Much-Needed Words from a World-Tested Saint

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

2 To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. – Philippians 1:1-2 ESV

As we begin our study of Paul’s letter to the believers in Philippi, we must establish the historical context behind this document. Obviously, the opening line, which serves as the salutation to the letter, establishes Paul as its author. But we also find the name of Timothy, his young protégé and spiritual son in the faith. Timothy was alongside Paul as he penned this letter while under house arrest in Rome.

Paul’s arrival in Rome had been the culmination of a series of complicated and, obviously, God-ordained events that began with a plot on his life. Paul had returned to Jerusalem to meet with James and the other leaders of the Jerusalem church. He made a report regarding his work among the Gentiles, and this news was met with great joy. But, while James and his associates were excited about the obvious evidence of God’s hand upon Paul and his missionary efforts, they reported that the believing Jews in Jerusalem were less-than-enthusiastic about Paul’s work. Some disturbing rumors had reached their ears that Paul had been teaching that Jews who came to faith in Christ no longer had to keep the law of Moses. James presented Paul with the basic gist of the rumor.

…they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs.”– Acts 21:21 ESV

One can understand why this news would have upset the Jewish believers in Jerusalem. Ever since the birth of the Church at the Feast of Pentecost, the vast majority of its converts had been Jews who continued to practice all the rites and rituals of Judaism. In the Book of Acts, Luke records that these new believers had not viewed their decision to follow Christ as a replacement for Judaism.

…all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. – Acts 2:44-47 ESV

Since they viewed Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah, they believed He would be a champion of the Mosaic Law. Yet, Paul was allegedly teaching something quite contrary and concerning.

James was concerned that once these Jews heard that Paul was in town, they would stir up trouble for him. So, he recommended that Paul go through a period of purification, signaling to his critics that he was still a faithful Jew. Paul had agreed to the recommendation and, as the seven days of purification were coming to a close, he had made his way to the temple to complete the process. But Paul ended up being accused of bringing a Gentile into the restricted area of the temple reserved solely for Jews. A mob descended upon him intending to put him to death but Paul was rescued by Roman soldiers and placed under arrest. This led a small faction of the Jews to swear an oath among themselves that they would fast from food or drink until they had put Paul to death.

When the plot was exposed, Paul was shipped to Caesarea where he appeared before the Roman governor, Felix. Paul would remain in Caesarea for two years, under house arrest. Eventually, Felix was replaced by Festus, who decided to send Paul back to Jerusalem for trial. But Paul, knowing that he would not receive a fair trial in Jerusalem, appealed to his right as a Roman citizen to appear before Caesar in Rome. He was granted his request and shipped to Rome where he remained for two years under house arrest, awaiting trial before Caesar. It was while in Rome that Paul wrote this letter.

But why is any of this background information relevant? It is because the entire letter to the Philippian believers is filled with words of encouragement. Here was a man who had spent years facing trumped-up charges that had left him imprisoned for a crime he had not committed. He was still facing a plot on his life and the prospect of appearing before Caesar with no guarantee that his trial would end in either his acquittal or release.  In fact, he would tell his brothers and sisters in Philippi:

For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. – Philippians 1:21 NLT

Long before Paul ever arrived in Rome, he made a similar statement to the believers living there.

If we live, it's to honor the Lord. And if we die, it's to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. – Romans 14:8 NLT

So, here was Paul, writing to the believers in Philippi and attempting to encourage them in their faith. The words that Paul writes to these people carry far more significance and weight when you consider the circumstances under which he wrote them. Consider this well-known declaration by Paul found later on in his letter.

I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. – Philippians 4:11-12 NLT

He follows this expression of contentment in the face of adversity with the confident assertion, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13 NLT). This was a man who knew what he was talking about. He was not offering pious-sounding platitudes, but well-tested counsel based on his own personal experience.

Paul had a strong attachment to the believers in Philippi because he had played a major role in their coming to faith. In the book of Acts, Luke records Paul’s arrival in Philippi, a Roman colony. Paul had the privilege of leading a woman named Lydia to Christ, along with her entire household. Her home became the meeting place for the fledgling congregation. It was in Philippi that Paul and Silas were imprisoned for casting a demon out of a young slave girl whose masters profited from her use as a fortune teller. Once freed from her demon, her value as a soothsayer was greatly diminished and her owners turned their anger against Paul and Silas. After having been severely beaten, Paul and his companions were imprisoned. But Paul was not one to let obstacles stand in his way, even the bars of a prison cell. It was while in prison that Paul and Silas led to Christ the jailer in charge of their care.

Once released from jail, Paul and Silas eventually made their way to Thessalonica, but it seems that Paul made at least one return trip to Philippi sometime before the penning of this letter to them. It was a direct response to a gift he had received from them that had been delivered by a man named Epaphroditus. Paul would use this young man to deliver his letter, allowing him to return home and put any concern they had over his well-being to rest. It seems that Ephaphroditus had become deathly sick during his time in Rome, but had recovered.

