| Christian Life and Doctrine | December 1961 |
Lessons from the Second Chapter of Philippians
THE Book of Philippians is one of the epistles that the Apostle Paul wrote while he was imprisoned in Rome. He wrote it to a church that he dearly loved. Philippi was in Macedonia. Paul went to Macedonia because of a vision that had been given to him. An account of this vision is recorded by Luke in the 16th chapter of Acts, verses 9-12. It reads:
“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the Gospel unto them. Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.”
Here is an interesting side light in connection with this missionary journey to Macedonia. When the journey started, the group was composed of Paul and Silas and Timothy. However, it appears that Luke had joined the group, for you will notice he includes himself in the account given in the Book of Acts. He states: “We endeavored to go into Macedonia … the Lord had called us for to preach the Gospel unto them … we came with a straight course,” etc. So evidently four brethren (Silas, Paul, Timothy, and Luke) were of that group who preached the Gospel to the assembly in Philippi, the first church to be organized in Europe.
Lydia was the most prominent one in the little class of Bible Students that was organized at Philippi. She was the first Macedonian convert. Referring to her, the Bible beautifully states, “Whose heart the Lord opened.” Thus is expressed what we have learned to be a very vital truth. The same truth was expressed by our Lord Jesus in John 6:44, where he says, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.”
The reason Lydia was able to grasp and understand the message of the Gospel was that the Lord had opened her heart to receive it. And that is also the reason any of us are able to understand the truth. It is because the Lord has opened our hearts. Without that experience we could never understand the truth.
Qualities Needed
OF COURSE there are certain fundamentals upon which the Lord works. We had to have faith. We had to have an open mind. We had to have an honest heart. We had to have the spirit of humility. We had to have certain qualities that would make us stay in the Christian way through thick and thin. The Lord knew we had those qualities when he opened our hearts to the truth.
It was important to have had those qualities, but it is also important that we retain them until the end of the way. It is not sufficient to have had an open mind. We must still have an open mind so that “search we may for many years, still some new, rich gem appears.” We must always retain an honest heart. So also with the spirit of humility. Let us retain those qualities of mind and heart that made it possible for the Lord to open our hearts as he did Lydia’s.
Lydia was a business woman. The Bible says she was a dealer in purple. Purple was a very important dye used in the textile industry at that time. The dye stuff that Lydia sold came from Thyatira in the district or region of Lydia. Now whether she was named Lydia because she had come from the region of Lydia it is hard to tell, but we know that she accepted the truth, and when once she had accepted it, she was full-hearted in her devotion. That is the only way anyone should accept the truth, full-heartedly.
Lydia invited the four missionaries to come into her home, there to make their headquarters. It must have been a congenial group. It is a privilege to be living now during the harvest of the Gospel Age; but, had we lived in the early history of the church, what a privilege to have traveled with that group of four men as they went through Asia Minor preaching the message of the kingdom of heaven!
Kindred Minds
THE little group of Christians in Philippi enjoyed the fellowship of kindred minds. Their hearts were united with but one desire, which was to know and to do the things of the Lord. Because of the sweet fellowship they enjoyed together, Paul’s letter to the Philippian church was friendly, clearly showing how very close they were to his heart.
With these words of introduction, let us consider some thoughts on the 2nd chapter of this epistle. The first two verses read: “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, warned against internal dissension. He did not criticize the Philippians, but he did warn them. These texts therefore become an exhortation to the Philippians that they retain the spirit of unity, which is the spirit of Christ, for where the spirit of Christ is there is unity.
The Moffatt translation of this text makes Paul’s meaning clearer. It reads, “So by all the stimulus of Christ, by every incentive of love, by all your participation in the Spirit, by all your affectionate tenderness, I pray you to give me the utter joy of knowing you are living in harmony, with the same feelings of love, with one heart and soul.” This was a good exhortation to the Philippian Church and, while this letter was addressed to the Philippians under inspiration, it is written to the whole family of God. Therefore, it is a good exhortation for Christians anywhere and everywhere because it is an exhortation to unity, to have an abundance of love one for the other.
Therefore
THE first sentence of the 2nd chapter states, “If there be therefore,” and whenever we find this word “therefore,” as Bible Students we should read the preceding verses in order to find out what is being discussed. Why does Paul say “therefore”? In the 29th verse of the 1st chapter we read, “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.” “Therefore,” because suffering will come to the body of Christ, because there will be trials, because there will be tests to the extent that even our love one toward the other will be tested. Paraphrasing, he said, “If you want my joy in you to be full, remember certain things.”
If we are to appreciate and enjoy this spirit of unity, this spirit of living in harmony, we should remember the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. We should remember the love of God toward us in our imperfection; for if we remember how we have rejoiced in having the assurance that the Heavenly Father understands when we ask forgiveness for some of our shortcomings, it helps us in realizing that we should manifest the same spirit toward the imperfections of our brethren.
