system (Heb 10:1-14). By His death and resurrection, Jesus accomplished a "spiritual circumcision" that made ritual circumcision unnecessary (Col 2:10-13). Everything that the Judaizers advocated had been eliminated by the death of Christ on the cross!
Furthermore, everything that they lived for was condemned by the Cross. Jesus had broken down the wall that stood between Jews and Gentiles (Eph 2:14-16), and the Judaizers were rebuilding that wall! They were obeying "carnal [fleshly] ordinances" (Heb 9:10), regulations that appealed to the flesh and were not directed by the Spirit. But the true believer crucifies the flesh (Gal 5:24). He also crucifies the world (Gal 6:14). Yet the Judaizers were minding "earthly things." It is the Cross that is central in the life of the believer. He does not glory in men, in religion, or in his own achievements; he glories in the Cross (Gal 6:14). Paul weeps because he knows the future of these men: "whose end is destruction" (Phil 3:19). This word carries with it the idea of waste and "lostness." (It is translated "waste" in Mark 14:4.) Judas is called "the son of perdition," and this is the word used (John 17:12). A wasted life and an eternity of waste! In contrast, the true child of God, whose citizenship is in heaven, has a bright future.
The Judaizers were living in the past tense, trying to get the Philippian believers to go back to Moses and the Law; but true Christians live in the future tense, anticipating the return of their Saviour (Phil 3:20-21). As the accountant in Phil 3:1-11, Paul discovered new values. As the athlete in Phil 3:12-16, he displayed new vigor. Now as the alien, he experiences a new vision: "We look for the Saviour!" It is this anticipation of the coming of Christ that motivates the believer with the spiritual mind. There is tremendous energy in the present power of a future hope. Because Abraham looked for a city, he was content to live in a tent (Heb 11:13-16). Because Moses looked for the rewards of heaven, he was willing to forsake the treasures of earth (Heb 11:24-26). Because of the "joy that was set before Him" (Heb 12:2), Jesus was willing to endure the cross. The fact that Jesus Christ is returning is a powerful motive for dedicated living and devoted service today. "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure" (read 1 John 2:28-3:3).
The citizen of heaven, living on earth, is never discouraged because he knows that his Lord is one day going to return. He faithfully keeps on doing his job lest his Lord return and find him disobedient (Luke 12:40-48). The spiritually minded believer does not live for the things of this world; he anticipates the blessings of the world to come. This does not mean that he ignores or neglects his daily obligations; but it does mean that what he does today is governed by what Christ will do in the future. Paul mentions particularly that the believer will receive a glorified body, Like the body of Christ. Today we live in a "body of humiliation" (which is the meaning of the word translated "vile" in Phil 3:21); but when we see Christ, we will receive a body of glory. It will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye! (1 Cor 15:42-53) At that moment, all the things of this world will be worthless to us just as they ought to be, relatively, today! If we are living in the future tense, then we wig be exercising the spiritual mind and living for the things that really matter.
When Jesus returns, He will "subdue all things unto Himself" (Phil 3:21 b). That word "subdue" means "to arrange in ranks." Isn't that our problem today? We do not arrange "things" in their proper order. Our values are twisted. Consequently, our vigor is wasted on useless activities, and our vision is clouded so that the return of Christ is not a real motivating power in our lives. Living in the future tense means letting Christ arrange the "things" in life according to the proper rank. It means living "with eternity's values in view," and daring to believe God's promise that "he that doeth the will of God abideth forever" (1 John 2:17).
BATTLE STATIONS! (Philippians 1:27-30)
The Christian life is not a playground; it is a battleground. We are sons in the family enjoying the fellowship of The Gospel (Phil 1:1-11); we are servants sharing in the furtherance of the Gospel (Phil 1:12-26); but we are also soldiers defending the faith of the Gospel. And the believer with the single mind can have the joy of the Holy Spirit even in the midst of battle. "The faith of the Gospel" is that body of divine truth given to the church. Jude calls it "the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3). Paul warns in 1 Tim 4:1 that "in the latter times some shall depart from the faith." God committed this spiritual treasure to Paul (1 Tim 1:11), and he in turn committed it to others, Like Timothy (1 Tim 6:20), whose responsibility was to commit this deposit to still others (2 Tim 2:2). This is why the church must engage in a teaching ministry, so that each new generation of believers will know, appreciate, and use the great heritage of the faith.
