Phil. 4:20-23 - Closing Comments.

20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you.
22 All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

All The Saints Greet You

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Vs. 20 - This verse is a hymnlette of praise! We are encouraged to give God praise. “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.” (Heb. 13:15) ‘Glory forever’ is a common theme in the NT, starting with Jesus teaching the disciples to pray (Matt. 6:13), all the way to the saints gathered around the throne in Revelation (Rev. 7:11, 12) He is worthy! (See: Rev. 4:11)

Vs. 21, 22 - “Greet...” - Pretty straight forward- welcome, acknowledge, salute other believers. Be friendly with fellow believers, or as you communicate with other churches. Paul also sent greetings from those working with him, and from the group of believers in Rome, even those who lived and worked in the emperor’s household.

Vs. 23 - Paul started the letter with an offering of grace. He closes the letter with a benediction of grace. In the middle he has told them the ‘peace of God’ as well as the ‘God of peace’ will bless them, bringing joy for their spirits and souls.
That is a good place to leave this letter: knowing God’s peace is ours! Amen.

*** End of Chapter
End of Philippian letter
(NASB)

Phil. 4:17-19 - Needs Met

17 Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.
18 But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.
19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

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Amply Supplied

Vs. 17 - “I seek for the profit which increases to your account” - He appreciates the support provided, and praises them for their generosity. The concept of the giver of a gift will be blessed because it was given is not just a NT paradigm. See: “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.’ ” (Mal. 3:10) (Side note: in this passage, God is accusing the Jews of cheating Him and stealing from Him because they have not tithed.)
God loves cheerful giver. (2 Cor. 7:5-7) God is pleased when we give out of gratitude, not just our ‘loose change’. (Luke 21:1-4). In James 5:1-6, the rich are upbraided for their niggardly treatment of others. Paul knows the Philippian gifts are noted in heaven, and they will be blessed because of it.

Vs. 18 - “I am amply supplied,” - Being content in any circumstance, Paul is more than satisfied with the gift they sent to him.

“A fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice” - The idea of the smoke from burnt offerings, or incense, provide an aroma that is pleasing to God is a common metaphor in the Old Testament. God is spirit and as such does not need to smell the offering, but it is a good image for us to help comprehend. When you walk into the house while dinner is being prepared, you know you think, “Wow! Something smells good!” If bread or cookies, or a cake is being baked, the whole house has a wonderful smell. Or if you walk by a bakery, those smells transport you to home.
Are there “unacceptable sacrifices”? Yes. Think of the account of the first murder. (Gen. 4:3-15) Abel’s sacrifice was acceptable to God, Cain’s was not. Perhaps Cain’s heart was not right with God - he was so angered about this he killed his brother! Or, check out king Saul. He was told to destroy the Amalakites, everything about them. He disobeyed and saved some of the sheep for sacrificing to God, who was not pleased. (See: 1 Sam. 15:8-22) Lastly, two new Christians - Ananias and Sapphira - offered a portion of their income, while telling people they were giving everything. They lied, to the church, to the apostles, to God! It did not end well for them.
Jesus asks us to present ourselves, our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. (See: Rom. 12:1, 2)

Vs. 19 - “my God will supply all your needs” - Our God supplies all our needs. What is the basis; what is the source of this supply? The riches Christ Jesus possesses! Christ in the throne room of the Almighty God. Christ Jesus is at the side of His Father, and ours. All the Father has is at Christ’s disposal. For the One who held nothing back, sacrificing all to save the world, nothing is held back from Him.

ALL those riches are His to provide to those who love Him.

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Romans 2:17-24 - Your Actions Betray Your Lack of Faith

17 But if you bear the name "Jew" and rely upon the Law and boast in God,
18 and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law,
19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,
20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth,
21 you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal?
22 You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
23 You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?
24 For "THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU," just as it is written.

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Paul continues on the thought train - we all need Jesus. Up to this point any reference to the Jews has been tangential. Paul began to focus on the Jews and the Law in the last paragraph when he notes that Gentiles may follow God’s Law without actually being Jewish.

But what about the Jews who do not follow God’s Law? Paul has an answer...

You Boast in God - But...

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V. 17-20 - “if you bear the name ‘Jew’" - The sarcasm here is so intense, it is a wonder the ink did not eat through the paper (parchment?). Look at the accusations Paul lays before the Jews.

