Life Project Blog

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Philippians 2:14-18

As we continue in this letter, Paul is still talking about being “worthy of the gospel” in a context of our need to find humility as Jesus did.  We shouldn’t be too surprised that he has found his way into grumbling and arguing.  Those two things probably don’t come out of humility very often, at least not in my experience.  He urges us to drop those kinds of things that we might become pure and blameless children of God.

It strikes me as interesting the direction he goes from there. Notice that he puts this right into focus by contrasting this “crooked generation” with the result of being blameless children of God who “shine like stars.” Think about the contrast, and the effect it would have if the followers of Christ shone like the stars while in this “crooked generation”.  Think about how that would look to the rest of the world around us; there would sure be a contrast.

Paul engages in a little personal reflection here as he points out that when he meets the Lord it would be obvious that he hadn’t labored in vain, when the Philippians are shining like stars. When he goes on to use the term “poured out like a drink offering” he is telling them that even if he is executed, he will be filled with joy for the work of Christ in them, and urges the Philippians to be filled with joy as well.

Obviously, Paul has brought us back to purpose in saying this.  For the followers of Christ to be pure and blameless children of God and to shine like stars in this dark world, is really not about star children, it’s about their testimony and God’s purpose.  Think again of that contrast: What would we look like to those who have not yet followed Christ?  Some will be irritated and full of criticism, but others will see the love of Christ and want to have some themselves, and it is for these that our testimony is so important. Yes, there is no way around the fact that God’s purpose must always be at the forefront of our thinking as we follow Jesus down the path of life.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Philippians 2:12-13

“Fear and trembling”?

Thank you for asking!

Over the centuries, there have been some preachers and some commentators who have a field day with these verses. What they often do is to quote them something like this: “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, lest…”

Do you see a problem? When you read the verses and compare them with the “quote” is something missing? Was something added? By the way, don’t forget you must deal with the “therefore” that is the first word in verse 12.  What does it refer to?  It refers to 2:1-11; are these verses about going to hell?  No way! They are about humility, godliness and the example of Christ which results in salvation… but don’t forget that section also begins with “therefore” so we need to go all the way back to chapter 1, where Paul set the context, which is rejoicing in suffering because God’s purpose is being advanced. Dear reader, these verses are not a threat that God is waiting for an excuse to smite somebody and ship them off to hell, they are about His purpose.  As you will see shortly, this view is confirmed in the verses that follow, so fear not!

Let’s start over: verse 12…

Notice how Paul’s tone is one of encouragement; “…as you have always obeyed”, keep it up! Continue “to work out your salvation” yes, you’ve been doing fine, keep it up! Also, let’s not forget that he isn’t talking about earning salvation, for salvation is by grace through faith in Christ, even more remember that salvation isn’t the end of the story, it’s the beginning. Nobody is talking about going to hell here; Paul is encouraging the people to live lives “worthy of the Gospel”, “or it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

“Fear and trembling” is another way of saying “reverent awe” and in this context, the reverent awe isn’t about God’s wrath, it is referring to God working out His purpose through you and me.  Think about that for a moment, let’s slow down; The God of all creation has a purpose. He is working at accomplishing this great purpose day and night, and He wants you to be involved so that He can work His purpose through you.  What is His purpose? It’s redemption, for His love for all people is so great that He wants to redeem them to Himself, and He wants you and I to be agents of His love. No sir, these verses are not scary threats, they are wonderful encouragement! That encouragement will continue in the verses that follow.

How very sad it is that so many have taken a phrase out of context to scare people:  May God have mercy…

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Philippians 2:1-4

You will notice that this passage begins with the word “therefore” and as we know, this word is used when one is drawing a conclusion from what had come just before. In this case, you’ll recall that Paul has been exhorting the Philippians to behave in a manner that is “worthy of the Gospel”. If we are going to behave in this way, the way Jesus Himself behaved, then we need to do certain things, to make some adjustments, and in this passage, Paul tells us what they are.

Paul sets out an “if – then” statement here as a manner of encouragement for the readers. Here’s the “if”:

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, (v. 1)

It is as if he was saying, “Look people, if you’ve gotten anything from your relationship with Christ…”  If we’ve received any encouragement, comfort, common sharing, tenderness and compassion… Then:

then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. (v. 2)

So, if you’ve received any of those blessings, then here’s what Paul wants you to do.  You’ll notice that these are all things associated with unity as believers.   He could have simply told them to quit fooling around, arguing and disputing amongst themselves and be like Jesus!

Verses 3 and 4 carry on his thought: We are not to do things out of selfish interests, self-centeredness or conceit.  We should be humble, and put others ahead of ourselves. We should not be concerned with our own interests, but with the interests of others.  Can you think of a shorter way of saying this?

Good, I thought you’d see it: Love one another. Yep, that’s the key!

OK, remember in the last section where I said that being imitators of Christ was the sign of the New Covenant?

Guess what?

That means that we should love our neighbor as ourselves.  It doesn’t mean follow the rules, for rules are way too shallow; it means love your neighbor as yourself. If we do that, we won’t need to worry about any rules, we’ll be in no danger, for the whole Law is fulfilled if we love God and love our neighbor.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

Philippians 2:5-9

Paul continues to describe what it is like for us to be humble and “worthy of the Gospel” using in this instance the very example of Jesus Himself.

