Faith Claims in Public

Someone has argued, publicly, that public arguments should not be based on faith claims. Sounds like he was making a public faith claim about public faith claims, in which case his argument is self-defeating.

Faith is an understanding. Faith is a decision one continually makes. Faith is a commitment. Christian faith is enabled by God: Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, and no one can confess, apart from the Holy Spirit, that Jesus is Lord. Because of the divine element involved, faith is more than merely a preference. Faith is also more than private, because it affects every area of one’s life, both private and public.

Everything comes down to faith claims because everything comes down to one’s philosophy, worldview, presuppositions or assumptions. Eliminate all faith claims and you eliminate all discussion about anything. It is important, then, to be able to identify what our philosophies, worldviews, presuppositions or assumptions are, to recognize what lens we are looking at the world through and how it might affect how we see.

Our presuppositions are not irrelevant. They are the foundations upon which we build the rest of our thoughts. They are the lens through which we view the world and identify this as “evidence” or that as “fact.” Not all presuppositions, assumptions or philosophies are equal, and they must each be evaluated. And, of course, not everyone will agree on what value is to be given to each. But everyone should be aware of their own presuppositions (actually, the complex of presuppositions they hold), and the nature of those presuppositions as being, ultimately, matters of faith.

I acknowledge my presuppositions as including a faith in the existence of God, that He has revealed Himself in the world and that He has given us revelation of Himself in a holy book. Others do not share those presuppositions but presuppose the opposite. However, if they claim to have knowledge that is not based on revelation, even that begins with presupposition. For example, it is a presupposition that there even is such a knowledge base apart from revelation, or of what that knowledge base consists. These are presuppositions of epistemology (principles of how we know anything).

Every truth claim is essentially a faith claim, a statement of what one believes, for whatever reason, revelatory or non-revelatory, to be true. Every claim to knowledge is likewise a faith claim, a statement of what one believes he knows. The man who is aware of his faith claims (philosophies, presuppositions, etc.) has an advantage over the man who is not.

Let every faith claim, then, come to the table and be analyzed. However, to analyze a faith claim one must first be aware of the faith claim they are bringing. The person I referred to above made a faith claim about faith claims and apparently did not even realize he was doing so. The result, in this case, was the incoherence of making public the faith claim that faith claims have no business being made public.

How the Book of Acts Begins and Ends

Every good story has a beginning, a middle and an end. The other week I came to realization about the book of Acts, particularly about how it begins and how it ends. Now, I already knew how it begins and I also knew how it ends. But what occurred to me is that it begins and ends with the same theme. See if you can spot it:

The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:1-3)

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 28:30-31)

Do you see it? Can you identify the common theme? Acts begins with Jesus during the forty days between His resurrection from the dead and His ascension to His throne in heaven at the right hand of the Father. And what does He do during those forty days? He speaks to the disciples about things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

The book of Acts closes decades later with Paul under house arrest in Rome for preaching the gospel. He was there for two whole years. And what does he do during all that time? What is the theme of His preaching and teaching? The kingdom of God, and everything that concerns King Jesus the Messiah.

What do you think is the significance of that? And what do you suppose that says about all that is recorded in the middle, between the beginning and the ending?

There is Always Joy!

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THERE IS ALWAYS JOY!

PAUL was in prison. The Jesus believers at Philippi were facing increasing persecution. Add to that an undercurrent of personal disagreements and division in the fellowship, and things were not looking very bright. Yet Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord always.” There is always joy, and in his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul shows us how to find it.

Joy saturates this letter. It shows up in unexpected turnarounds in the midst of difficult circumstances. It is found in knowing Jesus in His humble, self-giving servanthood, in the power of His resurrection — and even in the fellowship of His suffering. It is discovered as together we pursue the Jesus-shaped life. In this book you will also learn about:

• God’s blessing of favor and total well-being
• How divine humility is divine greatness
• The power of God at work in you to both desire and do His good pleasure
• The attitude that can fill you with joy
• The attitude that can rob you of joy
• The joy of heaven on earth
• How to replace worry with divine peace
• Paul’s secret to contentment in all things

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.