You Jews claim that you:

• Rely upon the Law
• You know God
• Know HIs will
• Approve things that are essential
• Are instructed from the Law
• Are confident you are a guide to the blind
• Are a light to those in darkness
• A corrector of the foolish
• A teacher of the immature
• Have the embodiment of knowledge and truth

There is a certain amount of schadenfreude as we see Paul grab the Jews by the front of their shirt and slap them silly. In truth, Paul’s words hit too close to home for Christians. We also take a holier-than-thou attitude in dealing with others. Look back to verses 2:1-2 - We are without excuse. Jesus also warned us. See Matt. 7:3-5; Luk. 6:41-42.
You can almost hear the Jews proclaim, “We are Jews! We cannot be depraved! After all, we have the LAW!”

V. 21 - “do you not teach yourself?” - Do you pay any attention to what you are saying? You claim you can teach others what they need to know. Where’s the evidence you have learned from your own teaching?

“Do you steal?” - Example number one: Commandment number 8, (Exo. 20:15). God chastises the Jews, accuses them of stealing from Him. How? They steal when they do not offer the proper tithes. They are cheating God out of what is due Him. (See: Lev. 19:13; Psa. 50:18; Mal. 3:8; Matt. 7:11; 15:5; 23:14-20)

V. 22 - “do you commit adultery?” - Example number two: Commandment number 7, (Exo. 20:14). Is adultery a serious sin? It must be, since it is one of the 10 given to Moses to teach the people of Israel. Beyond that, we see many times in the OT disloyalty to God is treated as adultery. Adultery is sex outside of marriage - a married person having sex with someone to whom they are not married. (Sex between unmarried people is fornication. It is a sin.) Worshipping false gods is seen as adultery. It is a breaking of the close personal relationship similar to that which should exist in marriage. God describes the Jews as the ‘bride of the Father’, and the church as the ‘bride of the Son’. In this sense adultery ranks as important as “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exo. 20:3)

God considered divorce the same as adultery - the breaking of the marital commitment. Why then did divorce exist - because we are weak, and prone to sin. (See: Psa. 50:18; Matt. 5:27-29, 31-32; Matt. 19:4-9)

“do you rob temples?” - This offense is less clear to me. God did give the instruction to the Israelites to leave the gold from the Canaanite idols alone. He did not want them defiled by the idols. (See: Deut. 7:25; Josh. 7:21) I am not sure how this applied to the Jews of the first century A.D. It is hard to imagine Jews entering temples of false gods. Perhaps the Jews were doing business, selling and buying, with the temples and cheating them in the process. (That is my speculation.)

V. 23-24 - “do you dishonor God?” - You show contempt for the Law by your selective obedience. James says it clearly: “If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF," you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. For He who said, "DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY," also said, "DO NOT COMMIT MURDER." Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.” (Jam 2:8-11)

“For THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU” - God acts to preserve His reputation among Gentiles, among all peoples. They see how Israel acts and thereby lose respect for the God of Israel. God tells David directly his sin has besmirched God’s name. (2 Sam. 12:14) The punishment Israel receives in exile is the result of their dishonor of God. (See: Isa. 52:5; Ezek. 36:20ff) Paul reminds the church of this in his letter to Timothy. (1 Tim. 6:1)

God is not glorified when our actions refute our professed belief in Him.

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End Rom 2:17-24

Romans 2:5-11 - According to Deeds

5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6 who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS:
7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;
8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.
9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek,
10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
11 For there is no partiality with God.

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Because You Are Stubborn

In this paragraph, ch. 2:5-11, Paul further develops the idea that we are not as good as we think we are. He posits there are people who seek to do good things. There are people who do not. Both will be rewarded for their actions - positive consequences for those who want to do good; negative consequences for those who search after evil. I think he is not referring to salvation here, but setting up the conclusion that all are sinners in the sight of God.

Vs. 5 - “because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart” - Stubbornness. This is on you, not on God. In the book of Job, we see the discussion: "For has anyone said to God, 'I have borne chastisement; I will not offend anymore; Teach me what I do not see; If I have done iniquity, I will not do it again'?” (Job 34:31-32) The speaker in this passage, Elihu, is saying that almost no one willingly acknowledges to God they deserve the punishment they are receiving. Who asks God to show them the correct way to live, and will follow that teaching? Almost no one. We usually say we don’t deserve this judgement.

