The Gradual Kingdom

Some Christians believe that the kingdom of God is not for now but for a later time, and that when it comes, it will come suddenly. But the New Testament speaks of it in a very different way. Jesus came preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). He was announcing the good news that the kingdom of God had now come into the world. And it has never left.

Now let’s take a look at the nature of the kingdom, whether it comes suddenly, as some people think, or gradually. In keeping with the way Jesus began His ministry, the parables He taught are mostly about the kingdom of God. The parables in Matthew 13 are explicitly about the kingdom, and in them we can see something of how it comes.

The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.

So the servants of the owner came and said to him, “Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?”

He said to them, “An enemy has done this.”

The servants said to him, “Do you want us then to go and gather them up?”

But he said, “No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” (Matthew 13:24-30)

First, notice that the kingdom is likened to a seed that is sown. That is a very good indication that the kingdom of God comes gradually because that is the nature of a seed. No one sows a seed and expects it to sprout immediately into a full-grown plant. That happens over time.

Notice also that in this parable the man sowed seed and then he slept. The day passed into night and the man went to bed. “While he slept” his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. The presence of “while” indicates the passage of time.

Then, when the grain sprouted and the crop began to come up, the tares also appeared. This did not happen immediately but gradually, as is the manner of seeds. They do not suddenly shoot up as full-grown plants. They sprout and then they continue to develop. The problem here was that the tares were also sprouting. The servants came to the master and wanted to rip the tares out of the ground. But the master did not permit them to do that because he did not want the wheat to be damaged in the process.

Now look at what the master said: “Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest, I will say to the reapers” (v. 30). There is a process of growth and a period of waiting between the time the seed sprouts and the time of harvest comes. It is not all at once but happens gradually, over time. That is exactly how it is with the kingdom of God, because this is a parable that is explicitly about the kingdom.

Another brief parable follows in Matthew 13:31-32: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

Here again, the kingdom is likened to a seed. Again notice that there is a process of growth, indicated by the words “when it is grown.” This shows the passage of time. Also, note that it “becomes” a tree. It is not sown as a tree but as a seed. However, as it grows, at some point it develops into the form of a tree, and one day becomes large enough to host the birds of the air. This is how it is with the kingdom of God. It began as a seed and has been gradually growing up into a tree that is large enough for the nations of the world to come and find a home.

A third, very brief parable follows, but this time the kingdom is likened to leaven. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened” (v. 33). Here again, we see that the kingdom comes gradually, just as leaven gradually works its way throughout the dough until the whole lump is completely leavened. This does not happen instantly but gradually.

In Mark 4, we find another “seed” parable about the kingdom: “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come” (Mark 4:26-29).

The man sows the seed, but it does not immediately sprout into a plant ready for harvest. It is the season of sowing, not of reaping. Days and nights pass. The seed sprouts and then grows (the man does not know how it happens, he just sows the seed). Note the progression — first, the blade, then the head, then after that the full grain, then the grain ripens, and then it is ready for harvest. It all happens gradually, not all at once. That is what the kingdom of God is like. It does not come suddenly but gradually: first the blade, then the head, then the full grain in the head, then the grain ripens and it is ready for harvest.

The kingdom of God has already been sown in the earth, and though we cannot say exactly where we are in the process, it is clear that we are not yet at harvest time — that will not come until the end of this present age when King Jesus returns. All we know is that we are living somewhere in between the season of sowing the kingdom and the season when it is fully ripened and ready for harvest. That is, we are in the season when the kingdom grows and increases. It happens gradually, not suddenly.

The seed has been sown and the kingdom has begun in the world, though it may not always seem that way to us. However, regardless of how things may appear to us at any given moment, the truth remains that it has already begun and continues to grow and increase, because that is what taught. What we observe in the world must eventually line up with the truth of the Word.

So, whatever we might read in the daily newspapers or see on CNN or Fox News, it does not at all disprove what Jesus taught in His parables. It does not mean that the “seed” of the kingdom has not yet been sown or that the “wheat” is not yet present and growing in the world. It only shows that harvest time has not yet come and that the tares are still growing along with the wheat.

NEW BOOK! ~ The Focus of Our Faith

My new book is out, a study in Paul's letter to the Jesus believers at Colosse. It is available in paperback through our ministry and at Amazon. It is also available in Kindle, epub and PDF formats. You can preview a bit of it at the Kindle link below. The format is the same as my current series of posts on Paul's letter to the Jesus believers at Philippi.

The Focus of Our Faith: Paul’s Letter to the Jesus Believers at Colosse
(Bite-Sized Studies Through the Book of Colossians)
by Jeff Doles
Walking Barefoot Ministries
ISBN 978-0-9823536-3-9(Paperback)
Preview with Amazon's "Look Inside"
5.5 x 8.5 in., 162 pages
$9.99 USD

Also available at Amazon
eBook formats: Kindle | PDF | ePub ~ $3.99

WHEN YOU HAVE THE PROPER FOCUS, YOU CAN SEE THINGS CLEARLY

Focus is important. The better your focus, the more clearly you can see. But it is important that your focus be on the right thing because your direction will follow your focus. When your focus is clear and on the right thing, then you will be heading in the right direction.

The gospel of our faith is the good news that the kingdom of God has come and Jesus is the Messiah, God’s anointed King. He is the focus of our faith — not only the One upon whom we fix our attention but also the One through whom we view the whole world, to see more clearly and understand God’s purpose with greater wisdom. That is what Paul’s letter to the Jesus believers at Colosse is about. This book is a study of that letter. In it you will learn about:

• The blessing and inheritance God has for you
• The divine power trio: faith, hope and love
• A walk that is worthy, a life that is pleasing and fruitful
• Knowing God more and more
• How all things hold together
• Where all divine fullness dwells
• The reconciliation of heaven and earth
• The good news of God’s pleasure
• The revelation of divine glory in you
• Being rooted and built up in Jesus
• The powers that have been disarmed
• Living from a higher realm
• The Word that qualifies us
• Clothes for your new life
• New life at home and in the community of faith
• The spiral of watchful, thankful prayer
• Walking in wisdom

 

These are “bite-size” studies to help guide you through Paul’s letter, a little at a time. At the end of each study are focus questions to help you think further about the truths Paul brings. They are open-ended questions to allow for maximum personal reflection and group discussion.