I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need,  for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. – Philippians 2:25-26 ESV

Paul was happy to send Ephaphroditus home with a word of commendation, praising him for risking his life to minister to Paul’s needs.

But back to Paul’s salutation or greeting. He describes himself and Timothy as servants. The Greek word he used is doulos, and it refers to a bondservant or slave. It literally meant, “one who is subservient to, and entirely at the disposal of, his master; a slave.”

Rather than present himself as some kind of superior leader who deserves respect and honor, Paul refers to himself as a lowly slave. This is the same designation Paul used when writing to the church in Rome.

Paul, a servant [doulos] of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God. – Romans 1:1 ESV

Little did he know that, when he wrote these words, they would be prophetic. He would later become like a slave, living under the authority of the Roman government and completely subservient to their will. But he would still be serving Christ even while subject to the power and control of Rome.

Paul addresses his letter “to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi.” He refers to them as “saints,” using the Hebrew word hagios, which carries a depth of meaning. It is often translated as “holiness” but can also mean “to be set apart.” According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, hagios was used “of things which on account of some connection with God possess a certain distinction and claim to reverence.” Like the temple itself and the items found within it, believers have been set apart by God for His use. They belong to Him. This is what led Paul to tell the believers in Rome:

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. – Romans 6:13 ESV

Paul had a deep desire to see his brothers and sisters in Christ live up to their calling as children of God. He will plead with them to live lives that are set apart, reflecting their unique status as saints of God.

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel… – Philippians 1:27 ESV

Here was a man well-acquainted with suffering for his faith. He had first-hand experience with what happens when you live as hagios in a world that stood in direct opposition to all he believed in and stood for. At the core of Paul’s message to the Philippian church will be his call to spiritual maturity in the face of adversity. They were a relatively healthy congregation but were surrounded by darkness and faced with the constant temptation to compromise their faith. Paul will use his own walk with Christ as an example of what holiness looks like in real life.

But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13-14 ESV

Paul knew that this determination to press on and strive for the goal of Christ-likeness would require the grace and peace of God. But his confidence in God’s faithfulness to provide the strength needed to reach the prize was based on personal experience, not speculation. This is what allowed him to boldly proclaim, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 ESV).

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Run to Complete, Not Compete.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. – 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 ESV

The Christian life is not a competition. It is not to be one believer pitted against another in some kind of race for spiritual supremacy or religious recognition. Christians are not to compare themselves with one another in hopes of proving that they are somehow superior or further along in their faith. So Paul’s words in these closing verses of chapter nine are not to be taken as an encouragement to for believers to compete against their brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul is definitely encouraging that believers strive in the “race” of life. But his emphasis is on completion, not competition. He wanted the Corinthians to live their lives with purpose, keeping the ultimate goal of their salvation in mind. It was the way he lived his own life and why he was able to say to Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8 ESV).

Paul knew his life on earth was not all there was to his existence. There was more to come. And he lived with the constant awareness that his days on earth were numbered, and the older he got, the more he realized the end of his earthly existence was getting closer. Which is why he told Timothy, “the time of my departure has come” (2 Timothy 4:6 ESV). He knew that one day he would die and stand before God. And he also knew that his efforts at running the race on this earth would be judged and rewarded by God. So as long as he drew breath, he ran with purpose, with his eyes on the ultimate goal. He wanted to finish the race well, not worrying whether he came in first or last place, but that he had given it his all. When Paul talks about “the prize”, he is referring to the award given to the victor who participated in the Greek games. It was typically a crown of garlands. But Paul is using the word metaphorically to refer to our heavenly prize: eternal life. It is the same word he used when writing to the Philippian believers. “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14 ESV).

The goal of our existence is eternity, not earthly superiority, comfort, convenience, pleasure, recognition, or temporal rewards. We get our reward in heaven. We may experience God’s blessings here, but the best is yet to come. So Paul tells us to run with our eyes on the prize, with the proper goal in mind. This requires self-discipline and a determination not to let yourself get distracted or deterred from your goal. It requires training and persistent practice. Again, Paul told Timothy, “Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules” (2 Timothy 2:3-5 NLT). We have to stay focused. Distractions are a constant threat for those of us who are running the race of life as believers. The world would have us pursue other goals and tempt us with different finish lines. We could easily make our lives all about success or significance. We could spend all our time pursuing pleasure and prosperity. We could be driven to win the prize of temporal happiness rather than eternal joy. So Paul tells us to run purposefully, not aimlessly. He encourages us to do all that we have to do to make sure we cross the intended finish line. The author of Hebrews gives us similar words of encouragement.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. – Hebrews 12:1 NLT

