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Philppians 1 2 3 4 |
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Philippians Chapter 1
Paul & Timothy were faithful servants of Jesus Christ. That was their calling to be His servants. They did not live unto themselves nor seek their own pleasure but gave themselves completely for the sake of the gospel. In this they were considered themselves as servants. Their goal was eternal goals rather than to accumulate wealth and materials things in this life. This letter was exhortations from Paul and Timothy to the bishops, deacons and all believers in Philippi.
What a great attitude to have when we learn of believers or a body of Christians that are faithfully serving God. This gave them joy. We today should never be envious of the success of other growing churches that are not part of our particular church that was started years before the newer ones. Instead we should always rejoice to see other believers faithfully serving the Lord in spirit and in truth.
Another example of a true spirit filled body of believers is to pray for other believers. Fervently praying for new converts and new churches to overcome obstacles and spread the gospel, growing in grace and the knowledge of God.
Praying for other believers with faith and confidence that God will complete the work started in them, was the way Paul lived. What a wonderful example to follow. God wants everyone to be saved and escape wrath. God wants the sick healed, the gospel preached and He desires that all will walk in the Holy Spirit. God also has the power to change lives and as long as someone is still alive in the body, they are capable of being saved. Picture God our Father who desires to do these things instead of someone sitting in heaven trying to decide whether to answer our prayers or not. Be confident that God wants the church down the street or on the other side of town to prosper in the word and truth just as he wants our own church to make it through to victory. It is never his will that people backslide, grow lukewarm or cold and close their church doors whether they meet in homes or buildings built for the purpose of worshiping God.
Even at the times when Paul was in prison and suffering bondage because of his fervent preaching of the gospel, he remembers other churches and believers. He thinks more of them than his own comfort.
He longs to see them, pray with them and encourage them in the faith.
He desires them to possess the love of God perfectly and increase in this.
This is what we do not want to forget in the church of this present age which would cause many to begin to compromise with the world. Let us not stop proving the things that are excellent. The fear of being legalistic can stop us from striving to be sincere and without offence until Jesus returns. By not preaching and teaching holiness for fear of becoming Pharisees could cause compromise with the worldly way of thinking and acting. The opposite extreme is to become too rigid and judgmental, lacking our first love for one another by forgetting mercy and the grace of God. Religions that are cruel and judgmental do not represent a God of mercy that wants to save the lost. Studying the scriptures daily to make sure that we are truly walking in the Holy Spirit, full of the true love of God and applying the word of God correctly always asking God for understanding is the way to go. Jesus said that those that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled. Jesus Said:
There is always an answer to what troubles us in the written word.
True love of God will love His holiness and seek to live and walk in the spirit as well as walk in perfect love for our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Fear of becoming legalistic can cause us to stop pursuing true holy living.
True holiness is walking in love, joy and peace along with departing from our former love for the world and the things that defile the flesh.
So many great nuggets in God's word. And here we have the promise of returning with the Lord when He comes to set up His visible, literal kingdom.
No man or woman was made righteous by trying to keep the law of God handed down by the hand of Moses. It was impossible and they failed to keep all the law. If they failed in just one part of the law, they would be condemned. Jesus Christ came and kept the law in every point. He then was able to become the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. His death was not deserved for he did not sin. His death can count for all who believe in Him. Through faith in Jesus we now can obtain the righteousness that comes by the power of God. We are born again by the Spirit of God and are given the Holy Spirit to abide within us so that the righteousness of God dwells in us and we become a new creature. Old things have passed away. We still have our free will to choose right from wrong however, and if we do not abide in Christ continually and seek His righteousness continually, we can be tempted back into sin and the old nature. We should not want the old nature back, so to avoid that be continually seeking Him and walking in the Holy Spirit always desiring to walk in TRUE holiness. Avoid any manmade religious substitutes for true holiness that is completely outward. This is not true holiness for it lacks love and compassion for the lost or weak brothers and sisters in Christ. On the other hand, fearing legalistic religion should not stop us from seeking God continually to walk in love and true holiness. True inward holiness will indeed affect our outward actions and perhaps even our appearance but the holiness is not the outward appearance and we cannot judge whether or not one is holy by his or her outward appearance. Years ago as a young Christian, I lived very strict. My outward appearance was what some would call holy. Even though I loved God and was born again, I soon became judgmental and doubted the salvation of anyone who did not dress as I thought Christians should dress. I got out of that thinking but almost made another mistake. I started