Sincerely - The Ancient Way

Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Philippians 4:20-23, NKJV).

Having explored in some detail the Apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians in these last 42 studies, it is astounding to think that the epistle was actually written nearly 2000 years ago, and yet, is as applicable now (and in some instances, more so) as it was then.

Relevance is hard to come by today. Life moves so fast and changes so rapidly that virtually instant obsolescence, rather than lasting relevance, is the norm. Relevance that spans 20 centuries is supernatural. 

Although the style and means of personal communication have gone through countless modifications since the 1st Century, mechanically improving as time passes, there are many aspects of this type of letter-writing that have sadly been lost through progress. One of them, is the typical salutation that Paul employed to graciously bring his epistles to a close - the ancient equivalent of our modern day Sincerely or Regards.

Much can be gained from studying the apostle's characteristic written farewells. For instance, he almost never fails to provide a final benediction to Christ and the Father, reminding his audience one last time about Whom they believe in and Whom he serves. Usually, he also offers a simple prayer requesting that his readers be granted the grace and peace made abundantly available through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, in perfect accord with the purposes of the Father. Thus, even in his final sentences he encourages, exhorts and reminds the readers about what is eternally important - their life in Christ lived out in a world filled with darkness that will one day be replaced by His righteous Kingdom.

The phrase, Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen., is a perfect example of the succinct doctrinal and spiritual encouragements embodied in his closings. To the Jewish members of the early church, he highlights the miraculous change in the relationship between Sovereign Almighty God and lowly creature. Through faith in Christ, the Eternal is now both God and Father, an intimacy unthinkable under the ancient Jewish religious and cultural practices. To the polytheistic Gentile, his message transforms the Creator from an erratic mythical god or goddess in an ever-expanding hierarchy of imagined deities patterned after sinful man, to a single divine and transcendent Ruler who has power over all Creation, and Who is everlasting and unchanging - certainly a relief from the insanity of the likes of the Greek or Roman Pantheons. And to ancient mystics who imagined God to be an impersonal conception of All That Is, Paul emphasizes His essential Personhood and Identity. All this in just a few simple, yet profound words.

With Greet every saint in Christ Jesus., Paul reaffirms the importance and meaning of believing in the Savior. To be a saint, a "called out one", a person needs to be in Christ Jesus, evoking a relationship so intimate as to be described as one of being in Him. This requirement is first and foremost. Without it, no amount of good works, natural or supernatural, qualifies for sainthood. With that preeminent requirement met, all other saintliness flows as naturally as water down a mountainside; as does the unbreakable fellowship that endues the otherwise merely human act of greeting with unending significance.

The brethren who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household., takes this indescribably profound family relationship with other Christians in close proximity and expands it exponentially across all time and space. We who are in Christ today are bound inextricably and joyfully with all those who have ever been in Christ, or who will ever be in Christ throughout all epochs, past and future, and in all locations. A human heart indwelt by Christ knows no boundaries or limitations. Membership, belonging, and citizenship are all part of the glorious package. No one is too insignificant or important. No place is too large, small, near or far. We are all one in Him.

No gift of God is more amazing than His limitless grace, poured out abundantly through His Son. So the apostle's endearing supplication for The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all., is both loving and in itself, gracious. And it has rightly been said that God's grace is His unmerited favor, on the other end of the divine spectrum from His mercy. For mercy is not receiving what we are justly due as violators of His perfect will and law. Grace is the metaphysical opposite. It is being the undeserving recipient of that which we most emphatically are not due, like His everlasting kindness toward us and eternal life in Christ.

And finally, Amen. This is an ancient Hebraicism transliterated into the ancient Greek of the New Testament. From man's perspective it means let it be so, or as You command, referring to God. From His perspective, it is a declaration of unchangeable assurance - it will be so! It amounts to a divine oath, an omnipotent guarantee.

We must see then, that all the inspired writing of the New Testament has eternal and profound relevance. How could it be otherwise?

The God of the Universe, who is absolute truth, has provided us lovingly with His words of love and grace and mercy and redemption…. and judgment.

What could possibly be more relevant?

Sufficiency

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19, NKJV).

In the post-modern, post-Christian, relativistic West today, insufficiency, inadequacy, insecurity and indecision abound.

Anchor-less, nations, governments and societies are adrift in a sea of uncertainty precisely because cultural leaders, educators, information media, and opinion makers operate under the mistaken conclusion that there are no absolutes.

Aside from the logical inconsistency of this philosophical position (it is clearly self-defeating, as the proponents of this view are ABSOLUTELY certain that all values and moral judgments are relative), it is a viewpoint and mode of operation that is inherently vacillating.  If everything is relative, then what is enough? Or good enough? What is need versus want? What is anything, really?

The Apostle Paul never fell prey to the pitfalls of moral or cultural relativism. No true, well-schooled Christian ever should, since we have the single, authoritative guide to all morality and truth, the Word of God. Because of this, it was possible for him to write the verse above without the slightest equivocation or qualification.

It is worth a moment to consider how his statement in verse 19 fits perfectly with one of the overarching themes of the book Philippians; the sufficiency of Christ in a believer's life.

Php 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

There is no hint of equivocation or condition. If the good work in you has begun (being conformed into the image of God's Son), it will be completed.

Php 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Again, no maybe's or qualifications. There is no down-side to being in Christ, no matter what the outcome from the limited human perspective.

Php 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Salvation is a work of infallible, almighty God, not fallible and pathetic man.

Php 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

This is a command, not a suggestion. Anxiety is prolonged uncertainty based on lack of assurance and knowledge. We know Whom we serve and Who saved us. He does not make mistakes, and He works all things together for good. If you live out this belief, anxiety makes no sense.

Php 4:7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Christian absolutes lead to unsurpassed peace. Being in Christ is the only true place of rest. There is no rest for the unbeliever. There can't be. How much security or wealth or health or success or prestige or power or time is enough? How long will it last? What can be done about the universe of uncontrollable what-ifs? All the human-devised safeguards in the world will not suffice to ensure anything completely, or for long. And certainly, not for eternity, which is the unspoken cry of all human hearts - to have something last FOREVER; for good things to NEVER END. Nothing but Christ can satisfy.