A Kingdom Narrative of the Gospel

The Gospel According to Mark tells us that the Lord Jesus came “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God” (Mark 1:14). I believe there is only one gospel and that it is the announcement that the kingdom of God has come, and Jesus is the one God has anointed to be King. Someone asked me, then, how I would share the gospel of the kingdom of God with a 24-year old at a Starbucks.

In such a conversation, I might look for it to go somewhat along these lines: I would listen to whatever he has to say. Sooner or later, he will talk about how messed up things are. It will probably not take too long for him to get to that — he’s a 24-year-old. He is not thinking about the next life, he is thinking about how messed up this life is. That will most likely be the point of his greatest concern and lead to the point of his greatest need.

That’s when we can discuss the nature of the world, and I will point out that God did not create it for the mess that we see, but that God created the world, and us, to reflect His glory and goodness. That’s what Genesis 1 is about. In the beginning, God — who exists as Father, Son and Holy Spirit — created the heavens and the earth, and it was all good. Then He said, “Let Us make man in Our image and according to Our likeness … and let them have dominion over all the earth.” We were meant to bear the image of God, to be His “icon” in the world — to show off His goodness all over creation and bring all of creation into alignment with the splendor of heaven.

However, man rebelled against God and decided to do things his own way. He disconnected from the life and goodness and glory of God, and that’s when everything hit the fan. Even creation itself got messed up, because man had dominion over it and now man was messed up himself. It affected us all, which is why the Bible says that “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

But God immediately had a plan to rescue mankind from this mess and restore creation. It began with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the book of Genesis. God created a nation from them, Israel, to bring forth this rescue into the world, to every nation and people. But even the nation God created got messed up. So God promised that He would raise up a King from out of this nation who would rescue it and all the other nations of the world. This is the Messiah, which means “Anointed One.” And this is what the Old Testament is about — God promised through His prophets that this Messiah would come and set everything right in the world. The Messiah would bring the kingdom of God into the world and would Himself be King.

This is where the New Testament begins, where the promise begins to be fulfilled. The Son of God, who created the world, came into the world. He became flesh and dwelt among us to get personal with us. His name is Jesus and He is the Messiah God promised, the one God anointed to be King.

Jesus came preaching the gospel, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has come. Return to God and believe the good news.” He taught us about the kingdom. [This would be a good place to talk about the nature of the kingdom, for example, in the Beatitudes, the Sermon on the Mount, the parables of Jesus, and the healing ministry of Jesus.]

Jesus said that whoever would trust in Him would enter into “eternal life,” which is the life of God’s kingdom both now and forever. And He said that if we seek this kingdom — the rule and reign of God to set everything right — and make it our priority in everything, everything else would be taken care of.

Now, Jesus was not unopposed in this. The enemy of God, who fooled man away in the first place, was desperate to stop God’s destiny for the world. Sometimes he is called “satan,” sometimes “the devil.” And there are a number of what the Bible calls “principalities and powers,” the demonic forces and influences that stand behind every oppressive regime, government and expression of evil in the world.

But they were no match for God and no match for His Messiah. The great conflict took place at the cross, where Jesus the Messiah not only dealt with our sin and our sinfulness, He disarmed the “principalities and powers.” Through His death, He broke the power of the one who has the power of death (that is, the devil). Three days later, God raised Messiah from the dead. He is called the “firstborn from the dead” and the “firstborn over all creation.” With the principalities and powers disarmed, and Messiah raised from the dead, new creation has begun, and all who belong to Messiah, through faith in Him, are part of that new creation. Jesus’ resurrection is the guarantee that all who belong to Him will also be raised from the dead when He returns.

The kingdom of God has come to set things right in this broken world, and Jesus is the King. All authority in heaven and on earth belongs now to Him, and He sent His disciples out to tell the whole world, to teach all the nations all that Jesus taught them. But the world is still messed up in many ways because the kingdom is a work in progress. Jesus told parables about how the kingdom starts small and grows big. One day it will be here in all its fullness, when King Jesus returns. It has already begun but is not yet done, and we are living in between the times.

God’s purpose is to gather everything in heaven and on earth together as one and reconcile all things to Himself through King Jesus. And King Jesus is calling the whole world to become a part of His kingdom, to trust in Him and walk in His ways.

Gehenna, Hades and Hell

Lately I've been thinking about hell. There are two different Greek words translated as “hell” in the New Testament: gehenna and hades. Gehenna is used a dozen times in the New Testament and, with the exception of James 3:6, is found only in the Synoptic Gospels (i.e., Matthew, Mark and Luke), on the lips of the Lord Jesus. It is the term that is associated with fire. For example, in Mark 9:43-44, we read this brief description (which is similarly repeated two more times in verses 45-48):

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell [gehenna], into the fire that shall never be quenched — where “Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.” (Mark 9:43-44)

Gehenna is also the term associated with destruction. In Matthew 10:28, Jesus said, “do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell [gehenna].” Notice that it is not just the body that is destroyed in gehenna, but the soul as well. This is the destruction of the entire being.

At the end of the book of Isaiah, we read an interesting description of what happens at the end. It is about what happens when God’s glory has been declared to all the nations and He makes the new heavens and the new earth (Isaiah 66:22).

“All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord. “And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” (Isaiah 66:23-24)

This portrays what will happen to the wicked dead. They are corpses. There is no life in them at all. Notice, “their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched,” the same description we read about gehenna in Mark 9. The fire cannot be quenched and the worm does not die. In other words, nothing can stop them from consuming the wicked dead completely. This is total destruction.

When Jesus uses the word gehenna, He is not talking about a literal burning, with a literal worm or a literal fire, but it conveys to us the destruction that awaits those who do evil and do not repent. They are consumed by the “fire.” That is gehenna — fire and destruction.

