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Philippians, Chapter One

Philippians 1:1-3

Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,

"I thank my God"

Of the letters that Paul wrote, six of them were written from prison. It is an astonishing thought to think of how much of Paul's writing ministry took place in jail. He wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Hebrews (if Paul wrote Hebrews) and II Timothy while incarcerated. Paul would not let himself give way to self-pity. As a result we have this jubilant letter of joy.

1:3 begins the body of the letter, verses 1 and 2 were the salutation. This paragraph runs from verse 3 to 11, Paul's prayer for the saints.

Paul begins his prayer with thanksgiving. Whenever a group is worthy of his thanks he begins this way. There is only one group of churches for which Paul does not thank God--the Galatians. He just could not bring himself to thank God for them because of their doctrinal error.

"upon every remembrance of you"

"Every time I remember you, every time I think of you, I thank God." Paul's capacity for thanks was vast. Paul and the Philippians were separated by hundreds of miles and for a number of years yet his faculty for thanking God for them remained. The Philippians must have been a wonderful church with a great testimony in order to impress Paul so much. It would be a wonderful thing for other people to say of us, "I thank God for that person. I thank God that I met them, what a blessing they have been to me."

However, many of us have a testimony whereby people say, "I don't know what I did to have that person come across my path! I thank God that I can forget that person!" Every believer is either a blessing or a curse; a wing or a weight; an asset or a liability. We either help people in their Christian life or hinder them.

Remembering brought no regrets for Paul; he had only blessed memories. Do you have a capacity to give thanks? Do you thank God for your church? Do you thank God for individuals in your church?

"UPON" does not mean "at." Paul does not thank God at every remembrance of the Philippians. It means "on the basis of." That is, the Philippians form the basis for Paul's thanksgiving.

There were unpleasant memories in Philippi if Paul cared to dwell on them--the rage of the masters of the girl set free from demons and the conduct of the city officials and populace toward Paul. Currently two women were locked in a bitter battle (4:2). But, Paul chose not to remember the petty irritations. Gratitude springs out of what we choose to think about. A common fault of the believer is to fail to thank God for the common courtesies and favors of life.

"every remembrance of you"

The Greek indicates that Paul thanked God for his entire connection with them

PRINCIPLE: It is important to recognize our current blessings are from God. That recognition is a capacity or faculty for appreciation of what God has brought into our lives.

APPLICATION: The word "thank" is in the present tense in the Greek and indicates a constant thankfulness. Do we intentionally and on a daily basis develop our capacity for appreciation for what God is doing in our lives?

Philippians 1:4

"always in every prayer of mine making request for you with all joy."

"always"

The word literally means "on all occasions." It did not make any difference what the occasion was. Whatever it was, wherever it was made no difference to Paul. He was independent from his circumstances.

"making request"

The Greek indicates that prayer was regularly given by Paul for the Philippians. Paul was in the habit of praying for them.

"for you"

The word "for" means "on behalf of." Paul was interceding for the Philippians. The prayer life of the apostle Paul was an incredible witness to his character. His prayers are constantly set forth in his epistles (Rom. 1:9; Eph 1:16; Co 1:3,9; I Thess. 1:1; II Thess. 1:11; Philemon 4).

"with joy"

"Joy" is emphatic by position in the Greek sentence. For him to pray for the Philippians was a joy. Paul entered a spiritual rhapsody when he entered prayer for the Philippians. Prayer was no mechanical duty whereby he labored to find words or thoughts as he forced prayer for them.

This joy was not mere excitement; it was not a commonplace pedantic necessity of life. However, this joy was a serenity of spirit in the face of adverse circumstances in which he was confident God was able to manage the problems. While sitting in jail Paul could do little for the Philippians. Yet he enjoyed a serenity of spirit which drew its reliance upon God. Paul was the most content man in Rome much less the Roman jail! His joy was irrepressible.

The word "with" in "with joy" means "accompanying." Joy had the company of prayer! Have you found joy in prayer?

PRINCIPLE: There is joy in prayer; therefore, there should be no reluctance and misgivings when we pray. We should have an attitude of expectation of God's intervention with accompanying joy.

APPLICATION: Have you evaluated your attitudes in prayer? Is it a duty or task? Is your attitude "accompanied by joy?"

Philippians 1:5

"For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now"

Paul is in the process of thanking God for the Philippians. He says, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you...for your fellowship in the gospel..." One reason Paul thanked God was for the fellowship they had with him in getting the gospel out.

Of all the churches with which Paul was associated, it is quite obvious that the church at Philippi was the closest to his heart. He loved them all, but they loved him more than other churches did. "I wish I could be out of jail and be with you folks."

"for"

"For" means "on the basis of." Paul gave thanks on the basis of some substance. Paul's capacity for thanksgiving went beyond warm "fuzzies." His love for them had a basis to it-- their participation in advancing the gospel.

"fellowship"

This word means "a community of interest, cooperation, share things in common." The Philippian church participated in the gospel. Their interest was getting the gospel out. They cooperated in advancing the cause of Christ.

They had a partnership in the gospel. An old saying about fellowship among Christians is that it is "two fellows in one ship." They had a partnership with Paul in getting the gospel out to the world. That is partnership in the gospel.

"from the first day until now"

This church supported the apostle Paul from the first day they met until the moment he was writing them sitting in jail. They never forgot him. They continued to support him. It is now over ten years later and their commitment is still faithful to him. No wonder he thanked God for them.

In the last chapter at verse ten Paul says, "But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." (4:10-12) Paul is talking here about financial support. Of all the churches the Philippian church was the church that remembered that Paul had a stomach was well as a soul.

There were occasions when they lost track of him. But whenever they found him they supported him financially.

The Greek indicates that their commitment to him was unbroken--"until (the) now." In the Greek the word "now" has a definite article before it. This means right up to the moment Paul was sitting in jail they were still supporting him. They had sent a messenger from Philippi to give Paul financial support. That messenger almost lost his life in the process of doing so.

PRINCIPLE: Getting the gospel out requires joint participation. Paul views those of us who support messengers of the gospel as participating in evangelism.

APPLICATION: Have you given yourself to the missionary cause--heart and soul? What are you doing in a concrete manner to participate in advancing the gospel?

Philippians 1:6

"Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;"

"confident"

"I am persuaded of this. I am certain of this." Paul was certain that the God who launched a good work in the Philippians would continue it. When God begins the work of salvation in us he will finish it. God never starts anything that he cannot finish. When God begins a work in us he will see it through to completion.

God will either work in us or he will work on us but he will finish the job. He will finish it whether we want it finished or not! Once we have come to know Christ we cannot say, "stop the process, I want out." Paul says, "I am certain of this; this is not debatable; I am sure; I am confident."

It was this confidence that gave Paul joy. "Confidence" means to come to a conclusion based on a reasonable ground. God has taken care of billions of people over thousands of years and has not let one person down. Paul's confidence was in the capacity of God, not in men. The Greek tense indicates that this was a settled confidence in Paul's mind. Paul's faith in God's ability to finish what he starts did not waver.

"that he who has begun a good work in you"

God began it; God will finish it. At the point of salvation God did a complete job. In no way was it inadequate or incomplete. God did the most that he could for us in our salvation. Here is the principle of this passage: if God did the most for us at salvation when we were his enemies, what can he do now that we are his children? Answer: much more than the most. This is a paradox but note what he says in the next phrase.

"will complete it until..."

The word means "to bring to a completed end." God finishes what he starts. He puts his finishing touches on it.

Many people are bedeviled by the idea that God may lose control of their situation. But God will not give up on us. He will let us go about as far as a dog on a leash. When we run from the Lord and come to the end of our leash we come to a terrible jerk. "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me" (Ps. 138;8).

God is in the business of keeping regenerated people regenerated. There is the finished work of Christ and there is the unfinished work of Christ. "For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life" (Rom. 5:10). "Shall be saved by His life" means that he is keeping saved people saved. What life is he talking about here? The life after Jesus died. His life in glory. The glorious life of the exalted Son of God will keep us saved from the power of sin. "Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them" (Heb 7:25). This verse is speaking about saving a saint. He is living at this moment to save saints. Jesus saves us from both the penalty and the power of sin.

