Philippians 4:15-23 – Be grateful for all blessings

In these concluding verses, Paul turned to talk about the factors that kept him going through those tough circumstances of his life. He began by mentioning the offering that the Philippians so generously raised for him. In verses 15-16, we are told that Paul’s only support came from the Philippians. And they kept on faithfully supporting him as they had sent more than one offering to him while he was at Thessalonica. Theirs was an unfailing support for a veteran missionary.

Secondly, Paul went on to express how sacrificial the Philippians were. He called their offering a fragrant aroma, acceptable sacrifice and pleasing to God (v.18). In giving to the apostle, the Philippians were demonstrating their care toward him. More importantly, they were opening avenues for God to bless them in return.

Paul obviously understood the principle that “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” So in verse 17, he told them he would be glad for the Philippians to be recipients of blessings instead of merely him being the one who was receiving the blessing of their gifts to him. He wrote a very reassuring note to the Philippians. Basically he wanted them to know that no gift to God or the ministry would ever cost the giver to be poorer, for God Himself would supply all their needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 

As Paul concludes his letter, he did several meaningful things: first, he praised God the Father. He knew that God alone deserves all the glory forever and ever. Secondly, he sent greetings to all the saints who had set themselves apart for the purposes of God. He even included the governmental officials, those from Caesar’s household, in this greeting. Being a team player, Paul also sent the greetings of those who were with him. Finally, he prayerfully wished that they would experience God’s grace in their spirit.

As we come to the conclusion of this letter, let’s be reminded that worship is the offering of ourselves and our substance to God. Our ability to do so is only because of the grace that He had first poured out generously and graciously over us. Now we must reciprocate to His boundless grace by being prayerful, being active in service and being generous in our giving to His work. 

Philippians 4:10-14 – God is our source, people are His resources

Bear in mind that at this point Paul was in prison facing an impending trial. If proven guilty, he would be sentenced to death. His steadfastness in proclaiming the Gospel despite the chains had challenged the Philippians. It appeared that they had rekindled their giving and took up an offering and sent it to him. Apart from delivering the offering to Paul, Epaphroditus was also sent to minister to him. The apostle saw in this generous act their love for the Lord Jesus Christ, their love for him and the zeal for the furtherance of the Gospel. And these facts prompted him to further rejoice in the Lord.

Grateful for their efforts, Paul then expressed his gratitude and commended them for their generosity and stewardship. The way Paul constructed verse 11 tells us that he did not want them to feel that he was discouraged because they stopped their support to him earlier. He assured them that he had learned to adapt to the circumstances of life and he knew how to live in times of plenty as well as times of lack.

We need to know that prior to the call of Jesus Christ on his life, Paul was a rich Pharisee. He could have whatever he needed or wanted. When he met Christ, he gave up his riches and served as a tentmaker to support his ministry. However, he was in prison now. Being in confinement, he could not continue with his tent-making job to support himself. This coupled with the fact that the support had also stopped for a while. But the circumstances he encountered had helped him to cultivate a reliance on Christ. He became truly aware that God was his Source and Sustainer. Thus, while commending the Philippians for their effort in sharing in his ministry and affliction, Paul was able to say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Like Paul, we will have people around us, who will readily avail themselves to assist us in any way. Yet nothing in life beats relying on the Lord. God will never lead us to where His grace cannot sustain us. He will never fail us. He will be our life, when life is gone! 

Philippians 4:8-9 –Thinking right

The human mind is a like war zone where conflicts take place on a daily basis. There is no place in the world where more battles are fought than in the human mind. The greatest conflict in the world today is the battle to control the mind. Recognizing the importance of winning the battle for the mind, Paul included Philippians 4:8-9 to give the Philippians a list of mental attitudes which they should develop.

When Paul called on them to think, he was essentially calling on them to ponder, to consider, to reflect, to give continuous attention to and to be occupied with. What were the things that they should think about? Here’s the list: 

1. Things that are true – things that are accurate, correct, real and exact and would reveal truth.·
2. Things that are honorable – things that are upright, moral, noble and would bring honest value.  
3. Things that are right – things that are just, veracious and not shady.
4.  Things that are pure – things that do not contaminate and wholesome
5. Things that are lovely – things that are pleasant, delightful, splendid and will produce concord
6. Things that are of good repute – things that are winsome and attractive and of good reputation.
7. Things that are excellent – things that are virtuous, exceptional and outstanding and admirable.
8. Things that are praiseworthy – things that deserve praise, laudable and exemplary.

Every believer ought to learn to filter the thoughts that pass through their mind. If they bear the marks of these eight positive characteristics, then the believer should meditate on them. If they do not, the believer should learn to repudiate and reject them.

To round up what he had instructed them to do, Paul appealed to them to emulate him. He did not only teach them, but had also lived and practiced before them the standards that he taught. Here he used four emphatic words to urge them to follow his example. The Philippians had learned and received from him and heard and seen it through his lifestyle. So now they ought to carry it out. He assured them that if they practiced them, they would experience the nearness of the God of peace. To have the peace of God, we need the God of peace.

Paradigm is defined as the way our mind makes sense of the world, it’s the way our mind interpret life. Paradigms are like the maps in our minds, they help to direct how we can live and guide us to our desired goals. To make quantum leap changes in life, we need to change our paradigm. We need a paradigm that is aligned with God’s Word. Remember, we think so we act!

Sow a thought, reap an action,

Sow an actions, reap a habit,

Sow a habit, reap a character,

Sow a character, and reap a destiny.    

Philippians 4:4-7 – Don’t let anxiety dominate

Paul had learned to rejoice in the Lord regardless of the circumstances that he was in.  What does it mean “to rejoice in the Lord?” It simply means to place the Lord at the center of one’s life. Like Paul, we must learn to focus on the Lord, not on the pain or the circumstances. The apostle knew this secret because he saw it in the Lord. The Lord Jesus, Who for the joy set before Him, looked away from the pain and endured the shame and suffering. Paul wanted the Philippians to find their delight and satisfaction in the Lord as well.  He knew that only then would they be able to keep the peace of God in their heart. So Paul called on them to focus on the Lord and find their joy in Him. Furthermore, this action must be a continual and consistent practice. So he called on the believers to rejoice in the Lord always.

In verse 5, he suggests that one should begin by making a decision to deal kindly with others. The word “let” suggests volition on the part of a believer. So he asked the believers to make a decision to deal with others gently. Isn’t it so true that a spirit of strife would bring discontentment, and a restless life devoid of peace? He further suggested that by keeping at the forefront of one’s mind that the Lord is near would enable a person to deal gently with others.