The conversation continues: "Shall He recompense on your terms, because you have rejected it? For you must choose, and not I; Therefore declare what you know.” (Job 34:33) Since you have rejected God’s message intended to draw you back to Him, do you expect Him to judge you based on your standards. You need to decide if you accept God’s corrective guidance. I can’t make that decision for you.

“storing up wrath” - Without repentance there is no escape. (John 3:36; Psa. 73:15, 16) We are judged based on our sin and our behavior. When Jesus Christ came into the world, that metric changed.
Now we are judged based on one thing, and one thing only: Is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? (Rev. 20:11-15)
Have you accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. (Acts:16:31)

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The next six verses, 6-11, are a chiastic form (in essence, the verses are arranged in a big X - the beginning and ending both point to the middle or center. For example: a, b, c, c, b, a.
The sentences in verses 6 and 11 are related to the meting out of judgement.
Verses 7 and 10 are about the rewards for those who do good.
In the center, verses 8 and 9 deal with what happens to those who practice evil.

The emphasis is not on nationality, ethnic group, or economic status, but on the individual. Each person is judged alone. Your father or mother are not going to receive punishment for your behavior. You will take no hits because of your brother or sister. All will be judged by God based on His standard, not ours. There are no rationalizations, no easy outs.

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Vs. 6 - “who will render to each person...” - This is a line taken from Psa 62:12 and Pro 24:12. The verse in Proverbs is interesting, because people are saying, “We didn’t know!” God’s response is (paraphrased...) “Come on! Really?! You don’t think that God sees all and knows all - including your moral condition - hasn’t taken into account what drives you to act?” He knows your heart. He knows your soul. He takes that into account when judging your actions.

Vs. 7 - “eternal life” - Referring back to verse 6, eternal life will be made available to each person work at finding and living in honor, glory and doing good.

Vs. 8 - “wrath and indignation” - Referring back to verse 6: on the other hand, if you are overly selfish, and reject truth, and would rather guide your life by unrighteous principles, wrath and indignation await you. It is not that you will be indignant because of what is happening. Indignities will be unloaded upon you - you get this in “the old fashioned way, you earned it.” (From an old investment firm advertisement.)

Vs. 9 - “tribulation and distress for every soul” - Another way of saying “wrath and tribulation”. Obeying unrighteousness (v. 8) is equated with doing evil (v. 9). Wrath, tribulation and distress go hand-in-hand with doing evil. There is no way for you to pay for your evil.

Vs. 10 - “glory and honor and peace” - This verse echoes verse 7, above. Those who do good, who seek to do good, will be showered with immortality and peace, glory and honor.

I am fairly sure this section is not referring to salvation, but rewards (both positive and negative rewards) based on our deeds. Christians will be judged and rewarded by Christ based on how they have lived their Christian lives. They are saved, and this judgement does not take that away. (See: 2 Cor. 5:10). At the end of time, when all come before God, those whose names are not in Lamb’s Book of Life will be judged and rewarded for their deeds - and then cast into the lake of fire! (See: Rev. 20:11ff)

Vs. 11 - “there is no partiality with God” - There are two types of people: Jews and Gentiles. In the previous two verses, either tribulation or honor comes to both Jews and Greeks. The gospel went to the Jews in Jerusalem first, then the Samaritans (who could claim Jewish heritage, since they were descendants of the ten northern tribes.They were at least 1/1024th Jewish), and to the rest of the world - Gentiles. (See: Acts 1:8) If the gospel and salvation was presented to the Jews first, perhaps judgement comes to them first also.

I need to amend my initial statement in the previous paragraph. There are four types of people: Jews, Christian Jews, Gentiles, and Christian Gentiles. (So, maybe only two, after all - Christians and non-Christians.) God’s partiality doesn’t change - no favorites played here.

There is one criteria: Is Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior?
The answer is binary. Yes, or No. You must decide, not I.

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Phil. 4:14-16 - You Shared in Our Ministry

14 Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.
15 You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone;
16 for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.

Vs. 14 -“Nevertheless, you have done well” - Paraphrasing Paul’s words, “Guys. I am not blowing off the gifts you sent.” He had just told them he has learned how to do without amenities, but he wanted them to know their efforts to support him were appreciated.

