Philippians 3:1-3

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1 Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh. ~ Philippians 3:1-3

We finished the second chapter of this epistle with the spotlight on Epaphroditus, a fellow soldier for the advancement of the Gospel. Paul begins chapter three with an admonition: “rejoice in the Lord," which is the theme in this letter. 

In today's text, Paul turns the tables on those who put confidence in the flesh. Rejoicing “in” the Lord overcomes the desire to put confidence “in” the flesh. Those who put confidence in the flesh are described by the Apostle in v.2 in three ways: “dogs,” “evildoers,” and “those mutilators of the flesh.”  

The Apostle underscores "the flesh" in this chapter because it is the cause of the third potential joy stealer in our lives. The potential joy stealer is our pedigree and our possessions. And, of course, the unique thing about the Lord Jesus that is accentuated is that the Lord Jesus must be our goal in all of life.

These who put confidence in their flesh thought of themselves as doers of righteousness, in accordance with the Mosaic Law. By relying on the law, they were actually out of step with the God of the Bible. They were missing God because their hearts were not circumcised and engaged with the Lord Jesus.

God has always been about the circumcision of our hearts. Outward circumcision was simply meant to be a sign of God's commitment to them. This was meant to make a certain impact on our hearts. The impact is that we would fling open the doors of their hearts to the One who made them. This is what God really wants: the engagement of our hearts with Him.

Paul offers a description of the true people of God to counter his description of the false people of God. The Apostle writes in v.3, "we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh."

The people of God are those “who serve God by his Spirit.” It is the Holy Spirit who makes us worshipers of God. He calls forth worship that is genuine and deep, instead of fake or superficial. True worship and service are produced by the Holy Spirit, who resides in our spirit. The godly results which come out of our existence are produced by the Spirit of God. 

In addition, the people of God are those “who boast in Christ Jesus.” To boast is to put the spotlight on Him. It means to worship Him rather than anything else, including ourselves. From our childhood, we have been taught the way to become important is through self-confidence. This only leads to pride. And, the cross of the Lord Jesus is the end of the line for our pride. Due to the fact that we are still fallen, we face life feeling weak, ineffectual, and unable. Since this is so, we must be driven to the one who is totally adequate, and who is ready to be our strength. This is the way God intended for us to live. 

The people of God are those "who put no confidence in the flesh." The true children of God put no confidence in our abilities to do the Lord's work. True believers don’t believe their successes have anything to do with being made right with the Lord. Self-confidence is the most deadly lie that has ever been perpetrated upon the human race. 

Every day we are painfully made aware that we cannot live life on our own and alone. If we acknowledge this and cry out to God for help, daily, this is always the turning point in our daily lives. If we don't have faith in the God of the Bible and we achieve things, we are in the greatest danger of placing our faith in self. But, the problem with self-made men is they tend to worship their creator.

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Philippians 2:25-30

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25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29 So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me. ~ Philippians 2:25-30

In our text the Apostle Paul uses another example of the principle that he gives in Philippians 2:1-16. Epaphroditus, also known as, Epaphras, as noted in Colossians 1:7, is the example now. Epaphroditus was a common name, drawn from the name of the Greek goddess, Aphrodite, who was the goddess of love. Her Roman name was Venus. Epaphroditus was named after her. Epaphroditus literally means "favorite by Aphrodite."

Epaphroditus came out of a pagan background, and was converted to Christ. According to v.25, he was useful to the church in Philippi and the Apostle Paul by delivering a financial gift to Paul from the believers in Philippi. It was an act of love, because travel in those days was difficult and dangerous. In v.30, Paul uses a verb, "risked," which means "to roll the dice." This is what we do when we gamble. It means to expose oneself to danger. 

In v.25, Paul describes Epaphroditus as “my brother.”  Epaphroditus was Paul's spiritual brother, and as followers of the Lord Jesus, they both had the same source of life. And, since they shared the same passion to advance the gospel, they had a tight bond in Christ.

Paul also refers to Epaphroditus as "my co-worker and fellow soldier."  The Greek word used here for fellow soldier is the Greek word stratios from which we get our word  strategist. Paul refers to Epaphroditus as my fellow strategist in the war of the spiritual realm.

Like Timothy, Epaphroditus had God's heart for others. He almost died, which caused Paul to have what he describes in v.27 as “sorrow upon sorrow.” According to v.28, Paul is sending Epaphroditus back to the Philippians in order to lessen the Philippians' anxiety.