Paul went on to exhort believers not to entertain anxiety. In other words, believers should not allow anything to generate anxiety by thinking unnecessarily about them. Our feelings and emotions are often the end product of what our minds dwell upon all the time. Paul and the Philippians were in circumstances that humanly speaking would give them reasons to fret and worry. The apostle was arrested and awaiting trials and impending death. The church collectively was facing persecution from without as well as quarrels and dissensions from within. They had to contend with the false teachers and many other issues. Yet in the midst of all these trials, Paul called on them not only to rejoice and not fret but also to pray thankfully to God.

He wanted them to look away from the circle of concern and focus on the circle of influence. If they focused on the circle of concern they would just engage in an exercise in futility. Besides, worrying and fretting could not change the circumstances they were in. Rather than wasting energy worrying and fretting on something that they could not change, he strongly advocated that they spent time to pray instead. He told them to make their request known to God in prayer. Following Paul’s instruction, we believers should learn to make all requests known to God in prayer as we bring our specific needs before Him in supplication. But Paul tells us to come to the Lord in intercession with an attitude of gratitude and thanksgiving to the Lord. As we do so, we will find the peace of God, forming a fortress over our hearts and minds. That peace would guard our relationship and keep our knowledge of Christ intact. By knowledge, Paul was referring to the experience of relating with Christ.

How wonderful to know that we have a God who cares about every intimate detail of our lives. God has the capacity to help us. There is no problem too big that He cannot bear and there’s no matter too small that He does not care. Instead of fretting let’s start praying! 

Philippians 4:1-3 – Don’t leave conflict unresolved

Paul affectionately remembered the Philippians for they were his joy. It seems that he had a wonderful fondness when he thought about them. Collectively they were his crown, for they reminded him of his achievements in the ministry. Therefore in remembering them, he was greatly delighted. Here he called on them to remain steadfast in the Lord. Being steadfast and firm in the Lord would ensure the flow of God’s peace in one’s life.

Verses 2-3 suggest to us that Paul had a great concern over a matter that had brought grief to his heart. There was a rift between two women in the church. Their names were Euodia and Syntyche. These two sisters were in discord. According to verse 3, they apparently had shared in the work of the Gospel. They could very likely be from the group of women whom Paul met at the riverside, when he first entered Philippi.

By allowing their conflict to continue, Euodia and Syntyche were living in disobedience to the Lord. Paul did not mention the issue of their conflict but the Apostle was greatly concerned. Earlier in this epistle, he had called on the Philippians to emulate Christ and have His mind. So he now urged the two women to have the same mind in the Lord. In other words, they should live in harmony and agreement. Notice this is to be done “in the Lord,” for it is only in Him that believers can find the strength to erase all bitterness in the heart. Disunity has a way of undermining the testimony of the church of God. It would create a chink in the armor against the enemy and the world, and discredit the very nature of the church. Since the Christian message could be badly hampered by those women’s dissension, Paul wrote to the church to mobilize them to help them resolve their conflict.

Was Paul referring to one person in particular when he used the term “true companion” in verse 3? He was probably not referring to any particular person. In all likelihood, he was referring to anyone among them who would be willing to step forward to help to resolve the conflict. He expected them to also share his concern.

A lesson which we can learn from Paul’s instruction here is that we cannot afford to remain uninvolved in resolving conflicts in the church. Conflict unresolved is a sure sign of disunity. Go for unity, seek to resolve any conflict. A fractured relationship will not help the cause of Christ. Let’s live in harmony with one another, and let the peace of Christ reign and rule in our midst. 

Philippians 3:17-21 – The call to be watchful

Up to this point, Paul had candidly shared with the Philippians his personal passion, ambition and mission. In the closing paragraph of this chapter, he was calling on the Philippians to pattern their lives after his. Paul wanted to alert them to the dubious characters that existed among them. He knew that they would be susceptible to wrong influence. Hence, pointing out those duplicitous characters was essential. And while showing them what they should not emulate, he also reminded them that their citizenship was in heaven. It is interesting to note how tender he was in dealing with the whole situation. One can almost imagine the tears trickling down his cheek when he warned them against those people, saying, “… of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping ….”

Paul said three things about such people: Firstly those people were heading for destruction. Paul knew their final outcome and saw no hope for them. Secondly, those people worship themselves. Being self-absorbed, they were consumed with the appetite to selfishly satisfy themselves only. Thirdly, they only delighted and gloried in things they ought to be ashamed of. As a result, their concerns were only for earthly things. But in contrast, the Philippians were citizens of heaven and should have a different desire and longing.

Having pointed out to them that they were citizens of heaven, Paul painted to them some contrasts. While the enemies of the Cross set their minds on earthly things, believers should have a different concern. They should eagerly wait for the return of the Lord. This is especially so since believers are citizens of heaven. They should, therefore, set their focus on the return of their Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. The second return of the Lord Jesus Christ is the ultimate hope for all believers. As it was in Paul’s days, it is also in ours.

Paul said here that at Christ’s Second Return, believers would be greatly transformed. Their earthly bodies would no longer remain in the humble state, but would be changed to be in conformity with Christ’s glorious body. Paul left no doubt about the certainty of this experience. He enforced it with the idea that Christ has the absolute, available and invincible power in Himself to subject all things to Himself.

To follow Paul or to follow those dubious characters? In these verses we have two sets of examples set before us. Paul called us not only to be careful but also discerning, so as not to be enticed by evil. Christian life is not as easy as we sometime think. We can never avoid the tension and struggle as we seek to live a godly life. We must choose to be obedient and be blessed or we can choose the way of disobedience and be cursed. Which path would we rather take? 

Philippians 3:12-16 – Pressing forward

Paul was so in love with Christ that he was prepared to go all the way with Him. So in verse 12 he paused and evaluated his life. In examining his life, he looked at three stages: his past (Not that I have already obtained it), his present (I press on) and his future (to lay hold of that which also I was laid hold of by Christ).

In looking back, he was thinking of the time prior to his conversion, where he thought he had arrived by keeping the Law. But when Christ encountered him on the road to Damascus his perception changed forever. It was Christ who had apprehended him. And he, on his part, would readily collaborate with Him to attain the purpose which God had for him in Christ. With that goal in mind, Paul shared three vital ingredients in his quest to attain the prize of the upward call of God.