The other word translated as “hell” is the word hades. It is found 11 times in the New Testament. It is also found in the LXX (the Septuagint, the ancient Greek version of the Old Testament), over 60 times, where it translates sheol, the Hebrew word for “hell” and “the grave.” It speaks of the place of the dead.

That is how it is used in the New Testament. For example, when Jesus said, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” It is not speaking of hell-fire and final destruction but of the grave. Not even death itself can stop the church, because there is coming a resurrection of the righteous — Jesus Himself is the “firstborn from the dead” (Colossians 1:18). Speaking of Jesus’ resurrection and how it guarantees the resurrection of all who belong to Him, Paul exclaims, “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”

At Pentecost, when Peter stood to preach, he declared the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Quoting from Psalm 16, he said, “For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption [decay]” (Acts 2:27). Then Peter speaks of the “prophet” (David) who wrote that, “He, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption” (Acts 2:31).

There is also this very interesting passage near the end of the book of Revelation.

The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:13-15)

This is the end of chapter 20. The very next thing we read, in Revelation 20:1, is this: “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.” This is very much like what we read at the end of Isaiah. God makes the new heavens and the new earth, and then we read of the destruction of the wicked — by fire.

In the end, death and hades will be thrown into the “lake of fire.” Remember that fire is associated with gehenna, not with hades. It appears, then, that this “lake of fire” corresponds to gehenna. Hades, the place of the dead, will be thrown into what we might call gehenna, where both body and soul are destroyed. As Isaiah 66:23-24 portrays for us the total destruction of the wicked, I believe that in the same way, Revelation 20:13-15 portrays for us the total destruction of death and hades as well. “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”

All Authority to the God-Man

Someone asked how Jesus could be “given” all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). Did He not, as God, always possess that authority?

We need to remember that Jesus is fully human as well as fully divine. He is the God-man. In His divinity, He has always existed, without beginning or end, as the Son of God. But His human nature had a beginning in time and space. John writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God … and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1-2, 14).

Now notice, in Matthew 28:18, that Jesus said that all authority “has been given” to Him in heaven and on earth. This indicates that there was a time when that was not so. That is, as the God-man, He did not always possess all authority in heaven and earth. In His divinity, Yes, but in His humanity, No.

In Philippians 2, we see something else that was given to Him. Because of the cross, and through the resurrection, Jesus the Messiah has been “given” the “name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

Paul is really saying the same thing here that Jesus said in Matthew 28:18. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him; the highest name has been given to Him, so that all in heaven and on earth must bow before Him and confess that He is Lord.

Notice also, that this is not authority yet to be given, or a name yet to be given. In both places, the word for “given” is in the aorist tense, signifying completed action, a done deal. All this fulfills a very important prophecy in Daniel 7:13-14:

I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.

Here we see the prophetic significance of the phrase by which Jesus often referred to Himself, “the Son of Man.” It does not mean merely that Jesus is human, but it identifies Him as the divinely chosen man, who was to be given full authority over the earth. Compare this passage also with how the Lord’s Prayer ends: “Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.”

So it is not simply as God that Jesus has been given these things. It is as the God-man, because of the great victory He won on the cross over sin and death and the principalities and powers, and by the vindication He received when God raised Him from the dead. Here is a breath-taking realization: The One who rules and reigns over heaven and earth is fully human as well as fully divine.

Carrying the Kingdom of God

As believers in King Jesus the Messiah, we bring the kingdom of God wherever we go and it addresses every part of life in every part of the world. The apostle John said, “The darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining” (1 John 2:8). That is quite an amazing thing, especially when many Christians seem to think quite the opposite, that the darkness is getting darker and the true light is fading away. But in the overlap of the ages, the age of God’s kingdom breaking into this present evil age, it is this present age with all its darkness that is passing away and God’s kingdom with all its light that is continually increasing.

In Isaiah 9, the messianic prophecy of the Child that is born and the Son that is given, it says that “of the increase of His government and peace will be no end” (vv. 6-7). That Child has been born and that Son has been given. All authority has been given to Him in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18), and His government (His kingdom) will continue to increase until it fills the whole earth.

In recent days, we have seen the disturbances in Libya, Egypt and Syria. But because the kingdom of God has come into the world we have some powerful ways to address that. For one thing, in our worship when we proclaim that Jesus is Lord over all, we are not just doing our own little thing in our own little space. We are announcing the Lordship of Jesus in the heavenlies, including to the principalities and powers (the demonic influences behind all the political, religious, cultural and economic oppressions). Paul said that God is making His manifold wisdom known to the principalities and powers — through the Church! (Ephesians 3:10).

For another thing, we have the very powerful way King Jesus taught us to pray: Kingdom of God, come! Will of God, be done on earth as it is in heaven (my paraphrase). So in this present situation, for example, my prayer is, “Kingdom of God, come into Libya, Egypt and Syria. Will of God, be done in Libya, Egypt and Syria just it is being done in heaven.” Because Jesus is Lord and King over all those. They belong to is domain, His kingdom.

I also pray that the Father will give them a revelation of the Lord Jesus, by the Holy Spirit. I keep hearing reports about an amazing thing that has been happening in Muslim countries and communities. Many Muslims have been having dreams and visions of Jesus — they are clear that it is Jesus, not Mohammed, that they are seeing — and because of this they seek out Christians to learn more about Him. Many have come to know the Lord Jesus through way. On one of my other blogs, I have curated some links to what is happening with many Muslims, how they are coming to the Lord Jesus because of dreams and visions, healings and other miracles: Muslims Come to Jesus. I pray for the Lord to continue and increase that.

We also have the Holy Spirit, to bear the fruit of the Spirit and gifts of the Spirit wherever we go. This is a manifestation that God’s kingdom has truly begun and is now present in the world.

And we have the Great Commission. The Lord Jesus announced that all authority has been given to Him in heaven and on earth, and then He commissioned the disciples to go out into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them about Him and all that He taught (Matthew 28:18-20). In other words, to go out and announce that the kingdom of God has come and Jesus is the King of heaven and earth.