In v.29-30, Paul encourages the Philippians to honor Epaphroditus who had “almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.” Epaphroditus risked his life for the Gospel indicating how invested he was in the ministry of the Lord Jesus. 

When we enter into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, and He reveals His heart to and for us, we begin to develop a deep heart of gratitude for who He is and what He has done in our lives. As our theology develops, we are granted a wider and deeper understanding of His salvation which melts our hearts of stone.

The Lord Jesus has come into our lives, not bent on changing our personality. He does address our ego, and it's good for it to go, that independent self that seeks always to be the center of attention. He will wage relentless, unending war against that, and the weapon He uses is primarily, the cross. Our trials and those moments when we need His grace are also helpful. He does not destroy our person, He indwells us, he enhances us. The result is attractive and transformational. It is at this moment that we experience God as He intended.

The Gospel is not just a set of rules, when followed, gets us into heaven or even makes our lives have meaning. It is a movement that transforms God’s entire creation. God will make that happen. And He has given us the privilege of being part of it. It is out of this perspective  C.S. Lewis wrote, "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."

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Philippians 2:19-24

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19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon. ~ Philippians 2:19-24

The Bible is a book about God interacting with people. In fact, there are 3,237 people referenced in the Bible. That's a lot of people in 30,0000 verses. People are obviously important to God and should be to us, too.

Philippians 2:19-24 seems to be out of place. Paul has been addressing the fact that people are our second greatest potential joy-stealer. In our text, the Apostle begins with "I hope in the Lord Jesus." It is this posture that we must have in order to access His joy. 

In addition, Paul introduces Timothy, in order to illustrate the fact that when Christ's mind becomes our mind, people become important. The Apostle sets Timothy apart because Timothy genuinely has a heart for others. Paul earlier told the Philippians, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). Timothy is an example of what this admonition looks like.

In Philippians 2:1-16 the Apostle gave us the precepts regarding how we should live. While in Philippians 2:17-30, the Apostle gives us examples, including Timothy, of what this looks like to "look out for the interest of others."  

Christ served as Paul’s model for looking out for others in Philippians 2:5-11. Paul uses Timothy as another model for this act of Christlikeness. As we will see in tomorrows blog, Epaphroditus is yet another example toward whom Paul turns our attention. At the heart of Christlikeness is a heart for people which comes into our souls through our pains. Brennan Manning once said it well, “The unwounded life bears no resemblance to the Rabbi.”

The Apostle Paul met Timothy during his visit to the city of Lystra and led him to faith in the Lord Jesus. Then, they traveled together sharing the Gospel for years. Of all of Paul's companions, Timothy was his disciple. He was the one to carry on the mantle. But this mantle was not easily handed over or received easily. This mantle came on the heels of much consternation of the soul. In order to give us His heart for others, God sometimes has to melt us down.

Paul and Timothy shared in ministry together. They had a common purpose and goal. This underscores the importance of surrounding ourselves with other people to walk through life together who have the same mission. We can have a community without shared purpose, but we can't have shared purpose without creating community. Coming together around a common goal always builds a community between people.

Paul says he has no one else to send to the Philippians who shares his concern for them. Everyone else who is available “looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ..” 

Timothy had shown that the advancement of the gospel was most important to him. As we have observed elsewhere in our study of the Philippians, the cause of advancing the gospel brings people together and creates deep relationships (see Philippians 1:5). 

Because of his love for the Lord, Timothy became genuinely interested in others because he  genuinely walked with the Lord Jesus. To care for people we must be connected with Christ. When we draw near to Christ, His love for us softens our hearts. It is at this point that His interests become our interests, and we find ourselves loving people.

This is the biggest message in the Bible: our deepest needs get met in relationship with the Lord Jesus. And, as a result, we love others and take to heart the things that interests them. God created us to love others, and as we take an interest in them by seeking to advance the gospel in their lives, we find soul mates with whom we share His heart.


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Philippians 2:17-18

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17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. ~ Philippians 2:17-18

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. We often confuse joy with happiness. A common mistake is to think that getting something will make us happy. We tell ourselves, “If only I had ...” But, as is illustrated in our text, joy comes from giving and serving, not from getting. To grow in joy, we must resist being self-centered and self-absorbed. For joy to flourish in our lives, we must willingly bow our wills to the Lord Jesus and grow in an intimate relationship with Him.

