“Philippians- An Exposition“

This message is the 9th part after the introduction of an expository study of the Epistle of Philippians written by the apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

In this study message we will be looking a Philippians 4 in closing down this study with sound words for the fellow laborers especially some words for the ladies of the congregation. Paul also offers us some general Christian fortitude, hope and strength in learning how to rejoicing in “Whatsoever things” God hath approved in Christ by His Holy Word in the Law and  Gospel.

We will make application to our own individual life as we consider Paul’s words and what it says to us in our day and age.

It was a pleasure to study this with my congregation and with allow of you that have reached out as a repercussion of this Exopition.

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Delivered on 12-29-2021 / grego. 4-30-2022

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Compiled by JS LOWTHER
renewedcovenantministry.com
servant@renewedcovenantministry.com

Philippians 

An Exposition 

Pt.9 “Whatsoever Things…”

Hear the word of the LORD written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit by Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Php_4:1  Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
Php 4:2  I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
Php 4:3  And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.
Php 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Php 4:5  Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Php 4:9  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Php 4:10  But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
Php 4:11  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Php 4:12  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Php 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Php 4:14  Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.
Php 4:15  Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.
Php 4:16  For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.
Php 4:17  Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.
Php 4:18  But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.
Php 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Php 4:20  Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Php 4:21  Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you.
Php 4:22  All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.
Php 4:23  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

To the Philippians written from Rome, by Epaphroditus. 

End

As we read the hole of Chapter 4 it is good to remember the condition Paul was in while writing this letter, he was in the Pretorian prison:

Php_1:13 said:
So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;

And we know that the palace in regarding is what is called the prison of the Praetorian Guard.
I mention this as it is fresh in our mind, concerning his ability to be content in his situation and strengthened to write on these matters we have cover and how it is not grievous for Paul to do so nontheless.

Paul immediately makes this statement

Php_4:1  Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown,

after he said in

Php_3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Here he pictures the brethren, the beloved saints as his joy and crown, the prize of this statement and finishing with,

“…so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.” and that directly relating to 
Php 3:20  For our conversation or citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Php 3:21  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

This is his context in ending. An encouragement in keeping one’s stamina up in this race.

And Paul fortifies the people of the Church of Philippi to be of one minded ness in saying:

Php_4:2  I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syn-ty-che (both of which by name are indicated as women) that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
Php 4:3  And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

This is a particular call of that one mindedness to the whole church focused on 2 women by name and on Clement a well known bishop or over seer of church history, of whom we yet have his writings with us today.

The over all tone is one of encouraging the whole of the church, the women as instrumental parts of the work of the church local to be in one mind and to be involved in what tasks are appointed to them by the Word of God, and for the bishops and deacons of the church to help the women who seemingly have been encouraged or called back to the ‘same mind’ of the Saints in Jesus Christ.

Most likely to either be encouraged in it or o be corrected from severing them selves off with those Dogs and evil workers we were heretofore warned of.
I think this is an important text for us to consider, because this text shows that the women of the church are not simply minister to members, they do not simply come to hear and sing, but a the church ought to be they are part of the Gospel going forth.

One might say how, The ministry and oversight and offices are only given to men, married men with ensample families?

And that is correct, but because we often forget that a Church is much more like a family than a building and is really not an assemblage that does little else than sing, hear and convoke together.

Consider how a woman is best suited to minister for the church, a subject few these days wish to speak of:

Tit_2:1  But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
Tit 2:2  That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
Tit 2:3  The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
Tit 2:4  That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
Tit 2:5  To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
Tit 2:6  Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
Tit 2:7  In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Tit 2:8  Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

We see here that Titus was encouraged in Sound or scripturally solid doctrine, that which was taught in the Law of God.
That the general elders are called to a high standard just as part of the body, but so were the general elder women, given a great role of godliness in teaching the younger women to “be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. ” – what a lesson to minister

This is the woman’s ministry, for the elder to teach these things and for the younger to be these things, and for the world to see it, for our brethren unconverted in the world to see us changed by Christ and living by the high calling of God according to his inspired word and Spiritual law, in fact this is part of that ‘conversation’ in heaven, and citizen culture of the women of the church.

How does this have to do with the prior chapter and those cut off attributes some are drawn to by others?

Because as elsewhere taught in scripture, women need to be ministered to and encouraged to be this type of cultural minister and evangelist by her life which God has called her to.In Christ and with all focus on him, and all glory to the Father for His work that has changed us, that this is the call of the citizenship, the conversation in heaven of a Godly woman and yokefellow who’s name is written in the book of life.

If you remember, at the introduction of this Message, I read from

Act_16:13  And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.

Which shows this congregation of Sabbatarians had from its start a fair number of women, Lydia being one of them, who was the foundation piece of the church with the Jailer.

I’d presume, as with other communitarians that this direct language in chapter 4 is all in connection to a local issue that has arisen where these ladies were involved with the subject matter at hand from the prior chapters, those things which proffered salvation by God’s grace and initiation, that leading to the fruits of righteousness and an understanding of who Jesus Christ is as one equal with God and yet becoming man in condescension and how this doctrinal point of His dual nature is not robbery with God, How to identify those who do not have the one mind of the faith, by their inability to bow before Christ and Confess His name in the place of YHWH and YHWH in the place of Christ, this shows a mindset these women and the church was struggling with directly in connection to the evil work of the dogs and cut-off mentality who focus upon their own dung and decaying works of flesh and glorying in that shame rather than the glory found in Christ to God the father, and the glory of Christ’s resurrection which give hope and confidence to our life’s race to attain also unto the resurrection.