Within that discipleship, we bring the influence of God’s kingdom to bear in every aspect of life. Including government, religion, media, family education, business, arts and entertainment — these are the seven “mountains” of the Seven Mountain Strategy movement. The kingdom of God has something to say about all of these because it comes to redeem every part of life.

Seeing the kingdom of God at work in the world and participating with Him in that work is very exciting. I live now with great expectation of what God is going to do next. Not a dread that things will get darker and darker and that the true light will fade but a joyful anticipation of the darkness fading more and more as the light of King Jesus and His kingdom increases more and more on the earth. I’ve never been more passionate about the gospel than I am now.

The Sermon of the Kingdom

Someone asked about the Sermon on the Mount, whether it is for today. I call it “The Sermon of the Kingdom,” because it is the announcement that the kingdom of God has now come into the world. In Matthew 4, “Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people” (v. 23). Then just a few verse later, beginning in Matthew 5 and on through to Matthew 7, we see what that preaching looked like.

It begins with the Beatitudes. This was not a new code of ethics that Jesus was offering. It was an announcement, the declaration of blessing because the kingdom of heaven had now come to earth. The beatitudes begin and end with express reference to the kingdom (Matthew 5:3, 10), and all in between are implicitly about the kingdom. These are not instructions about how one gets “saved” and enters into the kingdom. But they announce that, for all who have been looking and longing for the kingdom of God and the fulfillment of what God promised throughout the Old Testament, that kingdom has now come.

Then in a series of paradigms, Jesus teaches about what the coming of the kingdom means in relation to the Torah. He did not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). What God required was not merely the external behavior that the law required, but something much deeper, concerning the heart. That was something the Law could never satisfy. That is why God promised, in Ezekiel 36, that He would come and gather Israel from among the nations and do an internal work in them:

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. (Ezekiel 36:25-27)

This was a promise God made about the end time, the age of His kingdom in the earth. A new heart and a new spirit — God’s own Spirit — placed in them, enabling them to keep His laws and statutes from the heart. This is the righteousness that God requires, the righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). It is the righteousness that comes from the heart — the new heart and new spirit that God gives, with the Spirit of God Himself enabling it.

This is why Paul, in Galatians 5:22-23, contrasts the fruit of the Spirit not only with the “works of the flesh” but also with the Law. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” The Law could never produce in us the fruit that the Holy Spirit can. The Holy Spirit, who is God at work in us to create the desire for His will and enabling us to do His good will (Philippians 2:13), brings forth in us the kind of fruit, the kind of righteousness God is looking for.

Now, don’t get me wrong here — every believer in the Lord Jesus is accounted as righteous because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross. But the Holy Spirit works in us to manifest or reveal that righteousness in and through us.

So the Sermon on the Mount is very much about the kingdom of God, and the kingdom has now begun and is presently in the earth. We can see this because God has given every believer a new heart and His own Spirit to produce in us what the Law of Moses never could. The kingdom has already begun, though it is not yet complete, and will not be until King Jesus comes again. We live in between the time of the kingdom as it has already come and the kingdom as it has yet to come.

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The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Already Begun, Not Yet Done

At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus came “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’” (Mark 1:14-15). Jesus was announcing that the kingdom of God, long ago promised in the Old Testament, had now come.

After the cross and the resurrection, and before He ascended to heaven to sit on His throne at the right hand of the Father, the place of ruling and reigning, Jesus declared to His disciples, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). Jesus was announcing that He was now King over heaven and earth.

What happened in between was about how the kingdom came into the world and Jesus became the King. That is why the Gospels spend so much time on the kingdom of God (a.k.a. the “kingdom of heaven,” in Matthew). That is why Jesus spent so much time teaching about the kingdom of God and demonstrating it through healings and exorcisms and other miracles.

So the kingdom of God has begun in the earth. However, it has not yet arrived in all its fullness. That will not happen until King Jesus returns. We are living in between the times of its inauguration and its final fulfillment. Some refer to this reality as “already/not yet.” I call it, “Already begun, not yet done.” As the apostle John said, “The darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining” (1 John 2:8). This present age has been invaded by the age of God’s kingdom and is already in the process of passing away. The age of God’s kingdom has already begun to shine, and its light continues to increase as more and more people turn to the Lord Jesus.

Random Thoughts

Here are a few random thoughts that have been buzzing around my head. For your inspiration and/or amusement.

• Not to brag or anything, but I am God’s gift to the world. And God’s gift to God. So are you. Understand this through the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Live accordingly.
• My God supplies all my needs according to His glorious riches in the Messiah, Jesus. And there is not even the slightest possibility of a shutdown there.
• Has anyone ever noticed that whenever someone says, “I assure you ...,” it is never really assuring at all?
• The Bible says that God is Love, God is Light, God is a Consuming Fire. I don't think that is saying three different things but saying the same thing three different ways.
• Had an interesting revelation today: Obituaries are the Facebook of the elderly. It is how they keep up with many of the people they know (or knew).
• God’s heart is for all nations and all generations. His plans and purposes are as wide as the world and as deep as time.
• Your words are very powerful. Choose them with care and use them wisely.
• Debt is a bondage. A nation in debt is a nation in bondage.
• The most politically powerful thing we can do is to worship, to proclaim that Jesus the Messiah is King over all the earth.
• I died and was buried. Now I live. True story.
• LORD, fill my mind today with Your thoughts, Fill my mouth today with Your words, Fill my heart today with Your affections. In King Jesus, Amen.
• I am the sharpest knife in the box ~ God gives me the wisdom to cut anything that He wants me to cut.
• “Does this taste funny?” she asked as she handed me the fork. I took a bite ... and laughed.
• If you are going to dream and believe for something, you might as well dream and believe for the best.
• Some people are hoping they can just stay afloat or keep their head above water. But the people of God should have a greater expectation ~ we live in the favor of the LORD.
• God gives strength sufficient for every day, each in its turn. Don't go and start running a deficit by worrying.