Competitive runners have every right to eat what they want. After all, the expend far more calories than the average person. And because they put so much stress and strain on their bodies, they have the right to sleep in and take it easy. But the truly good ones don’t do those things. They may have the right, but they discipline their bodies. They forego their rights in order to gain the prize. They give up their temporal desires in order to achieve that one thing for which they desire most: Victory. And that is how it should be with us as believers. We should never let our earthly rights and privileges get in the way the pursuit of our eternal reward. And because our life on this earth is to be done in the context of community, we are to run the race collectively, not independently. Paul wanted to see the Corinthians finish strong. He was their coach and cheer leader. He ran alongside them, urging them on and keeping them focused on the prize. We are to do the same for one another. This last week in the Olympic games in Brazil, during one of the longer races in track and field, two young ladies were inadvertently tripped up as all the competitors jockeyed for position. They both crashed to the track, ending their hopes of advancing to the next round of competition. But then one of the fallen runners got up and reached down to help her fallen competitor get to her feet. Together, they made their way slowly and painfully around the track, until they were able to cross the finish line together. That is the picture that comes into my mind when I read these words from Paul. At some point, we have to focus our attention on completing rather than competing. We have to make it our aim to finish the race, whatever the cost. Because the reward that awaits us is well worth the effort. But we also need to care for those who are running at our side. We should desire to see them make it to the end as well. Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us, but let us not run, ignoring all those running beside us. And let us not allow our finish to be at the expense of other believers who might need our encouragement and assistance along the way.

Run To Complete, Not Compete.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. – 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 ESV

The Christian life is not a competition. It is not to be one believer pitted against another in some kind of race for spiritual supremacy or religious recognition. Christians are not to compare themselves with one another in hopes of proving that they are somehow superior or further along in their faith. So Paul’s words in these closing verses of chapter nine are not to be taken as an encouragement to for believers to compete against their brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul is definitely encouraging that believers strive in the “race” of life. But his emphasis is on completion, not competition. He wanted the Corinthians to live their lives with purpose, keeping the ultimate goal of their salvation in mind. It was the way he lived his own life and why he was able to say to Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8 ESV).

Paul knew his life on earth was not all there was to his existence. There was more to come. And he lived with the constant awareness that his days on earth were numbered, and the older he got, the more he realized the end of his earthly existence was getting closer. Which is why he told Timothy, “the time of my departure has come” (2 Timothy 4:6 ESV). He knew that one day he would die and stand before God. And he also knew that his efforts at running the race on this earth would be judged and rewarded by God. So as long as he drew breath, he ran with purpose, with his eyes on the ultimate goal. He wanted to finish the race well, not worrying whether he came in first or last place, but that he had given it his all. When Paul talks about “the prize”, he is referring to the award given to the victor who participated in the Greek games. It was typically a crown of garlands. But Paul is using the word metaphorically to refer to our heavenly prize: eternal life. It is the same word he used when writing to the Philippian believers. “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14 ESV).

The goal of our existence is eternity, not earthly superiority, comfort, convenience, pleasure, recognition, or temporal rewards. We get our reward in heaven. We may experience God’s blessings here, but the best is yet to come. So Paul tells us to run with our eyes on the prize, with the proper goal in mind. This requires self-discipline and a determination not to let yourself get distracted or deterred from your goal. It requires training and persistent practice. Again, Paul told Timothy, “Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules” (2 Timothy 2:3-5 NLT). We have to stay focused. Distractions are a constant threat for those of us who are running the race of life as believers. The world would have us pursue other goals and tempt us with different finish lines. We could easily make our lives all about success or significance. We could spend all our time pursuing pleasure and prosperity. We could be driven to win the prize of temporal happiness rather than eternal joy. So Paul tells us to run purposefully, not aimlessly. He encourages us to do all that we have to do to make sure we cross the intended finish line. The author of Hebrews gives us similar words of encouragement.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. – Hebrews 12:1 NLT

Competitive runners have every right to eat what they want. After all, the expend far more calories than the average person. And because they put so much stress and strain on their bodies, they have the right to sleep in and take it easy. But the truly good ones don’t do those things. They may have the right, but they discipline their bodies. They forego their rights in order to gain the prize. They give up their temporal desires in order to achieve that one thing for which they desire most: Victory. And that is how it should be with us as believers. We should never let our earthly rights and privileges get in the way the pursuit of our eternal reward. And because our life on this earth is to be done in the context of community, we are to run the race collectively, not independently. Paul wanted to see the Corinthians finish strong. He was their coach and cheer leader. He ran alongside them, urging them on and keeping them focused on the prize. We are to do the same for one another. This last week in the Olympic games in Brazil, during one of the longer races in track and field, two young ladies were inadvertently tripped up as all the competitors jockeyed for position. They both crashed to the track, ending their hopes of advancing to the next round of competition. But then one of the fallen runners got up and reached down to help her fallen competitor get to her feet. Together, they made their way slowly and painfully around the track, until they were able to cross the finish line together. That is the picture that comes into my mind when I read these words from Paul. At some point, we have to focus our attention on completing rather than competing. We have to make it our aim to finish the race, whatever the cost. Because the reward that awaits us is well worth the effort. But we also need to care for those who are running at our side. We should desire to see them make it to the end as well. Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us, but let us not run, ignoring all those running beside us. And let us not allow our finish be at the expense of other believers who might need our encouragement and assistance along the way.