Rejoicing as Redeemed

20. FINAL GREETINGS AND BENEDICTION (PHIL 4:21-23): Paul finally writes to the Philippians to greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with him greet them. Paul mentions every believer in the church in Philippi as saints, as they are called to live for the Lord, by being holy as children of God. Paul has genuine love for the church, and he carefully instructed them according to their needs and finally conveyed his wishes to them. Also, Paul always gives importance to his companions and mentions the greetings from the brothers who were with him in his ministry. Some of the companions who could have been with Paul are Timothy, Silas, Luke, Epaphras, Marcus, Aristarchus, and Demas. Paul then conveys that all the saints greet them, especially those of Caesar’s household. Paul then specifically mentions that the children of God who are with him send greetings to the Philippians, and further narrows it down to those who are in Caesar’s household and got to know about the L...

19. SHARING IN THE TIMES OF NEED (PHIL 4:14-20): Paul conveys to the Philippians that he can be adaptable to the comfortable circumstance as well as the needful circumstance alike, and get his strength through Christ. And then Paul acknowledged Philippians that it was kind of them to share his trouble. The Philippians were very kind and lovely to support Paul in his need. And they Philippians themselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when he left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with him in giving and receiving, except them only. There would have been constant communication between Paul and the Philippians, which makes him say that they know about his collaborations. Paul travelled to different places, and when he started his way out from Macedonia, there was no collaboration of mutual support, except for the Philippians only. Paul acknowledges that even in Thessalonica, they sent him help for his needs once and again. The Philippians were generous in their gi...

18. BEING CONTENT AND DOING ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST (PHIL 4:10-13): After encouraging the Philippians to rejoice always, Paul conveys to them that he rejoiced in the Lord greatly that then at length, he had revived their concern for him. They were indeed concerned for him, but they had no opportunity. Philippians had supported Paul at the times of his need, and then also they had continued their support to him, because of which Paul rejoices by remembering God’s provision through the people in Philippi. They were very genuine and lovely people who were always willing to support Paul, but they were able to contribute only at times because there wasn’t much scope for it. Paul then clarifies that he is not writing to them that he is speaking of being in need, for he had learned in whatever situation he is to be content. He knows how to be brought low, and he knows how to abound. In any and every circumstance, he had learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need....

17. REJOICING IN THE LORD ALWAYS (PHIL 4:4-9): Paul writes to the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord always, and again he writes to rejoice. And they shall not let their reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand, and they shall be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving they shall let their requests be made known to God. Everyone has their own life situations and problems, and thereby consistently being happy is not possible unless we find our rest in the Lord, irrespective of our likes and dislikes. Paul encourages that the believers shall find their reason for their practical lives from God and His word, and it shall be made known to all the people. The believers have an affirmation that the Lord Jesus is coming as a righteous judge, and there will be eternal life for all those who believe in Him and live for Him. Thereby, the believers shall not be anxious about the temporary things that disturb them, irrespective of th...

16. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PEOPLE (PHIL 4:1-3): After teaching about the valuable principles for the practical Christian living by following the higher values and Lord Jesus Christ, Paul encourages the Philippians by writing that therefore, his brothers, whom he loves and longs for, his joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, his beloved. Paul affirms how close he is with them in his heart, though he is far away from them, by calling them brothers, by expressing how much he loves them and yearns for them, by considering them to be his happiness and reward because of his work towards them, and overall by calling them beloved. There were some deviations and false perceptions that were spreading in the church, and Paul had already instructed to press on toward their Goal, which is in the Lord Jesus Christ, and he once again emphasizes being well established in the ways of the Lord by following His words. Paul then entreats Euodia, and he entreats Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Euodia a...

15.  SETTING MINDS ON HEAVENLY THINGS (PHIL 3:17-21): After instructing about pressing on toward the goals, Apostle Paul addresses the Philippians as brothers and tells them to join in imitating him, and keep their eyes on those who walk according to the example they have in them. Paul was very confident of his talk and walk that he is following Christ, obliging himself to the Word of God, and that makes him say to the recipients to follow his footsteps as those who are already good role models to them in faith and deed. At the same time, Paul worries that for many, of whom he had often told them and then told them even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. Many were with them and heard of the teachings, but they hold on to something that is not aligned with the Word of God, but just to establish their selfish interests, which makes them be against ...

14.   PRESSING ON TOWARD THE GOAL (PHIL 3:12-16): Paul writes to the Philippians that not that he has obtained the resurrection from the dead or is already perfect, but he presses on to make it his own, because Christ Jesus has made him His own. Paul acknowledges that he grows in the Lord continuously and never claims that he has already received the fruit of his labour, that is being raised to be with the Lord during the Day of Judgment, by being what pleases God and by following His commandments. Paul continuously works to follow God’s commandments because Christ has chosen him to be His by relating with him. Paul further calls his recipients brothers and tells them that he does not consider that he has made it his own. But one thing he does, that is forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, that he presses on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Though Paul was sincere and hardworking to follow what is right and...

13.  ATTAINING THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD (PHIL 3:8-11): Paul strongly proclaims to the Philippians that surely he counts everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus his Lord. Every privilege that a person has in this world is for being good stewards of God and for partaking in building the kingdom of Christ to glorify God. Most of the time, we hold to some privileges and try to boast about those things even above God, forgetting our ultimate purpose and God’s commandments. Here, Paul decisively assures that he considers that there is nothing more valuable than knowing Christ Jesus personally as Lord, as it surpasses all the knowledge and understanding, and brings peace and happiness in the heart forever, which nothing can give, though man always searches for happiness in something that is temporary. Paul continues to writes that for Christ’s sake he has suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, so that he may gain Christ and ...