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

A declaration of unfailing empowerment. Notice, he doesn't write some or most things, but all things that Christ calls upon you to do, He will strengthen you to do or endure. Where God guides, God provides. And all this leading up to the climactic promise:

Php 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Of course the problem we run into here is distinguishing between what we want from what we really need. The truth is that only He knows.

Our job is merely to trust in the One who loves us and sent His Son to die so that we could live. FOREVER.

Payment

Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. (Philippians 4:18 NKJV).

Paul reiterates his expertise in being content, and likens the Philippians' recent ministry gift delivered to him by the faithful Epaphroditus, to the Old Testament animal sacrifices of consecration burned on the altar in both the Tabernacle and Temple.

It strikes me that everything that God has instituted throughout human history has lasting purpose. While the Old Testament sacrifices were fulfilled and superseded by Christ's once for all sacrifice on the Cross, the shedding of innocent animal blood perfectly foreshadowed the Son's blood being poured out in our place to make propitiation for our sin. And further, these ritual deaths presented a lasting image of both the penalty and horrendous nature of sin. There is also good reason to believe, based on the prophecies in the Old Testament Book of Ezekiel, that these will be re-instituted during the Millennium, not as foreshadowing, but as memorial.

One of the criticisms of any religious system that believes in sin, is that it is somehow primitive or amoral to attempt to satisfy a deity's anger over bad behavior, or to appease some whimsical divine displeasure, through some kind of substitutionary sacrifice. Modern, enlightened human thinking deems such a course of action as being indicative of magical thinking and therefore irrational and unreasonable. Underneath this intellectual sophistication, however, is a self-deluding conviction that appeasement of someone more powerful than you makes no sense. Really? I suggest that this is patently false, and unless the objectors were insane, when presented with the choice themselves to either be killed, or to appease, these modern sophisticates would choose appeasement. I know they would, because historically they have done so in the past.

When Nazi Germany rolled victoriously over the European landscape in brutal and ruthless conquest, it was the imminently rational and reasonable intellectual class in the various governments that preached appeasement. Whole nations were sacrificed to keep the Nazi fascists at bay, and Hitler ruthlessly broke all promises to remain appeased. He was no fool, but was a bloodthirsty psychopath who effectively played off both the German's fears and resentments, and the neighboring countries' modernism.

Now if appeasement to a ruthless mass murderer with a powerful and effective war machine made sense, then why would the same reasoning not apply to an omniscient, omnipotent Being who demanded satisfaction? My point is that their capitulation proved that their own arguments against the irrationality of propitiating God's righteous wrath against sin was just smoke. What was, and is, really being objected to is the notion that we humans are accountable to God; that He makes demands upon us; that He will judge our lives and deeds according to His standards, and not our own.

This is the same objection, incidentally, that was made in the Garden of Eden, and means that, chronologically at least, rejecting God as Judge is actually more "primitive" than complying with His supernaturally revealed sacrificial system, since the Mosaic Law came well after the Fall.

Paul reminds his readers by these verses that the system of propitiation which memorialized Jesus' sacrifice ahead of time, was the merciful precursor to the final satisfaction against sin achieved by the death of God's beloved Son on the Cross. Regardless of what our opinion might be, when the all powerful Maker and Ruler of Heaven and Earth declares that sin must be judged, it MUST BE JUDGED. And it will either be judged at your death on the basis of your own pitiful actions, or on the basis of Jesus' glorious and loving righteousness made available to you through faith in Him as Lord and Savior.

Is it then amoral, or immoral for one person to pay the debt of another? Certainly not if the payor does so voluntarily. 

The more I walk with the Lord, the more I see the worsening moral and spiritual condition of humanity coming to a head in complete agreement with Biblical prophecy, the more I am steeped in His truth, the more empty the arguments in favor of atheism or universalism or naturalism become.

But at least these anti-God proponents are committed enough in their rebellion to formulate an argument, however empty. What is more repugnant is the millions of doomed souls who neither care enough, nor think of God enough to even formulate a cogent theological position. They may operate on some vague notion of right and wrong, entirely situational, or expedient, and are able without qualm or conscience to toss such out the window if the circumstances make it too costly in gratification or chances for personal survival.

Another equally repugnant group is the religious hypocrites. These are those who talk a good game in the company of others they deem "religious" or "of the faith", but when outside that context, they, like chameleons or sponges, take on the characteristics of their environment, blending in, fitting in, doing nothing that would indicate their professions of faith are anything but empty, breath-wasting mouthings of carbon dioxide. 

Of those groups, there is more hope for the rabid fanatical atheist, than for either the apathetic practitioner of situational ethics, or the "religionized" hypocrite.

By giving us the picture of sin as a heinous eternal crime against an Infinite Being, by giving us the revelation of His Word, by sending His Son to die in payment of our sin, He has set everything in place to compel us to freely choose. Either we submit to His divine authority and mercy, and live. Or we submit to our own mortal and feeble rebelliousness, and die.

Giving and Receiving

Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. (Philippians 4:14-17, NKJV).

The Apostle Paul was a low-maintenance missionary and ministry leader. If he wasn't able to be receive support from the various fledgling churches he planted, then he happily supported himself by working as a craftsman. But when he did receive financial aid, he was thrilled and grateful for two primary reasons.

First, it enabled him to focus exclusively on his tireless work of the ministry. This benefited the cities, towns and people he went to, not just temporally, but eternally. How much did Paul's indefatigable commitment to the gospel increase the population of Heaven? Innumerably. He was, after all, responsible for establishing the written (and therefore objective and preservable) foundation of the one true faith, as inspired by the Spirit of Christ Himself. AND he was the founder of the majority of 1st Century churches that we know about. Those of us in the family of God by faith today, are still beneficiaries of his work two millennia later.

Secondly, he rejoiced that such selfless giving redounded a hundred-fold to the generous givers, writing often of how it was credited to their spiritual account. He never ceased to commend the churches under his authority and care for providing support for the work of the ministry. It is utterly worthless to merely wish someone to be well or fed. Don't bother to flap your mouth unless you are willing to back it up with meaningful action. 