Doxology, Greetings and Benediction

Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar's household.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Philippians 4:20-23)

Paul has thanked the Jesus believers at Philippi for their faithful support and partnership with him in the ministry of the gospel. He has urged and encouraged them to work out the differences they have among themselves and come together as a team for the sake of the gospel. He has given them the supreme example of the Lord Jesus Christ and His attitude of humble servanthood to guide them. He has shown them that God is at work in them, creating in them the desire for His way and empowering them to do His good pleasure. He has offered himself, Timothy, Epaphroditus and others as good patterns for living out their life in Christ. He has shown them many reasons to rejoice and celebrate in the Lord. And now he brings his letter to a close, with familiar elements that appear in all his letters: doxology, greetings and benediction.

Doxology

The word “doxology” comes from doxa, the Greek word for “glory.” A doxology is a prayer that lavishes praise and honor on God. It has two main features: A statement of God’s glory, goodness or praiseworthiness, and an expression of His eternality.

At the beginning of this letter, Paul offered a benediction of grace and mercy, “from God our Father.” Now he invokes glory “to our God and Father.” As believers in the Lord Jesus, we share together in the same faith and the same family, with God as our Father. Even in his doxology, Paul is reinforcing one of the main themes of this letter: We are all in this together.

The ultimate reason for everything Paul has written in this letter, and indeed in all his letters, is that God may be glorified. He is worthy of all glory, honor and praise for ever and ever.

Greetings

Greetings customarily appear at the end of Paul’s letters and convey his own warm regards and those of his companions. Here he sends them to each one of the believers at Philippi. The church as a community matters but so do the individual believers, and together they are one. Paul refers to them as “saints,” just as he did at the beginning of his letter. Individually and together as a church, they are holy ones who have been set apart by God as His own.

Paul also takes this opportunity to send greetings from “the brethren,” who are his ministry companions, and also from all the believers with him in Rome, especially those who are part of Caesar’s household. Remember that Paul is under house arrest there for preaching that Jesus is Lord and Messiah. Earlier in his letter, he mentioned how this had become evident “to the whole palace guard” (Philippians 1:13). No doubt, those who guarded him heard quite a bit about the gospel, and apparently some came to the Lord Jesus through his ministry.

Benediction

A benediction is a prayer of blessing, calling on the power and goodness of God to be present and active in the life of the one being blessed. Paul began his letter with a benediction: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:2). Now he closes with one: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.”

The grace that comes to us from God comes to us through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is to us and with us and for us. God always has grace towards us, it is always with us, it is always for our benefit. And it always brings Him glory.

From God we receive grace, to Him we give glory. Forever and ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Focus Questions

1. How does giving glory to God our Father bring us together?
2. How does recognizing our identity as “saints” strengthen the purpose of Paul’s letter?
3. How might you extend the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ 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

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

Paid in Full

Working through Paul's letter to the Jesus believers at Philippi, I came across a Greek verb that caught my interest: apecho. It is a compound word, made up of apo and echo. The first part, apo, is a preposition that literally means “off” or “away.” Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance says that, “in composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.” The second word, echo, means to hold or to have.

Apecho has a number of meanings and uses. Thayer’s Greek Definitions shows these:

1) have
     1a) to hold back, keep off, prevent
     1b) to have wholly or in full, to have received
     1c) it is enough, sufficient
2) to be away, absent, distant
3) to hold one’s self off, abstain

But it is one use in particular that interests me, one that is commonly attested in ancient Greek documents. It was frequently used in a commercial sense, as a matter of accounting, specifically as a receipt to acknowledge that payment in full had been made. In A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Bauer, Arndt and Gingrich), the first entry under apecho has it as a commercial term, to “receive a sum in full and give a receipt for it.”