Jesus was by His nature God.  Imagine what it could be like for Him to set aside the glory of heaven to be born in a stable; what earthly prince would so lower himself?  He took on the very nature of a servant when He became a man. Now many of us might not be used to thinking of ourselves that way, but in God’s sight, that’s what we are: His servants and all of the riches on earth cannot change that simple fact. So, Jesus took on our form, that of a servant, was born in the humblest pf circumstances into a working man’s family. No privileges, no fancy title, no big name, just a working class guy.

As if this were not enough, Jesus, by nature God, became the servant of all, taking this to the point where He was willing to sacrifice Himself for the rest of His servants.  Yet not only did He give Himself up for us, He gave Himself up to be crucified, of all things, the most terrible painful method of execution I know of.  Think about it: There He was, beaten, ridiculed, tortured, stripped naked and nailed to a cross and then lifted up for all to see as He bore our sins.  The people in the crowd, and there were plenty there, hurled insults at Him while He died very slowly in agony: A barbaric scene to say the least.  And what had He done to deserve such treatment?

Nothing at all.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9-11

When it was all over, He was placed into a borrowed tomb. When they could finish His burial some 36 hours later, He had already risen from the grave!  He returned to His glory and as a result of His remaining faithful to God’s purpose, His is the name at which every knee should bow.

The reason that Paul has written this is that this is how we should live as Christ’s followers.  It is this kind of humility, purpose and selflessness that we should strive for.  There is no greater example of love in action that the example of the life of Jesus− He is our role model.

Oh yes, how could I forget to mention that because of what He did in all of this selflessness, you and I have eternal life, and as His co-heirs, we too will arise in glory when the great day comes.

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel  without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

Philippians 1:27-30

Paul winds up the first chapter of this letter with an exhortation to stand firm in unity, come what may.  You might notice that this is a common New Testament theme, important as it is for all of us to heed.   He urges the people to conduct themselves in a way that is “worthy of the gospel”, an interesting way to approach the subject.  The rest of the letter will show what this “worthiness” looks like.

The reason that Paul gives for this is also quite interesting, for it might not be what we would have expected.  Notice that his concern doesn’t revolve around any legal concept, as so many teach, but rather one of testimony.  Paul tells them that if they behave in this way, he will know that they are standing firm; he states this as though their manner of living were a sign of some sort.  The Philippians should stand firm fearlessly, in the face of any opposition… but who would oppose good behavior?

Then, in the latter part of verse 28, Paul comes right out and tells them that the way they conduct themselves, particularly in the face of opposition, is a sign to the world that they will be destroyed, while the followers of Christ will be saved by God.  Have you ever thought of behaving yourself as a sign before?  Have you ever thought of it as a sign that those who don’t behave well will be destroyed?

When God made His covenant with Abraham, there was a sign of the covenant which was circumcision.  Everyone would know that a man who had been circumcised was a covenant partner with God.  When God made His covenant with Moses, there was a sign of the covenant; keeping the Sabbath.  Everyone would know that the Israelites were God’s covenant people because they kept the Sabbath.  The New Covenant established by Christ has a sign also, and that is that we are imitators of Jesus Christ, and this is what Paul is referring to here.  Everyone who sees a person living as Christ would live knows they are seeing Christ’s covenant partner. This imitation of Christ has little to do with following a written code of rules and regulations, it has everything to do with loving others and putting others first. It also has to do with putting such a high priority on His love that we will be willing to endure hardship at the hands of those who oppose Christ.

The last part of this passage refers to suffering and enduring a struggle.  Our struggle isn’t really with any person or persons, for those who oppose the gospel really don’t have a clue what is at stake. Our struggle is with the spiritual forces that are in opposition to Christ, just as Paul’s struggle was.  Recall that Paul didn’t seem to hate his captors, far from it in fact, for He was there in jail, sharing Christ’s love with them, and this is exactly the kind of thing he is calling upon each of us to do.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Philippians 1:18b-26

Have you ever wanted to see what real faith looks like? Read this passage!

As he waits for his trial, knowing fully that the likely verdict will be death, he believes that his situation will result in his deliverance; either way.  He believes that even should he die, that he will not be “ashamed” and that he will have the courage to exalt Christ in his body.  You can see the connection he makes between “ashamed” on the one hand and “courage” on the other.  If he is sentenced to die, he will walk to the execution with his head held high as one who is looking forward to being with Christ.

Then comes that famous verse, verse 21: For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 

Just look at what troubles him; he is having a hard time deciding which is better; life or death.  If he lives on in the body, he will have much work to do for the cause of Christ, but if he is to die in the body, he will be with Christ.  What a choice!  He would rather be with Christ and away from this life, and yet he seems to think that maybe it would be better for everyone else if he remains alive a while longer so that he may continue to mentor them in the faith.

Let’s think about this, pray about this and reflect.  This was no hypothetical question for Paul; it was very real.  What was his primary concern?  It was to continue the glorious work of Christ here on earth so that many would come to salvation. Paul was 100% motivated by God’s purpose.  How does this strike you?

