The main verse
I am meditating on this week reads, “Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand
firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.”[1]It is clear that Paul is calling his beloved brothers to stand firm
in the Lord, but the word “therefore”
connects with so many things he has said in the previous chapter that its
segue-quality gives it a special distinction of its own.
The
word, “therefore,” has a sense of both continuation and expectation. It calls
us to hang on to the previous thoughts as necessary to whatever is stated next,
and it presents the concluding thought with the expectation that we now have all
we could ever need to do whatever is exhorted.
We
can see that the expectation of this “therefore” is that the brotherhood of
believers will “stand firm thus in the
Lord.” Paul is telling his beloved brothers to stand firm “thus”, or in the
way just described. In case we didn’t already get it, this is the way to stand
firm, just as he presented in the whole previous chapter.
Paul’s
expectation that we will stand firm in the Lord continues the thoughts he has
already so clearly taught. Paul began this section by declaring, “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord.”[2]This is his desire for the churches. Even though the Philippians
knew that Paul was in jail, Paul has given them ample reason to rejoice in the
Lord, rather than be despondent because of circumstances.
In
fact, one person in the congregation knew what it looked like for Paul to
rejoice while in prison, since the Philippian jailer was one of the first
people to deal with Paul’s teaching of the gospel.[3] He would have had very special memories of Paul rejoicing in prison
then, and knew that his older brother in the Lord was doing so once again.
What
happens in the rest of Philippians 3 is that Paul warns the church about
following the false teachers who taught that people were to live by both the
law and the gospel. He reminded them of his Jewish heritage that was better
than any of the deceitful teachers, and how he had forsaken all his law-keeping
as rubbish “because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”[4]He wants us to understand this, that if anyone would have added
law-keeping to the gospel, he would have done it. Instead, what he showed was forsaking
all law-keeping, all dependence on good works, all religious achievements, and was
now living by grace alone, through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Paul
then calls all of us to join in imitating him,[5] including his example as a runner straining for the finish line.[6] He contrasted this with people who “walk as enemies of the cross of Christ,”[7] because they had their “minds
set on earthly things.”[8]Paul had his mind set on heavenly things, [9] on spiritual things,[10] seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,[11] and he expected the church to follow his example.
With
this continuation of thought, that Paul’s love relationship with Jesus Christ
was the basis of the joy he wanted for his brothers, his expectation for the
church is that we would stand firm in the same way.
The
big question is: how do we do with God-sized expectations of people? We can’t
rule this out as though God is demanding too much from us, because Paul’s
example is that he gave up the life of God demanding things from him, and
gladly received the grace of God that brought him to choose, “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ
Jesus my Lord.”[12]
The
expectation that we stand firm in the things Paul has taught is the most
wonderful message of hope. We are to be like trusting little children who stand
firm in the hands of our Savior, not adding any good works to his strength, but
depending completely on what he has done, is doing, and will do in fulfillment
of all the promises of grace.
Can every
member of the brotherhood of believers stand firm in the hands of Jesus,
resting on his strength as the sole basis of our hope and our faith? Paul did.
That means anyone can.
© 2015 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
[1]
Philippians 4:1
[2]
Philippians 3:1
[3]
Acts 16:1-40 tells the whole story of Paul going to Philippi, and the place of
the Philippian jailer in first imprisoning Paul, and then being released from
his prison of sin by the gospel Paul preached. Acts 16:25-34 is the specific
focus of Paul rejoicing in his trials, and the jailer’s encounter with the good
news of the gospel.
[4]
Philippians 3:8
[5]
Philippians 3:17
[6]
Philippians 3:12-16
[7]
Philippians 3:18
[8]
Philippians 3:19
[9]
Colossians 3:2
[10]
Romans 8:5-6
[11]
Matthew 6:33
[12]
Philippians 3:8
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