That is how Paul used it in Philippians 4:18, speaking to the believers at Philippi as partners in the ministry of the gospel. They had a relationship of “giving and receiving” (v. 15; the Greek words were commonly used of credits and debits, or expenditures and receipts). He brought them the gospel and discipled them in the faith; they sent him out with financial assistance and other support to carry the ministry to other cities and regions. In his letter to them, Paul acknowledged the gift they recently sent him when he was under house arrest in Rome for preaching the gospel: “I have all,” is how the NKJV puts it. The NIV and ESV bring out the meaning more precisely: “I have received full payment.” The NRSV says, “I have been paid in full.”

We can find apecho used with this same significance elsewhere in the New Testament. In the Sermon on the Mount, for example, where Jesus says:

Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have [apecho] their reward. (Matthew 6:2)

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have [apecho] their reward. (Matthew 6:5)

Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have [apecho] their reward. (Matthew 6:16)

Jesus chastises the hypocrites (used of actors or stage players) for the showiness of their giving, praying and fasting. They are engaged in a bit of theater, to be seen well by others. And that is all they will receive for their efforts. God has nothing for them — they have already had their payment in full, the paltry praise of men. Luke’s parallel account of Jesus’ Sermon records this:

Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received [apecho] your consolation. (Luke 6:22-24)

For those who love and trust and serve their riches, there is no reward for them in heaven. They have already received their payment in full, in the uncertainties of material wealth.

We have already looked at Paul’s use of apecho in Philippians, but he uses it again in his letter to Philemon. Philemon had a slave, Onesimus, who ran away to Paul for relief from his master. Paul then brought Onesimus to faith in the Lord Jesus, just as he had earlier led Philemon to the Lord, and Onesimus proved to be a great help in Paul’s ministry. Legally, however, Onesimus needed to be returned to Philemon, his master. So Paul wrote this letter, desiring that Philemon would now receive Onesimus not as a slave but as a brother in Christ.

For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive [apecho] him forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave — a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. (Philemon 15-16)

In receiving Onesimus as a brother in Christ, Philemon would be gaining much more than he would from having Onesimus as a slave, and in this way he would be “paid in full.”

One other thing I find interesting about this word is this: In the “negative” instances, where the hypocrites have their reward and the rich who trust in their riches already have their consolation, there is no more that is coming. No more reward and no more consolation.

On the other hand, in the “positive” instances (Paul’s use of apecho), there is the sense of full receipt plus more besides. In Philippians 4:18, “I have received full payment and even more” (NIV). And in Philemon, “That you might receive [apecho] him forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave — a beloved brother.” That speaks to me about the abundance the grace of God brings.

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

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

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

We’re in This Together

Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:15-19)

Paul and the Jesus believers at Philippi are partners in the ministry of the gospel. The language of “giving and receiving” speaks of this partnership in terms of accounting. The Greek words literally refer to credits and debits, or as The New Greek English Interlinear New Testament puts it, “an accounting of expenditures and receipts.” Paul borrows these terms to describe the reciprocal nature, the “give and take,” of their relationship.

He was the one who first brought them the good news about Jesus the Messiah, and trained them up in the faith. In return, they have been very supportive of his ministry, faithful partners with him in it right from the beginning, when he and his team first departed from Philippi to minister the gospel in Thessalonica and other parts of the empire. They are very good examples of what Paul instructed the believers in Galatia, “Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches” (Galatians 6:6). In fact, Paul mentions their great generosity in one his letters to the believers at Corinth:

Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. (2 Corinthians 8:1-5)

They were not only willing to be a part of the good news going out into the world, they begged to be a part of it, such was the intensity of their desire. The secret of their generosity — and the abundance of their joy! — was that they have first given themselves to the Lord.

Paul is not one of those con men who goes around dressed up like a philosopher in order to part fools from their money. Not at all. He has been often severely persecuted for proclaiming that Jesus is Messiah and Lord, and he is quite prepared to die for His sake. He does not hunt for or hint after money. He has already learned the secret of contentment. But what he seeks after is this: that fruit may “abound” to their account. Here again is the metaphor of a business partnership. The word for this “abound” speaks of increase, and the New International Version translates this phrase as, “But I am looking for what may be credited to your account.” Though Paul is out evangelizing abroad while they remain at Philippi, they reap the reward just as Paul does.