Giving can be a hot-button issue today, and rightly so. There are gospelizers galore out there who are in it for the money. They preach Christ for profit, and although God still uses the truth of the message for His sovereign purposes, those who are base purveyors of the Christian religion are doomed to double judgment. God is not mocked. If, as a believer you feel that your are being manipulated or "guilted" into giving, you probably are, and your response should be to turn away from such extortioners.

Know that when God places it on the heart of one of His children to give generously to someone in need, or to support solid, Biblically-grounded missionary, or other godly work, He does NOT use guilt, but joy. He does not use threats nor high-pressure sales techniques, but He most often speaks softly with that still small voice within. Yes, we are exhorted in Scripture to give tithes and offerings, for God loves a cheerful giver. It is very likely that our faithful local fellowship is quite dependent on our regular giving, BUT our compliance is not out of obligation, but gratitude. Or, it should be.

And yes, sometimes generous giving is scary. If, beloved, you are suddenly assailed with an attack of the "what if's" when confronted with the opportunity and means to give of your treasure, do not be surprised. But also, do not let the schemes of the enemy, or your own insecurity, defeat you. You cannot out give God. Sometimes it is good if, in the marriage relationship, the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing in terms of charity. Let one or the other spouse (ideally, the one possessing the appropriate Spiritual Gift of liberality), suggest the recipients and amounts. Of course, the husband is ultimately accountable, so men do not give in to the temptation of taking the easy way out. Stand for and DO what is right, even if it costs you dearly.

And remember too, that if you are a well-taught believer, you know that what you have isn't really yours at all. It is God's, and you are merely His steward. Therefore, be a good one, knowing that your real reward is in Heaven.

There are several common doctrinal (and therefore real life and practical) mistakes often made in regard to giving. Some people wrongly believe that they must give in order to be saved. That is simply not true. How much did the thief on the Cross give to charity before his life ended? Others hold that by giving, they obligate God to bless them. This is the quintessential Let's Make a Deal theology. None of us are in any position to bargain with the Father. Thinking otherwise is either sheer folly or hubris. Lastly, many think that by giving, they are somehow earning extra credit, buying special dispensation, or in some other way hedging their bets. Ridiculous. Even if we gave all we had, we are simply returning to God that which He was gracious enough to provide us in the first place.

The real motivation for giving is love. The real motivation is faith. The real motivation is a humble acknowledgment that we are completely dependent on the Giver of all good gifts. And know this, the Bible teaches that there is an equation of grace involved, namely, the principle of sowing and reaping. You WILL reap what you sow. If you sow to your flesh, you will reap death. If you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life.  Again, you cannot out give the Father. What you receive in return for faithful charity may not be anything that you expect or anticipate. And the return may not certainly be in kind, or even in this life. But God rewards those who diligently seek and serve Him, for great is your reward for even providing a drink of water in His name.

Finally, no matter what words your local fellowship may use, the Body of Christ does not take your offering. It receives it. The distinction is subtle, but important. Think of it this way. When something is taken, there is no necessary precondition that the something is freely given. After all, governments can take your taxes, thieves can take your goods, and a murderer can take take your life, just as easily as someone can take your proffered gift.

But something that is received can only be given. If the something is received, it must necessarily have been freely offered, else words have no meaning. In reality, it is like love, or faith, or respect. These virtues can only be received. They can never be taken.

Remember that, beloved, the next time God gives you the opportunity and leading to share of your time or money or hospitality.

Can Do

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13, NKJV).

The Apostle Paul here gives us the syllabus for his curriculum of how he had learned in whatever state he found himself to be content.

He has declared repeatedly throughout the New Testament, his complete reliance on Christ. He does not see such interpersonal dependence on the Savior as weakness, but as the epitome of strength. This is diametrically opposed to the world view that promotes self-reliance and self-confidence. In fact, in contrast, Paul warns that he who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. Where we consider ourselves the strongest is where, in reality, we are the weakest.

It is only through our moment-by-moment surrender to Christ and His will for us that we can hope to accomplish anything of worth in this life, and it is only through our humble acknowledgement of our own weakness that He  can be strong in us. Paul puts the equation this way:

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10, NKJV).  

This is true because our ability to do anything truly valuable comes only through Christ.

Do not misunderstand. I am not naively claiming that there does not exist any merely human talents, strengths and achievements. There have been many powerful and accomplished unbelievers throughout history. But aside from the fact that their abilities and/or character traits are gifts from God that He sometimes bestows on some individuals as He wills, through genetic inheritance or fortuitous circumstances, it does not mitigate the fact that the results of those gifts are utterly worthless from an eternal perspective. While they might accidentally benefit others, the motivations behind those achievements are self-centered and therefore an abomination  to God. 

He does not share His glory, and for good reason. Anything or anyone that does not point or give credit to the Father in Heaven distracts and misleads people from the only thing that is ultimately important, escaping eternal damnation. What possible good does it do for someone to worship a celebrity or sports figure or philanthropist or billionaire or system or philosophy or relative? And make no mistake. That kind of human or conceptual worship is pervasive today, perhaps mores than at any other time in our planet's past.

We are built to worship. It is part of our essential nature, as much a requirement as the need for air or nourishment.

And if we don't worship Christ, we WILL worship something or someone else, usually ourselves.

Furthermore, if we do not honestly recognize the Source of all good things, we will be deceived into following that which cannot lead to the Savior. And without the Savior we are unthinkably doomed to a fate far worse than death.

Conversely, if we end up crediting ourselves as being the source of any good that we do, we become guilty of worshiping a false God. For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? (1 Corinthians 4:7, NKJV). And in crediting ourselves, we deny God the thanksgiving that is His due.

These ideas have become the antithetical benchmark of modern thinking. To give God glory for these abilities and gifts is to acknowledge His rightful place as Creator, and that is anathema to the world. The rabid anti-Creationist hostility that runs wild through the halls of academia and cultural institutions says it all. If God is Creator, than man is under His authority and ownership. To behave or believe otherwise is rebellion and sin. It is what brought death into the world.

Think about it for a second. Had Adam in the Garden simply maintained belief in the statement Paul writes so succinctly in this verse, he would have passed the test of temptation, and all the hellish events of history since that horrible act of self-reliance on the part of the First Man would not have occurred. Earth would have remained Paradise instead of Perdition.

