Tag Archives: Philippians 1-4

Daily Bible Study

December 9, 2023 Bible Study — Rejoice in the Lord Always

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Philippians 1-4.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians contains some important ideas about how we should live our lives and what our attitudes should be.  He begins by telling us not to be concerned about why someone preaches the Gospel.  We should put our faith in the power of God.  We should rejoice when people preach about Christ, whether they do so with noble intentions or out of selfish ambition.  The Holy Spirit can and will use the words which they speak to reach those whom God has chosen.  The Spirit will even use those who misrepresent the Gospel.  So, while elsewhere Paul condemns those who lead people astray, here he reminds us that the Holy Spirit can use even the little bit of Truth that those who preach with false motives convey to bring people to know the Lord.

Having established that no matter what the motives of the speaker or the listener the Holy Spirit will use whatever bit of God’s Truth is conveyed to enter into people’s lives, he goes on talk about how we ought to approach such things.  He writes that those who serve God should be torn between continuing in this life and the death of our mortal bodies.  As long as we live, God has tasks for us to accomplish, but a much better life waits for us when we leave these mortal bodies.  The result of this means that we should neither fear death, nor should we seek it out.  The next point I want to make shows us what our attitude towards death should be.  We should humbly value others above ourselves.  So, while dying would be better for us, as long as we live we can serve others in some way.  No matter how we may suffer in this life, as long as we have life God has a purpose for us.  Let us seek to carry it out  by putting the interests of others ahead of our own without grumbling or arguing.

There is so much more in this passage, but I will stop here.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

December 9, 2022 Bible Study — Rejoice In The Lord Always

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Philippians 1-4.

Everything Paul writes in his letter to the Church in Philippi can be summed up by three things: be humble, don’t worry, and rejoice.  Paul starts out by rejoicing that he is imprisoned, because his imprisonment has inspired others to proclaim the Gospel without fear.  Some of them did so out of envy of, and rivalry with, Paul, but for Paul that doesn’t matter.  All that matters to Paul, and all that should matter to us, is that Christ is preached.  Further, Paul was under significant threat of being executed at that time (and we know that he was executed not long after this letter was written).  Yet even that was cause for him to rejoice.  On the one hand, he might be delivered to go on living and doing the work which God gave him.  On the other hand, he might die, in which case he would be with Christ, which would be even better.  Both possible outcomes were sources of joy for Paul.

Paul then turns his attention to his readers and writes that they (and we) should value others above ourselves and look out for the interests of others against their own (our own).  We should not grumble or complain about what we do, nor do anything for our own glory or honor.  Whatever we have attained in this world, let us release so that we can fully embrace Christ.  Paul writes that we should not be anxious about anything, rather we should present everything to God in prayer.  He even gives us a hint about how we can pray so as not be anxious.  If we give thanks to God about what He has already done for us while we are praying about our currently perceived problems, we will be less likely to worry about the troubles we currently face.  In addition, Paul writes that if we focus on the positive things around us, we will find ourselves too busy rejoicing to worry.

whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I love that list of things we should be thinking about.  If we fill our minds with such things, we will not have time to think about that which might lead us to worry, and we will find ourselves rejoicing.  Let us learn, as Paul did, to be content with what we have, whether little or much.  When times are bad, let us rejoice because God has seen fit to allow us to suffer a little bit like Christ did.  And when times are good, let us rejoice because God has given us that which we can share with others.

 

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

December 9, 2020 Bible Study Are We Up To The Challenge?

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Philippians 1-4

I was trying to figure out where to put my focus on the things Paul writes in this passage when I came to chapter 3, verse 17.  There Paul writes that we should pattern our lives after his and learn from those who follow his example.  Reading that should challenge each and every one of us.  I know it challenged me.  Have we lived our lives in such a manner that we can tell others to pattern their lives after ours?  Can we confidently state, as Paul does, that it will be better for others for us to go on living?  While at the same time living our lives with the knowledge that things will be better for us when we die?  Do we live clean, innocent lives, seeking the well-being of others more than our own? I challenge you to live your life as an example of how those who seek to follow Christ can follow.