First of all, Paul saw the necessity of a proper evaluation of himself. He did not regard himself as more superior than the rest of the believers. Addressing them as “brethren”, he was actually saying that he was as needful to progress as anyone of the believers. Then he said that he had not arrived yet. In his estimate, he felt that he still had some distance to go to lay hold of it. What is the “it” that he was referring to? In verse 12, he referred to it as perfection. Paul wanted to be increasingly more and more like Christ. He did not want it only as an inner spiritual experience but also an outward expression of that inner life.

Having realized where he stood, he could then focus on what he desired. Paul knew he needed to be single-minded in focus. Only with a single-mindedness could he concentrate on attaining his goal. In the pursuit of Christ, he was certain that the things of his past, whether successes or failures, would come back to haunt him. Therefore, it became imperative that he refused to be distracted by them. So with a resolute mind, he chose to focus and look forward. He would keep doing things that would help him to attain his goal by keeping this goal at the forefront of all his priorities.

What was his goal? In verse 14, he called it the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Paul was talking about a life that is oriented toward pleasing the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a life that seeks to emulate Christ that keeps on progressing to become more and more Christ-like.

Finally, mindful that some among the Philippians were negatively influenced by wrong teachings, Paul set out in verses 15-16 to correct them. In a diplomatic undertone, he was dealing with those who tried to follow the standards set by men. He told them that if they were matured, they would have the orientation of moving toward being Christ-like. If they were departing from proper standards, God would reveal to them. However, he instructed them to keep on living by the right standard they had already attained.

Like Paul, we should have that singular priority to pursue the Lord Jesus Christ. We must make knowing Christ better each day and give ourselves unreservedly to it. Let us keep on pressing on to ascend the upward way and gain new height in Christ every day! 

Philippians 3:7-11 – Pursue Christ

In these verses, Paul candidly shared the one holy ambition that he had. It was the ambition of pursuing Christ in all His fullness. In verse 7, Paul recollected the encounter he had with the Lord that transformed his life. Now in the light of this encounter, everything he had attained through the Law and his self-effort, he reckoned them as a lost cause.

In verse 8, he used the word “rubbish” to describe his past attainment. In using this word, he provided the contrast between his past and his present life in Christ. This same word is translated as “dung” in another version. It literally means the leftovers of a meal. In essence, Paul was saying that for years he had fed on the Law, tasted it and was somewhat satisfied. Then in Christ, he had a much better and more complete meal. Having tasted what is far better, he now had no desire to return to partake of the leftovers.

Paul declared that he only longed to be found in Christ and possess the right standing with God, obtained by faith in Him. Today, God is still the source of our righteousness. It is obtained on the basis of faith. Hence, like Paul, we should not try to work for that righteousness by striving to keep up with the demands of the Law by our self-effort.

Since his priorities were sorted out, Paul now had only one consuming passion and goal: To pursue Christ to the very end. So in verse 10, he boldly declared that desire. In this experience of Paul, we discover a vital ingredient for spiritual progress. It is the necessity of spiritual hunger. The readiness to know more of Christ is determined largely by one’s appetite for Him. Here we see the huge appetite of Paul to know Christ. Paul listed three things in his desire.

Firstly, to know Christ became the compelling and driving force in Paul’s life. To him, Christ was his life and knowing Him was everything in life. His desire was to know Him personally, experientially and intimately. 

Secondly, it was to know the power of His resurrection. Here Paul yearned for the same power that exerted in Christ’s dead body and brought life to also operate in his life. In his whole daily existence, he hungered for that power to be made available to him. 

Thirdly, it was to know the fellowship of His suffering. What did Paul mean when he said that he wanted to have the fellowship of Christ’s suffering? He was saying that he yearned to have the fellowship with Christ that suffering would bring. 

Besides, he also wanted to be “made conformed to His death,” What exactly did Paul mean? He meant that he was crucified with Christ and his nature had died and he now longed to attain the resurrection from the dead. What he was saying is this: he longed to be able to experience the resurrected power of Christ in his daily walk in his mortal body.

Paul fully understood that the righteousness he had was granted by grace and attained by faith. In his new status, his one desire was to experience sin losing its grip on his life more and more. How about us? Let’s be divinely empowered to live a life where sin has less and less grip over our lives. Let’s obediently walk in the power of God’s grace being guided constantly by the presence of His Spirit. 

Philippians 3:4-6 – Fleshly-effort renounced

In verse 4, especially the second half, to verse 6, Paul set out to debunk the fallacious notion that God would approve the accomplishment of the effort of the flesh. Illustrating from his life, he showed how hugely inferior were his accomplishments, gained through self-effort, in comparison with what he had gained in Christ. If there ever was a contest to pick a person who had attained righteousness via human effort, he would probably win it hands down. There were two aspects, humanly speaking, that would point conclusively that he had reached the zenith of self-righteousness. First was his birth and descent and secondly, what he had accomplished by personal effort.

If birth and descent were used to measure righteousness, he had them. He pointed out three privileges which he had by birth: He was physically circumcised on the eighth day; he was an original Israelite; and he was from the tribe of Benjamin. Every Jewish male was circumcised on the eighth day of birth. This indicated that he was from a God-honoring home, a home that upheld the Old Testament Scriptures. This would also show that his parents were God-fearing people who rigidly observed the requirements of the Law. Paul would have been brought up in the Scriptures, having been introduced to them in infancy. Paul also pointed to the fact that he was a physical descendant of Abraham and was entitled to the promise made to the patriarch. His lineage could be traced to Israel, Isaac and Abraham. He was also from the tribe of Benjamin, a tribe that was known for their loyalty. They stayed loyally with the tribe of Judah, from which the promised king of Israel would be hailed, when the other 10 tribes chose to be disloyal (1 Kings 12:21). They were also known for their courageous deeds in their national history (Judges 5:14). Paul was claiming a heritage that few Jews could be proud of.

From the last part of verse 5 onward to verse 6, Paul turned to talk about his accomplishment as a zealous Jew. Before his conversion, he was steeped in Judaism. While in it, he sought to fulfill the demands required of him as a practitioner of Judaism. He was a Hebrew of Hebrews. There were many Jews who gave up their strict Jewish practices in the face of changes in the course of their national history. Many adopted the Greek language, culture and custom and dropped their Jewish tradition. Paul stood vehemently unmoved in his tradition. He remained true to his Hebrew roots. He was also a Pharisee. Like a true Pharisee, he held to the Scriptures strictly and literally. Besides, he was also a zealous and was unequaled in zealousness. It was seen in how strongly he felt against the believers of Christ. He set out with a letter from the authority to exterminate those early believers of Christ (Acts 9:1-2). He stood zealously for his religion and was determined to wipe out all others. In that regard, he was full of zeal. He also claimed to be faultless. Paul was not saying here that he was sinless. He was merely saying that he would do anything to meet the requirements of the Law. Should the Law point an accusing finger at him, Paul would quickly do whatever required to make atonement for that accusation. In that regard, he was blameless. Examining all that Paul had narrated so far, one must conclude that the legitimacy of his claim stood indisputable. 