Often and rightly, we look at the the apostle's eloquent declaration of dependence on His Lord as a means to strengthen us in times of weakness. It reminds us that Christ stands with us through temptations and trials, and we are encouraged by that necessary reminder. But it is far more than that.

It is a declaration of allegiance to God and His Son, and a declaration of defiance against the deception of this age. It places us firmly in opposition to the world and its current ruler, and on the side of the One who died to make us free.

To live this way, in open and unpretentious reliance on God for all things, will not make you popular or influential among the children of rebellion, but you will shine as an inextinguishable light in the realm of the King.

Know How

I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (Philippians 4:12, NKJV).

Culturally, there is a certain noble, austere dignity attached to a man who eschews worldly goods in favor of loftier things. It's mostly bunk. 

That stereotypical man, whoever he might be, if he makes a point of letting it be known how austere and dignified he is, is simply trading one form of gluttony, material acquisition, for another form of gluttony, public acclaim. That is not what the apostle Paul is talking about here when he mentions his diligently acquired know how regarding what my mother used to call, feast or famine.

The word, abased, comes with the connotation of not only lack, but an embarrassing lack, referring to not having something that by all earthly rights and sensibility, one should really have in order to meet the commonly accepted idea of propriety. It's kind of like being subjected to a criticism along the lines of, "It's not proper that he doesn't have a high school diploma in this day and age!" So, in short, being abased in this sense is nothing to be proud of, or announce to the media.

Of course, Paul's viewpoint was not at all earthly in nature. His mind was set on heavenly priorities, and he understood very well that what is considered valuable by man is, more often than not, an abomination to God. Consequently, while his abasement might be viewed by the neighbors as improper, Paul saw it as more than proper, since he understood his life was in God's hands. Instead of bemoaning his circumstance, he learned to be content in whatever state he happened to be.

Similarly, the word, abound signifies "filled to overflowing". The picture it paints is of an animal's food trough spilling over with an abundance of grain.

Now here's a question to ponder: what would you become if you had more than what you needed or wanted of this world's goods? And before you answer, consider this statistic - studies have shown that no matter how much storage space a given residence may have, it not only eventually gets filled, but always becomes not enough. Those of you who have migrated from apartment, to fixer-upper, to middle-aged abode of dreams understand this progression in a visceral sense. Add children in the mix and the outcome is even more predictable.

Then too, there is the syndrome called, perceived shortage. What at one point in a sensible person's life was considered completely adequate, becomes, after prolonged increase, not nearly enough, regardless of the actual facts. To those of my generation, televisions fall into that category. At first, one per block was something. Then one per household, quickly transmigrating to one color TV per household, with the obsolete black-and-white relegated to some peripheral room. Now it is commonly one flat screen per room, and perhaps one room with a whole wall morphed into a flat screen, and a portable HD player in every pocket, purse or fanny pack.

Learning to do without, after having had, is a skill achieved only through conscious effort. Being content in either condition is a miracle wrought by God in His child's heart that comes about only through willful reliance on Him.

Look at it this way - anything you, as a Christian, possess, is not really yours. It's His. That is true whatever it might be. Your very breath is His, as is your health, your spouse, your children, your home, your reputation, your income, or conversely, your lack of any or all these things. Oh, we think it's all us, but that is Paul's point underneath these exhortations to godly contentment. Even your best human efforts succeed only because of His grace. And often, though you may practice an utter lack of diligence and good stewardship, the consequences are usually not nearly as bad as they could be, or would be if He were not your loving Father softening the blow.

Job had it exactly right: the LORD gives and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.

The thing is, if you really live your life believing this, you will neither lack diligence nor cultivate greed. You won't get puffed up nor overly fretful. You may suffer from being hungry, or you may be at ease from being full, but neither condition will become more important or significant in your life than the Source of both: your Lord and Savior.

The Apostle Paul was a hard man to rattle, and impervious to bribes and manipulation, precisely because he knew what side his bread was really buttered on. How could you possibly either threaten or tempt a man so heavenly minded, and so devoted to His Lord? The answer is, you couldn't.

There is a proverb that asks God to neither give a man too little, so that he feels compelled to become a thief, nor provide too much, lest he become something in his own mind. It is a wise prayer, but there is a far superior strategy: learn contentment. Become well-versed in the skill set needed to be abased and to abound.

Cultivate and practice the know how to everywhere and in all things BE CONTENT (not COMPLACENT).

And know this, contentment with godliness is great gain.

Cultivated Contentment

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: (Philippians 4:10-11, NKJV).

The church in Philippi faithfully supported Paul's evangelical and missionary ministry. He counted on them in the "beginning of the gospel", and joyfully anticipated their continued present and future support. That is the significance of the first portion of this text. The Philippians were once again matching words with deeds; having repeatedly in the past professed their love and respect for the apostle, they demonstrated by giving again that their words were not empty. There is nothing quite as cheap, nor demeaning to both sayer and hearer, as empty words. It never fails to discourage the recipient, and always proves the hypocrisy of the speaker. Better to keep our mouths closed, than to waste breath on glib, insubstantial protestations of any kind, good or bad. In short, put up or shut up.

Beyond that sage advice, Paul begins to launch into perhaps the most soaring argument against wordily material acquisition found anywhere in Scripture. In one respect, he starts with the conclusion; the crescendo, if you will. He writes, I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.

This is a fitting expansion to his previous exhortations regarding anxiety, thankfulness, and peace of mind, but although it may sound similar to certain Near Eastern philosophies that also happen to espouse a dismissal of material or physical desires, that is where any commonality ends. Taoism, and certain sects of Buddhism, for instance, strive for nirvana, which is a state of almost complete passive abdication of all things physical or emotional. The goal is to apparently melt into some nebulous form of universal consciousness that can neither be described, explained or transmitted. It appears to be synonymous with a self-conscious loss of self-consciousness, and in that way, obtaining a kind of immortality by ceasing to exist as a separate entity. If this were the only kind of not dying offered by the universe, I vote the universe keep it. 