Joy is closely related to gratitude. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, gratitude prepares our souls for joy which is the power that frees us from ourselves and being short-sighted. Joy enables us to lose sight of self. It keeps us from being cowards, and it reveals to us that comfort, the most popular god in America, is its greatest enemy. 

In v.17, we read, "But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith..." Paul’s joy is the result of being poured out on the offering of the faith of the Philippians. The Apostle Paul is in prison in Rome for the sake of the Gospel. This picture of being poured out ends in death to self. Paul uses the exact phrase again in 2 Timothy 4:6, where he says, “I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.” 

At the end of v.17 we read, “, I am glad and rejoice with alI am glad and rejoice with all of you.” The Apostle is rejoicing with the believers in Philippi. They are rejoicing in the advancement of the “faith” in their lives. When joy is given away, it grows because it is doubled.

Joy and faith are inseparable. When we have saving faith, we have tasted the joy that belongs to faith. This is the joy of faith. Many Scriptures show a cause-effect relationship between faith and joy. Faith is the cause and joy is the result.  This discovery transforms us, because our faith in the providence of God enables us to rest in the joy that God has our backs. When we stand on our tiptoes and look beyond the distracting nature of our trials and fix our eyes on the hope found in our salvation, we can have joy in all circumstances.

We read in v.18, “So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.” Joy is the product of being poured out for the sake of the faith.  The risk of dying produces the joy of faith. And now Paul says, rejoice with me as I die for your joy of faith.

To be "poured out like a drink offering" means that the Apostle is suffering for the faith. In Genesis 35:14, Jacob set up a pillar for worship at Bethel, he consecrated it by “pouring out a drink offering on it.”  There was a similar ritual commanded in Exodus 29, it says the priests were to offer a “drink offering” of a hin or a gallon of wine along with the lamb of the burnt offering. They poured the wine out as part of the sacrifice that was offered. Paul is saying, "Suffering is an offering to God, which is the cause for celebration of joy."

In Hebrews 12:2 we read, "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." The joy that was set before the Lord Jesus culminated in our once ruined lives being redeemed though His death and resurrection. Anticipating the outcome, He endured the pain and torture of the cross. He poured out his blood as a drink offering so that we might experience His presence and influence in our daily lives. 

When we suffer together, we have deeper intimacy and stronger connections. Our suffering with other believers creates the strongest connection possible, because that connection is eternal. Many today are hungry for community. Enduring community is the product of joining others who have His heart for that which is most important. In this case, it is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus.

Finally, Nate Saint was the missionary pilot who flew Jim Eliot and three others on a mission trip to a remote tribe of natives in Ecuador, where all five of the missionaries ended up being killed by the tribe after they landed.  Nate Saint was not as well-known as Jim Eliot, but had a great heart for the Lord and His work as well.  Before his death, he wrote these words:

“People who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives … and when the bubble has burst they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted.”

We can pour out our lives like Paul did, in service to God, or we can waste them on things that won’t matter in eternity. Oh to have the ability to transcend to such a perspective. This is the purpose of joy, it enables us to transcend.

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Philippians 2:14-16

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14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. ~ Philippians 2:14-16

As mentioned before, the theme of Philippians is JOY. And, in every chapter something unique about the Lord Jesus is accentuated. When we put these four uniquenesses about the Lord Jesus together, we have God's definition of JOY.

In Philippians 1, the life of Christ is accentuated. In Philippians 2, the mind of Christ is accentuated. When His life becomes ours and when we yield to His definitions to all things, we discover that we are well on the way to having a definition of JOY, which we are told in Nehemiah 8:10, is our strength.

Now, we must be cognizant that everything happens in our lives falls into one of two categories: 1) caused by God, or 2) allowed by God. Either way, what ever happens in our lives comes through the will of God for us. And, when we are yielding to the very life of Christ being lived in us, to us, and through us, we discover that He is defining us. When He is defining us, we will begin to think as He thinks.

In Philippians 2:14, the Apostle Paul tells us, "Do everything without grumbling or arguing." Grumbling means murmuring. It is an expression of discontent, an expression of dissatisfaction. It is literally muttering in a low voice.  It is a complaint expressed in a negative attitude, an emotional rejection of God’s will.