But there is an enemy who is out to steal the treasure from God's people. Paul had met the enemy in Philippi, and he was now facing him in Rome. If Satan can only rob believers of their Christian faith, the doctrines that are distinctively theirs, then he can cripple and defeat the ministry of the Gospel. It is sad to hear people say, "I don't care what you believe, just so long as you live right." What we believe determines how we behave, and wrong belief ultimately means a wrong life. Each local church is but one generation short of potential extinction. No wonder Satan attacks our young people in particular, seeking to get them away from "the faith." How can a group of Christians fight this enemy? "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh" (2 Cor 10:4, NASB). Peter took up a sword in the Garden, and Jesus rebuked him (John 18:10-11). We use spiritual weapons - the Word of God and prayer (Eph 6:11-18; Heb 4:12); and we must depend on the Holy Spirit to give us the power that we need. But an army must fight together, and this is why Paul sends these admonitions to his friends at Philippi. He is explaining in this paragraph that there are three essentials for victory in the battle to protect "the faith."
The old English word conversation, of course, means walk and not talk. "Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ" (NASB). The most important weapon against the enemy is not a stirring sermon or a powerful book; it is the consistent life of believers. The verb Paul uses is related to our word politics. He is saying, "Behave the way citizens are supposed to behave." My wife and I were visiting in London and one day decided to go to the zoo. We boarded the bus and sat back to enjoy the ride; but it was impossible to enjoy it because of the loud, coarse conversation of the passengers at the front of the bus. Unfortunately, they were Americans; and we could see the Britishers around us raising their eyebrows and shaking their heads, as though to say, "Oh, yes, they're from America!" We were embarrassed, because we knew that these people did not really represent the best of American citizens.
Paul is suggesting that we Christians are the citizens of heaven, and while we are on earth we ought to behave Like heaven's citizens. He brings this concept up again in Phil 3:20. It would be a very meaningful expression to the people in Philippi because Philippi was a Roman colony, and its citizens were actually Roman citizens, protected by Roman law. The church of Jesus Christ is a colony of heaven on earth! And we ought to behave Like the citizens of heaven.
"Am I conducting myself in a manner worthy of the Gospel?" is a good question for us to ask ourselves regularly. We should "walk ... worthy of the calling" that we have in Christ (Eph 4:1, NASB), which means walking "worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing" (Col 1:10). We do not behave in order to go to heaven, as though we could be saved by our good works; but we behave because our names are already written in heaven, and our citizenship is in heaven. It is worth remembering that the world around us knows only the Gospel that it sees in our lives.
You are writing a Gospel,
A chapter each day,
By the deeds that you do
And the words that you say.
Men read what you write,
Whether faithful or true:
Just what is the Gospel
According to you?
(source unknown)
"The Gospel" is the Good News that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again (1 Cor 15:1-8). There is only one "Good News" of salvation; any other gospel is false (Gal 1:6-10). The message of the Gospel is the Good News that sinners can become the children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, God's Son (John 3:16). To add anything to the Gospel is to deprive it of its power. We are not saved from our, sins by faith in Christ plus something else; we are saved by faith in Christ alone. "We have some neighbors who believe a false gospel," a church member told his pastor. "Do you have some literature I can give them?" The pastor opened his Bible to 2 Cor 3:2, "You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men" (NASB). He said, "The best literature in the world is no substitute for your own life. Let them see Christ in your behavior and this will open up opportunities to share Christ's Gospel with them. " The greatest weapon against the devil is a godly life. And a local church that practices the truth, that "behaves what it believes," is going to defeat the enemy. This is the first essential for victory in this battle.