What's the difference between ceasing to exist at all, and ceasing to exist as a person. Either way, the you that you've been all your life is gone, and something not remotely related to you is supposedly what's left. That does not strike me as anything worth pursuing in the slightest. And when I read about, or hear about, what such philosophies signify or entail, while I understand (more or less) the words, I cannot relate at all to what they might really mean. And when I dig deeper, I'm told that unless I become enlightened, I won't be able to understand. Oddly enough, enlightenment is the path to nirvana. So, at least for me, I won't know whether I would want to get to nirvana unless I embark on enlightenment, and I won't really be enlightened until I get to nirvana, after which it will apparently not matter whether I wanted to get there or not because all such wants will become illusory as I melt into the great All That Is. Call me simple-minded, but that sounds like a metaphysical Catch-22. I'd rather have Jesus and guaranteed eternal life as a sanctified, perfected and glorified me, than as an undifferentiated will-o-the wisp.

Which brings us to the crux of what Paul wrote about. A lack of desire for this world's goods, power, prestige or comfort, in the face of everlasting life in the heavenly places, is not a subjugation of fleshly desires for some amorphous, gelatinous, amoral end, but a trade-off of priorities. Why obsess on the world's paltry satisfactions, when by doing so you forfeit heaven's. By making do with what you have by God's grace, and recognizing the futility of attempting to gain satisfaction that this world cannot provide, you make yourself free to do those things that will lay up for yourself treasures in Heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal.

This is not so much a matter of impoverishing yourself (for the Lord Himself has given you what you have, and withheld from you what you don't have), as much as it is a matter of getting your head on straight about what temporal rewards are really worth, and more pointedly, what they are NOT worth. They are NOT worth, for instance, compromising your faith, or sacrificing godly relationships, or fretting over to the point of bitterness, resentment, or sickness. They are NOT worth holding onto in a miserly fashion convinced that there is not enough of whatever it is to go around. They are NOT worth selling your soul, or your family, or anything else of true value precisely because everything in this world will burn. And before it burns, you will likely die and have to leave it behind anyway. The ONLY thing that lasts is relationship and persons, and the ONLY relationship that will ensure that all other relationships remain and can be taken with you, is your relationship with Jesus.

This is the key to living freely in Christ; to abiding in the Law of Liberty; to having the peace that passes understanding. Later on, the apostle will remind us that this world is not our home. We are citizens of Heaven. In human parlance, it means that whatever we have here is like the twitchy, gossamer, easily shredded travel gear you buy at some local pharmacy. If you're lucky, the stuff lasts long enough, and remains useful enough to get you back home. And if you lose some of it on the way, it is sheer foolishness to muck up your itinerary to try to recover it.

Your goal is to get home in the most expedient way possible, taking care of business honorably along the way, fulfilling your God-given purpose, and NOT getting sidetracked by the baubles and disposable razors you may have been fortunate enough to obtain during the trip.

Be aware, though, of two things. First this is not natural behavior; it's learned and takes diligent practice. Paul will give us the curriculum in the next couple of verses, but the point is, you are not born living life this way. But you can be reborn to it. Secondly, some of those disposable items come in deceptively attractive packaging; shiny reputations; glittering achievements; sparkly brand new things that promise enduring satisfaction, but end up in the dung heap with the rest of the garbage.

Mind Control

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:08-09, NKJV).

Ever tossed and turned in your bed, unable to sleep because you just can't seem to shutdown your thoughts? Ever gnawed your fingernails down to the quick as you obsess over some train of thought that just won't leave the station? Ever drank, smoked, or otherwise anesthetized yourself into oblivion so you can "forget" about life's problems?

In terms of effective remedies, none of those strategies have any real benefit, and quite a few are clearly detrimental. So what's a stressed-out Christian supposed to do? The first part of the answer is discussed here. This is the follow-on.

The Bible speaks of meditation 30 times (Ge 24:63; Jos 1:8; 1Ki 18:27; Ps 1:2; 4:4; 5:1; 7:1; 9:16; 19:14; 49:3; 63:6; 64:1; 77:6,12; 104:34; 119:15,23,27,48,78,97,99,148; 143:5; 145:5; Isa 33:18; Mal 3:16; Lu 21:14; Php 4:8; 1Ti 4:15). Each reference is very specific. The vast majority of those instances pinpoint precisely what a thinking human being is supposed to meditate upon. Simply put: God and/or God's Word. The other citations either outright mock what is unhelpful to spend time thinking about, or declare that such time and intense thought-energy spent on other topics is a total waste of effort.

I know some will read this and argue that Christianity does not even allow intellectual freedom, and to a certain extent that point may be loosely justified, particularly since believers are exhorted strongly to "take each thought captive". But rather than view this as a prohibition of thinking, it is far more accurate to interpret it as freedom from thinking wasteful things. 

Unless you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit as a child of God by faith, you are at the mercy of your mind. And there is, even before birth, already a ghost in that machine, because your mind is not merely your physical brain, it is the thing that operates within your physical brain. Thought itself is not merely the bioelectrical result of firing synapses, thought is what makes the buggers light up in the first place. If you doubt this, then feel free to explain how persons who have been declared "brain dead", and then resuscitated, remember thinking stuff.

In any event, your thoughts oftentimes just happen. This means that even without intending to think something, you do anyway. But it's even worse than that. For even when you consciously will yourself not to think something, you mostly can't stop. Hence, the sleepless nights, jagged finger nails, and DUI convictions.

There is really only one remedy, and it's outlined in the verses above, and their two predecessors. In addition to praying to the Father in faith and thanksgiving, covered previously, the treatment regimen goes on to enable us to consciously control how and what we think about, thereby replacing merciless wasteful mental activity with its godly opposite.

First, let me be clear, the word translated meditate does NOT mean, AT ALL, a trance-like state of mind induced by whatever repetitive, chemical, or metaphysical means necessary. It signifies, in fact, the diametric reverse: an active, rational, logical, conscious, and purposeful intellectual focus. It's as far from Eastern mystical meditation as you can get and still be in the same Universe. There is no trance, no chanting, no attempt whatsoever to make even an iota of more room in your mind by "emptying it" so the ghost already there can be more comfortable and stretch out. It is the filling of your mind, willfully, with eight godly whatevers.

