Philippians 4:11Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. (Philippians 4:1). So then, my brethren, beloved and earnestly longed for, my joy and my crown, thus stand fast in the Lord, beloved. How the thought of the nearness of the hope deepens the affections. Hand reaches forth to hand, and the lips pour forth epithets of love. And so this is increased (then as now) in time of danger. One clings to those who are faithful with unusual earnestness and appreciation, when failure becomes apparent. These were to stand fast if others departed from the truth of Christ in doctrine or practice. A difficult thing it might be, and it probably always is in times of general departure as all things become assimilated to the general current. The tone is lowered all around, until to act fully according to the truth would make one a strange person among his own.
He may have to sit alone and be esteemed an evildoer. But the standard was Christ in the glory, and the cross corresponding on earth to that, casing all the excellence of man aside forever. "So stand fast in the Lord, beloved," thrills the heart as the appeal of the Holy Spirit to respond to all that Christ is and all He has done. It is the one remedy for that time and for this time when all germs have fully grown.
It is probable that this letter was sent through Epaphroditus, on his return to Philippi, and he is therefore besought to assist two of the sisters who had been very useful in ministering for the Lord, but who, having been separated in feelings, are now exhorted to be of one mind. The weakness of self and the power of grace are manifest then as now. The wonderful things of Christ, the glory and the resurrection and His coming, are to fuse all His own, banishing all that is personal and bringing into actual life the oneness that is in Him. Others, fellow laborers, are mentioned also. While doubtless the Philippians were going on well, there are tokens in the tone and spirit of this letter that defection and ruin had already begun. The exquisite tenderness, the appreciation of the things done for Christ, the acknowledgment of all that is good, tell of a consciousness of a slipping away somewhere. Then it was sweet to remember of the Lord's, that "their names were written in the book of life.”
In Philippians 4:44Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. (Philippians 4:4), he returns to the exhortation of the beginning of Philippians 3., "Rejoice in the Lord at all times. Again will I say, rejoice!" This is getting clear above all outward circumstances. It is triumphant as coming from a prisoner in chains, as addressed to those under trial and persecution, called to it, indeed; as in the time of failure and departure from the heavenly ground, as being also in the time of their separation from the apostle and his forced separation from them. Rejoice! rejoice! In the one direction, in the One Person, there is much reason for it and renewed occasion, He is at hand! The nearer He is the more should the head be lifted up with joy. Every truth connected with Him, all that He has done, all that He is, unite in bidding the heart to rejoice. It is the fitting result of all these, the true response to all He has done, rejoice! rejoice! The marvelous thing is that in a world of sin and all its shameful, sad and destructive consequences, there has been a work done so delightful to God that He calls upon us to rejoice, not in our standing or state or feelings or attainments, but in the Lord Himself; the LORD! Well may we let our moderation be known by all, yielding everything on this ground, We can well afford to hold nothing, to give up everything here in view of the speedy coming of the Lord.
Philippians 4:66Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (Philippians 4:6). Next comes a word about the cares of daily life, the anxieties and worries; and here we are exhorted, instead of being anxious, to let our requests be made known unto God, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. It is not a matter of receiving what we ask but of laying all cares upon the heart of Him who gave His Son for us and will, with Him, give us all things; whom we know as our God and Father and ever tender and faithful Lover, God who has all power and is infinitely gracious and who has proved Himself our friend. It is, then, receiving His peace about these things that trouble us. It is not the peace of conscience which came alone through the blood of Jesus Christ; but after this settled peace which the blood established forever, the heart and mind need to be quieted about the thousand cares that come in life, daily. They may be about the children of God, the prevalence of evil, of worldliness among them, the slow progress of the truth, the slipping away from God's ground; or they may be personal, the difficulties in one's own way, the burdens that seem too heavy for daily endurance, the questions too hard of solution, the pressure of poverty, the severity of labor, the weakness of the body or the lack of work. But whatever there may be that would occupy the heart and mind and rob us of peace, is not to be borne by ourselves but by Him who loves us and gave His own Beloved for us. He charges Himself with all that pertains to us, and He would have us free to worship and rejoice, to go on in the rich things of Christ which He delights to unfold. A little child might worry over a watch or other thing that was broken; but at last, utterly discouraged, he takes it to his father, who at the time may be quite busy, and tells him to lay it down upon his desk and that he will attend to it. Now if the child believes his father, he will have peace about it at once, even before the watch has been touched, just because he has confidence in his father. He does not get the watch mended, but he gets peace about it, the same as his father has his peace. In due time the father may get it mended and bring it to the child, but all the while the child has been quieted about it. How greatly this honors the father, rather than the uneasiness that would make the child come to him continually and pull at his sleeve while he was writing, or call upon him again and again and question him about it. He has made his request known and gone away with thanksgiving, confident and with no more worriment.