Regarding salvation, there is nothing in our worldly accomplishment that we can rely on to gain acceptance with God. The one and only way God accepts, is the way of Calvary. In Christ and His accomplished works on Calvary we find our restoration. Seek to honor Christ – to see Him more clearly, to follow Him more nearly, and to love Him more dearly.      

Philippians 3:1-3 – Be vigilant and watchful

In these verses Paul wrote to call the Philippians to be watchful and vigilant. He had a real concern for they were facing some dangerous and devious teachings, very probably, like those encountered by the Galatians. Knowing the possibility for them to deflect from the Lord, he wrote to alert them of the lurking dangers. So here in these first three verses, he called on them to watch over their lives. He reckoned that by being vigilant, the Philippians would not be carried away by those false teachings. So he gave them several things that they must do.

In verse 1, he told them to rejoice in the Lord. When a believer rejoices in the Lord, he places his focus on the Lord. When he continues in doing that, he would not give undue attention to the trials and difficulties of life. Rejoicing in the Lord has a way of putting a believer in the presence of Christ and keeping him there.

Secondly, he called on them to pay attention to those things which he wrote to them earlier. He was now re-writing the same thing to them again to underscore the importance of what he had already told them before. To Paul, this was necessary to keep them alert. Therefore, it was not a burden to him. To progress in the Lord, there is a necessity to take heed to right and biblical teachings. It will ensure that we do not fall prey to false teachers.

Thirdly, he alerted them to the presence of the false teachers. In verse 2, we have three descriptions of the false teachers. He began by calling them dogs. Why? He was not referring to domesticated pets but fierce, ferocious and vicious wild dogs. Paul used this term to show how dangerous the false teachers were. Then, he called them evil workers. The design of these evil workers was to destroy faith, not to build it. Finally, he referred to them as mutilators of the flesh because they were demanding that circumcision was a requirement for salvation. The phrase “mutilators of the flesh” has a negative connotation. He wanted them to know that circumcision was not a requirement to find acceptance with the Lord. As far as he was concerned, to make circumcision a requirement for faith was mandated by those evil workers and not God. In pointing out these things, Paul was actually warning the Philippians to be cautious about who they were listening to.

Finally in verse 3, he turned to discuss about the status of the Philippians, referring to them as true believers. They were the true circumcision, people whose worship was inspired by the Spirit of God; people who glory in Christ Jesus; and they were also people who do not put confidence in the flesh.

We all know that the basis of true worship is the Spirit of God. The starting point for true worship is the indwelling Holy Spirit in one’s life. It is not merely giving veneration to any ritualistic practices. True worship comes from the heart that is inspired by the Holy Spirit, Who has taken residence in the life of us believers. Furthermore, true believers rejoice and boast in Christ Jesus. They do not rejoice or boast about fleshly accomplishment or ritualistic practices. True believers also put their confidence in Christ Jesus and what He had accomplished at Calvary. They do not take pride in the things the flesh can do. Let’s live like true believers in the Lord!

Philippians 2:25-30 – Another faithful co-worker

In these verses, Paul commended another of his close associate, Epaphroditus. From the way Paul described him, we can sense that they were very close indeed. In verse 25, Paul described him as a brother, a co-worker, a fellow soldier, a messenger sent by the Philippians, and a minister to Paul.

Apparently, he stuck to the job assigned to him and showed great tenacity. He did not quit although he was critically ill and almost died. Epaphroditus was sent to Paul to minister to him in prison. While with the apostle, he fell critically ill to the point of death. Still he was concerned for the Philippians. He wanted to keep the news of his sickness from them so that they would not be stressed. But he was distressed, when he knew that the Philippians were aware of his condition.  

In verses 26 and 27, Paul gave two reasons for why he was sending Epaphroditus back to the Philippians: First because he was sick and nigh to death (v.27), and second was because he was homesick as a result of his sickness (v.26).

However, God was merciful to both Epaphroditus and Paul. So the aged Apostle now sent him back to Philippi. Paul appealed to them to accept him joyfully. They were also told to honor him and hold such people in high esteem. Bear in mind that Epaphroditus did not quit. It was Paul who sent him back to them.

In a sense Paul was afraid that the Philippians would conclude that Epaphroditus was a quitter. So he wrote to assure them that he did not. He wanted them to know that he was the one who initiated the move to send him back to them. 

What can we learn from the portraits of Epaphroditus painted by Paul for us? We see him as a person who was committed to his task, who would not quit even when his life was at risk. He may be different form Timothy or Paul but he was like his Savior. He not only loved his work but also his Lord, and would gladly emulate Him. What we see in Epaphroditus can be true of us too, for we have a Lord who is the same yesterday, today and forever!

Philippians 2:19-24 – A devoted co-worker

Here Paul told the Philippians that he would be sending Timothy to them to attend to their needs. Although he would have preferred to be there himself, he could not because of his imprisonment at this point in time. Hence it was not possible for him to visit them, much as he had loved to. Determined to see them grow spiritually in the Lord, Paul’s plan was to send Timothy to them. This act of Paul leaves us an example concerning the work of the Gospel. It is not enough to bring the Gospel to the people. It is also needful to ensure that those brought to the Lord are spiritually cared for.

From these verses we are given glimpses of the ministry of Timothy, another faithful servant of the Lord. Paul said that he would send him as soon as he could. Paul wanted them to know that Timothy was reliable. The first thing he was sending Timothy to them was so that he could receive some encouraging report on how the Philippians were faring.

The second thing about Timothy was that he and Paul had a very close relationship (v.20). His spirit was like that of his mentor, Paul. He had the same caring spirit as Paul and was genuinely concerned for the welfare of the Philippians.

Thirdly, Timothy was a person who would deny himself and would be totally immersed in the work of Christ (v.21). Unlike others, Timothy did not seek to do his own things. His concern was for the things of Jesus Christ and the welfare of the church.