Once we have become part of the family of God there is no way we can become disowned. Once born we cannot become unborn. Your human father or mother may be disgraced by your life, but you are still their son or daughter. However, in the family of God we can go only so far and then God's loving discipline will go into effect.

God always finishes what he starts. This is the point of Paul's confidence. This is the place where we leave self confidence. Either God will finish it in time or in eternity, but he will finish it. Paul could leave that in God's hands.

PRINCIPLE: The unfinished work of Christ intercedes for us in time.

APPLICATION: Do we have confidence in Christ's present work for us? Can we trust him to intercede for whatever we are currently facing?

In the first part of verse six Paul expressed his confidence that God who had commenced a good work in them, the work of salvation, would consummate it all the way to the time when Jesus comes back again.

Now we come to the last part of verse six...

"until the day of Christ"

The word "day" is used three ways in Scripture: a twenty-four hour day; less than a twenty- four hour day (when Jesus comes in a twinkling of an eye); more than a twenty-four hour period (Day of the Lord; millennium).

Grace is followed by "more grace." In grace God saved us from the penalty of sin; in grace God saves us from the power of sin; in grace God saves us from the presence of sin. The "good work" which was begun at the cross will continue in time and on into eternity. That is "more grace."

The expression "the day of Christ" occurs a half dozen times in the New Testament and three of those six occur in Philippians. It always refers to the time when Christ comes to catch the church away.

"...that you may be sincere and without offense 'till the day of Christ" (1:10).

"...holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain" (2:16).

"...eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Co. 1:7,8).

"...deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction oft he flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus" (I Co. 5:5).

"...(as also you have understood us in part), that we are your boast as you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus" (II Co. 1:14).

This is the day of the consummation of our salvation, the first resurrection; all of which takes place at the same time. This is the next day in God's prophetic program.

"The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light" (Rom.. 13:12).

This day is the same day of Ephesians 4:30, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." The "day of redemption" is the day of the redemption of our bodies. That is the day when our physical bodies will be redeemed. We will be saved physically then. That is the day we will receive everything the Saviour purchased on the cross. Right now we have spiritual redemption. In that day I will no longer need glasses or dentures or artificial limbs. Our body will be fashioned like his glorified body (Phil. 3:21).

PRINCIPLE: God has given us grace in our salvation but he is not finished with giving us grace. There is "more grace" yet for the Christian both in time and eternity.

APPLICATION: Do you always look to your past salvation? Do you look to your current and future salvation? God has given us more than one kind of grace.

Philippians 1:7

"Just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace."

"right for me to think"

It is proper or fitting for Paul to think what he is thinking. "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7).

The word for "think" means to have in mind, to hold a mental attitude about something. Paul held an attitude toward the Philippians. An attitude is a habit of thinking. Paul had a habit of thinking about the subject of verse seven. He formed this attitude based on divine viewpoint. That is why his attitude was proper. Without the Word of God he would not have standards or criteria by which he could form judgments about values. The measuring stick for forming attitudes in the Christian realm is God's Word. If we did not have a standard not only could we not distinguish between good and bad but we could not distinguish between good and good. We would not be able to put priority on important things. We need "the mind of Christ" (I Co. 2:16).

"because I have you in my heart"

Paul had taught the Philippians and it was his responsibility to think about them. It is important for leadership to think about the people they lead in the light of the Word of God.

The word "heart" means the total person. This word means far more than the emotional life of the believer. In North American society we think of "heart" in terms of either Valentine's Day or the physical pump for the body. The biblical term means neither. Paul had thought about the Philippians in terms of his total person. He gave his total self to them.

In II Co. 7:3 Paul says, "I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together." Ministry was not just a job or profession to Paul. God's people were on Paul's heart. They had hold of him; they were part of him.

"inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel"

"In my chains"--Paul was in prison.

Paul had the Philippians in his heart in two categories: in both the defense and confirmation of the gospel. The folks at Philippi were partners with Paul in defending the gospel and confirming the gospel. They were in it together. They were both on the same team.

Paul did not manufacture the message; he simply passed it on and they accepted it at face value. The message did for the Philippians what it did for Paul on the way to Damascus many years before. Now they are partners in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

The gospel is defended with words and confirmed with works. We defend the gospel with our lips and confirm the gospel with our life. It is one thing to speak the gospel; it is another thing to live it out. That is quite another matter. So there are two things that need to be done with the gospel: to affirm (defend) it and confirm it. To confirm the gospel means to ratify it, reinforce it, underscore it. We give credence to the gospel when we live the gospel; people are inclined to believe the gospel if they can see a demonstration of someone living the gospel.

What has the gospel done for you? Has the gospel transformed your way of living? Did the gospel ever help you? Yes? Then tell me how. This is what it means to bear a testimony. To confirm the gospel means to report what the gospel did for you. "Before I became a Christian I was thus and so and now that I am a Christian I am this." That is what it means to confirm the gospel.

"Confirmation" means guarantee, firm establishment or security. It means to establish something so that it becomes a guarantee or security. The gospel is secured guaranteed by our life.

PRINCIPLE: There are two aspects to sharing Christ: the lip and the life. Both are necessary to present a total package in our representation of Christ.

APPLICATION: Are we manifesting the gospel, confirming the gospel with a changed life? Do you give credence to the gospel?

"you all are partakers with me of grace."

"Partakers" means partners. The Philippians were part of Paul's gospel team even though they were separated by hundreds of miles. God never intended that one individual do all the serving and producing. That is the point of the allocation of spiritual gifts to every believer. We are all partners and on the same team. That is why every believer is a priest and an ambassador of Christ. The life of every believer has definition and purpose.

There are not many Christian articles about the person who goes to work everyday and lives out his routine. No one writes about ordinary events: "The thrilling story of his ride downtown on the bus and how the air conditioning went out which almost caused heat prostration!" No, people do not write about the daily routine. They are much more likely to write about an overseas adventure.

No matter how much monotony people may have in their life, if they are serving Jesus Christ, they are in partnership with believers all over the world. No matter how much our lives may be in a rut, our lives are just as important as any person on the mission field or in any other area of Christian service. It is just as difficult to live a conventional life as a life of adventure.

It is a great strain for sports writers to write about linemen. It is much easier to write about the 80 yard run and how many touch downs were made. Without great linemen there would be no great running backs. The "silent partners" of the apostle Paul were the Philippians. Without people who give to Christian work and those who work behind the scene, little would be accomplished for the cause of Christ. Many of the Philippians had routine experiences yet they were partners with the great apostle Paul. Paul travelled all over the Roman empire yet many of the Philippians did not get much farther than the outskirts of the city.

The people in Philippi supported Paul both spiritually and materially. They not only shared in the same grace that brought Paul to Christ but they shared in the same grace that made Paul a missionary. They shared in Paul's ministry.

Every time they helped Paul financially they had a stake in his work; they had a share in his work; they had shares in him. "I have invested $500 in Paul's ministry; I have invested $1000 in his ministry." Would it not be great to have a $500 share in the ministry of Paul?! Just think of the dividends that would come back at the judgment seat of Christ! Do you look on evangelistic enterprises like that? We would have a share in an evangelist. That eternal investment would pay dividends in glory.

"...for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and enduring possession for yourselves in heaven" (Heb 10:34)

Every time an evangelist wins someone to the Lord we get a percentage of that at the judgment seat of Christ. God keeps the books.

When people see a boxer with potential they buy stock in that young man. It is a business deal. Maybe five men will buy stock in him. They expect to get their money back and some profit. When we invest in the Lord's work we expect something back, not here but hereafter. God does not expect you to invest and get nothing in return. God's returns will be beyond our expectations. The world operates on the basis of money but what will it yield? When we invest our dollar we want to get the best return. When we invest in God's work we get eternal returns.

PRINCIPLE: We share ministry with those we support.