Daily Bible Study

December 9, 2019 Bible Study — As Long As We Are Alive, God Has a Purpose For Us

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Philippians 1-4

Paul writes here a passage which applies to more than just the context in which Paul writes it.  He writes about those who were inspired to preach the Gospel because of his imprisonment and those who preached the Gospel to make him jealous.  Paul did not care why they preached the Gospel, he only cared that they did so.  However, there is a more general application of this.  It does not matter why people do the right thing, God will use it to change the world.  But not only will God use it to change the world, the longer someone does the right thing for the wrong reasons the more God will change their hearts.  Understand that we will get more out of doing the right thing for the right reason than we will by doing the right thing for the wrong reason. 

I would like to write a lot on this passage, but I am working to limit how long I spend writing and keep this short.  So, I will touch on one more point.  Paul writes that he is torn between living and dying.  On the one hand, if he dies he will go to be with Christ and he deeply desired that.  On the other hand, he was convinced that as long as he lived he would be serving God, which he desired to do for as long as God chose to have him do so.  This brings to mind the last year of my Mom’s life.  She had spent her life serving others in any way she could, finding new ways to do so as she got older and unable to do things she had done when she was younger.  However, towards the end she suffered from dementia and had to move into skilled nursing care.  She was no longer able to do for others and this ate at her.  Every time I visited her, I prayed to God, asking why He did not take her home because I could not see how she could serve Him in her current state (although I knew she was in whatever ways that she could).  Then came the day she went into her final decline and it was obvious she would leave us in a few days.  I was at her bedside during shift change.  When the aid checked in at the start of the shift, I saw how heartbroken she was to witness that my Mom would die soon.  It was at that moment that I realized that my Mom had been serving God, even in her dementia when she had to be cared for, by showing God’s love to those who cared for her.

Daily Bible Study

December 9, 2018 Bible Study — those who do the right thing for the wrong reason are still doing the right thing

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Philippians 1-4.

Paul writes how some people are preaching the Gospel because they are jealous of the honor Paul is receiving and wish to gain the same for themselves, or to gain wealth for themselves.  Paul’s response is that he does not care why people preach the Gospel, as long as the Gospel is being preached.   I remember years ago my denomination had an auto insurance program whereby those who were part of the Church could get a steep discount on auto insurance, but you had to attend Church regularly.  Someone I know made the comment that it was worth going to Church every Sunday for that discount.  Their mother-in-law told them that was the wrong reason to go to Church.  That is absolutely true, but someone else expressed what I believe Paul is saying here.  “I don’t care why he goes to Church.  I have faith that the Word of God can transform him.  Hearing the Word of God regularly will change his life.”  The man never did start going to Church and his life was not transformed, but I do not think his mother-in-law’s comments had anything to do with that.  I will echo what my friend said:

I do not care about the motives that lead someone to preach the Gospel and I do not care what motives lead someone to listen, I just want everyone to hear the message because I believe it has the power to transform, even those who do not wish to be transformed.

Paul goes on to express his attitude towards death, an attitude which we will share if we fully share his faith.  Paul writes that he is torn because it would be better for him if he died and went on to experience his resurrected body, but then he would no longer be able to serve Christ by serving others.  He was not just not afraid of dying but was looking forward to it.  However, he was unwilling to hasten its arrival because serving the Lord gave him joy.  As long as we live we should seek how we can serve and glorify God, but we should eagerly anticipate when he brings us home to be with Him.

Paul goes on to write that he seeks to know and emulate Christ. to become perfected as Christ was perfect.  However, he also makes it clear that he is not yet perfect and does not expect to be perfect until God rewards him with the heavenly prize.   It is easy to miss Paul’s point here.  Which is that, while embracing sinful behavior is evidence that someone is not saved,  striving   to do what is right does not make us better than those people.  All of this brings me to something I have come to realize about the heart of Paul’s message: when we sin we harm ourselves as much, or more, than we harm others.  If we love someone, we will point out when they are doing things which will harm them.

Daily Bible Study

December 9, 2017 Bible Study –Think About Whatever Is True, Noble, Right, Pure, Lovely, Admirable, Excellent or Praiseworthy

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Philippians 1-4.