Paul now changes the illustration from politics to athletics. The word translated "striving together" gives us our English word "athletics." Paul pictures the church as a team, and he reminds them that it is teamwork that wins victories. Keep in mind that there was division in the church at Philippi. For one thing, two women were not getting along with each other (Phil 4:2). Apparently the members of the fellowship were taking sides, as is often the case, and the resulting division was hindering the work of the church. The enemy is always happy to see internal divisions in a local ministry. "Divide and conquer!" is his motto, and too often he has his way. It is only as believers stand together that they can overcome the wicked one.
Throughout this letter, Paul uses an interesting device to emphasize the importance of unity. In the Greek language, the prefix sun means "with, together," and when used with different words, strengthens the idea of unity. (It is somewhat like our prefix co-.) At least sixteen times, Paul uses this prefix in Philippians, and his readers could not have missed the message! In Phil 1:27, the Greek word is sunathleo
- "striving together as athletes. " Jerry was disgusted, and he decided to tell the coach how he felt. "There's no sense coming out for practice anymore," he complained. "Mike is the team - you don't need the rest of us." Coach Gardner knew the trouble. "Look, Jerry, just because Mike gets many of the chances to shoot doesn't mean the rest of you guys aren't needed. Somebody has to set things up at the basket, and that's where you come in. " Sometimes a team has a "glory hound" who has to be in the spotlight and get all the praise. Usually he makes it difficult for the rest of the team. They aren't working equally together, but are working to make one person look good. It is this attitude that makes for defeat. Unfortunately, we have some "glory hounds" in the church. John had to deal with a man named Diotrephes because the man "loved to have the preeminence" (3 John 9). Even the Apostles James and John asked to have special thrones (Matt 20:20-28). The important word is together: standing firmly together in one spirit, striving together against the enemy, and doing it with one mind and heart.
It would not be difficult to expand this idea of the local church as a team of athletes. Each person has his assigned place and job, and if each one is doing his job, it helps all the others. Not everybody can be captain or quarterback! The team has to follow the rules, and the Word of God is our "rule book." There is one goal - to honor Christ and do His will. If we all work together, we can reach the goal, win the prize, and glorify the Lord. But the minute any one of us starts disobeying the rules, breaking training (the Christian life does demand discipline), or looking for glory, the teamwork disappears and division and competition take over. In other words, Paul is reminding us again of the need for the single mind. There is joy in our lives, even as we battle the enemy, if we live for Christ and the Gospel and practice "Christian teamwork." To be sure, there are some people with whom we cannot cooperate (2 Cor 6:14-18; Eph 5:11); but there are many with whom we can - and should! We are citizens of heaven and therefore should walk consistently. We are members of the same "team" and should work cooperatively. But there is a third essential for success as we face the enemy, and that is confidence.
"Don't be alarmed by your opponents!" The word Paul uses pictures a horse shying away from battle. To be sure, nobody blindly runs into a fight; but then, no true believer should deliberately avoid facing the enemy. In these verses, Paul gives us several encouragements that give us confidence in the battle. First, these battles prove that we are saved (Phil 1:29). We not only believe on Christ but also suffer for Christ. Paul calls this "the fellowship of His sufferings" (Phil 3:10). For some reason, many new believers have the idea that trusting Christ means the end of their battles. In reality, it means the beginning of new battles. "In the world ye shall have tribulation" (John 16:33). "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim 3:12). But the presence of conflict is a privilege, we suffer "for His sake." In fact, Paul tells us that this conflict is "granted" to us - it is a gift! If we were suffering for ourselves, it would be no privilege; but because we are suffering for and with Christ, it is a high and holy honor. After all, He suffered for us, and a willingness to suffer for Him is the very least we can do to show our love and gratitude.