We are also to remember the sweet fellowship that the truth has brought into our life. Those who have not realized the emptiness of the fellowship of this world cannot understand what the apostle speaks of when he refers to this fellowship of the Spirit. Remembering the sweetness of our fellowship, we will be careful to protect it lest we lose its joy. We should also remember our participation in the body of Christ, for it is part of that living partnership of the body of Christ.
And then Paul continues, because of your affectionate tenderness, live in harmony with each other. Those at Philippi were all in accord when it came to wanting to know the will of God, and that is true with us today. Every one of us is interested in knowing the will of God, and it is the desire of every consecrated heart to do the will of God. Sometimes others do not do exactly what we might want them to do; but nevertheless, as we consider our brethren, we know, just as Paul knew, that the consecrated desire to know and to do the will of God.
The Apostle Paul was made happy by the Philippian brethren overlooking each other’s shortcomings as the Father had overlooked their faults. And his exhortations to them are just as necessary for us at this end of the age. Verses 3 and 4 read, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”
Right Thinking
IN VERSES 1 and 2 Paul tells us what we are to do that we might live in harmony one with the other, and in verses 3 and 4 he tells us how we can do this. If we want to do right, we must first learn to think right. He emphasizes this truth again in verse 8 of the 4th chapter of the epistle where he exhorts, “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” The Apostle Paul knew that thinking has to do with actions. We know it today. If we have analyzed ourselves, we know that the apostle was laying down a wonderful standard for us when he said, “Think on these things.” So, if we want to do right—and we do—let us realize the importance of thinking right.
Let nothing be done for self-seeking. Let nothing be done to gain private ends. Let nothing be done that will create strife, friction, factions in the body of Christ. Let nothing be done for vainglory; let nothing be done for the purpose of exalting self. That was the exhortation to the Philippian Church. How may one keep from trying to exalt self? How may one keep from trying to gain private ends? Well, the apostle says, by thinking properly, by thinking humbly. If we are humble and lowly in mind, we will be like the Master, for the Master said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matt. 11:29) The Master was lowly in heart, and the apostle exhorts us, “In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” If we can do that, we will be able to see in others something better than we have in ourselves.
That doesn’t apply only to certain ones. We will be able to see in every other member of the body of Christ something that is developed to a better degree than that same quality in ourselves. When we find that, and when we think about that quality which our brother possesses, the battle is won, and we have followed the exhortation of the Apostle Paul and the Master. Therefore, let us forget the things in which we might excel if they are keeping us from being able to see that in which our brother excels. If we can see that in which he excels, we will have no trouble in esteeming him better than ourself. Verses 5 through 11 read:
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, did not meditate a usurpation [Diaglott] to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Surely these are wonderful words of life! Jesus was originally a spirit being. Jesus originally was known as the Word of God, his representative. Jesus created everything that has been created, except himself, and yet he was willing to leave his position as a spirit being and come down to the earth. He did not try to exalt himself as Satan had done when given some authority as Lucifer. He was desirous to do only the Father’s will. He was without pride. He had no spirit of self-seeking. He had no vain-glory. He gave up his heavenly home and became a man.
Jesus then became the servant of those whom he himself had created. For he had created man, and yet he became the servant of man. In Luke 22:27 he says, “For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.” Even if Jesus had not been the One who had brought man into existence, his human life’s experiences would have been a demonstration of humility. But his was a greater demonstration of humility when one realizes that, as the mouthpiece, the spokesman, of his Father, he had created the human race and yet had become a man in order to lay down his life for their salvation.
There were some who appreciated Jesus as a perfect man. Some marveled at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth. Some recognized that never man spake to them as this man had spoken. So he humbled himself further. He died. But he did not die an ordinary death. He died upon the cross. He died by crucifixion, an ignominious death, between two thieves. However, the Heavenly Father had declared, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” and that is all that mattered.—Matt. 3:17
Because of Jesus’ faithfulness, his death, his resurrection, and his exaltation to glory, verses 10 and 11 declare that those in heaven, those in earth, those under the earth (that is, those who are now in their tombs, but who will come forth in the resurrection of the dead), and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. These words, “every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,” are wonderful words of life, for they tell of the blessing to come to all the families of the earth because of our Lord’s humility.
Then we think again of the text, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,” because Christ Jesus is our example of humility. Let us have the same spirit as Christ, the same disposition of humility, only, of course, to the limited degree of our imperfect state. He really had much to give up! How much have we to give up? How much have we that we have not received? How much cause have we for vainglory? How much cause have we to seek to exalt self?