Thus we are invited to do. All things are too great for our wisdom and strength. And our Father has not put us into the midst of things that are against us to cause us trouble or pain, but to prove whether we will use Him. He is above all, and sees the glorious end, and so has peace unbroken. This He will impart to us, keeping both the heart and the mind securely, as a garrison keeps a city, allowing it to rest in perfect peace; for this is the precise meaning of the word "keep" here given.
Philippians 4:88Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8). "For the rest, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are noble, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are amiable, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, be such the object of your esteem." Here then is the method of keeping the peace of the heart and the mind, to look at the happy things, the work that God has wrought in any, of virtue and purity and good.
While the work of God in us should make us exceedingly sensitive to any sin in ourselves, it should make us keen to observe all that is hopeful and praiseworthy in others. Peace can be easily destroyed by looking for evil, for it is plentifully scattered around. But the heart that is fixed on Christ, and the mind that is formed by Him and quieted by His abundant grace, is so above all that man can do of good or evil, that it can afford to look only at good. In a day of defection, as now, we may still find precious people and precious things, as Paul rejoiced that Christ was preached, even though some may have had sinister motives in preaching. The rejoicing heart is best fitted to be here among all sad and defiling things. It is wonderful again how we are called into company with the Lord Himself in this, as we see in His addresses to the seven assemblies in Revelation 2 and Revelation 3, when He always begins by recognizing all that is good among them before calling attention to the failures. A true eye for the good is apt to be more faithful to detect, in the true way, the bad, according to God. We cannot allow a peace which God gives to be at the mercy of every evil thing happening among His own; and circumstances are not to form our minds at all, but only to be the occasions for manifesting what He has wrought in us.
Philippians 4:99Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. (Philippians 4:9). "What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, these things do, and the God of peace shall be with you!" The standard of doing, of all service and life, is the truth of Paul, his gospel, the dispensation given to him, the gospel of the glory as given in all his epistles. So his life, molded and formed by the heavenly revelation of Christ which he received, becomes a microcosm, a representation of the assembly both actively and passively. And hence he can say, "Follow me, I follow Christ." His life as well as His words told out of the heavenly truth. It is of peculiar weight that stress is laid on doing, with reference to Paul's doctrine and life. This being the last testimony from God, is the one in which he is engaged exclusively now. The Holy Spirit has come down especially to declare this and this only. He was not here in the time of Israel's testimony and earthly places for an earthly people, but all His work has reference to Paul's gospel of the risen Christ in the glory of God on high.
It is a pregnant and exceedingly important fact, and may well have our most ardent attention. Whatsoever is contrary to this He is not in, legality, ceremonialism, fleshly religiousness, worldly growth and improvement, human systems, or anything that is of man. It is the utter setting aside by ignominious death of the first man, with all his deeds, and the establishment of the New Man to occupy the whole ground, the whole time, and all God's thoughts and delight. The life in accordance with this is the only one that can please God. "Whatsoever ye have seen and known in me, do," do! What a standard, to walk and work as of heaven!
This is the same as is given in Colossians 1:2323If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; (Colossians 1:23). "To present you ... . unreprovable if you continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, whereof I, Paul, am made a minister." "And the God of peace be with you." He took the name of the God of peace by raising Jesus our Lord from the dead, that Great Shepherd of the sheep who had laid down His life for them and to meet the heart of God. There is a difference between having the peace of God about all trials and circumstances, and having the God of peace go with us. The former is freedom from anxiety; the latter fellowship with God, for He goes with us. How could there be fellowship with Him if we lag so far behind as to be in Judaism, the old creation, when He has gone forward into the new? This is Christian living, to practice Paul's heavenly truth, and go on with God, rejoicing always.