It is obvious this 4th chapter is focused upon the prior 3, they are one epistle.
Paul sets the record straight by teaching the mind of the saint in regard to knowledge, judgment, bearing fruits of righteousness to the glory of God through Christ’s work, our apprehension and attaining, and from what origin of God’s glory all of who we are rests.

This Philippian church obviously had ought to be warned of and had some brush with these matters, and these women of the congregation perhaps were struggling with such false doctrines as were named.

(This certainly happens.)

Israel Identity usurping Christian Identity

If you consider at the begging of our Epistle, I gave a introduction to the people of Philippi as being anciently historically from the land of Asher and Dan round about Tyre’s region and over a coarse of events eventually became called Macedonians, was their Israelite identity being preached by the apostles and others? Why does Paul offer his superior genealogy as a Benjamite and Hebrew of the Hebrews= Pure blooded Israeliteness.

Was it not possible that if these Philippians were Israelites according to James 1:1 ‘s diaspora, Gentiles blinded to their heritage that the Concision also was using this knowledge to seduce the mind of this church? to call them to a salvation focused on themselves not of Christ? Certainly, having been in the Israel Identity and British Israel camps for some years this is most certainly true, and yes this is a pit fall of Identity doctrine.

There are many things to gain in terms of heritage and culture and the love of God’s law as Godly knowledge, judgment and bearing fruits of righteousness in the Philippians identity as Israel, but if these Philippian’s Identity as Israel subverted the message of Justification by Christ’s resurrection and His Lordship over all the earth, subduing all things unto himself, question His Godhead, His resurrection and his glory by anything done in the flesh that we think with our mind elevates us with another mind then the Gospel is yet to have come to us, and the purpose of God’s covenant People, the Israel of God of whom God has used through out history in not self glorification, self righteousness, personal mindedness or to be cut off from the body of Christians due to a certain knowledge or a certain work. But our job is to be the light of the world, a city on a hill, the publishers of the law and Gospel and that is what European Christian do. But when we sometime dig our selves in so deep into certain doctrines, biblical or not, and that cut off mentality begins to affect our unity as Saint’s with others who have not yet seen what we might see, or who don’t worship like we worship, we are thinking like we shouldn’t be thinking. Our focus must go back to Christ and his Glory.

This says the apostle to the Philippians:

Php_4:4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Php 4:5  Let your moderation (Geneva says:Patient mind) be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Php 4:6  Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Here is the call back “Rejoice in the Lord always”… and in nothing else. Call you mind back to realizing you are Saint because you were a sinner saved by Grace, then keep running, keep learning, keep bearing fruit with rejoicing in YHWH through Christ and not in your self.
Men should know you are a moderate person in this was a man or woman of a patient mind who seeks after the LORD closely, not anxious or overly fearful with cares but having that mind that is assured that God knows your needs.

Yes we have wants, yes we have needs and petitions, but because we are content with the will of God we are moderately patient and not afraid, because YHWH is indeed at hand.

This is peace and it is from God, it goes even beyond our nooce / our brain, and guards us with its phon-eh-o rationality and hedges in, kept in understanding of our brains thoughts and the passions of our hearts.
This is a great verse to show How God through Christ by use of that paraklete the Holy Spirit helps our infirmities of mind and heard and guards us as we grow so long as we are engaged in Rejoicing, and comforted that he is at hand.

The ABP says:
Php 4:7  And the peace of God, the one surpassingG5242 everyG3956 mind,G3563 shall guardG5432 your hearts and your thoughtsG3540 G1473 in Christ Jesus.

Here is one of the many verses that place us in a capacity ‘in Christ’, and here it is an overriding of our physical abilities as we are enveloped of guardedly surrounded in Christ.

(example)

And thus he gives us direction by saying:

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, thinkG3049 (logicize) on these things.

Here is a verse that encourages us in inventorying our thoughts, reasonably understanding our heart and mind and the phon-eh-o understanding that we have as it interacts with life.
As Christian we go to the word the Logos of logic / the Word of God for our thoughts, as stated our heart and mind, the place of the New Covenant the place from which we love God by. This is why our repentant mind is over riden by Christ and his peace, because we are surrounded by him. And as we run this race we need to contemplate the way we run, and that logistic leads us to God’s Logic, via God’s Law. We sort through the life we are given and by heart and mind which loves YHWH we keep his commandments with knowledge and Judgemet he has given us through Christ and to His glory.

How else but by God’s logic do we know in this life what is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good report; virtuous, and praise worthy? certainly not by our own logic, not by our own standards of priority but by God’s.
The Christian Saint says “It is the Word of God, and what the bible approves is the only definitive truth, honesty, justice, purness, showing us what is lovely, and a good report; and all that comes before us is judges by this standard that we should be virtuous G703 for or better said manly or brave, and it is to the word of God we glory in giving praise.
Paul is encouraging us in to sort though our life, and all that is in it and to use our ‘one mind’ which is apprehended by the Word of God resurrected, and given understanding an kept in Jesus Christ to Glory of YHWH.

the apostle said:

Php 4:9  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
This is what they saw of Paul
Thus he says
Php_4:10  But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
Php 4:11  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Php 4:12  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Php 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Php 4:14  Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.
Php 4:15  Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.
Php 4:16  For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.
Php 4:17  Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

Php 4:18  But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epa-phro-dit-us the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.
Php 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Paul here is obviously talking about how for the Gospel he has suffered in different respects, but the Saints at Philipi have “communicate with my affliction”.

Php 4:20  Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Php 4:21  Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you.
Php 4:22  All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.
Php 4:23  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

To the Philippians written from Rome, by Epaphroditus.