As we have mentioned before, in every chapter of Philippians, there are potential joy stealers. If we are yielding to the presence of the Lord Jesus and His definition of things, these joy stealers will not rob us of His joy which is a fruit of the Spirit, we do not manufacture it.

In Philippians 1, the potential joy stealer is our prisons. In Philippians 2, the potential joy stealer is people. When Christ's life becomes ours, our prisons will become our pulpits. When Christ's mind or His way of thinking defines our thinking, people become important, even when they are being annoying.

In v.14 of our text, the Apostle describes conflict that we have in our lives with other people. We lose sight of the fact that God uses others, even when they are being annoyingly wrong, to refine us. This sets off an intellectual debate with God. We end up complaining with them and arguing with God about why they are what they are. God's goal is to use the people in our lives to refine us, to teach us how to love them as He loves us. 

Now, in context, Paul is saying, "work out your salvation with the basic attitude that does not grumble or complain and argue." We either feed the Spirit of God who has awakened our spirit to God (born again) or we feed the flesh (the sinful desires that are still in us even we are born again.) When we complain and argue, we are feeding the flesh.

According to v.15, we resist "grumbling or arguing," “so that we may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Paul is not saying we earn acceptance before God, no, we have that through the cross of the Lord Jesus. Paul is ultimately concerned with our witness to the world. And, as we allow God to define us, we become billboards of God's way of thinking and living. This in turn causes the world to want what we have.

The witness, in this case, is our relationships with one another, as believers. And, those who are observing us, the “warped and crooked generation” will be able to observe how we relate to each other, finding our behavior blameless and our hearts pure. As we do so, we show the world what our Father is like. 

As we learn to love one another and be God’s community, we “shine among them like stars in the sky.” As the light of the world, Himself, shines through our yielded lives, we show the lost, particularly by the way we love, that there is a better way of being human. Then the people dwelling in darkness will see a great light.

As we shine, we hold firmly to “the word of life,” the Lord Jesus Himself. This enables us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling because God is watching (v.12). We are to do everything without grumbling or arguing because the world is watching (v.14).

Our unity of purpose, created and nurtured by humility and our common love for Christ, which motivates us to stop grumbling and arguing, gives us the ability to offer the gospel of the Lord Jesus to the world with credibility. 

When we hold onto and holding out the Gospel, it will result in Paul's ability to in the day of Christ to literally “boast” that he did not run in vain or labor in vain. The day of Christ is the day when Christ returns to establish His eternal kingdom. 

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Philippians 2:12-13

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12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. ~ Philippians 2:12-13

Mankind was created with two basic needs: to be loved and to love. Our desire for community emanates out of this truth. Everywhere I go, I discover that people are lonely and isolated. In our text, the Apostle Paul takes note of our God-given desire for community, and instructs us how we might go about living in community.

In v.12 of our text, the Apostle instructs us to obey God. To obey is to choose to live under the lordship of Christ. The verb, “work out your salvation” in v.12, means to produce, to bring about, or to effect. If obedience is a set of rules to follow rather than a Lord to love, we will follow a well-worn path that leads to spiritual deadness. No one loves us more than the Lord Jesus. If He tells us to do something, we should do it because He loves us and we recognize that He has our best interest at heart. 

As you know, there is a difference between our justification and our sanctification. The book of Philippians is an epistle, a letter, which gives teaching regarding our sanctification, as all epistles do. Whereas Justification gets us into heaven and is based upon the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross, Sanctification gets heaven into us, now, and is used upon our willingness to be defined by God. When we are being defined by God, we are walking in obedience to His word and are being sanctified.

Paul defines this obedience and subsequent sanctification, by writing, “continue to work out your salvation.” Paul is writing to people who have believed in the Lord Jesus and are justified before God. He’s not appealing to them to somehow, either by works or faith, earn their salvation. He has already equated obedience with working out their salvation. This is what saved people do: we obey God; we work out our salvation. In so many words, Paul is saying: “God has saved you. Now live according to His definition of things.”

Paul goes on to implore His readers to obey “with fear and trembling” in v.12. Paul is absent in Paul's readers lives, but God is present. The proper response when one is in the presence of God is “fear and trembling,” which means a posture of awe, respect and reverence. This phrase is employed not to scare us into obedience, but to enable us to have the proper posture toward a God who is holy and perfect and who has our best interest at heart. The phrase “with fear and trembling” is not a threat, it is a gift.