    Today’s passage is another one which is chock full of ideas and thoughts which are important to how we live our lives. I am not sure how many of them I will have time to touch on, but I really want to write about a lot of things today. I will start with Paul’s summation about those who preach Christ out of selfish ambition: who cares why they preach? All that should matter is that they preach about Christ. As long as what they preach is the truth about Christ, some will come to know Him because of their preaching. For that matter, even if they preach lies about Christ the Holy Spirit will use their lies to bring some to know Christ. In a similar manner, I do not care why unbelievers choose to read the Bible or listen to God’s word being preached. I have faith in the power of the Holy Spirit, and in God’s word, to bring those exposed to God’s love to Him.

    Despite the fact that Paul did not care why people preached Christ so long as they did indeed preach Christ, he advises us to do nothing out of selfish ambition. If we humbly value others above ourselves and look out for their interests rather than our own we will discover the life an joy which God promises us. If we serve God and others without grumbling or arguing we will stand out in a way which will draw many to the Lord. Let us embrace suffering and death in service to God because that is the only way to know Christ and experience the great power of God. As denizens of this sinful world we cannot escape death, but if we do not attempt to save ourselves from it, but instead ignore the threat of death in order to serve God we will experience the same resurrection from the dead which Christ experienced. Paul wanted to experience Christ’s suffering so that he could experience Christ’s resurrection. We should seek the same.

    Paul concludes his letter to the Philippians by reminding them to rejoice, even in the face of suffering, especially in the face of suffering. Suffering is proof that God has found us worthy. Paul explains how we can learn to rejoice in the suffering which we experience. Do not worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for what He has already done. I am going to conclude today’s blog with the words Paul uses to conclude his message to the Philippians (what comes after this is just a bit of social business):

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Daily Bible Study

December 9, 2016 Bible Study — Think About Such Things

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Philippians 1-4.

    The first thing in this passage I want to write about is what Paul says about those who are preaching the Good News for base motives. Paul’s response about those who preach the Gospel out of selfish ambition in order to make him feel bad was the he did not care why they were preaching, so long as more people heard the Good News. I often turn that about. I do not care why someone chooses to come to a Church which preaches God’s Word, I have faith in the power of God’s Word to change people. This does not mean that it is OK to mislead people about what Church is about, or what some other program is about. If our purpose is to preach the Good News, let us be upfront about that.
    Whenever I think about this I think of a story from years ago. Some time back the Mennonite Church had an automobile insurance program. As a result of some of the beliefs of the Mennonite Church regarding lawsuits and other insurance related matters, the cost of this insurance was a lot cheaper than any other insurance that was available. However, one of the conditions of this insurance was that you had to be an active member of a Mennonite Church (active meant attending Sunday services on a regular basis, at the minimum). A man I know who was married to a woman who grew up in the Mennonite Church heard about this and said, “I can sit and be bored for two hours a week in order to save that much on insurance.” His Mother-In-Law said that was the wrong reason for going to Church. I agree with her in principle, you should go to Church services because of your faith in Christ, but I do not really care why you go to Church. I have faith in the power of God’s Word to transform people. On the other hand, if that insurance program had been set up in order to get people to go to Church, or if I had tried to convince the man to go to Church in order to get cheap insurance, that would have been wrong as well.

    The next thing I want to touch on is what Paul writes in the beginning of Chapter 2. I much prefer the NIV translation to the NLT here (although the NLT adds a nice twist to part of it). The NIV tells us to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. The NLT translates that as “Don’t be selfish and don’t try to impress others.” Let us do things because it is the right thing to do, not because we benefit from it or because others will think well of us for doing so. It is in the next phrase that I prefer the NIV. The NLT tells us to be humble, so far, so good (actually more than good, great), and think of others as better than ourselves. That last is where I disagree. I do not believe that God wants us to think of others as better than ourselves. He wants us to do as the NIV translates it and value others above ourselves. And the next sentence really sums that up. Rather than “looking out for Number 1, and Devil take the hindmost,” we are to look out for other people’s interests.

    For this last paragraph I am going to just quote from the passage:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.