APPLICATION: Are we investing our resources with an eye on eternity?

Philippians 1:8

"For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ."

"For God is my witness"

There is no verb in this phrase and the word "God" is very emphatic. God knows all the facts. God knows everything Paul is thinking. He knows whether the statement I am about to make is true.

This is intense language. Paul was a man of dead earnestness. This is the same as to say, "God is my witness," "God knows I am telling the truth." Paul uses this language a number of times in his epistles. You would think that this would not be necessary since an apostle is doing the communicating. But he was a man of such dead sincerity that he feared others would think that he was resorting to exaggeration.

Paul is telling the Philippians how much he loved them. It was common then, as it is now, to tell people you love them and not be genuine about it. There are a lot of people who go around uttering sweet clichés. Some people are Pollyanna in their dealings with other people. Paul did not want to leave the impression that his love was cosmetic, sketchy and surface.

Paul knew his heart well enough to call God to witness to it. He knew he was not manipulating them. He knew the purity of his own heart. How many of us could say that? How many of us could call upon God to witness to the authenticity of our character and statements?

"how greatly I loved you all"

"Long for" means earnestly desire. This is a strong word for affection.

Paul says, "I would dearly love to see you. I would love to get out of prison and come to see you. One of the first places I will head is Philippi to see you when I am released." Paul was eventually released and made the trip to Philippi. Later he was rearrested and the last time he was in prison he wrote II Timothy. When he wrote II Timothy he knew he was not going to be released.

"with the affection of Jesus Christ"

This was Paul's way of saying, "I love you." The word "affection" means the inward parts. Metaphorically it means the seat of feelings. Paul had deep feelings for the Philippians. In fact, he had the same feelings that Jesus himself had for them! They evidently knew that Jesus had a deep inner love for them. Now Paul wants them to know that he has that same love for them. No wonder he took a solemn oath to prove it.

PRINCIPLE: It was Paul's desire to accurately communicate his love for the Philippians. He felt it necessary to disclose his heart for them.

APPLICATION: Do you have a dedication to tell those close to you that you love them? To what extremity will you go to do this?

Philippians 1:9

"And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,"

"and this I pray"

In verses 9 to eleven we come to one of the splendid prayers of Paul. Paul's prayers are very suggestive. They are never superficial and half-hearted. They are always germane to the situation. This prayer has the very whiff of heaven. Paul's prayers are a high water mark of spirituality in the New Testament. A person ought to be at their best when at prayer. Prayer is conversing with God. The white heat of the flame of God's presence melts way all superficiality in our lives.

In this prayer there are three petitions all of which begin with the word "that." Verse nine is the first "that."

"that your love may abound"

The first essential that Paul prays about is that their love may "abound." It is one thing to have love; it is yet another to have abounding love. Their love needed to be enlarged.

The word "abound" means to overflow, to be over and above, more than enough. This is a love that dominates one's life. Love is no mere category. In unbiblical love there are categories of love. In one category there is love yet in another category there is bitterness and resentment.

"still more and more"

Here is a piling up of adverbs, an exuberance of love. Wave after wave of love should hit the banks of our souls. The more we grow in grace the greater is our capacity to love. One way we know we are growing is how much we love the unlovely.

We rub elbows with people who are more difficult than others. All people do not appeal to us equally. It may be their disposition, their dress or their way of doing things. If we love with abounding love all that melts away. All that is irrelevant. We do not love them for their sake; we love them for Jesus' sake.

So the first earmark of a growing Christian is a dynamic love which is both over and against a static love. Immature Christians wax anger at the drop of a hat; they become exasperated quickly; they are aggravated by people who do not seem to appreciate them. But as we grow more and more in love those things become petty. In the light of the stern realities of heaven and hell, sin and righteousness, God and the Devil, such things become irrelevant and inconsequential. They are too tawdry to deflect the child of God from his original purpose of glorifying God with his life.

When we let people get under our skin or in our hair, when we let people vex our souls, we are deflected from reflecting God's glory in our lives.

When children do something in an immature way people say " that's baby fat, they will outgrow it." Feeling slighted is something we outgrow when we grow in love.

PRINCIPLE: Biblical love is dynamic; it both abounds and keeps developing so that it moves the child of God out of childhood and into spiritual adulthood.

APPLICATION: Are we still caught up in bitterness and indignation? Are we trapped at the initial stages of Christianity? Have we recognized signs of babyhood?

We have already examined 1:9a where we found that our love needed to "abound still more and more." However, a dynamic love is not complete without some other norms. In 1:9b we find two norms which are necessary for a dynamic love: knowledge and discernment.

"in knowledge"

Paul's prayer is that love will abound in knowledge. This word knowledge means full, experiential knowledge. To love in God's economy is to love beyond emotion and feeling. There is something at the foundation of this love.

To love in knowledge means that we do not call every "honey" or "darling." This is not saccharin, imitation love. This is not authentic love. Authentic love loves on the basis of substance or content.

Love has nothing to fear from light. Suspicion puts the light out; it kills love. Intense love makes people sensitive to slights and misunderstandings unless they apply full knowledge. This word denotes fineness of perception.

Knowledge is important for any specialist in any field. I do not want my plumber to perform surgery on me. Neither do I want my surgeon to work on my plumbing! Each specialist is adept at his specialty because of what he knows. A Christian is to be a specialist in love. That love is to abound in knowledge. An indifferent, vague, sloppy love is not Christian love. It is an informed love.

Love grows best in the radiant light of knowledge.

"and all discernment"

Knowledge is the accumulation of facts. Discernment, however, is an advance upon knowledge. Discernment is the correct use of the facts. But we must have knowledge to have discernment.

The more we know the more we can divide things that differ. We can separate and make distinctions. Discerning love can tell the difference between maudlin love and authentic love. Maudlin love may not employ "tough love" when necessary. Maudlin love loves on the basis of sympathy, not empathy.

PRINCIPLE: Authentic love requires both knowledge and discernment. As well, God wants us to "abound still more and more" in love that loves on the basis of knowledge and discernment.

APPLICATION: Do you love purely with your emotions? Can you dislike someone and still love them? It is valid biblically to deplore the foolishness of an individual and still love them.

Philippians 1:10

"That you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ."

In this passage we have two more items for which Paul prays. Today we will study the second petition--"that you may approve the things that are excellent."

"that you may approve"

The word "approve" means test for approval. This is spiritual discernment. Discernment is the ability to distinguish between the chaff and wheat, the dross and the gold, the genuine and the superficial.

Automobiles need to be tested on a torture track before they are sold to the public. If a car's breaks do not meet the test they are sent back for redesign. You do not put a car with faulty breaks on the market. Lives are at stake. In order to test those breaks some standard for testing needs to be applied. A standard or measure for what is good breaks is needed. God wants us to test for approval, have a criterion for whatever comes into our lives. That criterion is "excellence."

If we have this criterion we can resolve the priorities of our life. Any problem or set of alternatives which is set before us should be measured by this standard. If we operate by this standard we should be able to resolve any priority.

"the things that are excellent"

"Excellence" is a sense of what is vital. Greek--excellence means to bear apart, like metals, you learn how they differ from lesser metals. So excellence means things of greater value.

We should be able to test for approval the things which are the most valuable in life. None of us operate in life without some scale of values. The question is not whether we have a scale of values but the question is more which scale of values we choose. Do we chose God's highest values or some set of values we may chose?

Where there is no scale of values utter confusion follows. If we want to live a flustered life, then live life without an adequate set of ultimate values. In this situation nothing is of value, nothing of importance. To live life with everything of equal importance is to live life at a trivial level. Lesser things are as important as greater things.

If we chose our ultimate value to make and save as much money possible, then we have chosen a lesser value in God's economy. If we chose to put God's glory first no matter how much money we make, then we live by God's scale of values. It is a matter of what comes first. If our main objective is to make money then we are number one in our values and God is number two. We need to decide what is important.

PRINCIPLE: Christians need to test for approval the things of greatest value in God's economy.