Paul bases his appeal to obey on the love of God. This love is coming from one to whom every knee will bow. We are to work out our community life together with the knowledge that we are in the presence of a holy God who loves us and those with whom we are in community. 

In v.13, the Apostle reminds us of the secret behind any success that we may experience in our walk with God. The secret is that "it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." We work outwardly because God is at work in our souls, inwardly. God takes great interest in the community He creates. It makes sense, then, that He would help His community do what He wants it to do which is what is best for us.

Paul says that God works among us “to will and to act.” God has put the desire for community in our hearts. And, He gives us the desire for obedience to His word. His will empowers our will. And, when we obey Him, we access His joy. We must be diligent to work with all of our strength, but we must not trust in our labor, we must trust in God's.

When we became followers of the Lord Jesus, God chose to reside in our being through His abiding Holy Spirit. That means God is at work in our souls, which is the arena of our sanctification. And, our souls are made up of our minds, our wills, and our emotions. It is through the change in our souls that we are able to access God's definition of things, that is, His wisdom, joy and His definition of all things. As we obey Him, we grow in His sanctification in our lives.

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Philippians 2:9-11

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9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ~ Philippians 2:9-11

The Lord Jesus was exalted by God the Father. It is one thing to be exalted by a King, but it is another to be exalted by the Supreme Being of all. This is why the Lord Jesus has the preeminence, He has been exalted by the greatest.

The Father gave to the Lord Jesus a name which is above every other name that has ever been given in heaven and on earth. The Lord Jesus was given a new name. The new name is discovered in v.11 where we read,  “Jesus Christ is Lord.” The name that is above every name. No other name than Lord, the name will cause every knee to bow. 

In v.10, we read, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” This is the purpose of His exaltation, worship! This is the only appropriate response to Christ, and ultimately will be the response of everyone to ever live on this earth. Everyone will one day bow the knee to Jesus Christ. Those who confess Him as Lord will enjoy eternity in heaven with our Creator. And, those who reject Him as Lord will spend eternity in hell, apart from the originator of life.

In v.11, we read, “to the glory of God the Father.” Herein is the purpose of the exaltation of the Son, the exaltation of the Father. And, the Father is honored when the Son is worshiped. 
The Father is exalted by what Christ has accomplished. 

The gospel then is the story of humiliation and exaltation. God stooping all the way down to become man, as a servant, and dying on the cross. By this, He accomplished our redemption. As a result, the Father exalts Him back to where He was, with honor and glory for having accomplished redemption. Giving Him the name that is above every name, the name Lord, the Lord Jesus. 

From all of this we learn that we must not spend our lives demanding our rights, trying to get what we think we deserve, being angry at God and people. From this we must learn to choose to be humble under the mighty hand of God. We are wise to resist arrogance, conceit, and self-centeredness. This is what exalted the Son and exalting the Son brings glory to the Father. 

Interestingly, the first time the word "worship" appears in the scriptures is in Genesis 22. The first time the word "love" is used, as well. The first time the word "love" is used in scripture speaks of the Father's (Abram's) love for the son (Isaac). Interestingly, the second time the word "love" is used in the scriptures, Genesis 24, speaks of the son's love {Isaac) for his bride (Rebekah). What a picture of the gospel.

What we revere, we resemble, either for ruin or for restoration. At the heart of worship is love. What we worship will be the thing that we love the most. And, what we love is what we will worship. C.S. Lewis said it well, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”

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Philippians 2:5-8

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5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross! ~ Philippians 2:5-8

Philippians 2:5 is a transition from exhortation to illustration. If we follow the example of the Lord Jesus, we will experience unity one with another. Paul's goal is not to answer theological questions, but to highlight transformational relationships. Unity does not come through agreement, it comes through humility. This is why Paul describes the humility of Christ in our passage for today.

In v.5, we read, "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus." Literally, Paul is saying, "have this attitude, which you are able to have because you are in Christ Jesus." Due to the fact that "we are in Christ", the sphere in which we live our lives is different. We live surrounded by Christ; everywhere we go in everything we do. We are "in Christ." The only reason that this is remotely possible is that we live in Christ. It is an impossible goal, but through the Lord Jesus, the impossible becomes attainable. As a result, we look like we are imitating Christ when in reality it is Him doing it.