These are the categories (and they're big ones, so pay attention), whatever things are: true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, of virtue, and worthy of praise. Think about these for just a second. How much garbage could you replace in your mind if you filled it exclusively instead with the components of those eight wide-ranging categories. Are your obsessing over deceit or being deceived? Focus on what is true. Are you finding it difficult to stop focusing on the base and profane activities, things or people around you? Replace these with those things that are noble, like self-sacrifice, or kindness, or simple goodness. And so on, right down the line.

The apostle did not single these areas out arbitrarily as antidotes to stress. Each one is precisely the best defense against, and remedy for, those hateful and hurtful and stressful things that rob of us that peace that passes all understanding. And never one to preach anything that he himself did not practice, Paul uses himself as the example to emulate and the guide to follow.

Don't pass over this last point too quickly. If anyone had "street cred" on suffering in a godly, edifying way, it was the Apostle Paul. Even just a cursory look at his life proves that premise. Stoned, beaten, hounded, imprisoned, shipwrecked, reviled, cursed, falsely accused, slandered, spit upon, rioted against, and hated by the very countrymen he sought so hard to serve, his personal outlook could, nevertheless, be summed up in two sentences he wrote so very long ago:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18, NKJV). 

and

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, (2 Corinthians 4:17, NKJV).

So tonight, or right now, or whenever, memorize the verses above so that you can take the first steps necessary to start controlling the ghost in your machine.

Anxiety Antidote

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:06-07, NKJV).

I dare you not to be anxious about something; double-dog dare you. Anxiety is one of the best schemes of the enemy, ever. It undermines faith, robs you of peace, steals your joy in the Lord, and makes for an anemic witness. And it is so very effective. This long drawn out emotion, whatever its origins, has the capacity to bypass all reason and rational thought, and withstand most attempts at sane mitigation. Unlike raw fear or terror, which cannot be sustained for nearly the same duration, anxiety can plague a soul for years, or decades, or an entire lifetime. Anxiety can kill, and not very cleanly.

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:25, NKJV).

“Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; “and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (Matthew 6:27-29, NKJV).

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ (Matthew 6:31, NKJV).

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:34, NKJV).

“But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; (Matthew 10:19, NKJV).

And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. “But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41, 42, NKJV).

“And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? (Luke 12:25, 26, NKJV).

There is NOT ONE exhortation in the New Testament for a believer to worry or to be anxious. In fact, the opposite is true, as can be seen from the citations above. Jesus, Himself, makes it clear that anxiety indicates:

• misdirected priorities (Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?; But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part)
• an inflated view of our control over things and life (Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?; If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?)
• an incorrect view of the sovereignty and omnipotence of God
• and disbelief of the following:
• And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28, NKJV).
• “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? (Matthew 6:30, NKJV).
• But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” “For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Mark 10:27; Luke 1:37, NKJV).

This is serious stuff on at least two crucial levels. Unrelieved anxiety will alter everything about your life and your interface with the world. In response to it, you are guaranteed to become either resentful, despondent, or manipulative, and these are just the main headings under which reside a plethora of possible subheadings, like addiction-prone, compulsive, and/or hypocritical. Scratch the surface of many an unpleasant person and you will discover a bubbling cauldron of anxiety that MUST be relieved eventually, if only ultimately by death. 

Secondly, chronic anxiety is the opposite of faith. It leads to the temptation to rely on something or someone OTHER THAN GOD. This stands to reason, because a correct view of God in conjunction with a knowledgeable faith in God, alleviates anxiety infinitely better than any pharmaceutical (prescribed or otherwise), heretical Eastern mystic practices, frenetic, distracting activity, or cultivation of powerful friends in high places. Without that faith in God, all these other empty and futile solutions may appear to be your only desperate alternatives.

If you've read this far, I hope your mind is filled with "but what about…?" questions, because that is exactly where this is leading. But what about imminent danger? But what about a fearful and devastating illness? But what about not being able to provide for your family? But what about the prospect of losing a loved one, or a child? And finally, but what about the several million other things in life which we either cannot anticipate, or over which we have no influence?

That's the point! For every possible threat or loss or fear you can think of, in reality, you have NO CONTROL. You could take all the precautions in the world, but the simple truth is that something sudden and unexpected (from your perspective) could obliterate all your diligent, proactive preparation in an instant, and that which you feared most could come upon you like a meteor falling out of the sky. Here's the thing to remember, beloved: IT IS NOT UP TO YOU.

Yes, of course we are to be good stewards, and like the wise, when we see peril approach we take action. No, of course we are not to tempt God in any way by being deliberately careless or reckless. But common sense is not what's in view here. Dark and dreary and fearful dread of the unknown future is. And the only antidote for that is to come to the Throne of Grace in prayer and supplication believing that God is Who He says He is, and that He loves you with an everlasting love. Come to Him thankfully and lay at His feet ALL YOUR REQUESTS. Especially those that involve the fearful future. And in exchange, He will provide you with peace. Peace. 

Peace of mind, peace of heart, the peace of assurance, the peace of being loved by God, Himself, so much so that he will rearrange the world for you, His child. And that peace, so sublime, so supernatural, so freely given, is beyond mortal understanding, and it will act as an impenetrable shield and fortress around your troubled heart and restless mind, through Christ Jesus. He is the gatekeeper. He is your hedge and your strong tower. 

Jesus, and Jesus, alone.

He knows the number of your days, and the hair on your head. He knows the end from the beginning. He is the Sovereign God of all existence.

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. (Psalms 139:16, NKJV).

Rejoicing and Gentleness

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. (Philippians 4:04-05, NKJV).

In the world today, gentleness is often synonymous with weakness, and weakness is to be hidden at all costs. For a natural man, one whose spirit remains dead in trespasses and sins, this makes a lot of sense because the only resources available to a natural man are of this world. His weapons of warfare and protection are carnal, fleshly. Camouflaging vulnerabilities is good strategy if you are a citizen of earth, and if your only hope is in this life. Unfortunately, while you may prosper within your allotted time on the planet, when you die, all your carnal strengths, all your sensible strategies, and all your plans and schemes come to an end. You are left standing naked and unprotected, subject to the full fury of a holy God, with nothing to shield you from His righteous wrath.