“I have all and abound.” The Greek word for “I have all” literally means “I have received” and was commonly used as an accounting term indicating that full receipt has been made. The NIV translates it as “I have received full payment,” and the New Revised Standard Version has, “I have been paid in full.” Paul adds, “and abound.” He considers himself to be “paid in full,” with more besides.

“I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you.” His needs are quite sufficiently met by their gift. Departing from the language of business for a moment and taking up a different metaphor, the Old Testament language of sacrifice, Paul calls their gift, “a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.” Their offering is certainly pleasing to Paul, but more than that, it is pleasing to God. It is not out of their abundance that they have given — they have needs themselves — but they have given themselves to God and then, out of that, to Paul’s ministry.

Paul goes on to add, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Notice that he does not simply say, “and God,” or “your God,” but he specifically says, “my God.” He is not only in partnership with the Philippians, his entire life and ministry is a partnership with God.

Paul is not presently in a position to supply anyone’s needs, but his God is, and He will more than make up for what is lacking in Paul. The Philippian church gave supply for Paul’s need, and God will make good on it, to supply their own needs as well. As Paul noted to the believers at Corinth, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

Notice that this supply from God is according to His great riches. It is not limited to the dimensions of their own gift to Paul, or to Paul’s obligation. It is not even limited by the size of their own needs. It is according to God’s unlimited wealth, which is now available to us in Jesus the Messiah, who has reconciled us to the Father. The Philippians’ generous, sacrificial gifts to Paul and the ministry of the gospel will not leave them short in any way but are an occasion for the abundance of God to be revealed in their lives.

Focus Questions

1. Why do you suppose Paul uses accounting terminology in this passage?
2. What do you suppose is the “fruit” that is credited to the Philippians’ account?
3. What does all this say about their partnership with Paul?

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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.

Paul’s Secret

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. (Philippians 4:10-14)

Paul is in their hearts and on their minds. But he is also under house arrest in Rome, over 800 miles to the west and not an easy journey, so they have not had much opportunity to express their love for him in tangible ways. Finally though, they were able to send Epaphroditus to him, along with some supply for him and his ministry. Paul was overjoyed to hear from them again and grateful to receive their gifts of love.

Not that Paul is overly concerned about his needs. He’s been in itinerant ministry for years now and has endured numerous persecutions, imprisonments, lashings, beatings, stonings and other perils for the sake of the gospel (see 2 Corinthians 11:23-33). But regardless of whatever situation he may find himself in, he has “learned to be content.”

There are two different Greek words that are translated as “learned” in this passage. The first one is manthano, which in this case means he has learned something through experience or practice. We will look at other word for “learned” in a moment.

Now, God did not ordain or meticulously plan all those experiences Paul endured but He certainly used them in Paul’s life to teach him. And so Paul learned to be content. The Greek word for “content” is autarkes. It is a compound of autos, a reflexive pronoun that can be translated as “self,” and arkeo, which means to be sufficient or satisfied. Literally, it means “self-sufficient,” which was considered a virtue by ancient Greek philosophers.

However, Paul uses it differently here. The contentment he has learned is not because of any self-sufficiency that comes from his own ability or strength but one that comes from someplace else, which we will see in a moment. The Amplified Bible, in its usual expansive way, translates autarkes as, “satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted.” Paul’s peace and well-being are not dependent upon his circumstances but on something that is within him, though it does not originate from him.

So Paul knows how to respond when he is humbled — humiliated — by his persecutors and has everything taken from him. Had not the Lord Jesus willingly subjected Himself to that for Paul’s sake? The Greek word for “abase” is the same word Paul used when he spoke earlier about Messiah, who “humbled Himself” to the point of death on the cross (Philippians 2:8). So Paul is quite willing to be humbled now for Jesus’ sake.