Philippians 4:1010But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. (Philippians 4:10) goes back to the sweet fellowship of the saints in the apostle's need, and gives us a delicious lesson in respect to giving and receiving, ministering to the Lord's and as unto Him. Their care of the dear servant of the Lord had found occasion and had put forth new buds, producing the "fruit" which he desired, distance and other circumstances having hindered for a time; and the simplicity of his heart is shown by his ample and natural acknowledgment of their gifts, while as the servant of the Lord he had been dependent on Him alone. "Not that I speak concerning want, for I have learned in whatever circumstances to be content. I know both how to be abased and how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned how both to be full and to suffer privation. I have strength for all things in Him who empowers me. But ye have done well in joint fellowship in my affliction." The Spirit is sensitive to gather up thus the precious fruits of Christ received and lived, the sweet interchange of what each one has, as ministering to others. It is bearing one another's burdens and so fulfilling the law of Christ.
It was a time of testing, especially in regard to this dear apostle and the truth which was given to him; and many assemblies seem to have grown cold towards him now that he was a prisoner, as though fearing association with him or the disgrace. They were doubtless leaving his exalted ground of truth.
Thus caring for him at this time of trial would be a token of whether they had declined to Judaistic principles or were holding the truth. And their failure toward the apostle would be less felt on personal grounds than on the Lord's account and as showing their decline from the heavenly truth. As to himself, he was independent of men, being wholly dependent on God. It seems, too, that from the beginning many had failed in this respect.
Philippians 4:1616For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. (Philippians 4:16). "In the beginning of the joyful message, when I went forth from Macedonia, not even one assembly had fellowship with me as regards giving and receiving, save you alone. Even in Thessalonica, both once and again ye sent unto my need." The Thessalonians were then for the first time hearing the word, and they were sharers in Paul's persecutions, who was driven out.
Philippians 4:1818But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. (Philippians 4:18). "But I have all things unto the full, more than enough. I have been filled up, having welcomed from Epaphroditus the things from you, a fragrance of sweet smell, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing unto God." This adds a new element of sweetness to all these expressions of fellowship, that they are a sweet savor ascending to God, the blessed fruit of His own grace and the acknowledgment of the unity of the members of the body. As yet it seems not to have become general, as even at the first the apostle was forgotten by some. The servants of the Lord are His own care, yet He makes those who afford aid and comfort fellow helpers to the truth.
It is not given to all His own to go actively into the labor of teaching or preaching, and they who do are never to consider as to the means of support, as they are engaged by Him who owns all things; but those who receive the benefit of the teaching may well contribute and they who are in fellowship with the labor elsewhere than to and among themselves should feel the privilege of sending help and giving support, for the Lord uses one hand to supply another, and the various members of the body are for the good of the whole.
But whatever the failure or the forgetfulness of the children of God, He Himself was and is sufficient, and no one need make a bargain or sell his time and the use of his gift for support. Oftentimes, God would make the straits and trials of His dear servants and the timely supply of all, to be especially instructive, and as much so, practically, as their utterances.
It was so with this precious apostle, who could say to them, Philippians 4:1919But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19): "My God will supply all your need, according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." This is a thoroughly comforting and assuring assertion, founded on a true reason and according to a true standard, His glory in Christ Jesus. "My God!" Think what Paul had found God to be for himself in every way and place, -One who led him to a prison, who went with him there, who suffered him to hunger, but gave him renewed expressions of favor and recitals of His love and overabundant revelations!
“According to the riches of the glory" may not mean a great deal of earthly riches, for he who has so much of the glory so soon to open before him, may not need much, but it is delightful that what one gets is according to that, if it be the hourly breath and bread. All that He does for us henceforth is according to that, as children of the resurrection prepared for the imminent glory.
“But to our God and Father be glory to the age of ages!” Then, with greetings from and to the Lord's dear saints, this infinitely sweet letter closes. It is a love letter from the Lord Himself; His grace, His full-hearted favor to all. May we enter more and more into its spirit.