If that is your fate at death, you will know with unmitigated certainty and everlasting regret that it did NOT have to be that way. You will finally acknowledge and hopelessly understand all the loving opportunities you were given by Him to escape eternal damnation simply through faith in Christ, and nothing else. I cannot help but think that one of the greatest torments of Perdition will be that very knowledge - that stubbornly, willfully, you refused to be saved. All the post-mortem regret in the Universe will not remedy your condition or ameliorate your agony.

For those saved by grace through faith, however, there is reason to rejoice always. This is true because the Lord Jesus Christ made our salvation possible. He took upon Himself that eternal agony in OUR place, suffering the just and due penalty for OUR sin, though He Himself knew no sin. For that once for all sacrifice, the Father granted Him our lives, eternally. To receive that life we simply, sincerely, repent (not do penance) and believe. Nothing else will do. Nothing else is possible. It is that, and only that, or an eternity of unthinkable suffering. And regardless of either your opinions or feelings about the way of salvation, that is God's honest truth. Disbelieve at your own grave, inevitable peril.

The Apostle Paul is so adamant in his exhortation for the redeemed to rejoice, that he commands it to be unending, and then repeats it. His reasons are as many and as profound as the gifts that have been bestowed upon us by Christ, starting with meaning and purpose in this life, and flowing seamlessly into all the eternal blessings we are promised to receive in the next. There is no such thing as annihilation. Those who die still wrapped in their congenital sin do not merely blink out of existence. Their consciousness remains, and at that Day of Judgment, they will be physically resurrected for everlasting condemnation. In the interim, between physical death and eternal separation from God (the Second Death), they are kept in the place of torment. If for no other reason than we have escaped such a horrendous destiny, we who are saved should rejoice with joy unspeakable. But there is so much more.

We are promised everlasting life in a New Heavens and a New Earth. If that strikes you as absurd wishful thinking, contemplate the odds, the wishful thinking if you will, of conscious human existence happening "by chance" in the first place. Meditate on the patent absurdity of the anthropomorphic character of the entire material universe. Dwell on the vast, immeasurable improbability of a tiny rock, in the midst of a mediocre solar system, on the outskirts of a nondescript galaxy, being the home of the likes of us. The recreation of the Universe by Divine Fiat is far more probable, likely, and believable in comparison.

Do you enjoy the beautiful things of this life? They are mere shadows of the things to come. Art, literature, sweeping terrestrial landscapes, loving relationships, warmth, light, life, safety, security, peace? These will be yours without qualification or limit. Do you enjoy variety and interesting pursuits, or being wholesomely entertained and delighted, or challenged by profound ideas and discussions? These too are yours without end. Is your desire to be reunited with your loved ones who have died in Christ, or with beloved saints of the past? To know as you are known? To recapture the moments of this life that were either too fleeting to fully enjoy, or lost because of circumstance or error? All this and things beyond that which we can ask or think are ours in Christ. But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9, NKJV).

Given these promises, believing these promises, explains why we can, and should, rejoice. It is honoring to our God and Father. It is honoring to our Savior. It is a hallmark of our faith. And there is more: a direct connection between rejoicing in the Lord, and the reasons that make it possible and compelling, and letting our resulting gentleness be made known to all men. Only someone secure, as we are secure, can afford to always be gentle. Only someone who has the rock-solid divine guarantee of an incorruptible and invulnerable future destiny can allow that gentleness, founded on joy in the Lord, to be known to the world.

Think about it. We have nothing to lose, and everything to gain in Christ. We are in His hands. Our days have been mapped out before the foundation of the world. He knows their number, and He knows their end. He knew us before our birth, and will be with us always, even unto the end of the world. Nothing is impossible for Him, and He works all things together for good to those who love Him. The truth is this: gentleness requires strength. The archetype of a gentle giant rings true precisely because this strikes such a resonant chord within the human mind. It's a no brainer. We therefore can be gentle because that Giant of Giants is on our side, protecting us, keeping us, and caring for us, forever.

So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6, NKJV).

Personalities and the Church

I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 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. (Philippians 4:02-03, NKJV).

Euodia ("Fragrant"), Syntyche ("Fateful"), Clement ("Merciful") and an unnamed "true companion" (or perhaps someone named Syszugus, which means "true companion" or "genuine yokefellow") are addressed personally in this beginning of Paul's closing chapter. The subject is, once more, unity of mind. Clearly there were three or four strong and notable personalities in the church at Philippi, who, if their disunity became more pronounced, could become a disruptive or even divisive force in the church. This is always the risk of having dynamic people in places of influence in the family of God. While superficial conformity is nowhere mentioned in the New Testament, doctrinal unity is repeatedly emphasized. Without it, as we see today, the Church loses its effectiveness in a world increasingly lured into darkness.

The only antidote is for each one of us to be humbly teachable, sitting under the authoritative instruction of the whole counsel of God. Nothing else, neither politics nor persuasion, will be a lasting remedy. Only hearts and minds transformed by God's Word can foster the necessary atmosphere of unity so vital to a thriving fellowship. And it is not that these dominant personality types in view meant evil, for that seems unlikely given the apostle's gentle chiding. But without strong leadership grounded fully on sound doctrine, the gentle, refreshing breezes of individual differences can evolve into full-blown storms of discord.

Paul's strategy in addressing this issue was to gently remind each of the participants of their beginnings in the gospel; their first love of Jesus; their laboring to spread the good news. It is likely that whatever doctrinal or faith-practice issues that were in dispute between these two powerful and godly women, underlying the conflict was something else. That is not to say the contention was not real, or was invalid. It is to say that in requiring direct intervention by the Apostle Paul, these women were symptomatic of not "esteeming others as better than themselves", and of failing to "let nothing be done with selfish ambition." Contention and strife are not natural byproducts of agape love. These are, however, benchmarks of conceit, ambition and pride. All ugly things in a church.

There is plenty of room in a well-grounded fellowship for amicable disagreement on non-essentials. If all such are handled with love and tolerance, and under solid teaching and leadership, disruption is unlikely to occur. But when these escalate, when emotions run high, and factions get created, the result can be disastrous. More than one vibrant church has split and died. Consequently, in addition to reminding them of their humble start in the faith, Paul solicited the help of a syszugus. 