Paul also knows how to view his abundance when he has more than enough (the Greek word for “abound” literally means to superabound). He welcomes those times but does not trust in them for his well-being. Both circumstances, being humbled and having abundance, are always subject to change.

How did Paul come to this understanding? He learned “the secret.” Behind the second “I have learned” in this passage is the Greek verb mueo, which speaks of being initiated into a mystery. There is something Paul discovered going on inside him that changed everything for him. So whether he is hungry or full, experiencing lack or having more than enough — it is all the same to him.

So what is this secret, this mystery into which he has found himself initiated? Simply this: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Paul’s “self-sufficiency” does not come from himself but is the ability and strength that comes from the Lord Jesus. In his letter to the Jesus believers at Colosse, Paul speaks of the “mystery,” which is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). This ability Paul experiences is the ability of Jesus the Messiah in him, strengthening him for everything that comes his way. Surely that is part of the glory of which he speaks.

In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul gives an example of this strengthening and the sufficiency of Jesus in his life. Paul was being harassed by a “messenger of satan,” and cried out to God for relief. But the Lord spoke to him and said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (v. 9). The Greek word for “sufficient” is arkeo, which is part of the compound word Paul uses here in Philippians, autarkes.

Paul’s “self-sufficiency,” then, is not one that originates with him, it is the sufficiency of the Lord Jesus at work in him. So Paul’s weakness, lack and humiliation becomes an occasion for the strength of the Lord Jesus to come forth in him in all its glory. Paul concluded, “Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). For it is God who is at work in him “both to will and to do His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

All the same, Paul commends the believers at Philippi for this fresh expression of their continuing love for him. They have done well to “share” with him in his current difficulty. The Greek word for “share” is sygkoinoneo, a compound of syn, which means “together,” and koinoneo, which means to take part with. They have truly “partnered together” with Paul in his ministry, his life and his present circumstances. And that is cause for rejoicing on Paul’s part.

Focus Questions

1. Who are the ones who would be glad of your assistance, and what are the opportunities that lay before you?
2. Who are the ones who partner with you and make you glad for their help?
3. How have you experienced the sufficiency of Jesus’ strength in your life?

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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.

Think on These Things

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)

Having shown how to displace worry with the peace of God, Paul now presents a list of virtues. Things for us to think about. Things that will focus us on the Lord Jesus, because all these things are found in Him and can well be said of Him.

• Whatever is true. Facts can quickly change. What is true endures.
• Whatever is noble. Worthy of honor, uplifting.
• Whatever is just. Promotes what is right and worthy of community.
• Whatever is pure. Thoroughly good, unmixed, undefiled, unsullied.
• Whatever is lovely. Points us toward and promotes love.
• Whatever is of good report. Well spoken, gracious and promotes the good.

Paul concludes this list with a sort of catchall: “If there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy.” This sums up the preceding list and leaves it open-ended for more besides. Excellent things that promote the good can show up in unexpected places. Look for them.

“Meditate on these things.” Literally, take account of them, reckon with them. Carefully consider and reflect on them. These are the kinds of things that should fill our thoughts.

What we fill our thoughts with is important because how we think affects how we act. So now Paul moves from theory to practice, from the kinds of things to think about to the kinds of things to do. He does not speak abstractly about what to do but offers them something very concrete: his own example. “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do.”

For years now, Paul has known them, ministered among them, partnered with them in the gospel. He was the one who brought them the good news about Jesus in the first place, and along with Silas, Timothy and Luke, discipled them in the faith. We saw earlier how he offered these, along with himself and others, as a pattern for living out their faith together in the Lord Jesus. “Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern” (Philippians 3:17).

Now he reminds them again of what they have learned and received from him, how he taught them, discipled them, trained them. They took hold of all that and embraced it. There is also what they heard the reports about Paul and how he conducted himself as he ministered in other regions. And, of course, they witnessed for themselves how Paul lived when he was there with them.

