“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3
My study of Philippians today included this verse. Of particular interest to me was that the word “Do” was not in the original Greek, but was supplied by the translators. Several commentaries agreed that in keeping with the context of the verses before and after, it would probably be more accurate to have supplied the word “Think”. This certainly increases the intensity of the verse, extending it beyond our actions and into our thought life.
The following passage is from the Albert Barnes commentary. See if you can read through it without seeing yourself. I couldn’t.
The idea seems to be that of mere self-esteem; a mere desire to honor ourselves, to attract attention, to win praise, to make ourselves uppermost, or foremost, or the main object. The command here solemnly forbids our doing anything with such an aim – no matter whether it be in intellectual attainments, in physical strength, in skill in music, in eloquence or song, in dress, furniture, or religion. Self is not to be foremost; selfishness is not to be the motive. Probably there is no command of the Bible which would have a wider sweep than this, or would touch on more points of human conduct, if fairly applied. Who is there who passes a single day without, in some respect, desiring to display himself? What minister of the gospel preaches, who never has any wish to exhibit his talents, eloquence, or learning? How few make a gesture, but with some wish to display the grace or power with which it is done! Who, in conversation, is always free from a desire to show his wit, or his power in argumentation, or his skill in repartee? Who plays at the piano without the desire of commendation? Who thunders in the senate, or goes to the field of battle; who builds a house, or purchases an article of apparel; who writes a book, or performs a deed of benevolence, altogether uninfluenced by this desire? If all could be taken out of human conduct which is performed merely from “strife,” or from “vain-glory,” how small a portion would be left!
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16
I remember when I was a new believer, knowing almost nothing about Christianity. I couldn’t wait until Sunday to hear the Word of God preached. Frequently I was fighting back tears during the service as the Word pierced my heart. But God was changing my heart and transforming my whole life in these moments when His Word penetrated my heart. It was a glorious time.
I wish I could say that I have maintained such a teachable heart throughout the course of my walk with Christ, but that hasn’t always been the case. I learned how to sit through a message and close my heart from being impacted, all the while nodding my head in agreement with the pastor and saying my fair share of AMENs. How very religious of me…….
But in the mercy of God He send those “wake up” moments where He allows you to see yourself clearly. It isn’t pretty. I had one such moment a few weeks ago.
We had a visiting preacher who shared a very strong message on the lack of compassion in the church from Matthew 25 and also from the story of the good Samaritan. Because this was a subject that the Lord had already been dealing with me about, as I heard the message I was cut to the heart by the Word of God. So much so that I could have wept out loud. I was incapable of issuing forth a single AMEN.
As I sat there wordlessly, reeling from the impact of the message, all around me I heard the excited AMENs from the congregation. And I became angry. I wanted to stand up and shout “DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT YOU?” But really, I was angry at myself for allowing my own heart to become calloused and hardened and for all the times I hadn’t realized he was talking about me. I had become like those in the book of Ezekiel:
As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, “Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.’ So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them. Ezekiel 33:30-32
Oh what danger there is in taking the Word of God lightly and not esteeming every speaking or preaching of it as the Word of God to ME. While I may not entertain myself with TV and movies like the world does, is it any more holy to entertain myself with the preaching of the Word of God?
“Is not My word like a fire?” says the LORD, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? Jeremiah 23:29
As Paul shares with the Philippian church the reason he feels that it is necessary for him to continue living, he gives two reasons: for your progress and joy of faith. (Phil 1:25)
One of the things that is heartbreaking to see is the number of believers who seem to have a shallow faith. They remind me of the hearer who received the seed sown on stony places who has no root and stumbles when tribulation or persecution arises (Matthew 13:20-21).
In prosperous countries such as America, there seems to be little willingness to endure hardship for Christ. But as the apostle Paul talks about their advancing and progressing in the faith, he goes on to talk about suffering. What a tremendous thing he says about suffering in verse 29 – that it has been granted to us for Christ’s sake. To get the full impact of the verse, you must know that the word granted means to show ones’ self gracious, kind and benevolent. Hear this – it is a gift of grace directly from the hand of God to suffer for Christ. These are hard words, not likely to be embraced by those with a shallow faith. But Paul wants to help the Philippians as they begin to experience persecution for the name of Jesus, and assure them that they need not be ashamed of the suffering they are undergoing.
Another critical component of faith that Paul wanted to help the Philippians with was joy. What a strange combination – suffering and joy. But the apostle Paul’s experience was that these two seemingly contradictory things are perfectly suited to dwell together. Remember when he was in the Philippian jail after having been beaten? His heart was so full of joy that he was singing!! Those who live in nations where it is dangerous to be a Christian and where the church is underground can probably attest to this fact. There is a special grace during persecution and suffering, and Paul wants the Philippians to experience this as well.