A third encouragement is this: others are experiencing the same conflict (Phil 1:30). Satan wants us to think we are alone in the battle, that our difficulties are unique, but such is not the case. Paul reminds the Philippians that he is going through the same difficulties they are experiencing hundreds of miles from Rome! A change in geography is usually no solution to spiritual problems, because human nature is the same wherever you go, and the enemy is everywhere. Knowing that my fellow believers are also sharing in the battle is an encouragement for me to keep going and to pray for them as I pray for myself. Actually, going through spiritual conflict is one way we have to grow in Christ God gives us the strength we need to stand firm against the enemy, and this confidence is proof to him that he will lose and we are on the winning side (Phil 1:28). The Philippians had seen Paul go through conflict when he was with them (read Acts 16:19 ff), and they had witnessed his firmness in the Lord. The word "conflict" gives us our word "agony" (agonia), and is the same word that is used for Christ's struggle in the Garden (Luke 22:44). As we face the enemy and depend on the Lord, He gives us all that we need for the battle. When the enemy sees our God-given confidence, it makes him fear.
So, the single mind enables us to have joy in the midst of battle, because it produces in us consistency, cooperation, and confidence. We experience the joy of "spiritual teamwork" as we strive together for the faith of the Gospel.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY!
If anybody had an excuse for worrying, it was the Apostle Paul. His beloved Christian friends at Philippi were disagreeing with one another, and he was not there to help them. We have no idea what Euodia and Syntyche were disputing about, but whatever it was, it was bringing division into the church. Along with the potential division at Philippi, Paul had to face division among the believers at Rome (Phil 1:14-17). Added to these burdens was the possibility of his own death! Yes, Paul had a good excuse to worry - but he did not! Instead, he took time to explain to us the secret of victory over worry. What is worry? The Greek word translated "Anxious" (careful) in Phil 4:6 means "to be pulled in different directions." Our hopes pull us in one direction; our fears pull us the opposite direction; and we are pulled apart! The Old English root from which we get our word "worry" means "to strangle." If you have ever really worried, you know how it does strangle a person! In fact, worry has definite physical consequences: headaches, neck pains, ulcers, even back pains. Worry affects our thinking, our digestion, and even our coordination.
From the spiritual point of view, worry is wrong thinking (the mind) and wrong feeling (the heart) about circumstances, people, and things. Worry is the greatest thief of joy. It is not enough for us, however, to tell ourselves to "quit worrying" because that will never capture the thief. Worry is an "inside job," and it takes more than good intentions to get the victory. The antidote to worry is the secure mind.- "And the peace of God ... shall keep [garrison, guard Like a soldier] your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil 4:7). When you have the secure mind, the peace of God guards you (Phil 4:7) and the God of peace guides you (Phil 4:9). With that kind of protection - why worry? If we are to conquer worry and experience the secure mind, we must meet the conditions that God has laid down. There are three: right praying (Phil 4:6-7), right thinking (Phil 4:8), and right living (Phil 4:9).
Right Praying (Phil. 4:6-7)
Paul does not write, "Pray about it!" He is too wise to do that. He uses three different words to describe "right praying": prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving. "Right praying" involves all three. The word prayer is the general word for making requests known to the Lord. It carries the idea of adoration, devotion, and worship. Whenever we find ourselves worrying, our first action ought to be to get alone with God and worship Him. Adoration is what is needed. We must see the greatness and majesty of God! We must realize that He is big enough to solve our problems. Too often we rush into His presence and hastily tell Him our needs, when we ought to approach His throne calmly and in deepest reverence. The first step in "right praying" is adoration. The second is supplication, an earnest sharing of our needs and problems. There is no place for halfhearted, insincere prayer! While we know we are not heard for our "much speaking" (Matt 6:7-8), still we realize that our Father wants us to be earnest in our asking (Matt 7:1-11). This is the way Jesus prayed in the Garden (Heb 5:7), and while His closest disciples were sleeping, Jesus was sweating great drops of blood! Supplication is not a matter of carnal energy but of spiritual intensity (Rom 15:30; Col 4:12).