An Unusual Favor

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me. (Philippians 1:28-30)

The stakes have ratcheted up and every day brings another “click,” another reminder that this is serious business Paul is talking about. That is why the Jesus believers at Philippi need to be of one heart and mind, in sync with the Holy Spirit and each other and working as a team in announcing the good news of Jesus and His kingdom.

“For to you it has been granted … to suffer for His sake.” At first glance, the word “granted” might seem out of place here. The Greek word speaks of a gift or favor, something bestowed as a kindness. The favor they have been given is to suffer for the sake of making King Jesus known. For Paul, it is part of the honor of believing in the Messiah.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10). Later, He promised the disciples a hundredfold return for whatever they gave up for His sake and the gospel’s, but added that there would also be persecutions (Mark 10:29-30).

Persecution for the sake of King Jesus is not a means of entering into the kingdom of God but is a sign that one belongs to it. So, when Peter and some of the other apostles were hauled before the Sanhedrin and commanded to stop preaching that Jesus is the Messiah, they went away rejoicing that they were “counted worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41).

Paul’s ministry has been filled with all kinds of persecutions, and as his partners in the gospel, the believers at Philippi are well aware of the conflicts he has endured.

• The beating and imprisonment he received for Jesus’ sake, and theirs, when he first came to Philippi (Acts 16:22-34).
• The riot he was at the center of in Thessalonica (Acts 17:5-9).
• The ridicule he received at Athens (Acts 17:18, 32).
• The opposition he faced at Corinth. It was intense enough that the Lord Jesus appeared to him a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you; for I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:9-10). Perhaps this was in reference to the “messenger of satan” Paul speaks about in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.
• The uproar he and his team experienced at Ephesus (Acts 19:23-41).
• His violent arrest at the temple in Jerusalem (Acts 21:26-36).
• His trial before the Sanhedrin (Acts 22:30-Acts 23:10), after which the Lord Jesus came again to him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome” (Acts 23:11).
• The conspiracy at Jerusalem to kill him (Acts 23:12-22).
• His trial at Caesarea on charges of sedition (Acts 24-26).
• His house arrest at Rome, where he awaits further trial, and from which he writes this letter (Acts 28:17-31).

Paul recognized that the things he endured for Jesus’ name actually turned out to be useful for advancing the good news announcement about Messiah and His kingdom. Whatever the Philippian believers were going through, and would continue to go through, were signs that they are truly part of that kingdom.

Focus Questions

1. What is your gut reaction to the idea that suffering persecution for Jesus’ sake is an honor?
2. Do you think it was an encouragement to the believers at Philippi that Paul also went through these conflicts?
3. Many Christians are going through these same persecutions around the world — how are you praying for them?

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There is Always Joy!
Paul’s Letters to the Jesus Believers at Philippi
Bite-Sized Studies Through the Book of Philippians
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Just One Thing

Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. (Philippians 1:27-28)

Remember Lt. Colombo, the homicide detective from the TV show back in the 70s and 80s? Just when the prime suspect thought he was going to get away clean, Colombo would turn and say, “Just one thing.” That’s when we knew the lieutenant was about to set the hook and reel in the bad guy.

That’s a bit like what Paul has done here, except he is not dealing with any “bad guys.” He has declared his confidence that he will be delivered and will be able to continue his ministry to the Jesus believers at Philippi, to help them move forward in their faith and know the joy of it. But then he throws in a “just one thing.” Here, it is translated as that lonely word “only,” but the HCSB puts it the way Colombo would: “Just one thing.” There is something very important Paul wants to add, something vital to the mission and message, and that is this: “Let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

The Greek word for “conduct” is politeuomai, a word used of citizens in a free country, about getting along together in community. Roman citizenship is a big deal in Philippi, which is one of only five cities in Macedonia that enjoys special status from Rome. But Roman citizenship is not what Paul has in mind, he is thinking much bigger than that: “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). The way we live, then, should reflect that new reality, giving the savor of heaven on earth and demonstrating how good the good news about Jesus the Messiah really is. The way we say it around my home church is, “Jesus looks good on you.”

Paul plans on coming to see them again, but even if he is far away, he fully expects to hear that the Lord Jesus is being faithfully represented in all they say and do. Particularly, he looks forward to hearing that they …

• Stand fast. Solidly in place and unmovable, fixed and focused.
• In one spirit. Not only their human spirits in sync with each other but, more than that, all of them in sync with the Holy Spirit.
• With one mind. The Greek word is psyche, which is elsewhere translated as “soul.” So, with “one soul,” having the same attitude, the same heart, the same desire.
• Striving together. The Greek word is a compound, synathleo. You can almost hear the meaning in its parts. Syn is a common prefix that means “together.” And athleo … well, that is where we get the word “athlete.” It speaks of contending in the competitive games. The idea of synathleo is about teamwork, everyone functioning together for the same goal.
• For the faith of the gospel. This is the goal, the good news about King Jesus, and the faith that results from it. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
• Not in any way terrified by your adversaries. The Greek word for “terrified” was used of horses that had somehow been “spooked” into a panic.

Yes, there will most certainly be adversaries and firm opposition against their message. This stands to reason — in a culture where Caesar is considered supreme, they are declaring that Jesus, not Caesar, is the Divine King. That is exactly why they need to be one in spirit and heart and purpose, not backed down by opposition. Because the truth is still the truth and Jesus is still Lord, King over heaven and earth, and the truth must eventually prevail. Even if Paul is martyred, Jesus is still King, and Paul will simply go to be with him. Even if there is persecution, the good news of Jesus and His kingdom still marches forward.

The firmness of their stand, the togetherness of their striving and the oneness of their spirit in the declaration that Jesus is King demonstrate that His kingdom cannot be stopped. This is a sign of ruin for those who oppose it but an assurance to those who receive it that salvation has truly come into the world in Jesus the Messiah.

Focus Questions

1. What does citizenship mean to you, and how to you view your own citizenship?
2. Are you part of a close-knit team? What is its purpose and how does it work together?
3. How strong is your confidence that Jesus is King over every adversary?

