Bible Study Series: The Book of Philippians
Bible Study Philippians 4:1-5 Living in Harmony in the Lord
By Fraser Gordon
Hello Saints. Last time we finished our study of Philippians Chapter 3. Today we'll start looking at a few verses in Chapter 4.
Stand fast in the Lord
Php 4:1 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.
Paul took four chapters to get to one of the main issues in the Philippian church which was a bit of trouble between two women. He starts in verse one with therefore which means in light of all these truths. Paul wrote in the previous verses about being found in Christ. He wrote of having a righteousness which is not from the law, knowing Christ and the power of his resurrection. He also wrote of forgetting the things that are behind, pressing forward to the things that are ahead, and walking in a way that is worthy. He then pours out his love and concern for the Philippian believers. He calls them my beloved meaning to dearly love. In the same way that Christ was the beloved Son we are also beloved and accepted in a risen Christ, He has made us accepted in the Beloved Eph 1.6. Then he writes so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. In Chapter 3 Paul wrote about walking in a way that is worthy of our calling and now in Chapter 4 he writes about standing which is a position believers take in Ephesians Chapter 6.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
In Ephesians Paul writes about putting on the whole armour of God so we can stand and face the enemy who comes against us. It's a defensive position. We are sustained in a risen Christ against the spiritual forces of wickedness. Watchman Nee wrote ‘Sit, Walk, Stand’ a great book on Ephesians where he writes, “We must know how to sit with Christ in the heavenly places and we must know how to walk worthy of Him down here, but we must also know how to stand before the foe”. We need to stand fast because we have an enemy that loves to cause trouble and disunity among us.
The same mind in the Lord
Php 4:2 I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.
This was the problem in the Philippian church, a squabble between two women. A division had arisen and these two women weren't getting along. I don't believe it was a doctrinal issue otherwise Paul would have addressed it. Who knows maybe they were on the church committee or in charge of the food, or maybe they just didn't get on, not one little bit. They might have been in the choir or may have both wanted to be leaders. It's all these little petty things that cause division in the body of Christ.
Everyone in the church would have gathered to hear Paul's letter waiting in anticipation for a great doctrinal truth to be read out. It's all great until they get to chapter 4. You can imagine all heads turning when these two women’s names were read out! Most of the time our disagreements are kept secret but here in this church it's all exposed when Paul specifically addresses these two women. The spotlight has gone from sort yourselves out to sort it out you two! Now we all have different characters and different strengths and weaknesses. It's easy to get along with people we like but put us with a believer we don’t get on with and it’s really hard. Our backs get up and sometimes we get all twisted and out of joint. Many church splits have started this way. People take sides and then before you know it the whole body of Christ is in the flesh. Accusations are flying about silly things like the colour of the church carpet or who made the best scones! We should as Paul says be of the same mind and stand fast. We have an enemy that loves to bring disunity, division and trouble to the body of Christ.
A Welsh church was looking for a new pastor. Two groups within the church opposed each other and chose different pastors. They decided to send them both to the pulpit to preach at the same time shouting above the other to be heard. Both called for different hymns and the congregation tried to drown each other out. The two groups then began shouting at each other, raising their bibles in anger. The two pastors continued their sermons talking over one another to the point where eventually a policeman was called in who sent everyone home while they were still arguing. Later one of the members called a ‘Let’s be Friends’ meeting but it too ended breaking up in an argument. Now that is a messy church! You would not want to be the pastor sent in to sort that out.
That sounds incredibly fleshly and divisive but Christians, we can all be like that at times. We have a flesh just like those in the world and when we take sides in the flesh there is chaos. This doesn't just happen with young believers either. Mature believers such as the spiritual greats George Whitfield and John Wesley had theological differences and didn’t always agree. Someone once asked Whitfield if he thought he would see Wesley in Heaven. Whitfield replied, “I fear not for he will be so near the Eternal Throne and we at such a distance that we shall hardly get any sight of him”. Whitfield took aim at Wesley for being so holy that he would be close to the Eternal Throne while sinful believers such as Whitfield would be at such a distance to hardly get any sight of them. That made me laugh.
Paul & Barnabas
Even the apostles weren’t exempt.
Act 15:36 Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing." 37 Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 39 Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement so sharp they had to separate. The disagreement was over John called Mark. He had departed from them and returned to Jerusalem in Acts 13. Because of this Paul lost all confidence in him and was not willing for him to join them again in ministry. Barnabas’ name means son of encouragement and he was actually a relative of Mark. He wanted to restore Mark even though he had turned back to Jerusalem. Who was right in this instance? Probably both. Paul was always in hard situations and needed a steady, reliable companion and Barnabas wanted to restore men back to serving God. Both were probably right.