After adoration and supplication comes appreciation, giving thanks to God (see Eph 5:20; Col 3:15-17). Certainly the Father enjoys hearing His children say, "Thank You!" When Jesus healed ten lepers, only one of the ten returned to give thanks (Luke 17:11-19), and we wonder if the percentage is any higher today. We are eager to ask but slow to appreciate. You will note that "right praying" is not something every Christian can do immediately, because "right praying" depends on the right kind of mind. This is why Paul's formula for peace is found at the end of Philippians and not at the beginning. If we have the single mind of Phil 1 then we can give adoration. (How can a double-minded person ever praise God?) If we have the submissive mind of Phil 2, we can come with supplication. (Would a person with a proud mind ask God for something?) If we have the spiritual mind of Phil 3 we can show our appreciation. (A worldly minded person would not know that God had given him anything to appreciate!) In other words, we must practice Phil 1; 2, and 3 if we are going to experience the secure mind of Phil 4.
Paul counsels us to take "everything to God in prayer." "Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything!" is his admonition. We are prone to pray about the "big things" in life and forget to pray about the so-called "little things" - until they grow and become big things! Talking to God about everything that concerns us and Him is the first step toward victory over worry. The result is that the "peace of God" guards the heart and the mind. You will remember that Paul was chained to a Roman soldier, guarded day and night. In like manner, "the peace of God" stands guard over the two areas that create worry - the heart (wrong feeling) and the mind (wrong thinking). When we give our hearts to Christ in salvation, we experience "peace with God" (Rom 5:1); but the "peace of God" takes us a step farther into His blessings. This does not mean the absence of trials on the outside, but it does mean a quiet confidence within, regardless of circumstances, people, or things. Daniel gives us a wonderful illustration of peace through prayer. When the king announced that none of his subjects was to pray to anyone except the king, Daniel went to his room, opened his windows, and prayed as before (Dan 6:1-10). Note how Daniel prayed.
He "prayed, and gave thanks before his God" (Dan 6:10) and he made supplication (Dan 6:11). Prayer - supplication - thanksgiving! And the result was perfect peace in the midst of difficulty! Daniel was able to spend the night with the lions in perfect peace, while the king in his palace could not sleep (Dan 6:18). The first condition for the secure mind and victory over worry is right praying.
Right Thinking (Phil. 4:8)
Peace involves the heart and the mind. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee" (Isa 26:3). Wrong thinking leads to wrong feeling, and before long the heart and mind are pulled apart and we are strangled by worry. We must realize that thoughts are real and powerful, even though they cannot be seen, weighed, or measured. We must bring "into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor 10:5).
"Sow a thought, reap an action.
Sow an action, reap a habit.
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, reap a destiny!"
Paul spells out in detail the things we ought to think about as Christians.
Whatever is true.
Dr. Walter Cavert reported a survey on worry that indicated that only 8 percent of the things people worried about were legitimate matters of concern! The other 92 percent were either imaginary, never happened, or involved matters over which the people had no control anyway. Satan is the liar (John 8:44), and he wants to corrupt our minds with his lies (2 Cor 11:3). "Yea, hath God said?" is the way he approaches us, just as he approached Eve (Gen 3:1 ff). The Holy Spirit controls our minds through truth (John 17:17; 1 John 5:6), but the devil tries to control them through lies. Whenever we believe a lie, Satan takes over!
Whatever is honest and just.
This means "worthy of respect and right." There are many things that are not respectable, and Christians should not think about these things. This does not mean we hide our heads in the sand and avoid what is unpleasant and displeasing, but it does mean we do not focus our attention on dishonorable things and permit them to control our thoughts.
Whatever is pure, lovely, and of good report.
"Pure" probably refers to moral purity, since the people then, as now, were constantly attacked by temptations to sexual impurity (Eph 4:17-24; 5:8-12). "Lovely" means "beautiful, attractive." "Of good report" means "worth talking about, appealing." The believer must major on the high and noble thoughts, not the base thoughts of this corrupt world.
Whatever possesses virtue and praise.