Finally, Timothy was a person with a servant attitude. He served Paul, as a son would a father, faithfully. Both of them had made it their lives’ objective to spread the Gospel. Although Paul planned to send Timothy to them, his deepest desire was to be with them personally.

Looking at the life of Timothy as Paul had described, we can tell that he was one with a deep devotion for the Lord. And he would gladly show that devotion by seeking the interest of the welfare of others in the Lord. This was exactly the same devotion that the Lord Jesus had toward others, that made Him poured out Himself sacrificially for them. We would do well to emulate Timothy as he had emulated the Lord. 

Philippians 2:12-18 – God’s pleasing walk

With the connectives “so then” in verse 12, Paul was seeking to evoke a response from the Philippians on the basis of what he had said earlier. He had shown that God desires that believers live in unity and has also provided the supreme example in Christ. Therefore the Philippians ought to have that in mind and choose a worthy response. He then went to call on them to work out their salvation.

Here Paul placed a motive before them. He told them, as well as us, to emulate Christ and live a life pleasing to God. A believer’s maturity, he said, would be evaluated not based on what one would do when he was with them, but what they would do in his absence. In the same way, a believer’s maturity is not seen in what he does, but what he does when no one else is looking. Paul called on them to work out their salvation with fear and trembling.

Since their motive was to emulate Christ’s example, they must work out their salvation with fear and trembling. We all know that one could not work for his own salvation, for no one can do anything to merit salvation. Paul was calling on the believers to translate what they know of their salvation into action. In Christian living, most believers show a disparity between knowledge and action. The problem most encountered is not so much with knowledge, as it is with translating that knowledge into conduct and behavior. Believers must work out a lifestyle that is congruent with their salvation.

The attitude believers must adopt to work out their salvation is with fear and trembling. To do so is to be thoughtfully and consciously aware of the priceless worth of one’s salvation in Christ, and thereby cautiously conducting one’s life, reflecting behaviors that befit that divine benefit. One must do so with complete trust in God and not in self. The believer’s ability to accomplish this would be the work of God within his life. It is God Who worked to bring about His own purpose in the life of the believer (v.13).

In verses 14-16, Paul provided specific instructions on how believers should work out their salvation. They must do everything without grumbling, gripping or murmuring. To grumble, gripe and complain would be to outwardly express an inward rebellion. Such expressions would truly be out of synchronization with God. When believers do things without such negative attitude, they would bear good testimony for the Lord. They would portray unblemished and harmless conduct. Furthermore, those unbelieving outsiders would find nothing to find fault with them.

Here Paul also painted the unbelieving world as a perverse generation. He then called on the Philippians to let their lives shine as bright lights in that perverse generation. In contrast to the perverse generation, believers shine as light in the world, holding the Word of life to provide the direction as light in darkness. So concerned was Paul for the honor of God that he challenged the Philippians to live life in a way that would give him reason to be proud at the coming of the Lord. Sensing the immanency of his death as a martyr for the Lord, Paul talked about his joy in the midst of his suffering. He viewed his life as a drink offering poured out for the faith of the Philippians. Paul wanted the beloved Philippians to rejoice and share his joy, and be glad. 

Philippians 2:5-11 – The call to emulate Christ’s humility

In these verses Paul called on the Philippians to have the mind of Christ. Why should they have the mind of Christ? What is the mind of Christ? We need to remember that the Greeks were proud people. They considered themselves a class above other races. They had exerted influence in practically every aspect of life. Language, art, architecture, medicine, philosophy and so forth, all bear the influence of the Greeks. No wonder they were a prideful people. With that as a backdrop, we can now understand why Paul had to call on them to emulate the mentality of Christ. Christ had a humble attitude. To have the mind of Christ is to have the same kind of attitude and mentality. Though He had every right to claim equality with God, for He and the Father share the same essence, nature and power, and was co-equal and co-eternal, yet Christ did not. Why? He had a humble attitude.

Here in these few short verses, we are introduced to three cardinal aspects about Christ. Verses 5-6 speak of Christ’s condescension. Paul here referred to Christ’s pre-incarnate state. And in that state, Paul described Him as having the very same nature of God. He shared the same power and authority of God. He was co-equal and co-eternal with God. In His very essence and nature, Christ was and still is God. In verses 7-8 we see Christ, the Incarnate God emptied and divested Himself of the rights to claim equality with God. By an act of choice, Christ lowered Himself to take on a human nature to share the plight of man. He came with the mentality to serve and so He became a servant. As a servant, He was perfectly obedient, even unto death on the Cross. He yielded Himself to the cruelty of men and died for our sins. Then in verses 9-11, Paul described the exaltation of the Incarnate God. By His willing submission to the humiliation, Christ is now highly exalted by God the Father and is given a name above every other name. Essentially, Paul referred to the resurrection, ascension and glorification of Christ.

The emphasis is that Christ’s Personhood has been raised to a position of honor and dignity. And His Sovereignty is extended over three spheres: in heaven, on earth and underneath the earth. Paul made no bones about it, whether angels in heaven, people on earth or demons underneath the earth, all have to bow to His Lordship. Therefore every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. This is the earliest Christian creed – that Jesus Christ is Yahweh - God. All this is to bring glory to God the Father.

The Lord displayed great humility in His self-sacrifice. Our reconciliation with God is made possible by what He had gone through on the behalf of each one of us. He had placed our interest above His personal comfort. Christ had shown us how we should live our lives. Like Him we don’t need position to find validation and worth. Like Him, we must also bend to the will of God, and seek to be obedient to our Heavenly Father. And Like Him, we are also called to serve others sacrificially.         

Philippians 2:1-4 – Cultivate an attitude of humility

Paul underscored the importance to stay united by reminding the Philippians that they were facing a world that was hostile to the Gospel. And they shared in Paul’s belief and suffering, he told them that they must be bold in the face of the hostility. So the key was unity to harmonious living, that Paul now delved deeper into the subject.

He began by providing the bases for unity. There are four certainties in verse 1. Each of these certainties begins with the word “if.” This word “if” used here four times would better be translated with the word “since.” For they provided the four bases for Paul’s appeal to the Philippians. Replacing the word if with the word since will help to clarify Paul’s thought. So verses 1-2 should read like this: “Since there is encouragement for being in Christ, since there is great incentive of comfort from his love, since there is fellowship in the Spirit, and since there is tenderness and compassion, make my (Paul) joy complete and full by being likeminded, demonstrating mutual love for each other, always be in total agreement sharing a similar purpose.”

