Philippi was not where Paul and Silas had intended to go. On the second missionary journey, they had visited the ecclesias established on Paul’s first trip through the area. Now they were ready to start on some new areas and would have chosen Asia or Bithynia as likely places to preach. But the Lord saw people He wanted in Philippi and elsewhere in Macedonia. Thus Paul and Silas found themselves looking for a likely audience in this Roman town.
A surprising foundation for an ecclesia
Since there was no synagogue in the area, they sought for a place where devout people gathered for prayer on the sabbath day. From that contact, Lydia was converted and all her house. Shortly, the little ecclesia was joined by a young woman who had been healed from a mental disorder. And then the jailer and all his house were converted.
A traveling businesswoman, a formerly disturbed young woman, a Roman jailer; these were among the founding members of the ecclesia at Philippi. These were some of the people Paul fondly remembers when he writes of having joy “for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now” (Phil. 1:5). Who would have thought these were the people who caused the Lord to send Paul and Silas to the area? Who would have thought these were people who could love God from the depths of their hearts and whom God would choose to bring honor and glory to His name?
Great potential in each brother and sister
When we read Paul’s prayer for this ecclesia, we are impressed at the wonderful potential that exists with every brother and sister in Christ.
“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God” (Phil. 1:9-11).
Each person can grow in knowledge and judgment and walk in sincere faith until Christ comes. Each one has the capacity to manifest the fruits of righteousness and to bring glory and praise to God. This was true of the Philippian ecclesia and it is true of us.
Four profitable exhortations
In Philippians 3 and 4, Paul provides for them and for us four profitable warnings and helpful exhortations.
- Get the heart right, being wary of the flesh.
- Come to know the Lord Jesus and follow his example.
- Don’t be overcome by past mistakes; concentrate on the future.
- Don’t be anxious about the things of this life, but be content with what God has given you.
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Beware of fleshly thinking
“Watch out” for dogs, evil workers, the concision (Phil. 3:2). This was a warning against the Judaizers who had their hearts set on maintaining the rituals of the law of Moses. In Galatians 5 and here in Philippians 3:2-11, Paul warns against the teaching that we can prove ourselves righteous by following ordinances. Such teaching leads to pride of heart; it also leads to thinking we have done all we need to do once we have kept a few rules.
The flesh is very deceptive in seeking to avoid humble reliance on God and in avoiding the application of God’s principles in our lives.
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Follow the Lord Jesus
Watch out for the flesh, warns Paul, and come to know the Lord Jesus. Follow his example, experiencing “the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Phil. 3:10 RSV).
We should keep pressing toward the goal of the kingdom, as Christ did. And we should remember, as did Paul, that this is something which we have not yet attained: “But I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own” (Phil. 3:12).
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“Forgetting what lies behind”
The apostle continues: “One thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature be thus minded” (vs. 13-15 RSV).
Because of his past, Paul had credibility when he made such comments. He genuinely felt he was the least of the apostles because he had persecuted the believers. Yet he realized the extent of God’s grace toward him: “To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given…” (Eph. 3:8).
The apostle was able to see beyond the old way of life and beyond his old sins. He was able to remain focused on the kingdom of God: “Straining forward…I press on.” We too need to put our old life behind us and not let it drag us down. “Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Take heed to the path of your feet, then all your ways will be sure” (Prov. 4:25-26).
There is great danger in letting the past disrupt our present determination because in the very near future we will stand before the Lord our judge.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body” (II Cor. 5:10).
If there is anything in our lives that needs to be fixed, now is the time to fix it.
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“Have no anxiety about anything”
One of the greatest problems we have in today’s society is that people are overwhelmed with anxiety. Worry about our jobs, the economy, the increasing breakdown of social structure and of moral standards can cause great stress to families and ecclesias.
Just recently, at a seminar on employment, it was noted that, on average, a person entering the workforce today will have 14 job changes and six career changes before he reaches age 65. This is a great contrast to a person spending all his life farming the same farm or working in the same office. Along with major changes in family status, a career change is one of the most disruptive events in a person’s life. Anxiety at such a time can not only upset us physically and emotionally, it can also prevent us from effectively striving forward to the kingdom of God.
Paul exhorts us, however: “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6- 7 RSV).
When we are anxious about temporal things it might help to remember the quote: “There are two ways you can be rich: One is to have all you want. The other is to be satisfied with what you have.”
In our situation, every one of us is abundantly rich in that we have the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. With this appreciation in mind, we can say with Paul: “Our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power which enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Phil. 3:20-21 RSV).
Seeing we have such hope, may we put our anxieties in their proper place and say with Paul: “I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. I can do all things in him who strengthens me” (vs. 11-13).
Blessed beyond measure
When we realize the great blessings that await us, we know we should never be anxious about the affairs of this present life, which will so quickly be over. Expecting ourselves to have such an attitude might be unrealistic, however, and our Lord knows that. With this in mind, the apostle concludes his epistle with wonderful reassurance.
The Lord knows our frame and He knows we can be discouraged and overcome by present cares. So He not only provides for our eternal welfare, He cares for us now as well: “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever, Amen.” (Phil. 4:19-20).
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One