The Hope of Glory
THE Philippians knew that if they humbled themselves they were to be exalted and share his kingdom, and we know the same thing. Therefore this exhortation, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,” must come to us with a tremendous impact. I Peter 5:5,6 reads, “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” What a wonderful description of humility!
Pride is the sin of a heart uplifted against God. Pride is to be wise in one’s own conceit. That is the Bible definition. Pride itself, as a quality, can be based upon many things. For instance, one can be proud of his material possessions; or proud of the honor and the esteem in which he is held in the circles in which he lives and moves, in either social or business life. Or he can have pride in natural beauty; or in natural talents; or he may have pride as an expression of human folly and insolence simply because he thinks of himself more highly than he ought to think. Any of these things is pride, and the Bible says “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace unto the humble.”
Humility is the grace of modesty. Humility is the grace, or the virtue, of not worshiping self to any degree. Humility is based upon reverence for God. Humility is based upon the wisdom of maturity because any one who is mature and is able really to consider true values, as they exist within himself, must be modest; he cannot be proud. And that is the reason humility is a mark of real greatness.
God resists the proud; God resists the vain; God resists the self-seekers among his people, because they have been enlightened. God resists the arrogant. God gives grace to the humble. God gives grace to those who are meek. God gives grace to those who are modest. He gives grace to those who exalt him in their hearts. Therefore the Bible says, “Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God,” because only in this way will he be able to exalt us in due time.
And so our text, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,” takes on deeper meaning, for humility in the household of God is the basis of unity. Humility and love should be striven for, because upon this foundation of humility and love is the unity of the body of Christ maintained. The Apostle Paul, having given his exhortation to be humble, continues in verses 12 through 18 as follows:
“Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the Word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.”
Parousia—Presence
THERE are several interesting thoughts in this part of the apostle’s letter. Notice verse 12, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence.” Here the use of the words “presence” and “absence” is given to us as a contrast; one is the antithesis of the other. The word here translated “presence” is the Greek word “parousia.” This is the same word that is used in verse 3 of Matthew 24, where the disciples asked, “Tell us, … what shall be the sign of thy ‘presence.’ and the end of the world [Greek, age].” This becomes to us an important text of Scripture because it is so definite as to what “parousia” means. It means “presence,” not “coming,” even though it is sometimes thus translated. Therefore, the 12th verse in this 2nd chapter of Philippians is one we should remember when discussing the Lord’s presence and the meaning of the word “parousia,” for here the word is used in a way where the definition “coming” would not fit at all.
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Certainly this clear statement does not teach “eternal security” or “once in grace, always in grace.” But some might say, “What does it mean? I thought salvation was a gift of God, that salvation is free. That is the way we sing it, and why, if it is free, if it is the gift of God, do we have to work it out with fear and trembling?” Well, of course, salvation is free. Salvation is the gift of God; salvation from adamic condemnation. But once we have been freely saved from adamic condemnation the question is, what are we to do about it? Will we faithfully do God’s will? We can prove ourselves worthy of eternal life and “seek for glory and honor and immortality” only by “patient continuance in well-doing.”—Rom. 2:7
Proper Fear
SO WE are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, the apostle says. He does not mean slavish terror, but more like wholesome caution. We cannot use the word “reverence” in this verse as we sometimes do in explaining the word “fear.” This is a different word. We do have certain things that we must fear if we are going to make eternal life our own, through faithfulness, after having received the gift of release from adamic condemnation.
These are some of the things that we must fear: We have to fear to trust self. We must fear doing anything that would offend God. We have to fear the loss of a tender conscience toward sin, for the one who has a tender conscience toward sin has a great treasure, and he should fear lest he lose it. We must fear being overcome by temptation. We know that we are going to receive temptation, but our fear, our wholesome caution, is that we be not overcome by temptation.
The Bible also says, “Be not highminded, but fear.” (Rom. 11:20) Here again is our basic exhortation. Be not prideful, but humble. The fear of falling is great. Take heed! “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” (I Cor. 10:12) Sometimes we have to fear the deceitfulness of our own hearts. Sometimes we have to fear the insidiousness of our own frailties. These are all things that we must fear, but this is not a fear that hath torment. It is the fear of displeasing our Heavenly Father. True devotion is not based upon terror but, like faithfulness, is based on our love for our Father in heaven.
Faithfulness in Witnessing
VERSES 13 through 14 also contain a lesson: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” We would expect in this epistle that the brethren at Philippi would be exhorted to preach the Gospel, for this subject was close to the apostle’s heart, and this he did. He tells them that they are to “shine as lights in the world.” This exhortation applies today also, for God’s people are of the same spirit today as then, and because of that, the truth shines out.
If we did not have that spirit, the truth would not be on the radio. It would not be on television. We know that “Frank and Ernest,” or anyone else within himself, could do very, very little; but because the saints of God at this time desire to shine as “lights in the world,” the proclamation of the message of the kingdom, in its clarity, goes out over the radio to reach millions of people every Sunday, and goes out over television in an increasing number of places. It is all because there are still “lights in the world.”