APPLICATION: Do we have God's scale of values? What is the highest item on our scale of values? What is first or most important to us? A good way to measure these questions is how do we use our time? Answering these things will reveal what is important in our lives. Then we will have a sense of what is vital.

Verse ten is the second and third petitions of Paul for the Philippians. Today we will study the third petition "that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ."

"that you may be sincere"

"Sincere" literally means "unmixed, pure, unsullied." Therefore, this word means to be genuine or authentic.

The word "sincere" comes from two Greek words: "sun" and "to judge." It means to judge by holding up to the light of the sun. Broken pottery in the ancient world was often covered with wax and painted over. People were deceived into thinking they were buying a sound vase, for example. However, if a person were to hold this vase up to the sun, the sun would reveal the cracks.

The believer should be transparent, when held up to the light of the sun, of who God is. There is nothing to hide. No "wax" can be found in his life. There is no dilution or hypocrisy. God expects us to be the "real thing."

"and without offense"

"Without offense" is blameless. The word means "a trap." This was a crooked stick on which a bait is fastened, which, being struck by the animal, springs the trap. Therefore, it is anything which one stumbles against.

The believer is to be void of offense. This word also occurs in I Cor. 10:32, "Giving no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God."

One of the greatest criticisms the world has of the church is that it is "hypocritical." This has become a standard, stock excuse that those without Christ have for not receiving Christ. "There are too many hypocrites in church."

We admit that there are hypocrites in church. Yet there are hypocrites at the office. Do we quit work because there are hypocrites? Do we turn in our membership at the lodge because people are inconsistent? There is hypocrisy about hypocrisy!

The teaching of the Word of God has a tendency to create a spiritual atmosphere that is difficult for hypocrites to thrive in it. They become annoyed by the hammer like blows of the Word upon their lives. If we are not genuine, if we are a counterfeit Christian, a make-believe Christian sitting under the conviction of the Word, we will become more of a counterfeit or move out from under the influence of God upon our lives.

"till the day of Christ"

This is the day when Christ comes back again. This day terminates the Christian life in time for all Christians.

Paul prays in this phrase that the Philippians will live an authentic life and a life that is not susceptible of censure until Christ comes again.

PRINCIPLE: When people examine our lives God wants us to be viewed as authentic ("without wax"). If people see that Christians are genuine then they will not have an occasion for accusing us of hypocrisy.

APPLICATION: Have you moved into a mode of covering rather than confessing your sin? Is it more comfortable for you to rationalize sin than to deal with it?

Philippians 1:11

"Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God."

Verse eleven sets forth the characteristics of those who produce the three requests for which Paul prays:

"...that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,"

"that you may approve the things that are excellent,"

"that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,"

Those who have these characteristics in their lives will produce fruit.

"being filled with the fruits of righteousness"

"Being" indicates this is something we receive. We receive it by God's grace. We do not earn it or work for it.

"Fruits" is singular in the Greek. This may refer to the filling of the Holy Spirit. This is the produce of righteousness. The harvest.

"Of righteousness"--produced by Christ and so supernatural. The word "of" indicates source this is imputed righteousness (righteousness which God unilaterally gives). The believer has a righteous stand before God, resulting from being clothed in Christ's righteousness, ought to produce fruit for God. Practical righteousness is to flow from what God has done.

Filled with the fruits of uprightness which come through Jesus Christ: The term of Christian growth and development is the status of uprightness before God, yet it is not a status that one achieves by oneself; rather it is begun by God (1:6) and has its fullness in that which comes only through union with Christ (see 3:9).

Such inner qualities, partially described in Galatians 5:22-23, will be evident to others. The fruit of the Spirit comes through Jesus Christ, for it is really His life lived out through believers. Such fruit magnifies God, not self.

PRINCIPLE: God is the source for the fruit that is produced in our lives. God has given us imputed righteousness (a legal righteousness which he put in us) so that we might produce a practical righteousness.

APPLICATION: Do we recognize the "harvest" of God's work upon us? Do we praise him for what he has done?

"which are by Jesus Christ"

"By" means "through” instrumentality. It is through the instrumentality of Christ that fruit is produced in our lives. The Greek has a definite article before the word "through"--"the through” "by that I mean the kind which is through Jesus Christ." This would mean by the death of Christ on the cross, for example. The death of Christ makes it possible to be delivered from our sins. The death of Christ makes it possible to live the Christian life.

"for the glory and praise of God."

A life that exhibits such traits is to the glory and praise of God. God produced the fruit so God gets the glory for doing it. If God does the doing, God gets the glory.

God is glorified by the fruitfulness he produces in our lives, John 15:8, "In this is my Father glorified...bear much fruit". There are three kinds of Christians in this passage: those that bear "fruit", "more fruit" and "much fruit." But there is no such thing as no fruit in the Christian. If a person is a believer there is going to be fruit.

The purpose of Christ's death was to glorify God. His attributes are glorified such as righteousness, justice, mercy and love in his death. As in 2:11 the career of Jesus and his influence on man are ordained only for the glory of the Father (cf. Rom 15:7; 1 Cor 10:31; 2 Cor 4:15).

We glorify God by utilizing divine provisions. Glory is provided inside each believer because the Holy Spirit resides in each believer, I Co 3:16; 6:19,20. The ministry of the Holy Spirit produces the character of Christ in the believer, Gal 4:19; II Co 3:3,18; Eph 3:17; Gal 5:22,23.

Matt. 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

I Pet 4:11 "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God gives: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever."

PRINCIPLE: If God does the doing in our lives, he gets the glory. If we do the doing, we get the glory.

APPLICATION: One of the saddest things in the family of God is a case of arrested spiritual development. We reach a spiritual plateau and there we remain. We need to realize that something is stunting our growth. We need our spiritual vitamins.

Paul prayed for the Philippian church for 3 things. What KIND OF GRADE would you get on these 3 items? Each one would count 1/3. If you have all three you get a 100!

How would you make out with love for 1994? If your mate would grade you, what would you get?

How would you do on discernment? Did you live your life with a sense of priority?

How did you do with glorifying God by righteousness? Did you live before Him as His exclusive use.

Philippians 1:12

"But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel."

We now turn from Paul's prayer for the Philippians to Paul's attitude about being jailed (1:12-24). His attitude is connected closely with how he viewed God's sovereign hand on his situation.

The Philippian church was deeply concerned about Paul. They loved him. Under God, they owed their salvation to him. When Paul left Philippi for the last time they lost track of him. Paul had gone back to Jerusalem. He was arrested and spent two years in jail in Caesarea. He was shipped to Rome and imprisoned there where finally the Philippians found him.

In this section Paul is assuring the Philippian church. He is alleviating their fears to calm their concern for him.

"But I want you to know"

Invariably the very thing God wants us to know is the thing about which we are most ignorant. Here Paul puts it in the positive--"I want you to know."

Hebrews 11:3 says "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God..." That is a difficult concept to grasp for a non-Christian. They can understand: "by brains we understand;" "by education we understand"; "by intuition we understand". The Christian, however, understands that faith is crucial to understand divine things. Especially when it comes to coming to grips with the adversity we face, faith is foundational to coping with the pain.

"that the things which happened to me"

Paul was in danger of death and this put great pressure on his confidence in God's plan for his life. Very shortly he may be dead. Yet he makes a clear appraisal of his situation from God's viewpoint.

In the New King James Version the words "which happened" are in italics which means that these words are not in the original text. Nothing just happened to Paul. Nothing just happens to us. There are no "rotten breaks" or "bad luck" for the Christian. Everything that comes into the life of the child of God comes by divine design. Our lives are divinely ordered. Good health, poor health; prosperity, poverty; all of these God mixes into our lives with a clear blueprint in his mind. All of the specifications are in God's plan for your life.

There is no accident, no luck, no coincident with the believer. Paul left Philippi the last time in Acts 20. In Acts 28 he is in prison at Rome where he wrote the book of Philippians. These are the "things which happened to me." Some mighty ugly things happened to him. He lay in prison in Caesarea without a fair trial. During that time he could not do his missionary work freely. From a human viewpoint it appeared that his time there was wasted. Again, at Rome he is in jail. God had a definite plan in all this as we will see in the ensuing verses.