Evidently, there were some self-centered and self-conceited believers present among them. Paul felt the need to address this category of people. So here in these two verses, he exhorted them to go for harmonious living. He set forth two of his exhortations in the negative before giving them one in the positive. He told them not to do anything for selfish reasons or personal ambition, for such a behavior stemmed from the flesh. And he also told them not to do anything out of conceit. In addressing all believers, his intention was to garner personal and individual responsibility regarding harmonious living. In this exhortation, Paul was dealing with two aspects of the believers’ lives – the motive and the estimation of themselves.

Having dealt with wrong motives and wrong estimation of self, Paul now turned to show them the right way to view oneself. He promulgated an attitude of humility and considerateness for others. Paul advocated that one should begin with the premise of esteeming others better than oneself. Instead of being self-focused or self-absorbed, a believer should be concerned for the needs and interests of fellow brethren. Humility, Paul said, is an inward attitude.

To experience unity, we all know that we need to humble ourselves and put the concerns of others before ours. When the attitude of humility pervades a fellowship, joy will be made complete. True joy can be garnered when Jesus is placed first; the self is placed last; and others are placed in between. JOY - J stands for Jesus, O for others and Y for yourself. Here’s a reminder from the song JOY sung to the tune of Jingle Bells:

J O Y, 
J O Y, 
This is what it means.

Jesus first, 

Yourself last,
Others in-between.

Philippians 1:27-30 – Seek to honor Christ

Seeking to love and honor the Lord should be our passion in life. Nothing short of a hundred percent commitment to this wonderful Savior is a worthy response. How can we honor Him? What are the qualities of a Christ honoring life? In verses 27-28, Paul outlined four areas that believers can do to live a Christ honoring life.

Firstly, believers must live a life worthy of the Gospel of Christ (v.27). In other words, the conduct of a believer must be congruent with the one that Christ had demonstrated. Christ lived an uncompromising life on earth. He lived a life reflecting God’s holiness every moment.

Secondly, believers must learn to live in union with fellow believers (v.27). Believers are instructed to support each other, standing firm in one spirit. They must be in unity so that each other’s life will be enhanced. Paul reckoned that when the believers stand in unity, they are like a compact army that cannot be easily defeated. For a divided force can be easily demolished.

Thirdly, believers must stand fast striving together for the faith of the Gospel (v.27). They must share a common witness and testimony. As they stand united in witness and testimony, corporately they will reflect Christ to a darkened and troubled world.

Finally, believers must be courageous and fearless (v.28). Believers do not allow their adversary to terrify them. Why? For the One who would come to the believers’ rescue is none other than the Lord Himself. He is our salvation.

Paul wanted to impress upon the believers that as a follower of Christ, conflict would be part and parcel of their experience. Therefore, like him, believers ought to strive to demonstrate the four characteristics of a Christ honoring life.

In the two concluding verses of this first chapter, Paul then went on to reveal the two proofs that God’s grace had visited the believers in Philippi. They were granted two things – to believe in Christ and to suffer for Christ. Hence, he concluded that both he and they shared a common struggle for Christ’s sake.

The key thought is for Christians to stand united in Christ. When we are united for the cause of Christ we shall be strong and not easily humiliated by the enemy. When every one of us seek to strengthen ourselves individually in the Lord, we will be strong corporately. We will then be able to better reflect Christ in our midst. 

Philippians 1:19-26 - Winning mentality

In verses 19-20, we get a feel of Paul’s mental strength. He knew the importance of viewing things with God in perspective. Once that happened, the events and circumstances of life could not take him down. In verse 19, his focus was not in his imprisonment but the result of his imprisonment. Why did Paul use the term “deliverance”? It seems unlikely that Paul was talking about salvation per se. Neither was he thinking about his release from prison. If he was, he would not have mentioned about anticipating death in the later verses. Paul probably had in mind how his imprisonment had given him a clearer perspective and motive concerning his life. This experience helped him to differentiate between what’s important and what’s not. And with that he could then divest himself of the unimportant and focus on the pre-eminence of life.

Paul’s confidence rested on the prayers that he knew the Philippians were offering to God on his behalf. And more than that, he was confident also because of the provision of the ministry of God’s Holy Spirit. Paul had a great expectation and hope. He wanted only one thing; and that was to glorify Christ. Unabashed, he would remain riveted to that one desire. Whether he had to suffer martyrdom or be released from his confinement, he was firmed on that one thing: to exalt Christ in his body.

For Paul, Christ was the center of his life; his focal point. That’s why he could say so confidently that for him, “… to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Since Christ is his focal point, he lived to please Him; whether it be in life or in death, it made no difference to Paul. However, here we also see the dilemma that he was encountering. He did not know which to choose. He wanted to bring the maximum glory to God. To die would mean freedom from persecution and hardship. But he was aware that staying alive would be more needful for the Philippians for they needed his ministry. Between the two, Paul chose the needs of his friends above that of his own preference. He demonstrated a selfless attitude.

And with that attitude, Paul found a renewed confidence. He was confident that he would be released to continue ministering to them. He wanted so much for them to progress in the joy of their faith. His remaining alive to serve them would result in greater joy for the Philippians and that their overflowing joy would be in Christ Jesus. Their jubilant rejoicing would also be on account of Paul who would be present to continue to instruct them in Christ.

Philippians 1:19-26 - A winning perspective

Here in this passage, Paul began to reveal his own commitment, to be pure and blameless in all that he was doing. He was confident that God would see him through his tough times, and that when he appeared before God, he would be vindicated. He declared that he would be delivered, and mentioned two reasons for this confidence. Firstly he was confident because of the prayers the Philippians were offering on his behalf. Secondly, he was confident because of the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.   

As Paul had exhorted the Philippians to be pure and blameless, he expected himself to show the same characteristics when he faced his own test. His desire was to face it with boldness, believing that he would not be put to shame in anyway. If he had to die, he wanted his death to bring glory to Christ. And if he had to face trials and be vindicated through it, his desire was to do so to ensure that they were fruitful work for the purpose of Christ.  Either way Paul knew he would not lose. He would exploit it to demonstrate the Spirit-filled and led life.   

However, if given a choice, he would rather depart and be with Christ. But being aware of the principle of putting the needs of others before his, he would rather remain alive, go through the hardship, and fulfill his God-given duties here to his brethren. So in verse 25, Paul confidently states that he would remain for a season on earth to be with the Philippians, to participate in their progress and rejoice in their faith. He was sure that his return to them would do justice to the confidence that they had in him. Paul was sure that he would come to them pure and blameless as they had expected him to. 