The verb used here translated "have the same mindset as Christ Jesus" is literally, "think His way." But, this is not an intellectual exercise. This is how we start down the road toward unity. We think like Jesus because we are in Jesus so that we can live like Jesus.

In v.6-8, the Apostle describes the humility of the Lord Jesus. First, as God, He was pre-existent. Then, He becomes a man. Finally, He dies. 

In v.6, we read, "being in very nature God." In all of His essence, He is God. Yet, v.6 continues with, "did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage." The Lord Jesus didn't struggle with proving He was God. And, He was totally motivated for the other, be it His Father or be it you and me. 

He gave up the right to His rights. He did not give up His rights, He couldn't do that, but He gave up the right to enjoy those rights. He was equal with God, but He experienced the life of fallen man. 

In v.7, we read, "he made himself nothing." The Greek word used here is "ekonosen."  This is described in three ways: "by taking the very nature of a servant," "being made in human likeness," and "And being found in appearance as a man." The Lord Jesus became a servant. He was born as a poor, working-class infant to an unwed mother of an oppressed people group.

It began in His mind with the idea that My enjoyment is not the most important thing to me. In other words, He did not insist on His rights, but laid aside the right to have His rights. This is where humility begins, the readiness to lay aside the right to enjoy our rights. 

Then, according to v.8, the Lord Jesus died. God, the giver of life, had His taken from Him. He died in the most degrading, humiliating, shameful way possible. He was abandoned by everyone. He not only took our sin upon Himself, He also took our shame. As He hung on that cross, He was naked. 

There is no humility without humiliation. The humility of the Lord Jesus was most humiliated. He is our model. With unity as our goal, we are invited to humiliate ourselves. The Lord Jesus stopped at nothing. His downward journey took Him as far as He could possibly have gone. From God to man to death.

The Lord Jesus is the epitome of humiliation.  "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."  He didn't have to die; He volunteered.  No man took His life from Him; He gave His life for you and me.  It was an undeserved death.  And it was a death of a humble person.  He went all the way to death.  Since the wages of sin is death, somebody had to die.  Since God required a sacrifice, someone had to be the sacrifice.  

He went  “to death-even death on a cross.”  That is the worst form of tortured death man has ever devised. His was incredible pain, unbelievable shame, nakedness and disgrace.  And beyond that, the desertion of God. But that's how far He went for sinners who didn't deserve it, who didn't even want it, and who still don't want it except that God in His free, sovereign grace gives it to us.

I love these words of Philip Yancey. "To some, the image of a pale body glimmering on a dark night whispers of defeat. What good is a God who does not control his Son's suffering? But another sound can be heard: the shout of a God crying out to human beings, "I LOVE YOU." Love was compressed for all history in that lonely figure on the cross, who said that he could call down angels at any moment on a rescue mission, but chose not to - because of us. At Calvary, God accepted his own unbreakable terms of justice."

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Philippians 2:3-4

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3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. ~ Philippians 2:3-4

The main theme in Philippians is joy. And, in every chapter there is a unique thing about the Lord Jesus which enables us to access His joy. And, in every chapter there is a potential joy stealer. In Philippians 1, the joy stealer is our prisons, and in Philippians 2, the joy stealer is people. In Philippians 1, the unique thing about the Lord Jesus that enables us to access His joy is His life. In Philippians 2, the unique thing about the Lord that enables us to access His joy is His way of thinking which is often the exact opposite of the way we think.

It’s sad, but sometimes suffering pulls us apart. Often, when we suffer, we withdraw from others, even those whom we love. The encouragement here is that as we suffer, we serve each other in humility. Humility is not about what we think about ourselves. It’s about how we interact with one another. One translation renders this, “be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.”

In our text, the enemies of unity and joy are "selfish ambition" and "vain conceit." Selfish ambition can be understood as “motivation to elevate oneself or to put one’s own interests before another’s.” It is a self-above-others approach. 

“Vain conceit” means “empty glory.” The verb “empty” and the noun “glory” are both used in connection with Christ in the following verses, but in a completely different way. Christ “made himself nothing, ”literally, “emptied Himself" and God exalted Him so that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the “glory” of God the Father. Christ sought the glory of the Father, and in so doing, He was glorified.

