Where to Stand (Philippians 4:1-9)
Where to Stand
Philippians 4:1-9
January 19, 2014
One of the things we are all aware of in our day and culture
Is that Christianity is under attack.
We have not yet experienced these attacks in a physical sense here in America, but certainly we know that the ideologies of true Biblical Christianity are being attacked.
It is a regrettable reality in our world that many have lost sight
Of exactly what Christianity is supposed to look like.
To call yourself a “Christian” in today’s culture is such an open ended term that many people still won’t know what you are talking about.
In our day we see “Christians” who:
• Feel no need to attend church
• See no need for practical holiness
• Deny the relevance and authority for Scripture
• Embrace the possibility of salvation in other religions
• Follow teaching meant only to bring prosperity to self
• Reject doctrine and follow experience
• Etc. etc. etc.
No doubt in your desire to follow Christ
You have at one time or another in life become frustrated with others
Who call themselves “Christian” and yet do not resemble
What Scripture calls a Christian in any regard.
And so naturally the Scripture calls us to stand for true Christianity
1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 16:13 “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
Galatians 5:1 “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”
Ephesians 6:11-13 “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
Philippians 1:27 “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”
Colossians 2:5 “For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.”
1 Thessalonians 3:8 “for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord.”
2 Thessalonians 2:15 “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.”
1 Peter 5:12 “Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!”
Jude 3-4 “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
We are called to stand for the truth, and to stand for Biblical Christianity.
But before we are able to stand for Biblical Christianity,
We first have to make sure we have a good handle on what it is.
WHAT ARE THE IRREDUCIBLE MINIMUMS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE?
What are the Christian “bare necessities”?
• Certainly we can’t just listen to our own passions…
• Certainly we can’t just define Christianity by what we think it is…
• We must look to Scripture to find this answer
Well, Paul does a wonderful job in helping us answer those questions.
What we have in these 9 verses is a list
Of the irreducible minimums of the Christian life.
Paul makes that clear in verse 1
“Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.”
• Obviously you see Paul’s AFFECTION for the Philippians, twice calling them
“beloved”
• Obviously you see Paul’s ATTRACTION to the Philippians, calling them his
“joy”
• And you see Paul’s APPRECIATION to the Philippians, calling them his
“crown” indicating that they are his reward for a hard run race.
Without a doubt Paul is concerned about this church.
So it is important to Paul that he make sure that the Philippians
Fully understand what is expected of them.
So he says, “in this way stand firm in the Lord”
He is not just talking about how to stand (we see that in Ephesians 6),
But he is talking about WHERE TO STAND.
In other words, you may compromise in some areas, but not these areas.
The realities I’m about to reveal to you are non-negotiable,
They are the irreducible minimums of the Christian life.
This is where you must drive your stake in the ground
This is a hill on which to die.
There are 6 of them.
The Christian:
#1 LIVES IN HARMONY
Philippians 4:2-3
Another way to put this is “unity”.
We are to stand for unity in the body.
Ephesians 4:1-3 “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Unity or harmony is not an optional reality in Christianity.
It is not a bonus – It is a necessity.
Our culture has done more to embrace personal freedom
Than any other culture before us.
We are a people obsessed with our own personal rights.
And if you want a fight, just try to take those rights away.
(speech, guns, etc.)
And while I love my personal freedoms, I do understand that
These can certainly get in the way of my harmony with others.
Galatians 5:13-15 “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.”
Insisting on personal rights and preferences
Is a quick way to kill harmony with those around you.
But living in harmony with other believers is not an option.
• We saw that in chapter 2 where Paul continually told us to
“consider others as more important than ourselves”
• And we see it here as Paul says, “live in harmony”.
SO LIVING IN HARMONY IS NOT AN OPTION
(obviously doctrine and theology matters, we are only talking about issues of style)
And that is seen here in Paul’s public confrontation of two women.
“I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord.”
We don’t know who either one of these ladies was.
• However, since in verse 3 Paul seems to include them in his list of “fellow workers” it is not far-fetched to wonder if these ladies weren’t there from the beginning.
• At the very least these were two important or leading women in the Philippian church.
And these ladies had issue with one another.
• Now, it is fair to assume that the issue wasn’t doctrinal, or else Paul most certainly would have addressed the doctrine and even sided with one or the other.
• No, this is a rift, a feud, a petty fight
• These two women just didn’t get along.
Maybe their personalities clashed…
Maybe they disagreed on music styles…
Maybe their kids competed in school…
Who knows, but whatever it was, this women did not get along.
And their contention threatened the ministry of the church.
And so Paul publicly (and I’m sure embarrassingly)
Called these women out by name.
They needed to get over it and “live in harmony”
And you will notice in verse 3 that this was NOT just a personal issue.
“Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.”
People often wonder who “true companion” is.
The best explanation is that the Greek word for “true companion”
Should be left untranslated.
The Greek word is SUZOGUS and it means “true companion”
Most likely Paul was speaking to a man named Suzogus who was probably an elder or deacon of the church. And Paul wanted this man to “help these women” accomplish the goal.