PRINCIPLE: God is sovereignly in control of every thing that happens to us. God wants us to "know" this principle for sure.

APPLICATION: Do you "know" that God's hand is sovereignly working in your life? Do you believe that God has a divine design behind every situation, event, blessing and burden you face?

In our study of the first phrase we saw that there are no accidents in the life of the child of God. Now Paul demonstrates what this means in his own life.

"have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel."

The phrase "turned out" is in a tense which means the action was completed in the past with the results remaining unto the present. His imprisonment and near death experience has had a permanent effect on advancing the gospel!! Man proposes but God disposes. The best laid plans of men are not adequate for God's designs for the universe.

God overruled all the unfortunate events of Paul's life. He took Paul's imprisonment and turned it into a benefit. Souls have come to personally know Jesus Christ as their Saviour as a result of his incarceration.

This same principle is found in Romans 8:28, "And we know (this is often something we do not know) that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." God does not make a mistake. God is too good to do wrong and too wise to make a mistake. If we are in deep pain at the present time it is no mistake. God is in control of everything. Nothing is capricious with God. He manages every thing that comes into our lives and works them together into a pattern which will result in "good."

We may be disappointed from the standpoint of our personal design; however, from God's design he has something better in mind. God knows our plight better than we do. God knows the future. He has not chosen to reveal to us everything in that plan. He is infinite and we are finite. Finiteness cannot fully comprehend infiniteness. We do not have to take an exam on "why" God has allowed our predicament to happen. We will take an exam on our confidence in God's plan for our life. If we flunk it, we will have to take the course and exam again.

PRINCIPLE: Man proposes plans but God often disposes of them. A finite mind can never compete with an infinite God and his plans for man.

APPLICATION: Are we willing to flex our lives so that we submit to God's plan even though it may be different from ours?

We come to the last phrase of verse twelve. This is the reason for the sovereign hand of God upon Paul.

The word "furtherance" was used to refer to a group of people who cut brush and trees down in an impenetrable forest before an advancing army. The word means literally "to cut down in advance."

The point here is that "the things which happened" to Paul "advanced" the gospel. The adverse circumstances were the divine wood cutters. How could losing his liberty by imprisonment "advance" the gospel? He was chained to a Roman guard. He had what appears to us handicaps to preach the gospel. He was no longer free to roam the Roman Empire. But to Paul these hindrances were stepping stones to further the gospel throughout the Empire.

Paul had travelled thousands of miles to advance the gospel, how can he now say that the gospel has advanced while he is in prison? He is now in one location. He does not have a great number of contacts with non-Christians.

As we will see in the next verse, he led some strategic people in the Roman Empire to the Lord Jesus. Instead of one person carrying the gospel to the Empire, it is now a number of people. These were people of great influence politically. Instead of everyone banking on Paul to do the strategic evangelism, now his number has multiplied. One of the most important things that ever happened to Paul was that he was put into jail. The number of people dispersing the gospel has multiplied.

Going into prison he thought that his missionary career was ruined. It seemed to him as if his years in jail were going to be wasted. But God overruled the Roman Empire! God expanded his number. Many more people came to Christ as a result.

THE GOSPEL

In verse 5 we have the phrase "fellowship in the gospel," in verse 7 "confirmation of the gospel" and now "furtherance of the gospel." The gospel is one of the cardinal reasons for our taking up space on earth. What part have we played in the furtherance of the gospel? God is far more interested in the furtherance of the gospel than he is in politics. Are we coupled to the Great Commission? The reason Paul could recognize God's plan for his imprisonment is that it advanced the gospel.

When we get to the Judgment Seat of Christ, God is not going to ask us how well we manicured our lawns. He is going to ask us what part we played in advancing the cause of Christ. Obviously God wants us to care for our lawns, if only for our neighbor’s mental health! It is a question of majoring on majors. However, we often major on minors. We make much ado about things of little consequence. We squander our energies. We prostitute our time making religious daisy chains.

PRINCIPLE: God's plans to use us transcend our ability to anticipate, from a finite perspective, the global strategy of reaching those without Christ. God has factored adversity into our lives. This often makes no sense to us but nevertheless advances the gospel.

APPLICATION: Are you absorbed in advancing the gospel? Have you placed yourself in the infinite hands of God to get the gospel out?

Philippians 1:13

"so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;"

Now we come to the results of God's sovereignly placing Paul in prison. There are two results, two ways his adversity advanced the cause of Christ.

The impact his imprisonment had on non-Christians, v13.

The effect his incarceration had upon believers, v14.

Today we examine the first result.

"so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard"

"So that" is a result clause.

Paul had become a celebrated prisoner. He was renowned not because he had committed a crime; he was notable because of his testimony. He was in jail for Jesus' sake.

The "palace guard" was the Praetorian guard. This group was instituted by Augustus Caesar. They were the emperor’s private bodyguard. They were an elite troop. Eventually they became the king makers; they appointed the Caesar. As Rome conquered the nations of the world these men were appointed to rule over them. Obviously this band of men were strategic in the Roman Empire.

Paul had become a famous prisoner to the Praetorian guard. Some of these men came to trust Christ as their Saviour. Note the last chapter, "All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar's household" (4:22). Paul was able to reach a segment of society normally out of reach of most Christians of the time. The conventional arm of the church could not reach these men. No wonder God had a design for his imprisonment! After these men came to Christ they went throughout the empire sharing their faith. Paul had multiplied himself strategically in the Roman Empire.

Evidently the church at Rome was typically ineffective in reaching these men. Paul came to Rome as a prisoner and was able to evangelize this Praetorian guard. He had a captive audience. One guard at a time was chained to him. Each shift he had a new opportunity to share Christ. Can you imagine the talk of the barracks? "Have you been chained to that Paul yet? Boy, are you going to get an ear full! All he can talk about is that Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection for our sins."

Paul was an effective witness one man at a time. That is where most Christians fail--one on one testimony. The most effective way to reach people for Christ is one on one. I doubt that any of the Praetorian guards attended the stated services of the church in Rome or any evangelistic services. We are the best witness to our relatives, neighbors and friends. We are the best Christians some people know; it may be that we are the only Christians some people know.

"that my chains are in Christ"

Paul never lost perspective that is was not the Roman Empire which placed him in jail. He was not a prisoner of Caesar but of Jesus Christ. The sovereign hand of God put him there.

PRINCIPLE: Each solder presented to Paul a fresh opportunity to preach Christ to a strategic group of people in the Roman Empire. Because of Paul's confinement he was able to multiply himself many times. The gospel spread much faster because of it.

APPLICATION: Are you sharing your faith one on one?

Philippians 1:14

"and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear."

We come to the second result of Paul's imprisonment. The first result spread the gospel all over the Roman Empire--a number of the Praetorian guard came to Christ. The second result impacted the Christians of Rome.

In Rome the church lived their Christianity with caution and care. They would take no chances; they shirked from sharing their faith. Yet they were already ready to say "we told you so." Their insecurities were obvious.

"and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains"

The phrase "having become confident" means to "receive confidence." Paul's testimony impacted them so powerfully that they derived confidence from it.

"are much more bold"

Boldness in Rome took some courage. A person could risk imprisonment or even death. There was open season on Christians. This issued a timid and mousy witness. They were not sure of themselves. They were afraid of what might happen if they ran afoul of Roman authority.

Christians today often are mousy and afraid to share their faith with far less consequence than the Romans. We are apologetic and quiet about our faith. We are afraid to hurt feelings. We do not want to speak up so that the issues are clear--heaven and hell.

The word "are" is continual action in the Greek. Their boldness became a pattern. Previously Paul had written to the Romans "that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world" (Rom. 1:8). Evidently they did witness previously but it had become intermittent and anemic. They were cautious because they were afraid. But here they established a pattern of "much more" boldness.