This was someone who walked in agreement with Paul, and had proven to be steadfast and reliable. The description, "true companion" says it all. He or she was literally a "genuine yokefellow" who had taken up the yoke of Jesus Christ in such a way that they were able to bear, not only their own burdens, but the burdens of others within the church family. And, in this instance, the burden of like-mindedness in the church, corporately. How wise Paul was to enlist the aid of others to come alongside the disputatious pair, and defuse the situation by the injection of calmer, less invested, and likely more rational thinking. His goal was to re-instill unity; not by compulsion, but by an appeal to a deeper fellowship, mentioning Clement, and the rest of my fellow workers.

Paul subtly and profoundly emphasized not the differences, but the underlying cohesion of the church everywhere and throughout the ages. It is this: our names being written in the Book of Life. This is instructive for us today, when the church has been fractured and splintered on the shoals of denominationalism, doctrinal liberalism, and moral compromise. Being one in sound doctrine is the only prescription that effects a cure to the natural divisiveness of fallen human beings saved by grace through faith. And upon that foundation is built mutual respect, self-sacrificing love, and remembrance of Who we really serve, and to Whom we owe all.

And it is so important to have a Syszugus upon whom the church leadership can rely to sincerely smooth ruffled feathers, and calm the storms of emotionalism that sometimes comes upon the church. A person (or persons) who do not add their own fallen fuel to the fire, but keep their eyes on Jesus, to Whom the church owes ultimate allegiance.

No single person can be all necessary things to all people within a fellowship all the time. And in perfect anticipation of the needs of the church throughout the ages, Christ has gifted each committed member of each church family a subset of the required tools to edify the body of Christ, to express His mercy, diligence, leadership and love. A thriving church is a place where these gifts are allowed to grow and blossom, and come to full fruition under the guidance and administration of the Holy Spirit.

When such is in place, I believe that that Body of Christ, however large or small, rich or poor, well-known or unknown, shines a light in the darkness that makes the Enemy and his minions tremble and quake with fear, and that brings  joy unspeakable to the One who died to save us, and who lives forever more.

Stand Fast

Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. (Philippians 4:01, NKJV).

Part of walking the walk is standing fast. There is no room for moral or doctrinal relativism in Biblical Christianity. None. 

By this I mean, the truth of Christ is not "mostly true", or "true for me", or "true in some circumstances or contexts". It is simply true, period. You may disbelieve it, but like all facts, you're feelings or perceptions about it have nothing  to do with its undeniable independent reality. This means, in part, that Christ is the Son of God and Savior of the world regardless of your vote on the matter. 

And the things that are revealed in Scripture about God, man, sin, condemnation and redemption are definite and concrete. There can never be a nuanced Christianity. It is what it is. So you either stand fast in the Lord, or get crushed. For He is “[a] stone of stumbling And a rock of offense…” (1 Peter 2:8, NKJV). And “[whoever] falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” (Luke 20:18, NKJV).

Standing fast means not compromising. It only makes sense. Facts cannot be compromised. Christ's coming to redeem the world from sin through His death is the most significant fact of existence, thus far. There is another, future, fact, equally significant. His return to reclaim the Title Deed of earth. When that occurs, after seven of the deadliest, most calamitous years of human history, the Day of Salvation is ended, and the Day of Judgment has come. Between His First and Second Coming is now - the Church Age. This will reach its final chapter when the living church is taken up out of the planet to meet the Lord in the clouds (1Co 15:50-58; 1Th 4:13-18). At that time, all that restrains the evil rampant in this current age will be removed, and Hell will break loose upon the earth. Literally. In the meantime, we who believe are to stand fast, to be immovable in the things of God. 

For those who do not believe, who may read this and scoff, or be offended, or embarrassed, know this: your feelings regarding these future facts of history are irrelevant. You may hope and pray it is fantasy, or wishful thinking, or deranged Christian fundamentalism, or you may choose instead to respond to the tug of fear in your heart as you see the world system unravelling day by day, in complete accord with ancient Hebrew and Christian prophecy, and seek the One who created you, and sent His Son to save you. It is your choice. And to those who continue in godless rebellion, know that the hardness of your heart was written about nearly 2000 years ago.

Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (2 Peter 3:1-10, NKJV).

While standing fast is the exhortative crux of this verse, do not miss yet another series of insights into the Pastor's heart of the Apostle Paul. Or, as he provides with all his encouragements to godly behavior, the summary motivation behind it. 

Therefore is the opening argument. All of the letter to the church at Philippi up to this point is focused on that one word. Since Christ guarantees to finish the work of sanctification that He has begun in our hearts, since there is no way to lose that which He died to give us, since He has revealed to us His mind and poured out His divine life on our behalf, since He works in us both to will and to do His good pleasure, since there is nothing in existence that compares with the value of possessing Him, since His immeasurable gift to us through faith is eternal life, therefore so stand fast in the Lord. This is Paul's pattern in each of his brilliant epistles, providing the richness of all that God and Christ has done for us, and then, and only then, does he exhort us in how to respond; not out of ritual obligation, but from a heart of love. The popular misconception of Christianity as being a religious system of do's and don't's in order to earn God's favor and entrance into Heaven is severely uninformed. The truth is that God has done it all. Our part is to humble ourselves to repent and believe. He then works in us till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; (Ephesians 4:13, NKJV).

Finally, as he does frequently in his writings, the apostle reveals his love for his people, referring to them as my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown. Note the lyrical quality of that phrase, and the poetic repetition of the word translated beloved. This is a form of that spectacular Greek term, agape, about which much has been written here. It is that incredible, self-sacrificial love emanating first from the heart of God Himself, and then poured out by the Holy Spirit upon each of us who have believed in Christ.

I suspect that Paul, for all the hardships of his life, was a man who walked in deep seated satisfaction because he seemed rarely to focus upon himself, but rather on his longed-for brethren. Picture, if you will, a father so missing the presence of his beloved children, that his every waking thought is of a future anticipated reunion, where he can again be among  those who are closest to his heart. So proud was he of their progress and growth of faith that he saw them as his jewels and rewards, his joy and crown.

Of course his desire was for them to stand fast in the Lord. Knowing the truth of God, and of man, and of sin, what father (or mother) would want anything different?