If it has virtue, it will motivate us to do better; and if it has praise, it is worth commending to others. No Christian can afford to waste "mind power" on thoughts that tear him down or that would tear others down if these thoughts were shared. If you will compare this list to David's description of the Word of God in Ps 19:7-9, you will see a parallel. The Christian who fills his heart and mind with God's Word will have a "built-in radar" for detecting wrong thoughts. "Great peace have they which love Thy Law" (Ps 119:165). Right thinking is the result of daily meditation on the Word of God.
Right Living (Phil. 4:9)
You cannot separate outward action and inward attitude. Sin always results in unrest (unless the conscience is seared), and purity ought to result in peace. "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and peace" (Isa 32:17). "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable" (James 3:17). Right living is a necessary condition for experiencing the peace of God. Paul balances four activities: "learned and received" and "heard and seen." It is one thing to learn a truth, but quite another to receive it inwardly and make it a part of our inner man (see 1 Thess 2:13). Facts in the head are not enough; we must also have truths in the heart. In Paul's ministry, he not only taught the Word but also lived it so that His listeners could see the truth in his life. Paul's experience ought to be our experience. We must learn the Word, receive it, hear it, and do it. "But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only" (James 1:22). "The peace of God" is one test of whether or not we are in the will of God. "Let the peace that Christ can give keep on acting as umpire in your hearts" (Col 3:15, wms). If we are walking with the Lord, then the peace of God and the God of peace exercise their influence over our hearts. Whenever we disobey, we lose that peace and we know we have done something wrong. God's peace is the umpire" that calls us "out"!
Right praying, right thinking, and right living: these are the conditions for having the secure mind and victory over worry. As Phil 4 is the "peace chapter" of the New Testament, James 4 is the "war chapter." It begins with a question: "From whence come wars and fightings among you?" James explains the causes of war. wrong praying ("Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss," James 4:3), wrong thinking ("purify your hearts, ye double-minded," James 4:8), and wrong living ("know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?" James 4:4). There is no middle ground. Either we yield heart and mind to the Spirit of God and practice right praying, thinking, and living; or we yield to the flesh and find ourselves torn apart by worry. There is no need to worry! And, worry is a sin! (Have you read Matt 6:24-34 lately?) With the peace of God to guard us and the God of peace to guide us - why worry?
THE SECRET OF CONTENTMENT
The trouble with him is that he's a thermometer and not a thermostat!" This, statement by one of His deacons aroused the pastor's curiosity. They were discussing possible board members, and Jim's name had come up. "Pastor, it's like this," the deacon explained. "A thermometer doesn't change anything around it - it just registers the temperature. It's always going up and down. But a thermostat regulates the surroundings and changes them when they need to be changed. Jim is a thermometer - he lacks the power to change things. Instead, they change him!" The Apostle Paul was a thermostat. Instead of having spiritual ups and downs as the situation changed, he went right on, steadily doing his work and serving Christ. His personal references at the close of this letter indicate that he was not the victim of circumstances but the victor over circumstances: "I can accept all things" (Phil 4:11); "I can do all things" (Phil 4:13); "I have all things" (Phil 4:18). Paul did not have to be pampered to be content; he found his contentment in the spiritual resources abundantly provided by Christ. Contentment is not complacency, nor is it a false peace based on ignorance. The complacent believer is unconcerned about others, while the contented Christian wants to share his blessings. Contentment is not escape from the battle, but rather an abiding peace and confidence in the midst of the battle. "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content" (Phil 4:11). Two words in that verse are vitally important - - "learned" and "content."
The verb "learned" means "learned by experience." Paul's spiritual contentment was not something he had immediately after he was saved. He had to go through many difficult experiences of life in order to learn how to be content. The word "content" actually means "contained." It is a description of the man whose resources are within him so that he does not have to depend on substitutes without. The Greek word means "self-sufficient" and was a favorite word of the stoic philosophers. But the Christian is not sufficient in himself, he is sufficient in Christ. Because Christ lives within us, we are adequate for the demands of life. In this chapter, Paul names three wonderful spiritual resources that make us adequate and give us contentment.