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There is Always Joy!
Paul’s Letters to the Jesus Believers at Philippi
Bite-Sized Studies Through the Book of Philippians
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Far Better, or More Needful?

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again. (Philippians 1:21-26)

In “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” there is a character named Banjo, who is played by Jimmy Durante. He is not “the man who came to dinner” but when he shows up, he goes to the piano and sings, “Did you ever have the feeling that you wanted to go, but still had the feeling that you wanted to stay?”

That’s where Paul is. A moment ago, he spoke of Messiah being magnified in his body, “whether by life or by death.” That “by death” might have shaken up some of his partners, the Jesus believers at Philippi, so now he goes on to explain:

• To live is Christ. If all goes well and Paul lives, his life will ever and always be about Jesus the Messiah, to know Him, proclaim Him, and serve Him and His people. It means more “fruit” from his labor, and he wants to bear as much fruit as he can for the Lord. Jesus said, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples” (John 15:6). Paul’s highest purpose is to give God glory.
• To die is gain. On the other hand, if Paul is put to death, he will simply go and be with the One his life has been all about. He has a deep desire to do that, and it only gets deeper with each passing day. The more we understand “to live is Christ,” the better we will understand “to die is gain.”

For Paul, it is all win/win, but it has still been a tough choice: His growing desire to be with the Lord Jesus (“which is far better”) and his desire to serve the people of the Lord (which is “more needful for you”). Imagine him pacing his room, his Roman guard looking on as he talks it over with the Lord. Of course, by the time he writes this letter, he has already made up his mind — and the believers at Philippi can breathe a sigh of relief: Paul chooses to stay.

Now, it is quite interesting that he speaks of this, almost casually, in terms of a choice. Is this really in his hands to decide? But he has a confidence about this, being persuaded that God still has work for him to do, that he will be delivered from his present circumstances and will be returning to minister to the believers at Philippi again: “I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith.”

The Greek word for “progress” is prokope, which is the same word he used earlier concerning the “furtherance” of the gospel. Not only is the gospel moving forward but God’s plan is for believers to progress in it as well. As we saw earlier, what God has begun in them He will bring through to completion.

Here again we find joy, the “joy of faith.” As they grow in faith, joy increases. And of course, their rejoicing will be all the greater when they see Paul once again.

Focus Question

1. “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Do you find one of those easier than the other?
2. What is the level of confidence you have about what God has for you to do?
3. Do you find that when your faith increases, your joy does, too?

Now, just for fun, here is Banjo (Jimmy Durante) singing in this clip from “The Man Who Came to Dinner.”

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There is Always Joy!
Paul’s Letters to the Jesus Believers at Philippi
Bite-Sized Studies Through the Book of Philippians
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

With All Boldness

For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. (Philippians 1:19-20)

Paul is under house arrest in Rome, but the gospel is being preached and the Lord Jesus is being exalted now more than ever. And Paul is very happy about that. Of course, he still desires to be released from his chains, to make a good case for the gospel and win a favorable verdict, not only before the Roman courts but also in the hearts of people everywhere. But he is not particularly concerned about his personal fate. He is ready to die, if need be, for the sake of the Messiah being proclaimed throughout the world.

What would be a tragedy for Paul is if he were somehow backed down from preaching the good news about Jesus. His desire is that, whatever happens, he will be completely bold in dealing with it. He has always been outspoken for the gospel and he does not want to be any less so now. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). What matters most to him is that Messiah be magnified by his life, or if he dies, by his death. But Paul has every confidence that he will indeed be delivered both from shame and a poor outcome, and he is encouraged in this by three things:

• Messiah is being preached with boldness. That is what matters above all, that the Lord Jesus be magnified in every way.
• The believers at Philippi, his partners in the gospel from the beginning, are praying for him. Prayer is key. “Be anxious for nothing,” will be his instruction, “but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).
• The Spirit of Jesus the Messiah, that is, the Holy Spirit, is supporting and supplying him with everything he needs. Perhaps Paul has in mind the instruction Jesus gave to the disciples for when they would find themselves in such a situation as Paul now faced: “But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:11).

Because of these, then, Paul is watching and waiting in confident expectation that everything will come out well.

Focus Questions

1. Can you think of a difficult time when you were truly encouraged because you knew someone was praying for you?
2. What supply do you think Paul might have received from the Holy Spirit? Do you believe that supply is available to you, too?
3. Does the preaching of the gospel, the announcement that Jesus is Lord over all, fill you with expectation and confidence?

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There is Always Joy!
Paul’s Letters to the Jesus Believers at Philippi
Bite-Sized Studies Through the Book of Philippians
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Sorting Out Motives

Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. (Philippians 1:15-18)

Paul is bold for the gospel even when he is in chains for preaching it. Instead of causing other Christians to back off from proclaiming King Jesus, it has challenged them to become even bolder. This response, however, turns out to be something of a mixed blessing because, for some, there is a partisan spirit. Not all are like this, of course, but some are.

Paul has run into this kind of thing before. He dealt with it in the church at Corinth, where the division appeared to be along ethnic lines. Some said, “I am of Paul” (the Roman citizen), others countered, “I am of Apollos” (the Greek), still others said, “I am of Cephas” (Peter, the Jew), and some declared, “I am of Christ” (as if the rest were not). But Paul would have none of it, not even from the ones who claimed to be “of” him. “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:13). “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1Corinthians 1:10).

Now the partisan spirit has come up again. Paul does not name names or identify where this is taking place, but he does recognize some distinct differences:

• Some preach from envy and strife, selfish ambition, in pretense, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to Paul’s chains or somehow show him up. There may even be some who are talking about the gospel as part of the chatter on the street, spreading it as the news of the day.
• Others preach from goodwill, out of love and in truth, knowing that Paul has been divinely placed in this situation not for his own aggrandizement or reputation but for the sake of the gospel.

