The Book of Philippians Pt. 3 Doing What God Commanded and Accepting His Purifying Work.
In our last post we noted that Paul used a very small word "all" in order to convey a wonderful truth that all believers were included in his letter to the Philippians. Paul used the word "all" twenty six times in four chapters. We will see eight of these in Philippians 1.
Paul had happy memories of the Philippian Christians.
Philippians 1:3-4 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4) Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
Paul expressed thanks to God. His heart was full of thanksgiving every time that he thought about the church at Philippi. He thought about Lydia each time he prayed "for you all", as Paul prayed for this church.
The phrase "making request" means interceding in prayer to God for their specific needs. Paul's prayer time was filled with great joy as he remembered the sweet times of fellowship that they enjoyed together.
The word "joy" is used seventeen times in Paul's letter, and it is a full exultant joyous spirit which tells us Paul's heart for these saints. What made Paul so full of rejoicing?
The Philippians eagerly participated in the gospel.
Philippians 1:5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
What made Paul so full of rejoicing? He was happy and blessed because of their mutual fellowship in the gospel. The phrase "fellowship in the gospel" is unique because it is only found in Philippians. This fellowship began on the very first day that Paul preached to Lydia and to the jailor, until the moment that Paul wrote to them. Both of these early converts to Christ exhibited evidence of the new birth. They were actively sharing their faith with others around them and God was adding souls to that church. Their testimony and gospel work certainly encouraged the apostle Paul.
The word "fellowship" means sharing in something together, or ministering together with close communion and cooperation. The word "gospel" means the good news of salvation through repentant faith in Jesus Christ, and that the enmity between man and God has been replaced with grace.
Pauls' great confidence in Christ's continuing work in His church.
Philippians 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:
The phrase "being confident" is another unique phrase only used in this book. It means to be fully persuaded to believe the Word of God concerning this one special thing. What was Paul so strongly confident of? That God will continue the great work of salvation begun in us at the moment of our conversion. Paul was certain that God would continue ongoing sanctification and conformity to Christ in each believer until He returns for His bride, the Church.
What is the "good work" that God began in us? The word "good" means that which is useful, agreeable, excellent and upright. The word "work" means the work that God has undertaken in us to transform us from the inside out, and to make us more like Christ. The word "perform" means that God is committed to this transforming heart work and will bring it to His desired outcome.
It is a work that will go on until the day that He calls us home. Why? because we know in our flesh dwells no good thing and that our "old man" is ready to rise up in rebellion against God if we allow Him an opportunity.
A new heart goes in but a stony heart must come out.
Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27) And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
The prophet Ezekiel describes the good work that was begun when God saved us. He put a new heart and a new spirit into each born again believer. We are thankful for the mighty regenerating work of the Spirit of God, but there is another aspect of this saving work. He also must take away the stony heart out of us. This is the ongoing sanctifying work of the Spirit of God, but it also has to do with us daily taking up our cross and following Christ. He must overcome our self centered tendencies and renew our minds so that we are God centered.
Paul had great confidence in the Philippian believers that God would bring them forward toward spiritual maturity and prepare them to meet Christ at His return.
Romans 6:11-14 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13) Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Philippians 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 defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
Paul said it was right of him to hold the Philippians in such tenderness and love in his own heart. He thought this to be true of "all" of them because "I have you in my heart." This phrase means that Paul and those believers enjoyed a really close connection with each other, a true bond of mutual love. He loved them and prayed for them often. Likewise they loved Paul and often prayed for his needs.
Paul wrote that while he was imprisoned he was actively witnessing, defending and confirming the gospel, and the Philippians were also partakers of the grace of God together with him. The word "defense" means to make a clear, reasoned argument based upon the scriptures and this was something that Paul was very well prepared to undertake.
Philippians 1:8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
This is the only place we find the phrase "For God is my record." He is saying that God bears witness for Paul that his heart was full of great longing to see them "all" again because of their connection together through Jesus Christ.
Notice how the word "all" has been used so far, in Paul's letter to the church. He greeted them "all" (1:1). He prayed for them "all" (1:4). He thinks of them "all" (1:7) and they are "all" partakers of God's wonderful grace (1:7).
Every single born again believer at Philippi is included in the word "all": the sickly, the poor, the slaves. God is telling us about the equality of each believer in terms of our spiritual blessings, spiritual standing and potential progress toward spiritual maturity as members in the body of Christ.
Thoughts to Ponder...
The book of Philippians is full of the love and fond memories that Paul had because of his relationships with believers at Philippi.
Are we giving our time and energy toward building the kind of relationships within our own church family, that Paul cultivated with the Philippians? Or are we staying by ourselves, content to be an onlooker?
The book of Philippians is full of Paul's hope and encouragement because of their strong faith in Christ, their close fellowship and their commitment to sharing the gospel and living by it. In short, the Philippians showed ample proof of their salvation and clear evidence of changed lives.
Are we sharing the gospel with others? Are we living by the truth of the gospel? Are we working together with other believers to spread the gospel?
God told us the old corrupt heart must go out as He puts in a new heart and new spirit into us. The Philippians lives demonstrated this truth and helps encourage us today to seek to "put off" the old man and mortify the deeds of the flesh, as we "put on" the new man in Christ.
God initiated a mighty work in us when we were born again, but that is just the beginning of what He wants to accomplish in us. May our Lord strengthen us as He seeks to purge out the dross, prune off the dead wood and purify each one of us for His kingdom. May we readily yield ourselves to His mighty internal work.
Bob
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