Paul was not one who practiced double standards. He did not prescribe one thing for others and another for himself. What he prescribed for others, he would do it himself. We must all seek to be this kind of a person. If we do all for the glory of God we don’t have to content with living life with a double standard.  What we expect of others let’s also ensure that we ourselves will practice it.

Philippians 1:12-18 – Living for Christ

In these verses, Paul wrote to encourage the Philippians who apparently were concerned for him. He not only had opposition from without, but was also misunderstood from within. Out of jealousy many had maligned him. The Philippians knew the tremendous hardship he endured in the works of the Gospel. They knew that he did not flinch from his calling but had instead dutifully and responsibly discharged them joyfully for the Lord. Not wanting the Philippians to be discouraged, Paul penned these verses to encourage them. In a nutshell, he wrote to tell them that the Sovereign God can bring wonderful results out of bad circumstances.

As far as Paul was concerned, God has all things under His control. Events in Paul’s life didn’t just happen without a purpose. God’s designs were seen through each one of them. Hence his bondage did not put any restrain on his ministry. In fact it had brought about positive results. Firstly, the Gospel advanced to the whole praetorian guard. These were the elite guards from the governor’s palace. And all who came in contact with him had the Gospel preached to them. Secondly, his confinement goaded some to speak out for Christ courageously.

Here Paul pointed out that those who began preaching fearlessly might have differing motives. One group preached out of envy and selfish motives, while another out of good will and pure motives. Regardless of the motives, however, Paul’s joy and delight was that the Gospel was advancing.  

Like Paul we should seize every opportunity, even tough and hard circumstances, making the best use of them to advance God’s glory. Let’s not be afraid of rivalry. Let’s learn to look beyond them to the plan and purposes of God, and the advancement of the Gospel. We must learn from Paul. We cannot instill faith into the hearts of the people because that is entirely God’s prerogative. But we, on our part, can live in such a way that we leave a good impression about Christ, in the people whom we come in contact with.     

Philippines 1:4-11 - Prayers and the ministry

Immediately following his introduction and salutation, Paul gave thanks and prayed for the Philippians. He wanted them to know about what God had done in their lives and what He would continue to do for them. Verse 6 made it explicitly clear that God would continue to work in their lives. He said, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” God’s goal was and still is, to help believers come to be fully conformed to Christ. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we know that God through His Spirit has began His work in our lives, to make us more and more complete in our Lord.

This church in Philippi was Paul’s committed partner in the propagation of the Gospel right from her inception. So as he considered the support and commitment of the Philippians, Paul was moved to thank God and offer prayers for them. He saw the responses and support of the Philippians toward him as an act of divine initiative. He was confident that God, Who had initiated the work in their lives, would also sustain them. He was sure that God would complete His work in them. It was out of this conviction that those thanksgiving and supplication flowed.

Verse 7 showed the reason why Paul was convinced that God was working in the lives of the Philippians. It was the way they stood unwaveringly by him in his imprisonment and supporting his defense and confirmation of the Gospel. In so doing, the Philippians had become partakers of the grace of God with him.

He also elaborated on what he began in verse 4 about prayer, by sharing the content of his prayer. Paul was deeply motivated by his love for them to pray for them. And this love he demonstrated toward them was with all the affection of Christ Jesus.

Firstly, he prayed for them to have an overflowing love toward other believers. He prayed that they would not just love in a sentimental sense but in ways inspired by their knowledge of God and deep spiritual insight and perception. Verse 10 tells us of Paul’s two desires for them. His desire was that they would know what is excellent and best for them. And that they would also be able to live blameless and sincere lives till Christ returns.

Secondly, he prayed for them to be filled with the fruit of righteousness. This righteousness, Paul said, “… comes through Jesus Christ.” This is the kind of life which a believer obediently co-operate with Christ and demonstrate His likeness. When such a life is clearly demonstrated, God would be praised and glorified.

Let’s stay confident in Christ for He who has begun a work in our life will help us to attain the goal and reach our completeness in Him. He has sent His Holy Spirit into our lives and He wants us to work in tandem with Him. The Spirit will lead us but we on our part must respond in obedience to Him. As we do so God will give us the growth and make us more and more conform to Christ.  

Philippians 1:1-3 – God’s set apart people

In these introductory verses, as in most of his letters, Paul again began by using the compound term “bond-servants” to refer to himself. Here he also introduced his companion, Timothy as a fellow bond-servant. And we know that they became servants by a personal choice and not because of circumstances. And the master they both chose to serve was none other than Jesus Christ Himself.

Here in his salutation, Paul called his readers “saints in Christ Jesus.” He could have referred to them simply as believers but he did not. He called them saints. The root word for “saints” has been translated both as “set apart” as well as “holy or sanctified.” Thus, believers are not only set apart unto God but have also become holy and sanctified because they have become partakers of God’s holy nature. The two words “in Christ” refer to the fact that it is through Christ and His finished work that believers have attained this set apart, holy and sanctified status.

Note that Paul actually sent his greetings not only to the saints in Christ Jesus but also the bishops and deacons. This tells us that the component of the church comprises not only ordinary members but also the leaderships, both bishops and deacons. They were people appointed for different roles. The bishops were there to oversee the spiritual progress of the church and the deacons were there to serve the people. We need faithful leaders in church to guide the church in the truth and we need servers to do the work of ministry so that needs of the members could be met practically.  

For Christians to live set apart and holy life effectively in a chaotic world, the companion blessings of grace and peace is needed. And the source of grace and peace is God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. All we believers need these two important elements to meaningfully live out our set apart and sanctified life. No wonder Paul greet the Philippians with the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Knowing our status helps to keep us on track with God. But knowing the availability of the grace of God will helps us to enjoy the peace of God. Let’s be clear about our status in Christ and what’s available for to upkeep that status so that we can live in continuous victory in Him.     

The Epistle to the Philippians - Overview

Beginning today we will explore Paul’s letter to the Philippians. We begin by looking at the backdrop to facilitate a better understanding of this letter. In his second missionary journey recorded in Acts 16, Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia, calling to him “to come over and help us.” In response to that vision, Paul and his traveling companions – Luke, Timothy and Silas – went to Philippi. While they were there, Paul met with a group of women outside the city. Consequently, one of them, by the name of Lydia, was converted. Members of her household were also converted (Acts 16:15).