To be bold is one thing. To be more bold is another. Yet, to be much more bold is another. Paul's testimony had a mighty impact on advancing the gospel among Christians!

Why were they bold? Because they "received confidence" from Paul's witness in prison. They saw that he was always on the move when it came to sharing his faith. He had another ministry in prison. We often are quick to find excuses for not sharing our faith; Paul was alert to every opportunity.

"to speak the word without fear"

Fear disappeared from their witness. The prayer of the church shortly after it began was "grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word" (Acts 4:29).

One of the least common denominator in witnessing is boldness. If we are not confident of what we are sharing we are dead in the water before we begin. People will know that we do not believe what we are saying.

PRINCIPLE: Confidence vanquishes fear. Paul's great model of sharing his faith under adversity and winning some of the Praetorian guard to Christ encouraged Christians to share their faith.

APPLICATION: Are we a witness to Christians? Do we model the dynamics of witnessing for our faith?

Philippians 1:15

"Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill"

In Prison Paul had two sorts of opposition, both from without and from within. Antagonism from without came from Roman authorities. Animosity from within came from the church! And this from a church that Paul said their "faith was spoken of throughout the world."

Beginning at verse 15 and running through verse 17 Paul catalogues incentives for preaching the gospel. Their message was the same (thank God!) but their motive was different.

"Some indeed preach Christ"

They all preached Christ. They were not preaching Moses or Abraham. They were outstanding men of God but they were not Christ. Jesus was more than a man, he was the "great God and Saviour" (Tit. 2:13). He stands like a majestic skyscraper over a shack.

"even from envy and strife"

"Envy and strife"--what a blend of motives with which to preach! The word "from" means "because of" (motives). The message was fine but the motive was something else!

Envy is the feeling of disapproval by hearing the successes of others. This term is always used in the negative or evil sense in the New Testament. Some preachers in Rome evidently resented Paul's success in ministry.

It takes maturity to rejoice in the success of others. Immaturity constantly compares self with others. Juvenile Christians are intimidated by the accomplishments of others.

Envy not only means to desire to have what someone else has but to seek to deprive another person of what they have. In other words, in some way envy seeks to diminish the accomplishments of others. If a church in town is blessed with significant growth, another church may say "all they are concerned about is numbers." Envy never builds up; it always lessens the person who exercises it. "Envy is rottenness to the bones" (Prov 14:3); envy will rot the core of our person.

When people feel diminished by the success of others there is a corollary that always comes with this--strife. Strife is an expression of enmity. These two evils are stitched together in James 3:16, "For where envy and self-seeking (strife) exist, confusion and every evil thing are there." People try to outdo and eclipse others where there is envy in motivation.

Churches are often neutralized because of this deadly combination. Think of a church full of people threatened by everybody else. Strife is inevitable.

"and some also from good will"

"Good will" means a kind purpose. Thank God some in the church at Rome had good motives. The word "from" here means "because of" as well. These people did not have a twisted sense of ill will at Paul's achievements.

PRINCIPLE: Motivation is crucial because if false motivation drives us it distorts our maturity.

APPLICATION: Paul had no bed of roses in Rome. Small jealousies tried to undermine him. Paul stood independent from these hurts. He did not retaliate with distortions of his own. Are immature motivations distorting your soul and keeping you from being what God wants you to be? Is your motivation to gain approbation from others? In your ministry do you try to impress?

Philippians 1:16

"The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains"

Verse 15 marked three motives for preaching the gospel. Verse 16 assigns three more negative motives.

"The former preach Christ from selfish ambition"

Christ is preached but from the motive of "selfish ambition." These words in the Greek originally meant a person who works for hire. To many, to work for hire was demeaning since he worked for his own interests. Instead of working for the good of the group this person worked for himself. Also, it was used in a political sense; it had the idea of party- making. It denotes pursuing political office by unfair means. This person would plot and scheme to reach his ends. Intrigue was the name of the game.

This is a person who is out for his personal approbation. He operates on power lust. This motivation causes strife, contention and discord. It is an expression of enmity. It is the desire to fight back. They had the spirit of rivalry; they had an argumentative spirit.

"not sincerely"

"Sincerely" means "pure," in this context, pure intentions. To not to be pure is to blend something impure with something pure. They had a pure message but added something impure to it. It is an arresting idea that God can bless the gospel preached from impure motives. Later, Paul says that he rejoiced that the gospel was preached by these people (v.18).

When we give the message of Jesus Christ with impure motives it is like mixing gas and water. To put a gallon of gas into the tank of your car is one thing, to put a gallon of water into it as well is another. To preach the gospel is one thing; to preach the gospel with impure motives is another. Impure motives have been placed into the pure gospel. This dilutes the gospel to some extent. It distorts its power because what is preached does not line up with the way it is preached.

"supposing to add affliction to my chains"

The reason they were preaching Christ from "selfish ambition" and impure motives was that they wanted to add to Paul's affliction in jail! They wanted to rub salt into his wounds.

Possibly, they would come to Paul in jail and brag about the numbers of people who were coming to Christ in their ministry. Maybe they would even leave the impression that he was in jail because something was wrong with his life. They were spiritual; he was carnal.

They would watch to see if he turned green with envy. But they did not know the caliber of his soul. Paul was not jealous, in fact, he thanked God that the gospel was preached (v.18).

PRINCIPLE: Some people do not preach the gospel with pure motives; they are malicious with their message. Recipients of this malice need to be people with a caliber of soul.

APPLICATION: Do you put yourself at the mercy of malice? Are you independent from people who try to hurt you?

Philippians 1:17

"But the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel."

In verses 15 and 16 Paul's lists both proper and improper motives. In verse 17 Paul sets forth another proper motive--"but the latter out of love."

Paul has just made the point that some Christian workers in Rome were seeking to rub salt into his wounds (his prison experience) by bragging about their successes in ministry. They were envious about the way the Praetorian Guard responded to Paul.

"but the latter out of love"

Love is the second valid motive. The first good motive was "good will" of verse 15. Love is an advance on good will.

"Of" in "of love" is source. Love is the source (motive) for what they do. Wolf packs turn on their own when one falls in the fray. Christians often shoot their wounded as well.

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal" (I Co. 13:1). Preaching without love is just a lot of noise. Preaching like that is just sound and fury but without integrity.

"knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel."

Paul saw his purpose as defending the gospel. Note the emphasis upon the gospel in this chapter:

-"fellowship in the gospel" (v.5)

-"confirmation of the gospel" (v.7)

-"furtherance of the gospel" (v.12)

-"defense of the gospel" (here)

Paul was greatly exercised about advancing the gospel. Paul viewed himself as "appointed" for the gospel. He knew his mission. He saw himself clearly in God's plan of world evangelism.

PRINCIPLE: The reason some Romans loved Paul was that they knew God had appointed him to advance the gospel. Love found its source in viewing things from God's perspective.

APPLICATION: Is love more than maudlin sentimentalism to you? Does your love find its source in God's viewpoint. Does your love have content? Are you in love with people who are advancing the gospel? How are you expressing that love?

Philippians 1:18

"What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth,

Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice."

Verse 18 is the conclusion to the paragraph dealing with motives. Two more motives are treated: "pretense" and "truth."

"What then?"

A conclusion is drawn. We would say, "so what?"

"only that in every way"

Paul did not care much about form or methods. His heart was to elevate the gospel. Paul did not concern himself even with motives as along as Christ was preached. God can even use carnality to advance the gospel, as here--"pretense."

"whether in pretense or in truth Christ is preached"

"Pretense" means to cover the real motive and present others with a false idea. This is an attempt to disguise true motives. They used Christ as a cover for their lust for power and "selfish ambition."

Paul did not condone their cunning. However, he did approve of their preaching Christ. Notwithstanding their motive, they were preaching the gospel. He had a single eye for his purpose (appointed) on earth. Salvation of souls were more important to him than some perceived rivalry with him.

"Truth" is to preach without false motivation in this context. What you see is what you get. A person whose motive and message are the same is a person with integrity. This is a person with no ulterior motives.