Having been made in the image of God but damaged by sin, we are in need of being transformed. And, through our relationship with Christ, we are being changed from the inside out, so that we may be able to reflect His glory. But when we seek our own glory, seeking to establish a reputation for ourselves, it’s empty. It means nothing and has no lasting value. 

The ally of unity is "humility," which begins with a proper assessment of ourselves as  dependent on our Creator. When we humble ourselves before God, we see that we are valuable in His eyes, but no more valuable than anyone else. 

We tend to think that agreement leads to unity. But the Apostle Paul is clear: unity is built on humility, not agreement. Unity begins when each of us starts to rethink our importance, and we change the way we act because of it. Unity is built on humility.

Such humility, then, enables us to do the seemingly impossible: "not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." This does not mean that others are more important than we are. It does not mean that we do not consider our own needs. It means, as v.4 indicates, that "we consider others’ needs more important than ours."

The verb that would be literally translated “looking to,” skopeo in the Greek, was used of a military guard, spy or scout. We are to be like a guard, a spy or a scout, looking outward and asking God whose needs we should meet. Paul considered his life “necessary” for the Philippians progress in the faith. 

The quickest road to unhappiness is the freeway of Self. And if we get on that freeway of self, we will discover that it is packed. There's a lot of people on it. But, it is a dead end street, going nowhere but to frustration. On the other hand, when we get on Humble Road, although it's quite lonely, it is the quickest road to joy, real joy that is not daunted by our circumstances. 

Finally, I love this quote from Andrew Murray, “Humility is perfect quietness of heart. It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door, and kneel to my Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and above is trouble.” 

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Philippians 2:2

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... then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ~ Philippians 2:2


Relationships take a lot of work. And every person in this world is incompatible with every other person. Enough time together reveals this truth. Every friendship, marriage, family, and organization has relational challenges. This is due to the fact that we are defined by our flesh more so than we are by God. This is why the Apostle Paul mentions the four truths in Philippians 2:1.

Most of our problems in life come from our interaction with people resulting in our joy being disrupted. People can rob us of our joy. And the book of Philippians is dubbed the epistle of joy. Paul uses a joyful tone throughout the entire book, even though he's in prison. He reminds us that our circumstances cannot rob us of our joy. 

Whereas in Philippians 1, our prisons are our joy-stealers, in Philippians 2, people are the next biggest challenge to our joy. Having said that, we must also quickly turn the page and realize that we're part of the problem. Because we're people too.

According to v.2 our joy is made complete by: "being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind." The unifying force for all of these is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. And, if we are experiencing His "encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion," for ourselves, we will be united for the cause of the gospel.

In Philippians 2:1, the Apostle gives us four identifying truths which come out of our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In addition, in Philippians 2:2, the Apostle gives us four essentials of unity which precede the experience of joy. And these four essentials of unity are preceded by us being defined by God through the four truths in v.1. Also, the four essentials providing unity among us precedes our joy being made complete.

The first essential toward unity is: “being like-minded.” The Greek verb phrone is used here which means “to think the same way.” The first key to unity is thinking alike. Of course, this is why the Lord has given us His word. And, when God is clear, when He is black and white, we are black and white. And, when He is gray, when He doesn't spell it out clearly, we are gray. In other words, we think God's way. Unity is evidenced among us when we are controlled by a deep knowledge of the Word of God that is energized in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The second essential toward unity is: "having the same love."  It serves to reason that if we are of the same mind we will experience the same love. The Lord has told us, "Have no other gods before me." He knows that due to the fact that we are fallen, we will have other gods. But, we must not have any gods before Him. What we give our heart to is what we love. And, when His love is defining us, we will love others as we ought. Love acts on behalf of someone else's need. “God so loved the world that He gave," He gave what we so desperately needed. Unity is evidenced among us when we love each other, when we don't hold grudges, and we're not bitter toward one another.

The third essential toward unity is: “being one in spirit .” This Greek word, transliterated “being one in spirit,” is used only one time in the whole New Testament. It means “one-souled.” It means to be knit deeply down in the harmony of the soul. This is talking about passion and desire. If we all have the same passions and desires, we're going to be “one in spirit.” Note that this word spirit doesn't come with a capitalized "S." It is speaking of our spirit which is one third of our being. The other two parts are our soul and our body. And, our souls are made up of three parts; our mind, our wills, and our emotions.

