Today was Week 102 of Rightly Dividing the Word of truth…our study / overview of Paul’s epistles to believers in this dispensation of the grace of God. We were able to complete Philippians 2:5-30, with Paul’s beautiful picture of the humility and submission of the Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father’s plan for the redemption of mankind.
V.5-11: Christ – our perfect example. Being co-equal with God the Father, he laid aside his heavenly glory and took on human flesh, experiencing the all out attack of Satan of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, yet without sin! He was obedient unto the death of the cross. As a result of his obedience, God has exalted him to the position where all of humanity will bow and confess that he is Lord to the glory of God the Father. John 1:1-14, 1 John 1:1-2:2
V.12-18: The Christian life is WORK! We are to exercise our new man, not just sit back and go with the flow. 1 Timothy 6:6-12, 2 Peter 1:5-9
1 Timothy 4:7-8: But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
Peter gives us a process of growth and development that is very observable in our lives: Add to your faith virtue (goodness), and to virtue knowledge (study the word of God), and to knowledge temperance (self control), and to temperance patience (a true sign of maturity), and to patience godliness (Christian maturity), and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity (unconditional agape love). 2 Peter 1:5-7
V.19-30: Paul introduces two faithful men he is sending to Philippi, to strengthen and encourage this fledgling church.
Timothy, his faithful son in the ministry – V.19-23. He is a proven servant of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Epaphroditus, Paul’s brother and companion in labor, and a fellowsoldier – V.25-30.
Paul invested his life in these two men, pouring the revelation of Christ delivered to him, into their lives. This is the picture of biblical discipleship! May we all ponder how Paul developed them and prepared them to reproduce themselves in the lives of the Philippian believers.
2 Timothy 2:1-4: Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.