It was in this city of Philippi that Paul and Silas were arrested and imprisoned because of an exorcism they conducted. They delivered a demon-possessed girl who was exploited by her owners, who profited from her diabolical ability to tell the future. Robbed of their income, her infuriated owners had Paul and Silas arrested and imprisoned. While in custody (Acts 16:16-24), a phenomenal miracle took place. We are told that as they sang praises to God at midnight, an earthquake shook that jail. All the doors were flung open and their chains were loosened. Thinking that Paul and Silas had escaped, the jailer wanted to commit suicide by killing himself. However, he was stopped by Paul who assured him that they were still there. And out of that miracle, the jailer was converted and his family members were converted and baptized in their new found faith.

However, it was here that Paul and Silas were beaten without a charge being filed. They were released and told to leave the city, when the authorities discovered that they were Roman citizens. Paul later wrote this letter to the Philippians during his first imprisonment to express his appreciation to the Philippians for their generous support. The church there had apparently sent the offering to Paul through Epaphroditus. Paul was now sending him back to the Philippians with his letter.

Paul probably had several things in mind when he wrote this letter to the Philippians. First of all, he wrote to keep them updated of his situation in the prison and his future plans. Secondly, he wanted to deal with some apparent division in the church. Using the Lord as an example, he exhorted them to demonstrate humility and to practice unity. Thirdly, he was concerned with some heretical teachings, probably Judaism and early form of Gnosticism, which had infiltrated the church. So he wrote to deal with them. Fourthly, he wanted to commend Timothy and Epaphroditus to the Philippians. And finally, he wanted to express his gratitude to them for the support and gifts they had sent to him.

While Paul was harsh when dealing with wrong, he was by nature a people’s person. He was caring and appreciative. These are good traits that we as Christians ought to emulate. Why? Simply put, we are called to care for one another. The better we relate with others the more meaningful and effective will our relationship with others be.  Let’s explore this letter with the purpose of drawing out applicable truths for our journey with the Lord.  

Galatians 6:11-18 – Basic Christianity

This is the closing segment of this epistle. Paul began this letter with his usual greeting of grace. Here he concluded it with the same element of grace. Grace is God’s favor upon an undeserving people. The Gospel of grace is about God being merciful despite man’s unworthiness. Here, Paul dealt with basic Christianity. There are two vital matters: Firstly, the Christian faith is a matter of inward reality and not outward conformity (vv.12-13). Secondly, the Christian faith rests on divine action and not on human performance (vv.13-16).

Paul’s opponents, who had infiltrated the churches in Galatia, denied that salvation is by faith alone. Circumcision was their emphasis. This was first given as a seal in the Old Covenant which God made with His people, but the false teachers took this practice and was making a big deal out of it. They insisted that believers must also be circumcised. Here Paul gave us the reason for their insistence. He said that they were making a big showing in the flesh (v.12). For Paul, the truth of the matter was really neither about circumcision nor un-circumcision. It is about being a new creation in Christ (v.15).

By insisting that circumcision saves, the false teachers had made another mistake. Circumcision is human work. By their insistence, they were suggesting that Christ’s atonement was not enough. To them believers after circumcision were required to also obey the Law. Paul exposed the hypocrisy of the false teachers, for they themselves did not even keep the Law. In demanding circumcision and observance of the Law, they had made their religion one of human works. Paul strongly resisted this teaching. The false teachers insisted on this line of teaching because they wanted to avoid persecution. Paul, on the other hand, was not afraid of the attending problem, trials and hard times that came with preaching the Cross and Christ crucified.

Paul here also contrasted between the true and false religion. The false religion would promote outward performance and self-merit. True religion, on the other hand, rests on Christ’s finished work to make believers the new creation of God. In verse 16, we see three things concerning the Church. Paul referred to it as the Israel of God, and talked about a rule for the walk of life, as well as the experience of peace and mercy. The Church is referred to as the Israel of God because the true circumcision are Abraham’s offspring (Galatians 3:29). When he mentioned the rule, he was referring to the Cross of Christ as a measuring rod to guide the church. When believers walk by the standard of the Cross, they will experience the peace and mercy of God.

Finally, Paul concluded by talking about the marks he bore for Christ. They were probably the scars of the wounds he had received from being persecuted for Christ. These were marks that he gladly took, for they constantly reminded him that he belonged to Christ and had been set apart for His service. Paul closed by wishing that the Galatians would experience the grace of God.

We thank God for His initiative in our lives. Each of us become His new creation because He took the pain to begin His work of grace in our life. Let us make living for Christ an inward transformation rather than just outward performance.     

Galatians 6:6-10 – The Law of the harvest

The principle of sowing and reaping is also referred to as the Law of the harvest. It is a very exacting law. It states that “Whatsoever a man sows, this he will also reap.” In Galatians 6:6-10, Paul wrote concerning this principle. Basically he applied it to three areas of a believer’s life. First, he applied it to the teaching of God’s Word (v.6). Secondly, he applied it to the cultivating of the believer’s conduct (vv.7-8). Then finally, he applied it to the believer’s ministry (vv.9-10).

Relating to God’s Word, Paul told his readers that they who received instruction ought to support their teachers, through whom they had received the Word of faith. Just as a workman deserves his wages, so also a teacher deserves support. For those who minister
the Gospel should live by means of the Gospel. So here Paul explicitly told the Galatians so.  

In verse 8, Paul deals with it from the perspective of the believers’ moral conduct. A holy conduct is determined by where one sows the seeds. Christian life is a battleground for two forces – the flesh or the Spirit. Here a believer can either sow to the flesh or sow to the Spirit. Sowing to the flesh would of necessity cultivate godless character. The seeds come from the thoughts and deeds of life. If a believer panders to the carnal nature instead of crucifying it, he would reap ungodliness and corruption. On the other hand, a believer can sow to the Spirit. The seeds are the same – one’s thoughts and deeds. When believers sow to the Spirit by setting the mind on things that are above where Christ is seated, they will inherit eternal life.

In verses 9-10, Paul turned to apply this law to the believers’ ministry. Here he said that a reward awaits those who resolutely serve without growing weary or discouraged. Paul probably understood the ministry well. It is so easy to be discouraged and become weary in ministry. Here he provided an incentive for all to continue to labor for the Lord. He told them that ultimately, believers who persist in the ministry will reap rewards although he did not specify what it would be.  We all know that to see people being saved in the Lord and edified are already enriching. So in Paul’s spirit, let’s go on serving others faithfully, especially those within the household of God.

Remember - Our life is like a garden; our thoughts and deeds are the seeds. We can either grow flowers, or we can grow weeds. So if we don’t like what we are reaping, check the seeds we are sowing!