In America we have been spared the persecution that Christians in many other parts of the world endure on a daily basis. For now. But if the day should come when it will really cost us something to stand for Christ, are our hearts prepared? Let us meditate on these words of the Saviour:
“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11-12
May the Lord so strengthen our hearts that we are prepared to joyfully endure all things for the glory of Christ.
As I began to study through the book of Philippians, I must confess that I was looking forward to chapters 2-4. Those are some of my favorite chapters in the Bible. However, chapter one has held some wonderful surprises for me. As I look back over my notes from this chapter I am overwhelmed by what I have seen of Paul’s love for the believers at Philippi.
I tried to imagine what it must have been like to be one of the Philippian believers hearing this letter read as Paul expresses his deep thankfulness to God for their faithful partnership with him in the gospel. How their hearts must have been encouraged as Paul explained to them the hand of God at work in his imprisonment. How this body of believers must have been strengthened by Paul’s exhortation to be faithful in the midst of their sufferings for Christ. Paul cared for these people deeply.
But probably most revealing are verses 21-26.
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.
Even though Paul’s longing was to go be with Christ, which was by far much better than his current existence, yet he was willing to stay here to be of benefit to these people of God. This is no small thing. Paul’s life as a believer had been no picnic. Full of persecutions and all manner of trouble, when Paul wasn’t imprisoned, he was frequently fleeing from one city only to be persecuted in the next. Death would have been easier for Paul than life. For Paul, life was painful. And yet he says, “it is needful for you”.
How beautifully this portrays our Jesus, who thought not of His own comfort or convenience, but who left His eternal dwelling in glory to walk among us, to serve and give, to lay His life down. This is something far more glorious than my mind can fully comprehend. “Why Lord?” I ask. “Why did you do it?”
“Because it was needful for you”
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
…that in nothing I shall be ashamed… Philippians 1:20
To be ashamed is to have a feeling of fear or shame which prevents a person from doing a thing. It could either be the external rejection and condemnation levied against us by others, or perhaps it is the accusation of our own conscience. Either way, shame is a silencer.
What must it have felt like for Paul, once a highly respected man of religion, to now be chained as a common criminal and hated and reviled by those (the Pharisees) who had once been his brothers? He was an educated man with an impressive pedigree. Now he is a prisoner. A prisoner for Christ, but still a prisoner.
This is the same Paul who imprisoned believers before his conversion, and now he himself is in prison. How he must have been mocked.
The story of Peter’s rescue from prison by angels was surely not unknown to him and the other believers. As happened to Jesus on the cross, was Paul taunted by those who asked why his God didn’t rescue him?
There must surely have been moments when Paul was confronted by all of these thoughts. But even though Paul is confined by the walls of his prison, he will not allow himself to be confined by a shame that keeps him from speaking boldly for Christ. Very possibly he has always known that he was not worthy to carry the message of the gospel, as he tells the Philippians in verse 29 that their faith (as well as his) has been granted for the sake of Christ. So also, for the sake of Christ, Paul is a messenger of the gospel. No need to be ashamed of not being worthy now. He never was.
His words are – in nothing I shall be ashamed.
Not his past
Not his present
Not his circumstances
Not his God
Shame loses its power when we can fall back into the grace of God and no longer feel compelled to prove that we are worthy of it. We’re not. That’s why it’s grace.
Sweet, sweet grace that silences the screeching of shame and opens our mouths to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, so that others can also be free of sin and shame.
And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, “These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ Matthew 20:11-12 (For the complete story, read verses 1-16)
What a curious and ugly bit of human nature is exposed by this story. We all like to have good things happen to us. We rejoice when we receive a promotion at work, or an unexpected financial blessing, or some undeserved benefit. But when it happens to someone else, our hearts become tainted with envy. We can think of 100 reasons why they didn’t deserve it and we did, convincing ourselves that life (and God) is unfair. Oh let the pity party begin.
But who is our complaining directed against? This story tells us that the laborers grumbled against the master of the house. We may think it is against the apparent unfairness of the situation, but in actuality, it is directed against God. Have we not realized that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above”? This Master who is so generous to others has also been generous to us in 10,000 different ways that we have long since forgotten or become too busy to notice. They forgot that had it not been for the master, they would still be idle in the marketplace with no denarius at all.
However, in spite of the horrible response of the laborers to the generosity of the master, his response to them is “Friend, I am doing you no wrong.”