"and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice"

"I rejoice" is present tense. "While I sit in jail I am rejoicing over the fact that Christ is preached." "Will rejoice" indicates his purpose to continue to rejoice no matter what may come his way.

Paul's point is that the people who were trying to hurt him were contributing to his joy! Paul had such deep appreciation for the work of Jesus Christ upon the cross nothing could alter his focus. Christ's death upon the cross, his resurrection, ascension, and glorification were so dominant in this thinking that nothing tawdry daunted him.

PRINCIPLE: God turns cursing into blessing. Paul's foes were out to compete with him, to diminish him. Instead, he was blessed.

APPLICATION: Are the people who are attempting to make your life miserable succeeding? Are they controlling your happiness or unhappiness? Is it possible for you to be independent from your antagonists? Paul was. Paul did not concern himself with their motives. That is why cursing was turned into blessing in his life.

Philippians 1:19

"For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ"

Now Paul turns to the subject of his attitude toward imprisonment and death. He viewed everything from the viewpoint of his purpose on earth from God's Word. That gave him stability and strength. A person who is stable has courage and confidence.

Paul is about to face trial. If he is found guilty he will face death. Yet in the face of such ominous circumstances he is calm. Verse 19 gives three reasons for Paul's confidence for his deliverance from prison.

"for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance"

The "this" refers to the preceding section, "Christ is preached." "Deliverance" means, in this context, deliverance from prison, not the salvation of the soul. The preaching of the gospel with new intensity both by him and the Romans will contribute to his release from prison. This is the best way to conquer social problems--win people to Christ.

"through your prayer"

This is the second reason for Paul's confidence that he will be released from prison.

Prayer from the Philippian church is one thing upon which Paul could rest. Can our Christian leaders count on us to pray for them? If you are a leader, can you lean on the prayers of people in your organization? Do people think enough of you to pray for you? It is a wonderful thing to trust people enough to pray for us.

It was obvious that the Philippians loved Paul. They cared enough for him to send Epaphroditus over hundreds of hazardous miles. He almost lost his life in the process.

“and the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ”

This is the third reason why Paul felt he would be delivered from prison. The "supply of the Spirit" means the Holy Spirit. This is a functional title for the Holy Spirit (what he does). The Holy Spirit will move providentially upon the authorities in Rome so that they will be disposed to release him.

The word "supply" was used for a wealthy person who bore the expenses of a city-state drama choir. These productions were very expensive. It took someone very wealthy to pick up the tab. God, who is incalculably wealthy, provided the "supply" of the Spirit so that Paul could continue living.

PRINCIPLE: Paul was a person of confidence because he placed that confidence is something solid--

truth.

APPLICATION: Do you place your confidence in truth? Adversity is where we find whether we have that confidence in God's truth. Having poise in setbacks has its root in God's Word.

Philippians 1:20

"According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will

be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death."

In verse 20 Paul reveals how he establishes his poise and bearing in hardship.

"according to my earnest expectation and hope"

"According to" means according to norms. This is a norm by which he lives. This is his spiritual aspiration.

"Earnest expectation" is an intense compound term of three words in the Greek: away from, head, look. Literally it means to stretch the head away from the body to look; the head bent forward to see something; a looking away towards something. It is an intense term for concentration. It means to anticipate by watching very carefully for something.

This word is used for a sentry watching in the dark. He strains to see the enemy. He is waiting to see the slightest movement.

What is Paul intensely concentrating upon? He wants to magnify Christ in his life. He is ardent when it comes to that. This is the focus of his whole being. He is attentive to anything that even slightly reflects poorly upon the Lord Jesus.

Very few people have the ability to focus and concentrate for long periods of time. One major reason why we do poorly in our jobs, school and other enterprises is lack of concentration. A quality Christian life takes concentration. A football player who does not listen to the play in the huddle will break up the play. A Christian who does not focus upon orienting every aspect of his life to Christ will live with short-term, short-sighted and limited ends in view.

"Hope" in the Greek means more than "wish." It carries the idea of confidence in the ultimate outcome. Paul is taking a look at his entire life to the very end. At the end of his life he does not want to be ashamed of how his life reflected upon the Lord Jesus. He did not want to have any regrets at the end of his life. Up to this point he had no regrets. Now he wants to finish strongly.

PRINCIPLE: Paul lived his life with an ultimate regulative life principle.

APPLICATION: The focus of many Christians is pleasure, sensual indulgence, money, selfishness, power, flattery. People who live like this simply mark segments of time. They live with no ultimate orientation in view. We need to live with eternal values in view.

The first phrase of verse 20 indicates Paul lived his life with the future in mind. At the end of his life he wanted to look back and say that he lived his life to the glory of God. He had a suspicion about himself, however, a vulnerable kink in his armor which might diminish his passion. He knew that

he had a temptation to be ashamed of Christ and the gospel.

"that in nothing I shall be ashamed"

Paul is looking at shame from the viewpoint of the rest of his life. He is evaluating the future. He does not want to waste his time losing opportunities because of shame. He wants to finish strong.

No matter how many times we have failed in the past, we should not look back with regret, focus on the past. We should use our lives at the moment to set a platform for the future. We may be permeated with regrets: "I should have studied more in college and I would not be such a flop right now;" "If only I would have been more faithful to that relationship;" "I have failed as a person and I have failed as a Christian." This thinking is futile. The past is the past, it cannot change. We can change the future, however. There is our hope. Our lives can have purpose and definition if we look at our "expectation and hope."

"but with all boldness, as always"

"Boldness" is the antithesis to "shame." Boldness means to speak your mind, a frankness of speaking which amounts to an intrepid communication, fearless candor. Paul had fearless candor when it came to sharing his faith. "As always" indicates this was his pattern. He never had to regret not sharing his faith with forthrightness. He maintained that openness throughout his life. Years earlier he said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek" (Rom.. 1:16). Remember verse 14, "much more bold to speak the word without fear."

We fail to witness not only because of fear but because of shame. "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord..." (II Tim. 1:8). If we stand foursquare without apology, God will use us. Like Paul in jail we need to go out on a limb and risk our "reputation" as a Christian.

PRINCIPLE: Our focus should be future oriented, not past. That future should have goal orientation: a vulnerability with fearless candor about the one we love.

APPLICATION: Is your life tepid or intrepid? Are you willing to orient your life around sharing Christ with fearless candor?

The passion that exercised the great apostle Paul most was that Christ would be made big in his life.

"so now also:

Now when he is in prison he wants Christ to be magnified in his body.

"Christ will be magnified in my body,"

In verse 18 says, "Christ is preached" but this verse is an advance on that, "Christ will be magnified." Christ preached has to do with words; Christ magnified has to do with works. It is not a question of either/or but of both/and. We can get out of balance either way. We can speak the gospel but not live the gospel; we can live the gospel but not speak the gospel.

The word "magnified" means to make great, enlarge, praise. We get our English word "megaphone" from this word. A megaphone makes your voice big. A magnifying glass makes print big. We are to make Jesus big with our lives and lips!

The Greek in the word "magnified" means that Christ receives magnification by our actions. There are two types of magnification: microscope and telescope. The microscope makes the little seem big. That is not the picture here. The telescope makes the actually big loom big. Our task as Christians is to bring the proportions of who Jesus truly is to the fore.

Mary used this word when she said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour" (Lk 1:46,17). It is easier to magnify the Lord in your soul than in your body. No one sees your soul but people can see your body. Paul wanted Christ to be magnified in his "body." The soul and spirit shines through the body (i.e., what the body does).

"Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body" (I Co. 6:13). God is concerned with the body as well as the soul. We should exercise care for the body as well as the soul. If we change oil and tune the engine but do not wash or wax the exterior of our automobile that is imbalance. If we wash and wax the car but do not care for the motor that is distortion. If we care for our body but not our soul, that will warp our spirituality. If we nurture our soul but do not tend to our body activities that will distort our testimony. Jesus should be magnified in spirit, soul and body. "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's" (I Co. 6:20).