How does this strike me?  To be honest about it, it’s a little embarrassing.  How often do I think I need a “break”? How often do I hesitate because I don’t want to tick anybody off, or because I don’t want to look foolish…?  Could I look death square in the eye and not blink?

I’ll get back to you on that.

Yes, dear reader, this passage is one for deep reflection and self-examination.  Here’s the question to ask:

“Is God speaking to me in this text?”

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Philippians 1:15-18a

Paul has been telling the Philippians that he is rejoicing because as a result of his imprisonment the gospel is being preached in Rome, and now he continues his thoughts on that subject. It would seem that there are people who are preaching the gospel with impure motives, that they would like to stir up trouble for Paul.  He hasn’t told us exactly how this would happen for him, so I will leave the speculation to others, but let’s be honest; there are those today who preach for the wrong motives as well.

I have seen and heard of some who preach out of envy and rivalry, have you?  I have seen some who simply can’t stand the thought of anybody else serving Christ in that way, who are always afraid that someone might supplant them or their ministry.  Maybe they are afraid for their job or their position, or maybe they just have a sense of inferiority. Whatever the reason, they are only good “team players” if everyone else is on their team.  It’s sad really, for it should never be this way in the Body of believers, for all of us are on His Team!  Most that I have seen, however, serve out of goodwill.  As Paul has noted here, they serve out of love for others. As Paul put it, they know that he was put here for the defense of the gospel.  Yes, isn’t that why all of us are “put here”?

“Selfish ambition” may be a reason that many preach, thinking that they can “be somebody” by attracting followers, just as a celebrity might attract fans.  This sort of thing has no place in the church, and yet perhaps it is more common than we might like to admit.

I know about a particular case where there was a minster leading a growing church. He was doing good work, and yet like all of us, wasn’t good at everything. His leadership considered adding an “associate” to staff who was much more experienced and who could handle the areas that the minister had problems in.  When the minister heard about this, he became quite upset; all he could see was that the leaders were thinking he wasn’t doing the job right.  He felt that if they added someone to help him, the people would see him as having been rebuked in some way.  When the other guy heard of this, he removed himself from consideration, not wanting to cause any division.  Was the growth and health of that church damaged by this?  Would it have been even more vibrant had things worked out differently? We will never know; maybe that guy coming on board just wasn’t God’s plan, but I think you get the idea of what can happen… Right about now, we might want to jump on the bandwagon of condemnation and indignation, but before we do, maybe we should see how Paul reacts…

Paul recognized the situation, and while he did not endorse false motives in any way, he saw that good was coming out of it in spite of everything.  What did it matter anyway? For whatever reason, the gospel of Christ was being proclaimed, and that is the most important thing.

Have you noticed how Paul views things?  He isn’t overly concerned with his unfortunate circumstances, he isn’t overly concerned that everything isn’t always ideal, his sole concern is that the gospel of Jesus Christ goes forth so that some will be saved, that their sins may be forgiven, and that they may inherit eternal life.  I wonder, is there a lesson in this for us today?

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

Philippians 1:12-14

Paul is in prison awaiting trial before Caesar.  He has been taken to Italy and is being guarded by the troops assigned to Caesar’s palace guard, a rather tough bunch to say the least.  Last time, we saw that Paul was there in jail writing letters, and praying, but not for himself. Unlike what you or I might be doing, Paul is in prayer of thanksgiving for those to whom he writes, for they are remaining in their faith and spreading the gospel.  In these verses, Paul reveals that he has been doing more than that.

It has “become clear” that he is in jail for Christ, so we can infer that he has been talking quite a lot as well.  It would seem that he has been speaking boldly about Christ while in jail, and that has emboldened other believers to do the same.  Caesar’s palace guard has heard all about Jesus, and the word has gotten out.  Caesar’s entire palace has heard about Christ and the gospel because Paul is being held in jail! Let’s be careful here not to over indulge in speculation; Paul didn’t say that the whole palace has become Christian, but they have heard, and that is surprising enough under the circumstances.

There has been another result, and that is the effect this has had on the Christians in the larger community. They have become fearless in their determination to spread the good news in the city of Rome.

It may be hard for us to fully comprehend how significant this was, for we live in an age of information.  It’s very easy for us to assume that by this time everyone would have heard about Jesus, but that cannot be true.  The Roman Empire did not have satellite news, 24 hour reporting, radio, internet or even newspapers; the printing press was still almost 1,500 years in the future. The only way news could be spread was by word of mouth; one person to the next.  For the gospel to travel all the way from Judea to Rome was a huge deal and Paul was spending his time in jail spreading the gospel. For those few Christians who were in Italy at this time to hear that Caesar’s palace guard were listening to the gospel meant that anyone in Rome was likely to listen, and they would have understood that this was a huge step forward.

Historical details aside, what does this say to us today?  Put yourself in Paul’s situation; would we be so bold?  Would we be able to stop feeling sorry for ourselves long enough to stay on purpose?  Do we ever stay on purpose when things aren’t going our way?  Has it even occurred to us that we should have a purpose?