The point is that it is not ok for people in the church
To be in the midst of a feud or discord.
After all didn’t Jesus say?
John 17:22-23 “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”
Or
John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Being at odds with a brother or sister in Christ is not acceptable.
Harmony is an irreducible minimum.
We are to stand firm against disharmony
And we are to help those who have fallen into to it to fix it.
And incidentally that does not mean choosing to avoid each other
Hebrews 10:24-25 “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
That means the Christian who chooses to skip church and
“worship on his own” is sinning and forsaking the fellowship.
A Christian lives in harmony with other Christians.
#2 REJOICES REGARDLESS
Philippians 4:4
Obviously rejoicing has been one of (if not “the”) major theme of Philippians.
A believer is required to “rejoice always” and in case you missed it the first time, “again I will say, rejoice!”
• This is an irreducible minimum of Christianity.
• This is an area where we stand firm.
• This is an area where we draw our line in the sand.
And we say, it is not ok for a Christian to live their life without rejoicing.
A bitter, angry, ungrateful Christian is in fact a contradiction.
• Have we not been chosen?
• Have we not been forgiven?
• Have we not been redeemed?
• Do we not have an inheritance?
• Are we not secure?
• Is God not promised to work His good pleasure in our lives?
Those realities demand rejoicing from a believer.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Rejoice always;”
And that rejoicing is not just during the good times.
James 1:2-4 “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
A believer even rejoices in hardships
Because of the deep understanding that God is
Using those hardships to accomplish His purpose in our lives.
So whether good or bad, a Christian rejoices.
Like Paul who could rejoice while in prison
Because it opened opportunity for others to hear the gospel.
Now please understand we are not talking about an emotion here.
We are not talking about a feeling.
(aka “I don’t feel happy” or “that doesn’t make me feel joyful”)
We are talking about a mental reality, not an emotional feeling.
John MacArthur defined joy like this: “…joy is not a feeling; it is the deep-down confidence that God is in control of everything for the believer’s good and His own glory, and thus all is well no matter what the circumstances.”
(Philippians commentary pg.273)
That we understand.
It’s not that my circumstances make me happy,
It is that I can rejoice in the fact that God is control of them.
It is similar to the mindset of job,
Who although he lost everything could still fall down and worship God.
Who told his wife, “shall we not accept good from the hand of the Lord and not adversity?”
Who said:
Job 19:25-26 “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth. “Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God;”
And this attitude is a non-negotiable.
We are not allowed to let our Christianity be without rejoicing.
A True Christian Lives in Harmony & Rejoices Regardless
#3 DISPLAYS GRACE
Philippians 4:5a
What does Paul mean when he says, “Let your gentle spirit be known to all men”?
This phrase “gentle spirit” is actually a tough one to translate
As there really isn’t an English word that does it justice.
EPI-EIKES in the Greek
Various Bible translations translate it many different ways.
The NASB (which I read) translates it “gentle spirit” or “gentle”
Others translate it “sweet reasonableness” or “generosity” or “goodwill” or “friendliness” or “magnanimity” or “charity toward the faults of others” or “mercy toward the failures of others” etc.
To aid understanding…
In two places it is used as a contrast of other attributes.
1 Timothy 3:3 “not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.”
1 Peter 2:18 “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.”
• Paul used it as the opposite of being “pugnacious” (lit. a fighter)
• Peter used it as the opposite of being “unreasonable”
Other places it is used in a list of synonyms
Titus 3:1-2 “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.”
There it is used in a list with being “peaceable” and “showing every consideration”
For me the best definition for the word
Would be summed up in a statement Jesus made.
Matthew 7:12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
It simply means to not be an unreasonable fighter,
But to be a considerate, peace loving person
Who is infinitely concerned about others.
I just chose to use the word “grace”
That a true Christian should always DISPLAY GRACE
Christians are NOT allowed to be rude or mean or violent tempered
Or unreasonable or hard to get along with.
Christians must be selfless, forgiving, charitable,
Understanding, kind, friendly.
To put it simply, gracious.
After all, it was the very nature of our Lord to be this way.
Yes, at times His message was harsh, but He was not.
Matthew 12:18-21 “BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM IHAVE CHOSEN; MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL is WELL-PLEASED; I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES. “HE WILL NOT QUARREL, NOR CRY OUT; NOR WILL ANYONE HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS. “A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF, AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT, UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY. “AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE.”
Jesus lived in such a way,
That even the most base and outcast around Him felt hope.
He lived with grace.
A Christian Lives in Harmony, Rejoices Regardless, Displays Grace
#4 TRUSTS GOD
Philippians 4:5b-7
First Paul reminds us that “The Lord is near”
That is not a time reference, but rather a position reference.
The Lord is close by
The Lord is with you
That is a vitally important thing to remember.
It allows us to “Be anxious for nothing”
Literally, don’t worry.
Matthew 6:25-34 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Worry is the opposite of faith.