Friend – the word means comrade (intimate friend or associate) and mate (an assistant to a more skilled worker). This implies that they not only worked for the master, but with the master. They had begun to know him. A relationship was being formed – a benefit of working the whole day with him. But these are the very ones who complain – those who have been laboring with the master the longest, yet apparently do not yet know his heart.
And the saddest part of this story is the master’s words to these complaining laborers in verse 14 – “Take what belongs to you and go.” So now having reviled the kindness of the master, they are sent away from his presence.
Oh let us take this story to heart, being mindful that all we have received from God is a gift of grace. We may live in an entitlement society, but God’s is not an entitlement kingdom, and He is not pleased with those who are angry over His kindness to others.
So let us rejoice with those who rejoice and learn to celebrate the goodness of God, not only in our lives but also in the lives of others.
Scripture tells us that one noticeable quality of the last days is the increase in deception, false teaching and false doctrines. Who can deny that we are seeing this very thing in our own day? I find it amazing that so many people no longer want to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, but prefer to be hyped up about their next level. Very rarely do you hear preaching on sin, repentance and holiness, while at the same time there is an abundance of preachers promoting a message of prosperity and destiny. The focus in all of these dangerous doctrines, in whatever form they are presented, is that they take the focus off Christ and make us, humanity, the focus of the gospel. While there is no doubt that Jesus came into the world to save lost humanity, the ultimate purpose was that the glory of God might be demonstrated by His mercy displayed towards us through Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2 tells us that those who are fooled by this rampant deception (and thus led astray from the simplicity of the true gospel of Christ) are led astray because they did not receive the love of the truth. When God’s Word is not esteemed and treasured as the very words of God, when it is not read and studied, when it is not used as the standard to judge all teachings, we become ripe for deception. The Bible tells us that the human heart is deceitfully wicked, yet we trust this heart to guide us into truth when we neglect to fill it with God’s word?? My heart will always gravitate to what pleases my flesh, not what pleases God. My heart will always exalt me, not God.
It is only as we cultivate a love of the truth that we will be safe from the false. When we love the truth, really love it, we will treasure and obey even the difficult commands of Scripture that require sacrifice on our part. When we love the truth, we would rather be excluded and thought poorly of than to compromise on the doctrines of the faith and fit in with others who are following those who speak to their itching ears.
Let us therefore be diligent to hide His truth in our hearts. Let us treasure it, love it and hold fast to it.
“Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth.” John 17:17
I marvel at how the Apostle Paul was so consistently a man with a single purpose – the proclamation of the gospel. After meeting Christ, everything in his life seems to come back to this one goal.
In his letter to the Philippians he writes “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.” (V 12-13)
As he pens this letter, Paul helps the Philippian believers to see God’s perfectly unfolding plan – even in his chains. So although his freedom has been taken from him and his circumstances are less than ideal (to say the least), it all comes back to one thing for him – preaching the gospel. And this he can do even in his chains. The message is not hindered, only redirected to a new, previously unreached audience.
All of life, the good and the bad, is an opportunity to proclaim Christ. Although when life is less than perfect, and when difficult circumstances threaten our willingness to proclaim Christ, might it not be in these very difficulties that our witness may be most effective?
There is no time to be a fair weather Christian. There are yet multitudes who have not heard the saving message of Jesus Christ. And even if, in the midst of our sufferings, we cannot seem to find any compassion for our fellow human beings, couldn’t we still be so overwhelmed with His glorious grace that we cannot help but proclaim it?
May the Spirit of God strengthen us all to proclaim Christ, with all of our heart and all of our strength, even in our chains.
When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.” Mark 6:53-56
Every time I read this passage I have to stop and think about it. It creates a mental image of people running around frantically, rushing to bring their sick loved ones to Him. They knew who He was and what He could do, so the only thing that mattered at that moment was getting that news to the people who needed to hear it.
There is something here of a desperation to get people to Jesus.
I find it also in Luke 5:18-19. “Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.”
See this scene – Jesus is teaching, people are all around him, and like a spider on a silken thread, this paralyzed man is lowered from the roof into the midst of the crowd. Debris from the roof may have been falling on the people who had gathered to listen to Jesus. The whole meeting was likely disrupted as this man came to rest on the ground before Jesus. Somehow I don’t think this man or his friends were very concerned about that. They just had to get him to Jesus. Verse 20 says “when He saw their faith”. This type of determination to bring someone to Jesus, convinced that in Him they will find all needs met was a demonstration of their faith in Christ as all sufficient.
In our day of multitudinous solutions offered to solve our problems – medication, therapy, whatever – Jesus is still the only answer. Only as we, His people, are completely convinced of this will we demonstrate this type of determination to bring others to Him.
He is my Delight 