Philippians
Chp. 2
Vs. 1 -2 Paul is encouraging the people in the church to get along with each other.
He asks: Is there not encouragement from belonging to Christ? Is there not comfort in Christian love? Is there not fellowship with those who also have the Spirit of Christ in them? Is there not mercy?
Paul is tying to get them to see how important and valuable our Christian friends are.
Those who believe like we do. Getting along with them having peace among them is so important for Christians.
We need to have thankfulness for our brothers and sisters in Christ. They are important to us. We have a “fellowship” and “kinship” “family” with them that we do not have with people who are not believers.
Paul says: Please bring joy to my heart by getting along with each other.
It seems that there were some persons who were having disagreements and making
upset in the group of believers.
Vs. 3 Paul tells them: Don’t do things just so people will see the good things you do and pat you on the back and will think you are so good. Do not do “good” things just to get attention. Don’t try to be one everyone looks at.
Be humble. Respect others. Do not think of yourself as higher or better than someone else. Lift others up.
Vs. 4-8 Be like Christ. Have the same spirit He did. Jesus being in the form of God
Did not think it wrong to be equal to God.
But he was willing to take upon himself the form of a servant and was made into the form of a human man.
As a man, Jesus humbled himself. He obeyed God’s will even to death on the cross.
Vs. 9 This is the reason God has now exalted/lifted him up and has made his name to be above all names.
Vs. 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee will bow down. Everyone on earth, and everyone in heaven, even things under the earth.
Vs. 11 And every tongue will confess (say) that Jesus Christ is LORD–to the glory of God the Father.
Think about this. Every person who has ever lived from Adam on will someday
knee before Jesus and they will call him LORD.
Every king, every man who thought he was so powerful. Every evil man—even Hitler—will someday knee before Jesus and say He is Lord.
Every person who will ever live in the future will knee and call him Lord.
All the fallen angels, even Satan will knee and call him Lord.
Those who think they do not need God and give Him no time or thought will someday knee before him and call him Lord.
People can be as hateful, and bold, and proud, and swear etc. about God now, but someday they will be kneeing and saying Jesus is Lord.
How much better it is for us to knee now and call him Lord.
Vs. 12 Paul encourages the believers to obey the teachings of Jesus. Not to obey them only when Paul is there with them, but to obey them even now as Paul is far away in prison.
Paul tells them to “work out their own salvation”. Does this mean you can or have to
work to get salvation? No, this is a way of saying to them who are believers and have received God’s forgiveness to walk carefully in the Spirit and obey the teachings of Jesus.
When we first believe and receive forgiveness this is the first step. There are many steps of faith and living to do before we see our “salvation” in heaven.
“Working” it out means to stay on the path of faith and learn to better follow the leading of the Spirit.
We make many mistakes. We have much to learn to be more like Christ. We must put our minds to it and be determined to learn and improve as the Spirit teaches us.
Vs. 13 Because is it God who works in you to work out His will in you for His pleasure.
Vs. 14 Do all things without grumbling and complaining and arguing.
Vs. 15 So that you can be without blame, and without hurting others, being the Sons
(children) of God, without having to be scolded and corrected.
You are like a “light” in this world that is dark and full of evil.
Vs. 16 You hold the “word of life”. Someday in heaven, I want to be proud of how you have done. I will want to see that my time with you was not wasted or empty.
Vs. 17 I may die for my preaching to you and to others. This is my sacrifice I give and I rejoice in your faith.
Vs. 18 You should rejoice in this, too.
Vs. 19 I hope to send Timothy to you soon. Then I will know for sure how you are doing.
Vs. 20 No one will be more caring than Timothy. Other men would be more interested in building up their own reputation and ministry.
But you know how Timothy has worked with me like a son.
As soon as I see how things are here, I hope to send him to you.
Vs. 24 I hope that I will be free and I can come to see you, also.
Vs.25 I am also sending a brother in Christ, Epaphroditus, he has helped me much.
Vs. 26,27 He has been thinking much about all of you. He knew you were worried about him because you heard he was sick. He was very sick and almost died. But God has mercy on him and on me for I would have been in much sorrow if he had died.
Vs. 28 So I send him, feeling much care for him, Please receive him with joy, and give him honor. Because he almost died because of his work for Christ.. He helped me when you could not because you were not here.