We see later in II Timothy 4.11 Paul asks, Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. You see Paul looked at the work of God and Barnabas looked at the person. At times there is a need to separate but we should never quarrel or get our backs up against one another. We should always bear in mind that all believers are in the Lord.
Wisdom from above
So how do we sort out our issues? Well, it's this little phrase in the Lord that is the key. Paul had already talked about it earlier in Philippians Chapter Two.
Php 2:2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus
This mind is lowering yourself. He goes on to talk about Christ leaving eternity to come down and pay the price for sinful men. If we have contention with another believer we need to realise we are in the Lord and the same love and grace covers us all. The only way we can move on and get past divisions is to realise that in the Lord we have unity. Paul doesn't say what the division was between these two women but it must have been enough to cause trouble. If we find ourselves in a similar circumstance seek wisdom from above. Sometimes we just don't click with other believers. When we find our backs getting up we need to remember James Chapter 3 - our go-to verse. We need to run to this verse and use it as a sword on ourselves.
Jas 3:14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
That is the wisdom from above. Whenever we have a disagreement with another believer we need to run to this verse and use the word of God as a sword to our motives and intentions. Are we self seeking? Are we preserving ourselves? If we are and if there is any bitterness toward another believer then it is not from above. It is either earthly, your flesh, sensual, feelings, or worse you’re being affected demonically. Strong words, but the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield. This is what Paul means by in the Lord. The Lord's mind was willing to yield. He gave up His life so others may live. That is wisdom from above. We must always remember that in the Lord is the part that counts.
The Book of Life
Php 4:3 And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
Paul doesn't name the person but he mentions a true companion. Companion in some versions is translated as yoke fellow. This body of Christ had two people in it with the potential to cause a rift. Paul was asking this person and others to get alongside these women and sort it out. Sometimes to bring healing a third party is needed if we can't sort it out ourselves.
He finishes this verse by saying whose names are in the Book of Life. How great is that? In Luke Chapter 10 the seventy had returned from being sent out and were thrilled that even the demons had submitted to them in Jesus name. Jesus said to them in verse 20 “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." In Revelation 20 at the great white throne of judgement the books are opened (there is more than one book and all deeds are recorded in them). When the Book of Life is opened, anyone's name not found in it will be cast into eternal damnation. Paul reminded Euodia and Syntyche and all the other companions and fellow workers that their names were in the Book of Life. So saints remember that your name is also written in it.
Rejoice in the Lord
Php 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
It's really hard to read that verse without singing the old song! Paul is writing to believers and he repeats it twice. This is an everyday occurrence; in difficulties, problems and even when things are easy. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit and can only be produced by His life in us. The verse doesn't say ‘rejoice always’ there are a few words in between. Rejoice in the Lord always. There's a theme in this fourth chapter of Philippians. In verse 1 it says stand fast in the Lord and in verse 2 be of the same mind in the Lord. Then in verse 4 rejoice in the Lord. That is what makes the difference. Trouble, hardship, difficulties and contention are going to come. Whatever state you find yourself in you have the Lord Jesus Christ dwelling within and you have the opportunity to rejoice. Remember Paul is chained to a prison wall and probably to a guard. His circumstances say the opposite and yet here he is writing about joy and rejoicing always. We have resources available to us that the unbeliever doesn't have and that is what makes the difference for us. The unbeliever goes through similar things in life; they have trouble, hardship and times of ease. But the believer has the indwelling Lord Jesus Christ. We have resources available to us and no matter what we go through we know that nothing gets past our God. God has full control over our Christian lives and we can take joy in that and rejoice that all things are in His hand as we trust the sovereignty of God. No matter what comes our way today or tomorrow we can rejoice that our names are written in heaven. Just like Paul rejoiced while chained to a prison wall.
Php 4:5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
A gentleness not just towards believers but the whole world. People should see something different about us. A gentleness, not arrogance or always claiming our rights. Something soft, pliable and willing to yield that is seen by all men. Then Paul finishes with the Lord is at hand. Jesus can return at any moment and Paul reminds the believers that the second coming of Christ could happen at any stage. Watch how you behave, watch how you act for His return is near.
Conclusion
These first 5 verses in Chapter 4 are about trouble in the church and two women who weren't getting along. Paul’s answer is that because we are in the Lord we should be of the same mind. The constant theme of these verses is in the Lord. Recognise who you are in, and then your behaviour will follow suit.
Father, we thank you for your word and that there is nothing new under the sun. There will always be contentions just as there were with these two women. We ask for your grace to be on us and let us apply your word to our lives. May we use it as a sword against ourselves when we are self seeking and have our backs up against each other. We ask this in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.