The fourth essential toward unity is: "of one mind."  Here, Paul uses a participle when translated reads “being of the same mind.” Literally this means “minding one thing.” The one thing that we mind is the gospel which is the magnet which holds all of this together.

Finally, the Lord's way of thinking leads us to His way of living which leads to soul connection among His people which leads to being focused on one thing: the advancement of His Gospel in this world. The greatest part of the gospel is not forgiveness, justification, or eternal life. The greatest part of the gospel is God Himself, enjoyed by His redeemed people. The gospel is the good news that God bought for our everlasting enjoyment of God.

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Philippians 2:1

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Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion. ~ Philippians 2:1

As we transition into Philippians 2, we discover in v.1 four first class conditional statements that each begin with the word “if.” Since these are first class conditional sentences, the better translation is "since." The Apostle is really saying, “If these things are true (and they are!), then make my joy complete.”

Now, these four truths for the believer in Christ are very important because they counteract the prisons that we all have. These four enable us to realize the joy of the Lord in a practical way, rendering freedom from our prisons.

These four truths are: "encouragement from being united with Christ, comfort from his love, common sharing in the Spirit, tenderness and compassion." These are the results of coming into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. These four things are the definers of the believer in Christ. Like a solar system circling a sun, the community believers should be drawn together by one single thing at our center, the Lord Jesus Himself. 

Notice that the Apostle Paul doesn’t say, "find people that are similar to you." He doesn’t say, "figure out the most important issues and agree on them." He doesn’t say, "create some kind of cultural or theological or political boundary and only experience unity within that." No, believers in Christ come together because we share in the same Savior who brings us to Himself where His joy is authentically experienced as we give ourselves to Him and gives Himself to us.

In v.1 the Apostle writes, "since you have encouragement from being united with Christ." This word “encouragement,” means “to come alongside someone and help them.” So, first, since we are in Christ and we have experienced His help, we should come alongside others in order to help them. In this way, we are defined by Christ.

Second, "since we have comfort from Christ's love," we should comfort one another. The word here for “comfort” carries with it the idea of “tender counsel.” This is a friendship word. Since we have been constantly encouraged in our relationship with Christ; because we have experienced His “tender counsel,” speaking words of friendship , we should reciprocate this to other believers.

The third result of being in Christ is this "common sharing in the Spirit." The Apostle uses the Greek word koinonia which means partnership, communion, sharing to help us understand and experience the life of God further.  Because we have experienced the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we should minister to one another. 

The first two results of coming into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus are directly from the Lord Jesus. Whereas the second two come from the Holy Spirit. And it is the Holy Spirit who is the source of believer's unity.  We will be unified with one another as we are defined by the Holy Spirit who teaches us the meaning of what it means to be defined by these four results of coming into a personal relationship with Christ.

The fourth result is "the tenderness and compassion we have received from the Holy Spirit. He plunges us deeper into His ministry to us. The word used here for tenderness in the Greek is, splanchna, which means “gut, viscera, or bowels.” It has to do with affection. Love is sort of a cognitive thing, whereas affection is a feeling. Tenderness is a longing.  It's more than a cognitive appreciation; it's a longing. The Apostle is saying, “you have received the longings of the Spirit,” deeply felt affections.  The bowels were seen by the Jews as the seat of emotions.  It's where one felt things. Believers have received the longings of the Spirit.  What He longs for, He gives to us. What He longs for, if we let it, will define us.

Then, there's the word “compassion.” It's used four times by Paul. Two of those times it's translated “the tender mercies of God.”  We've received the longings of the Spirit, and the tender, compassionate sympathy of God through the Spirit.  God has been sympathetic to us. God gives us way more than we deserve. He has poured out to us grace upon grace, and mercy upon mercy. He has a heart of pity and tenderness toward us. 

Finally, if we do not experience a personal relationship with God, these four truths will not define us. And, as a result, we will be inauthentic in our relationships with others, be they believers or not. This is do to the fact that we will be motivated to do those things that we are commanded by the Lord from the wrong posture. We will be seen as inauthentic due to our insecurities. You see, these four things fill us up to the point of not needing anything from anyone one else. When we are not experiencing Him, we will insecurely look to others to meet our deepest needs. Something that they can not do. This is something that only He can do. And, when we are drawing upon Him for these needs, we will grow in security and authenticity.

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