He has shown them what kind of things they should pay attention to and how to translate those things into living. Now it comes down to two words: “These do.” Literally, put them into practice. Do them regularly, habitually, not as a one-off but as a way of life.

With this comes a promise: “And the God of peace will be with you.” Earlier Paul spoke of the peace of God guarding their hearts and minds. Now he speaks of the God of peace being with them. That completes the circle. But what does he mean that God will be with them? God is everywhere, of course, by the nature of His existence. And God is at work in them, not only enabling in them the desire to do the good things God wants them to, but also empowering them to do it (Philippians 2:13). But it is as they actually set about doing these good things, putting them in practice, that they will experience that desire and power of God at work in them. God will be there helping them every step of the way. And that is certainly something to rejoice about.

Focus Questions

1. What does discipleship look like?
2. How does what we do reflect what we think?
3. How does this all lead to joy?

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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.

Eternally Fresh Awe and Wonder

I think of eternity with God as something like the vision of God in His temple in Isaiah 6. The seraphim about Him cry out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory” (v. 3).

They are not saying the same thing three times over. Each time they exclaim “Holy,” it is because they have just seen something in God that they have never seen before. And it leaves them in fresh awe.

I think eternity with God will be like that. We will always be discovering something new in God that we have not seen before. After all, He is infinite while we are finite. That leaves plenty of room for eternal wonder.

There will be continuity. We do not lose our identities. We will be in resurrected bodies. We will live upon the earth. There will also be discontinuity. No sin, no death, no sickness, no injustice. The kingdom of God will be fully manifested, the will of God done, fully and completely, on earth exactly as it is in heaven. Heaven and earth will be joined together as one. Forever. And we will live in a continual state of awe and wonder.

Replacing Worry with Divine Peace

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

The Lord is with us, “at hand,” as Paul said in verse 5, so we don’t ever need to worry about anything; we can bring everything to Him. Nothing is too big for Him to handle, nothing too small for Him to care.

Dealing with worry is no small matter. It is an important issue, a question of whether we are going to trust God. Jesus addressed it in the Sermon on the Mount:

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? … Therefore do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. (Matthew 6:25, 31)

God takes care of the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, so how much more will He take care of those who belong to Him? So Jesus and Paul say, “Stop worrying” (that is how Wuest’s Expanded Translation puts it).

However, it is not enough to just get rid of worry. We must replace it. In fact, we must displace it, because it will not leave on its own — it will need to be pushed out. But how do we do that?

Jesus’ answer in the Sermon on the Mount is, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Peter’s answer, in his letter to Jesus believers who were scattered everywhere, is, “Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). And Paul gives us this: “But in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

Prayer and thanksgiving — that’s worship. Supplication is a particular type of prayer, also known as “petition,” where we bring our needs and concerns to God and look to Him for the provision He has made. But notice that this kind of prayer happens in the context of worship, wrapped about with praise and thanksgiving. It is in worship, standing in awe of God, that we gain fresh perspective and our faith is strengthened. There we can lay requests before the Lord, knowing that He will hear and answer with His provision and protection. Knowing that He is our God who takes care of us, we give Him thanks.

When we replace worry with prayer, praise and petition to God, the result will be peace. Divine peace. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Paul uses the Greek word irene here for “peace,” but being Jewish, he no doubt has the Hebrew word shalom in mind. It is a word that speaks of wholeness and well-being. It comes from the Lord and is a gift and a blessing for His people.

The peace that comes from God is not something we can think our way to. It is much more than we can understand. However, we do not need to be able to explain it in order to enjoy the benefit of it. Paul says it will guard our hearts and minds. It will be like a hedge around our affections, desires, thoughts and perceptions, so that we are not pulled away by anxious emotions and distracting cares. It will keep us properly focused and on the right path. The peace of God comes to us through Jesus the Messiah, for it is through Him that we have peace with God.

Focus Questions

1. Why is it important to replace worry with something else?
2. How does worship give us the proper perspective on the things are concerned about?
3. How does giving thanks help replace worry with peace?

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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

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