Yet, however different their motivations, they are all proclaiming the same thing, the good news about Jesus the Messiah. The good news is getting around, and for Paul, that is a definitely a cause for rejoicing.

Surely Paul thinks of the believers at Philippi as part of the latter group, who preach Jesus out of love and sincerity. After all, they have been partners with him in the gospel since they first learned it from him many years ago. But perhaps they have heard of some of that things that are happening with the former group, and Paul is assuring them that, overall, the gospel is being preached, so there is still something to rejoice about.

However, it is good for the Philippian believers to be aware of how such distasteful and “grubby” motives can slip in. So perhaps Paul is hinting to them to take care that they do not become like that. He is aware of some tensions among them that need to be remedied (for example, in Philippians 4:2) and he will soon be laying before them the example of the Lord Jesus, who did not do anything out of envy or rivalry or selfish ambition but He made Himself of no reputation (Philippians 2:1-11).

Focus Questions

1. What role do you think motivation plays in proclaiming Jesus in such a way that is persuasive to others?
2. Are some people more susceptible to selfish motives than are others?
3. How can we cultivate the better motives in our lives?

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There is Always Joy!
Paul’s Letters to the Jesus Believers at Philippi
Bite-Sized Studies Through the Book of Philippians
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

An Unexpected Turnaround

But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. (Philippians 1:12-14)

When all the principalities and powers conspired to put the Lord Jesus on the cross on Friday afternoon, that seemed to them a good idea at the time. But then Sunday morning rolled around, when God raised Jesus from the dead. That’s when they realized God had turned it around on them.

Something similar happened with the gospel when Paul was put in chains at Rome for preaching the good news about Jesus the Messiah and the kingdom of God. I expect the Roman authorities figured that would flatten his tires and put a crimp in his ministry and message.

But there was an unexpected turnaround, and Paul wants the Jesus believers at Philippi to know about it. They were partners with him in the gospel and the grace of God ever since Paul first preached it to them years earlier. They were standing with him now during his time of imprisonment, and anxious to know what was happening. What they would have expected to be an impediment to the ministry actually turned out to be an advantage that advanced the gospel, and that was good news in itself.

The word for “furtherance” literally means to “cut forward.” Perhaps that is the meaning Paul has in mind in this context, the idea being that of preparing the way for an army to move forward. The gospel is “on the march,” and Paul identifies two specific benefits and the “armies” he has in mind (one of which is literal).

• “It has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ.”
• “Most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”

In his house arrest at Rome (about which, see Acts 28:16-31), Paul is always guarded by a Roman soldier, so he always has a captive audience and an opportunity to talk about the Lord Jesus. When a new guard comes on duty, there was a new opportunity. Over the two years Paul is in this situation, he has gotten to know the guards quite well, and they him. It is no real stretch to suppose that some of them, perhaps even many of them, have become believers themselves. Imagine the discussion in the barracks as they speak of Paul and the good news he brings. They are used to hearing that Caesar is Lord (that is, the divine king), but Paul is proclaiming that Jesus, not Caesar, is Lord. This announcement is electric and runs through the whole praetorian guard (Caesar’s own guards).

Also during this time Paul has many visitors, and his message to them is exactly the same has always been. He has not let up on it one bit because of his circumstances. In fact, he has leveraged his circumstances to advance the gospel in a new stage of his ministry — he is not going to the people, they are coming to him.

So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved …

Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him. (Acts 24:23-24, 30-31)

Here is Paul, then, under arrest but as bold as ever. Though he is in chains, his message cannot be bound. Some of his visitors believe and come away with the good news about Jesus the Messiah and the kingdom of God. Others have probably visited Paul to encourage him, but they come away encouraged themselves. Seeing the confidence of Paul, even in his chains, makes them much bolder to go and spread the good news around themselves. For Paul, it is win/win, and reason to rejoice.

Focus Questions

1. Do you think Paul was surprised by this turnaround?
2. Do you think Paul was being unrealistically optimistic about this?
3. When you hear of Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith, yet they rejoice, does that encourage you to be bolder in your witness about King Jesus?

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There is Always Joy!
Paul’s Letters to the Jesus Believers at Philippi
Bite-Sized Studies Through the Book of Philippians
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

That Your Love May Abound

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11)

Paul spoke earlier of praying with thanks and joy for the Jesus believers at Philippi. Now he reveals the substance and purpose of those prayers:

• That your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment.
• That you may approve the things that are excellent.
• That you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ.

This is not just about their love for God or for Paul, though those would certainly be included. But more than that, it is about their love for each other — and for everyone. The Greek word for “love” here is agape, a love that keeps on giving. “God so loved [agape] the world that He gave His only Son” (John 3:16).

We need to keep growing in love, but not in a sentimental or abstract way. Love has a purpose, a focus and a tangible expression. It is not a feeling, but a willful commitment to the welfare of another. We need to know how best to do that, however, so Paul prays for a love that acts according to “knowledge and all discernment.” This is not about the love of knowledge but the knowledge of love. In its richest form, it is the knowledge of God Himself, for He is love.

The word Paul uses for “knowledge” here is epignosis. It is not theoretical or about gaining information. It is a fullness of knowledge, an experiential, personal knowledge. It is not merely knowing about God but knowing God Himself. In his letter to the believers at Ephesus, Paul prayed that God would give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, that they may “know” (epignosis) God more and more (Ephesians 1:17). This can come only because God reveals Himself to us in Jesus the Messiah and by the Holy Spirit.

Discernment is the exercise of good judgment, moral perception and wise understanding. Love has a value system. To love well, we must discern between good and bad, true and false, wise and foolish. This requires a depth of insight that helps us “approve what is excellent,” that is, to choose what is the best way. In his letter to the believers at Rome, Paul said, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2). The word for “prove” there is the same as the word for “approve” here. This transformation is not our own work but comes about by the renewing of our minds. Even that is not our own work but comes from God. Our part is to let Him do the work in us.