Instead of worrying, why don’t you try trusting God?
Trust His provision
Trust His protection
Trust His character, nature, and promises
The world is where panic is found.(Gentiles seek these things)
Not the Christian.
• Our daily goal is not to store food – God provides food
• Our daily goal is not to secure clothing – God provides clothing
• Our daily goal is righteousness and His kingdom
“Be anxious for nothing”
Christians are not allowed to get caught up in fear and worry.
Why?
Because “The Lord is near.”
So instead of living in fear and worry and anxiety, what do we do?
“but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
Instead of worrying we give our problems to God.
We trust Him with the outcome.
We request to Him.
We do so in a spirit of gratitude, not in one of discontentment,
But we lay our burdens at His feet.
Is this not what Jesus promised?
“Come to Me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest”?
Did Peter not say?
To “cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you”?
If a believer can’t trust God
What makes him different from those in the world?
And when we do trust, God gives peace.
(7) “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
God gives the peace to sleep with Jesus in the middle of the storm.
A peace “which surpasses all comprehension”
In other words it doesn’t make sense to the outside observer.
Not only that, but that peace “will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
The word for “guard” there is a military term.
The noun form of that word is actually the word for a garrison or fort.
2 Corinthians 11:32 “In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me,”
And the Bible says that when you resist anxiety and instead trust God,
He will then guard your “hearts and minds”
“hearts” is KARDIA which refers to man’s vital center.
It is all his mental and moral activity.
“minds” is NOEMA which refers to thoughts.
And the idea is that when you determine to trust God,
He puts a guard over your thoughts to keep you from worrying.
He protects you from the anxiety.
(I’ve seen this so much in my life,
Where God just gives a peace in the midst of uncertainty)
But the point is that this trust is an irreducible minimum for the Christian.
CHRISTIANS TRUST GOD
Live in Harmony – Rejoice Regardless – Display Grace – Trust God
#5 CONTEMPLATES TRUTH
Philippians 4:8
Paul uses the word “Finally” to bring this thought to a fitting climax.
He is finishing up his thoughts on in what ways we are to stand firm.
And here it has to do with our mindset.
You will notice at the end of verse 8 he says, “dwell on these things”
That is such an important statement.
You cannot separate the importance of thinking and discernment
And mental exercise when it comes to Christianity.
In this life we get in trouble when we allow ourselves
To be ruled by our emotions or our experiences.
A Christian is called to ponder, analyze, search, study.
• We “test everything and hold fast to what is good and abstain from evil”
• We are “transformed by the renewing of our mind”
• We “study to show ourselves approved”
• We “set our minds on things above”
THE PROCESS OF THINKING IS IMPORTANT TO CHRISTIANS
Paul says
“whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”
And I won’t go over the whole list,
For we might find many things that fit various words.
However, we only find One who fits them all.
That would be the Living Word who is Christ.
We “dwell” on Christ.
And the only place we can do this is in His word.
One of the problems with Christianity today,
And one of the reasons for all the misguided Christians
Is a major failure to do this.
People have stopped doing the work of dwelling on the word of God.
2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”
Proverbs 2:1-5 “My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God.”
But make no mistake about it, it is work.
Bible study is not easy.
The writer of Proverbs likened it to mining for hidden treasures.
You don’t pull a diamond out of the rock
Without swinging the pick a few times.
But Christians must do the work of Bible study.
Why?
2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
You can’t be like Christ if you don’t know who He is.
You can’t obey the commands if you don’t know what they are.
The height of your worship,
Will never out travel the depth of your theology.
THE CHRISTIAN CONTEMPLATES TRUTH
They do not let it go – the dwell on it.
Lives in Harmony, Rejoices Regardless, Displays Grace, Trust God, Contemplates Truth
#6 PRACTICES OBEDIENCE
Philippians 4:9
And this is obvious.
For we are not those who merely hear the word
But refuse to do what it says.
James said the man who hears but doesn’t do is deluded about His Christianity.
James 1:22 “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”
Paul says, “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, PRACTICE THESE THINGS”
Christians are those who obey the truth they have learned.
That is an uncompromising attribute of Christianity.
For when we walk in obedience “the God of peace will be with you.”
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
• Well, ever walk in disobedience?
• Ever feel conviction instead of peace?
Ok, then you know exactly what it means.
When you walk inside the will of God, His peace abides on you.
And listen, I know we covered a lot and probably moved a little faster over some of these than you wanted to.
But I want you to see it in a complete thought.
“in this way stand firm in the Lord”
These are the non-negotiables.
These are what makes us Christian.
If you lose any one of these,
You are compromising Christianity in a way God did not intend.
So we may give on certain areas, but we never give here.
• Christians Live in Harmony
• Christians Rejoice Regardless
• Christians Display Grace
• Christians Trust God
• Christians Contemplate Truth
• Christians Practice Obedience
If you let any one of them slide, you are not living like a Biblical Christian.
That is what it means to be Christian in this life.
Philippians 4:1 “Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.”