"whether by life or by death."

Here are two alternatives. If Paul should die at the hands of an executioner, he wants to make Jesus big in that situation. If Paul should continue to live, he wants to make Jesus grand to everyone he meets.

PRINCIPLE: God's purpose for the believer is to make what is truly magnificent about the Lord Jesus loom magnificent.

APPLICATION: Do you want your body to be a magnifying glass for the Lord Jesus? Do you want to make him big to the world? Not life-size but King-size. If we magnify Jesus people will be attracted to him and embrace him as their Saviour. Folks will sit up and take notice of him. By this we will enhance the world's estimation of the Lord.

Philippians 1:21

"For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

What do you think about when you think of the future? Do you think of your children or grandchildren, your health, job or retirement? Are spiritual aspirations a part of the future for you?

Verse 21 amplifies verse 20. In verse 20 Paul stated his spiritual aspiration was to make Christ big in his body. Now he sets forth the alternatives in which he will do that.

Here is a man who did not have much future although he was confident that he was going to be released from prison. Paul is looking at his options. He had two basic options: what would he do with his life if he lived or died? In this verse Paul answers that question for himself. He wanted his body to be a showcase in either option.

"for to me, to live is Christ"

"To me" indicates Paul's personal testimony. He is not speaking for anyone else, not Peter or John. I will define what life and death are to me.

Note that both verbs ("is") are in italics. That means that they were supplied by the translators. Here then is the literal idea: "to live... Christ." Or to put it in a formula "to live=Christ." To live equals Christ. Living for Christ was his ambition. As long as Paul continued to live he would live for the purpose of glorifying Christ.

It is also true that the dynamic that produces a spiritual life is Christ himself--"When Christ who is our life" (Col. 3:4). Christ our life. The Christian life is Christ moving into the believer, invading them so that his life is lived through them. This is far more than imitating Jesus. That would be too difficult with a sinful heart. "Christ lives in me" (Gal. 2:20). He is more willing to live his life through us than we are willing to allow him.

"Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body" (II Co. 4:10). We need to think of our body as an exhibit to demonstrate Jesus. There are automobile exhibitions where they reveal the latest models. These cars are presented in their most appealing context. The believer is to present Christ in the most appealing setting. "To reveal his Son in me" (Gal. 1:16).

PRINCIPLE: For Paul, the Christian life was not a hobby; it was his very life. This is what should be normal Christian living. With most of us our Christian life is subnormal.

APPLICATION: What would you put in place of "Christ"? For me to live is __________.

Some might insert "my wife. I worship the ground she walks on." Others my say, "my children. I will sacrifice anything for them." Yet some may say, "my job. I love my work. I love business."

Why not place Christ in the center of our lives?

In Philippians 1:21 Paul not only defines what life is to him but he also defines what death is to him.

In the first part of the verse Paul says that the ruling principle of his life is to live in fellowship with Christ. For him, the ruling-principle was not money, fame or pleasure. Life was synonymous with Christ. He could not conceive of living without fellowship with the Lord. He was gloriously alive by pervading everything with Christ.

"and to die is gain."

For Paul, life was a wonderful fellowship with the Lord Jesus, but death was a prospect for even more intimate fellowship with him.

Not only should we have a philosophy of life but we should have a philosophy of death. If we do, we have a win-win situation. If we live, we win; if we die, we win. Now Paul gives his philosophy of death.

The word "gain" means profit or advantage. It was used for monetary profit, to make money. "Gain" was also used in the sense of "to win something." Death was a win for Paul. To die-- success; to die--a win.

Notice again there is no verb because "is" is italicized in "to die is gain." This put great emphasis in the Greek on the word "gain." Paul is shouting that death is a gain for a person who will meet Jesus face to face.

"To die is gain" is a productive sequence to "to live is Christ." If Christ is everything that makes life worthwhile then meeting him in death will even be a more valuable experience yet. It will make him more alive. Death removes the veil of knowing Jesus from afar to meeting him face to face. Death will usher us into his very presence. Death, therefore, should be computed as a friend.

For many, death is an enemy. It is destructive and a great loss. For the person who anticipates meeting Jesus face to face it is a "gain." If we are consumed with money as the object of our lives death would have to be placed on the debit side of our assessments. Death plunges us into a pathetic end. For Paul, death was not a dark, bleak termination of the dynamics of life but the beginning of even a greater life.

PRINCIPLE: Do you have a philosophy of death? Death is a win because we will be more alive than we are now. We received "eternal life" at the moment of salvation. Death will release the shackles that keep us from full fellowship with the Lord.

APPLICATION: Every believer will be successful one day when he/she meets the Lord Jesus. Are you looking forward to this success? "To be absent from the body is to be face to face with the Lord Jesus" (II Co. 5:8). Are you looking forward to this eternal "win"?

Philippians 1:22

"But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell"

In verse 21 Paul gave his outlook on life and also his outlook on death. He had a wonderful viewpoint on both. He had a win-win view of both life and death. If he lives, he lives for Christ. If he dies, he will meet Jesus face to face. Jesus not only changes your outlook on life he changes your outlook on death.

We look for to death with anticipation (not masochism). Only those who have come to Christ and are looking to see him again have such an outlook on death.

In verses 22-24 he gives his assessment of which of these two alternatives is more important.

"But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor"

Now Paul looks at the alternative of his continuing to live physically. "Live on in the flesh" means to continue to live in the body. This is the first part of verse 21, "For to me to live is Christ."

Very few Christians could say "my life is living for Christ." That was his definition of life. With most of us Christian is just a hobby. It merely occupies the fringe area of our spare time. We will not let our Christianity interfere with our life! We practice Christianity on Sunday morning but make it marginal the rest of the week. We use church like a religious country club. It is fun to be there once in awhile.

"Yet what I shall choose I cannot tell"

Paul is in a quandary. If he lives, he wins; if he dies, he wins. This is a quandary between two wins! It is like someone giving you a BMW or a Mercedes. The choice is up to you.

The two alternatives are whether he should continue his work in time or see Jesus in eternity. A person who is not deeply in love with the Lord Jesus would view "to die is gain" as odd. But a reflection of the quality of our spiritual life is how we anticipate eternity. There is probably a correlation between how we live for Christ and our anticipation of eternity. On a descending scale, if we do not live for Christ, meeting him in eternity is of little value either. Living and dying in Christian values are linked together.

Dying will be gain to those who do not live for Christ but they will not be able to appreciate it until eternity. Faith enables us to participate in the future.

PRINCIPLE: A spiritual Christian with the right sense of expectancy always faces a quandary between two positive alternatives.

APPLICATION: Do you fear death? We always fear the things we do not know. We have not experienced death, therefore, we fear it. The more real Jesus is to us in time the less fear we will have of eternity. If we know Jesus in time, knowing him in eternity is just an extension of fellowship with him.

Philippians 1:23

"For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better."

Paul is on the horns of a dilemma. He has a desire to be with Christ in eternity which is the better of the two options. He also has a desire to continue to have an effective ministry in time. In this verse he gives the first side of the dilemma.

"for I am hard pressed between the two"

Paul is in a squeeze. He is pressured in his mind. His is pressure of two (v. 21) excellent options: to have full fellowship with the Lord Jesus and to have a productive ministry.

He perceives death from two viewpoints: 1) a departing 2) being with Christ.

"having a desire to depart"

The word "depart" is used as a nautical term--a loosing of the anchor prior to setting sail. A term with the same root is used in II Timothy 4:6, "...the time of my departure is at hand" (his death was immanent). Death is an embarking upon a voyage; it is to leave the body. So death is more than leaving this life it is a separation from the body, "I have a desire to leave this body."

The soul and spirit do not remain in the body at death. They leave the body. When a Christian goes to a grave side service, he only takes the "remains" of his loved one. His loved one is not there; he has loosed the anchor of his soul and departed into the presence of the Lord Jesus.

"and be with Christ"

This is the second description of death. It is one thing to visit a friend, it i