The Overruling Providence of God (Phil. 4:10)
In this day of scientific achievement, we hear less and less about the providence of God. We sometimes get the idea that the world is a vast natural machine and that even God Himself cannot interrupt the wheels as they are turning. But the Word of God clearly teaches the providential workings of God in nature and in the lives of His people. The word "providence" comes from two Latin words: Pro, meaning "before," and video, meaning "to see." God's providence simply means that God sees to it beforehand. It does not mean that God simply knows beforehand, because providence involves much more. It is the working of God in advance to arrange circumstances and situations for the fulfilling of His purposes. The familiar story of Joseph and his brothers illustrates the meaning of providence (Gen 37-50). Joseph's brothers envied him and sold him as a slave when he was only seventeen years old. He was taken to Egypt, and there God revealed that seven years of famine were coming after seven years of plenty. It was through Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams that this fact was discovered. Because of that, Joseph was elevated to the position of second ruler in Egypt. After twenty years of separation, Joseph's brothers were reconciled to him, and they understood what the Lord had done.
"God did send me before you to preserve life!" said Joseph (Gen 45:5). "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good" (Gen 50:20). This is the providence of God: His hand ruling and overruling in the affairs of life. Paul experienced this divine providence in His life and ministry, and he was able to write, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose" (Rom 8:28). God in His providence had caused the church at Philippi to become concerned about Paul's needs, and it came at the very time Paul needed their love most! They had been concerned, but they had lacked the opportunity to help. Many Christians today have the opportunities, but they lack the concern! Life is not a series of accidents; it is a series of appointments. "I will guide thee with Mine eye" (Ps 32:8). Abraham called God "Jehovah-Jireh," meaning "the Lord will see to it" (Gen 22:14). "And when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them" (John 10:4). This is the providence of God, a wonderful source of contentment.
The Unfailing Power of God (Phil. 4:11-13)
Paul is quick to let his friends know that he is not complaining! His happiness does not depend on circumstances or things; his joy comes from something deeper, something apart from either poverty or prosperity. Most of us have learned how to "be abased," because when difficulties come we immediately run to the Lord! But few have learned how "to abound." Prosperity has done more damage to believers than has adversity. "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing" (Rev 3:17). The word "instructed" in Phil 4:12 is not the same as "learned" in Phil 4:11. "Instructed" means "initiated into the secret." This word was used by the pagan religions with reference to their "inner secrets." Through trial and testing, Paul was "initiated" into the wonderful secret of contentment in spite of poverty or prosperity. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil 4:13). It was the power of Christ within him that gave him spiritual contentment. Fog had moved into O'Hare Field, the airport that serves Chicago, and my departure had been delayed. I was sitting in the terminal reading a book and quietly asking God to work out His plans for the trip. Near me was a gentleman waiting for the same plane, but he was pacing up and down like a caged lion, and the language he was using to describe the fog was making the atmosphere more dense! I thought to myself, "Here is a man without any inner resources." Later, he asked me how I could be so calm when the planes were all late, and I had the opportunity to share the Gospel with him.
While flying back to Chicago from upper New York via New York City, we had to stay in our holding pattern over Kennedy Airport for more than an hour. When the stewardess announced that we would be landing an hour late, a man across the aisle shouted, "Bring out the booze!" This was his only resource when things were going against him. All of nature depends on hidden resources. The great trees send their roots down into the earth to draw up water and minerals. Rivers have their sources in the snow-capped mountains. The most important part of a tree is the part you cannot see, the root system, and the most important part of the Christian's life is the part that only God sees. Unless we draw on the deep resources of God by faith, we fail against the pressures of life. Paul depended on the power of Christ at work in his life (see Phil 1:6,21; 2:12-13; 3:10). "I can through Christ!" was Paul's motto, and it can be our motto too. "I am ready for anything through the strength of the One who lives within me," is the way J.B. Phillips translates Phil 4:13. The Living Bible puts it this way: "I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power." No matter which translation you prefer, they all say the same thing: the Christian has all the power within that he needs to be adequate for he demands of life. We need only release this power by faith.