Therefore, we must ask ourselves, “Am I a light in the world? Am I willing to know and to do of his good pleasure? Am 1 working out my salvation?” “But how can I be a ‘light’ in this world?” is the question that many are asking. There are several ways in which this can be done. Some who have got to the point where they cannot climb up and down stairs as easily as they once did are using telephone directories of towns throughout their area and mailing a certain number of tracts each week. Thus they are being “lights in the world.” Not only do they draw attention to the radio message or the television message, but they also give a witness concerning the kingdom through the tract itself.
This is being done faithfully, and in increasing volume throughout the country by those who are elderly and by those whose household cares keep them home, or where time is at a premium; for possibly never in the history of the church is time so precious as it is at present, due to economic pressures. So this is a way in which some of God’s people can be “lights in the world” who otherwise could not use their spare moments to such good advantage.
“Holding forth the Word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.” First, the apostle explained what we are to preach. “As lights in the world” we are to hold forth “the Word of life”; not man-made creeds, not theories, not human traditions, not unsupported conclusions, but “the Word of life,” which is another way of saying that we must hold forth the Word of God. Therefore let us hold forth the Word of God just as we would hold out a cup of cold water to a thirsty soul. Let us hold forth the message of the kingdom to the people of the land, knowing that one here and one there is thirsting for it.
“Day of Christ”
“THAT I may rejoice in the day of Christ.” Here, again, as in chapter 1, the apostle refers to “the day of Christ.” That “day” is not the Gospel Age. No, the day of Christ is the Millennial Age. If we have a part in holding forth the Word of life now, we will be able to rejoice with Paul in “the day of Christ.” Why? Because it will be in the day of Christ when those on earth and those who are now under the earth in their graves will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
It is very easy to overlook the many references that the apostles make to the Millennial Age in the expression, “the day of Christ.” The translators of the Authorized Version possibly did not know the full significance of the day of Christ, but we do. Therefore, that which they made obscure, we now emphasize, for thus we are led to an appreciation of the full reward that the church receives for faithfulness to the privilege of offering ourselves, as did the apostle, in sacrifice and service. Verses 19 through 24 read:
“But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the Gospel. Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.”
Laborers Few
THESE words remind us of what the Master said when looking over the fields: “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few.” (Luke 10:2) And years later, the Apostle Paul looked over the field to see whom he could send down to Philippi and said, “For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” Timothy was an exception. Paul could depend on faithful Timothy, ever willing and glad to serve the Lord. Here is a lesson for us. What more need be said? So it was in Jesus’ day. So it was in the days of the apostles. We should not expect it to be a great deal different in our day. To those of us who are wiling to sacrifice ourselves in service, the Lord assures a blessing.
And now, the 25th through the 30th verses, using the Amplified Version, which gives us the meaning far clearer than does our King James Version:
“However, I thought it was necessary to send Epaphroditus back to you. He has been my brother and companion in labor and my fellow-soldier, as well as having come as your special messenger and minister to my need. For he has been homesick for you all and has been distressed because you had heard that he was ill. He certainly was ill too, near to death. But God had compassion on him, and not only on him but also on me, lest I should have sorrow over him coming upon sorrow. So I have sent him the more willingly and eagerly, that you may be gladdened at seeing him again, and that I may be the less disquieted. Welcome him home then in the Lord with all joy and honor, and highly appreciate men like him. For it was through working for Christ that he came so near death, risking his very life to complete the deficiencies in your service to me which distance prevented you yourselves from rendering.”
That was a sweet expression of appreciation, was it not? The meaning of the name Epaphroditus is “charming,” and here was one who lived up to his name. He was indeed charming. And not only so, but verse 30 tells us that he endured much in order to serve the Lord. Here, again, is a truth that all God’s people know, but sometimes forget. Epaphroditus risked his very life to perform the service entrusted him. Yes, he was serving the Apostle Paul. Yes, he was serving the brethren at Philippi. But here we are told he was actually serving Christ. Therefore, everything we do for the brethren we are assured by Scripture is actually serving the Lord. When we serve one of the least of his little ones, we do it unto him, and he accepts our service in the spirit which prompted it.
We do not know how Epaphroditus hazarded his life in carrying out the opportunity that was given to him. All we do know is that he did it gladly, graciously, and charmingly. May we all, therefore, be like Epaphroditus in our service to the Lord, the truth, and the brethren. May we serve in a charming, unselfish way; in the way that he did in his ministry. Whether it be in little things or in bigger things, may all our service be as unto the Lord, for it is he who will bless us, and “the blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich”!—Prov. 10:22