Love must be “sincere and without offense,” which means that we must be “sincere and without offense.” To be “sincere” means to be genuine, without hidden motives or evil intent. To be “without offense” means that we are not to become a stumbling block that causes others to falter or fall. Some may be offended because of the truth of the gospel but we must be careful that we cause no one to stumble because we have failed to live in honesty and love.

The “day of Christ” is the day King Jesus comes again to judge the world and set things right, so Paul’s prayer is that believers be filled with the “fruits of righteousness.” In a different context, he speaks of the fruit of the Spirit — love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). That would not be much different from what he has in mind here. This fruit manifests the love of God and the righteousness of the Lord Jesus.

When we show excellence in our love, and do not give offense, we demonstrate the goodness of God and bring praise to His name. And that is the ultimate purpose of this prayer — that God may be glorified in the life of every believer.

Focus Questions

1. How does knowing God more help our love abound for others?
2. How does the example of the Lord Jesus help our love abound for others?
3. How does being filled with the Holy Spirit help our love abound for others?

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There is Always Joy!
Paul’s Letters to the Jesus Believers at Philippi
Bite-Sized Studies Through the Book of Philippians
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Fellow Partakers of Gospel Joy and Grace

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:3-8)

Every time Paul thinks about the Jesus believers at Philippi, it brings a smile to his face and he is thankful. He prays for them regularly, and it is quite a joyful thing. “Always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy,” he says. He greatly values their “fellowship in the gospel.”

The word for “fellowship” is koinonia and speaks of “partnership,” which is how the HCSB translates it. They share the same interest, the same focus, the same concern — the same joy as Paul. He recalls how they have partnered with him in the ministry of the gospel from the very first day He preached it to them, when Lydia and her household embraced King Jesus, and the Philippian Jailer soon became a believer, too. The church at Philippi has continued as Paul’s partners in the gospel ever since, supporting him with their prayers (Philippians 1:19), with personal assistance (Philippians 2:25) and generously with their finances (Philippians 4:15-18, see also, Out of the Abundance of Joy). Now Paul was in jail again and awaiting trial for preaching the gospel, and he had no doubt that they would be there for him.

God began a work in them on that very first day. Paul is confident of this, and just as certain that God will keep working in them, bringing them to maturity. On the day King Jesus returns to judge the world, He will find that God’s work in them is complete. As the apostle John said, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

How could Paul be so sure that there was a work of God going on in them? Just this: He has them in his heart, and every remembrance he has of them gives the evidence. Even now in his present imprisonment, he knows they have not forgotten him, but are pulling for him all the way, especially as he prepares for his “defense” and the “confirmation” of the gospel.

Those are legal terms. The Greek word for “defense” is apologia and refers to answering charges and presenting one’s case in court. It is the word Peter uses in his letter to Jesus believers scattered abroad.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense [apologia] to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. (1 Peter 3:15-16)

The word for “confirmation” is bebaios. Where apologia is about presenting the case, bebaios is about establishing the case and winning a favorable verdict. The “defense and confirmation” Paul has in mind is not for his own sake but for the sake of the gospel. It is not his own freedom he seeks but that the good news about King Jesus the Messiah might circulate throughout the Roman Empire.

In all of this, Paul says, “You are partakers with me of grace.” The word for “partakers” is sugkoinonos (the prefix sug with the word koinonos), which means “fellow-partakers.” The same grace that is available for Paul is available for them, too. They are joined up together in this grace with Paul and benefit from it just as Paul does. They are “fellow-partakers of grace.”

The Vulgate, Jerome’s Latin version of the Greek New Testament, has this as “partakers of joy,” apparently mistaking the word charitos (a form of charis, grace) for a form of chara (joy). This translation does not go too far afield, though, since there is, after all, a connection between charis and chara. Thayer’s Greek Definitions has charis as “that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness.” Given how prominent “joy” and “rejoicing” is in Paul’s letter to the Philippian believers, “fellow-partakers of joy” would be just as true as “fellow-partakers of grace.” They share in the same joy with Paul, as well as the same grace.

“God is my witness,” Paul says, about the love he has for these believers, his partners in grace and the gospel. It is a love full of “the affection of Jesus Christ,” that is, the same kind of love and tenderness that the Lord Jesus has for them. Paul’s feeling toward them is more than he can say — but God knows.

Focus Questions

1. How would you describe the level of your passion for the Lord Jesus and His kingdom?
2. How would you describe the level of your joy in the good news?
3. Who partners with you in this, and how would you describe your affection for them?

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There is Always Joy!
Paul’s Letters to the Jesus Believers at Philippi
Bite-Size Studies Through the Book of Philippians
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Divine Favor and Total Well-Being

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:2)

Paul offers the Jesus believers at Philippi a benediction, as he does so often in his letters. A benediction is a prayer of blessing. Literally, a benediction is a “good word.”

A common Jewish salutation in Paul’s days was “Greetings and peace.” The Greek word for “greetings” is chairein, but Paul has replaced that with a related word, one that is, theologically, much more potent: charis — grace! Grace is the favor of God, who opens up all the resources of heaven on our behalf.

The Greek word for “peace” is irene, but Paul, being Jewish, no doubt has the Hebrew word shalom in mind, which is, again, more theologically profound. Shalom speaks of wholeness and restoration. It is total well-being, with nothing missing or broken. The shalom of God is the wholeness that comes from being in right relationship with Him.

The divine favor and wholeness of which Paul speaks comes from “God our Father.” Fatherhood speaks of family, household and inheritance. A good father blesses his children with good things. God our Father blesses us with the inheritance of grace and peace, and we share in it together (there are no Second Class saints). It comes to us through King Jesus the Messiah, who He is and what He has done for us. We receive this divine inheritance of favor and total well-being through faith in Him. “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant” (Psalm 35:27 NIV).

Focus Questions

1. Do you believe God looks on you with favor and desires for you to be made whole?
2. Do your words to yourself speak God’s favor and well-being for your life?
3. Do your words to others minister God’s grace and peace to them?

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There is Always Joy!
Paul’s Letters to the Jesus Believers at Philippi
Bite-Size Studies Through the Book of Philippians
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.