dressing a little more like the world although compared to today it was not like the world at all. Still we need to be careful that we don't begin to think that if the way we were taught was wrong then maybe other things were not wrong either. We could go a little too far the other way causing some to be offended at us and confused. They might assume we were backslidding back into sin. Here is the mistake. Instead of being like the world, we need to set the example but in meekness and love, not in a holier than thou attitude. The church should have kept their old standards of living but with the right spirit and the right attitude of being an example, not being judgmental. We should have been gentle and kind; not harsh and cruel. In other words the church should have changed in attitude if it needed changing but they should not have begun to looking and copying after the world. We should have lived in a manner that the world would copy us instead of us copying the world. However, to have a religious spirit that makes the way of salvation complicated and hard for someone who needs to find Jesus Christ is not the way to go either. We must love our brothers and sisters, love to see the lost saved yet without compromising in things God removes from our lives. Why though, can't we set the example in dress and outward actions and still possess the love of God toward others. We can have both. We don't have to forsake everything that is decent in order to love others as ourselves. We just need to guard against portraying the way of salvation as a way of dress or what one does or does not do instead of trusting God to give the gift of salvation to those that believe. Only God can save. Just changing our dress and outward actions alone can't save anyone. One cannot live in true holiness without the holy one living within the person. Salvation is individual. Jesus said that except a man be born again, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. This is something that Jesus does when we repent or turn from sin and come to Him for forgiveness of sin. We become Born Again. We are not saved by just keeping the law of Moses or keeping any set of rules and regulations that we've been taught. We have to come to Christ. After coming to Christ, His spirit comes into us and we then can live in the right kind of righteousness and that is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We then must choose to continue in the faith and be obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit which will not lead us back into sin. Only the wicked one will try to do that but we must resist the wicked one, steadfast in the faith.
That sums it all. Be filled with the fruits of righteousness which comes from Jesus Christ. This pleases God.
Paul realizes that some may wonder why God allowed Paul to be imprisoned and suffer so much persecution. He explains this to them so that their faith is not wavered. These things happened so that he could share the gospel in the places he is taken. Paul felt that getting the gospel to the whole world even if it meant losing his life was more important that his own comfort.
Some see Paul's example of preaching the gospel even though it may bring persecution, some began to preach without fear.
Not all preach the gospel for the right reasons. Some envy others and try to outdo them or imitate them.
Some proclaim Christ to get authorities to be more angry at those preaching. Some may even be preaching for material gain and a way to make a living.
The love for souls and obedience to God is the best reason to preach the gospel.
Christ's name will save the lost and impact the world whether or not it is preached in truth or pretense.
I don't yet understand why our prayers is helpful to another believer but it is. This is why we are to pray for those who preach the gospel. It may be that we may pray at a time when they are suffering discouragement and can't pray themselves. Prayer works. It is still a mystery to me sometimes but I know that prayer works miracles.
To those who die in Christ, it is not loss but gain, for they go immediately into the presence of God. There is no soul sleep taught in scriptures.
We benefit more when the faithful are still alive and living among us then when they go to be with the Lord.
He recognized that to stay among them in his present body is better for them but worse for him. This is the opposite of our thinking today. We really need to desire to be with the Lord more than the things of this life.
If there was not a danger of losing one's first love and not abiding in Christ in faithfulness, why does Paul continually warn of such? He says continually to make sure our conversation becomes the gospel. In other words, our lives should reflect what we claim to believe. Seeking the infilling of Holy Spirit continually will enable us to do this. Being of the same mind and one accord is vital. Striving together for the gospel's sake will produce fruitfulness. Contending for the faith once delivered to the saints is necessary. Paul is not telling us to compromise and be of the same mind in any false teaching or falling away but to be of the same mind in the truth and faith of the gospel. They were of the same mind and one accord on the day of Pentecost just before the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
We are not to fear those opposing us but trust in God.
The sad part is that those that kill and harm God's chosen people that spread the gospel, will be lost for eternity and bear horrible judgment if they do not repent and receive the truth of the gospel themselves.
Some even have members of their own family turn against them.
A godly life will produce opposition. The greatest opposition sometimes are those that are religious or different than one who walks in the Spirit. But be assured of this. A life in the Spirit and a life in the flesh are total opposites.
God gives us assurance in the midst of persecution. Some have seen angels. Once we go to be with Him though, no one can harm us ever again.
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