Every Christian ought to read Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret, by Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor, because it illustrates this principle of inner power in the life of a great missionary to China. For many years, Hudson Taylor worked hard and felt that he was trusting Christ to meet his needs, but somehow he had no joy or liberty in his ministry. Then a letter from a friend opened his eyes to the adequacy of Christ. "It is not by trusting my own faithfulness, but by looking away to the Faithful One!" he said. This was a turning point in his life. Moment by moment, he drew on the power of Christ for every responsibility of the day, and Christ's power carried him through. Jesus teaches this same lesson in the sermon on the vine and branches in John 15. He is the Vine; we are the branches. A branch is good only for bearing fruit; otherwise you may as well bum it. The branch does not bear fruit through its own self-effort, but by drawing on the life of the Vine. "Without Me, ye can do nothing" (John 15:5). As the believer maintains his communion with Christ, the power of God is there to see him through. "I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency" (Phil 4:13, AMP). The overruling providence of God and the unfailing power of God are two spiritual resources on which we can draw that we might be adequate for the tasks of life. But there is a third resource.
The Unchanging Promise of God (Phil. 4:14-20)
Paul thanks the church at Philippi for their generous gift. He compares their giving to three very familiar things. A budding tree (v. 10). The word "flourished" carries the idea of a flower or tree budding or blossoming. Often we go through "winter seasons" spiritually, but then the spring arrives and there is new life and blessing. The tree itself is not picked up and moved; the circumstances are not changed. The difference is the new life within. An investment (vv. 14-17). Paul looked on their missionary gift as an investment that would pay them rich spiritual dividends. The word "communicate" is our familiar word "fellowship." The church entered into an arrangement of "giving and receiving"; the church gave materially to Paul, and received spiritually from the Lord. The Lord keeps the books and will never fail to pay one spiritual dividend! That church is poor that fails to share materially with others. A sacrifice (v. 18). Paul looked on their gift as a spiritual sacrifice, laid on the altar to the glory of God. There are such things as "spiritual sacrifices" in the Christian life (see 1 Peter 2:5). We are to yield our bodies as spiritual sacrifices (Rom 12:1-2), as well as the praise of our lips (Heb 13:15). Good works are a sacrifice to the Lord (Heb 13:16), and so are the lost souls that we are privileged to win to Christ (Rom 15:16) . Here, Paul sees the Philippian believers as priests, giving their offering as a sacrifice to the Lord. In the light of Mal 1:6-14, we need to present the very finest that we have to the Lord.
But Paul does not see this gift as simply coming from Philippi. He sees it as the supply of his need from heaven. Paul's trust was in the Lord. There is an interesting contrast between Phil 4:18 and 19. We might state it this way if we were to paraphrase Paul: "You met my need, and God is going to meet your need. You met one need that I have, but my God will meet all of your needs. You gave out of your poverty, but God will supply your needs out of His riches in glory!" God has not promised to supply all our greeds." When the child of God is in the will of God, serving for the glory of God, then he will have every need met. Hudson Taylor often said, "When God's work is done in God's way for God's glory, it will not lack for God's supply. " A young pastor came to a church that had been accustomed to raising its annual budget by means of suppers, bazaars, and the like. He told his officers he could not agree with their program. "Let's pray and ask God to meet every need," he suggested. "At the end of the month, pay all the bills and leave my salary till the last. If there isn't enough money for my salary, then I'm the one who suffers, and not the church. But I don't think anybody is going to suffer!" The officers were sure that both the pastor and the church would die, but such was not the case. Each month every bill was paid, and at the end of the year there was a surplus in the treasury for the first time in many years. Contentment comes from adequate resources. Our resources are the providence of God, the power of God, and the promises of God.
These resources made Paul sufficient for every demand of life, and they can make us sufficient too.
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