Vs. 15 - “no church shared with me” - Paul and Silas (P & S) escaped Philippi after being harassed by some of city’s merchant leaders. As P & S work their way across Macedonia fleeing from Philippi, no other church provided missionary assistance so they could continue their ministry. Paul even went to work to support the work (See 1 Thess. 2:9; 2 Thess. 3:7-9).
Backstory: P & S were harassed by a slave/servant girl who had a ‘spirit of divination’. This was not a spirit from God or Jesus. She followed them around Philippi proclaiming about them. Paul is annoyed and calls upon the spirit to leave her. It did, and now she could no longer tell fortunes for customers. The spirit was no longer in her. The merchants were furious. P & S were thrown in jail. Miracles happened. They are urged to leave Philippi in the middle of the night, escaping to Thessalonica. (See: Acts 16:12-40).

Vs. 16 -“for even in Thessalonica...” - Interesting phrase, “For even...” P & S only spent three weeks in Thessalonica, whereupon they were attacked by Jews, who dogged them even to the next city, Berea. The Philippi church sent support to the missionaries, even though they were only a few miles away. They sent gifts, not just a single offering.

Phil. 4:10-13 - Contentment in Circumstances

10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.
11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

I Can Do All Things Through Him

Vs. 10 - “you have revived your concern for me” - He thanks God. They are providing assistance for the furtherance of his ministry to the Gentiles. See Phil. 2:25-30 as background for this statement. The church in Philippi provided both gifts of support and an emissary to provide help to Paul.

- “But you lacked opportunity” - They had not stopped being concerned and caring for Paul on his missionary journeys. It is not clear what prevented them from providing offerings and assistance to Paul - whether economic depression or persecution. My bet is on persecution.

Vs. 11 - “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” - It would seem that contentment is the opposite of anxiety. (Well. Duh!) Compare this with verse six above. This day’s devotion from “Jesus Calling” (by Sarah Young) said, “Practice trusting Me during quiet days, when nothing much seems to be happening.” Giving thanks during good times, acknowledging His grace, means not claiming for myself the successes I experience. It all comes from and through Jesus. Giving credit to anyone else is denying Christ. Giving Jesus credit in good times should prepare my heart to acknowledge and express my need for His grace during bad. Don’t claim “I did this!” in good circumstances; and ask “Why is God doing this to me?” in bad.

Vs. 12 - “get along with humble means... how to live in prosperity” - Humble means or prosperity; abundance or suffering want - both ends of the spectrum.

- “I have learned the secret...” - Amazing! Paul’s focus is so solidly fixed on Jesus that what happens in the here and now is not worth thinking about. How else could he call the persecution suffered as “light and momentary”? (2 Cor. 7:14) Not because he is just blowing through as if nothing was there.
After major surgery (hip replacement, total knee replacement, etc.) the physical therapy is daunting. The pain of recovery from the surgery is one thing, but the rebuilding the muscle strength, the regaining flexibility of the tendons and ligaments is painful daily. Sometimes is seems there is no end to the pain, the discomfort, the lack of sleep. What keeps you going? Knowing that one day you will walk without pain; you will play with your grandchildren; you will go up stairs without a hitch. You bear the pain now for the end result.

Vs. 13 - “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” - That is our secret! We can do all things through Christ Jesus. Give Him the glory and thanksgiving when we see success. Give Him the thanksgiving and glory for lifting us up in the failures or stressful portions of our lives. It is Christ who lives in me.

Phil. 4:9 - Practice Makes Perfect

9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

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Apply What You Have Learned

Vs. 9 - “Learned... received... heard... seen...” - Study the behavior of someone who is living a godly, exemplary life. What are they doing that consistently brings them success? Use them as a model. Copy what they do. If we fill our mind and hearts with the good and proper, we will have good and proper material with which to think and make decisions. Paul urged believers to follow him as an example. (2 Thess. 3:7, 9; Phil 3:17) How you live your Christian life will be an example to others. (1 Tim. 4:12; Tit. 2:7)
Dr. Howard Hendrix said in one of his lectures, “A concept hasn’t really been taught, until it has been caught.” When someone has heard what you have said, and then adopted it into their lifestyle, as it is in yours, then you know your teaching has impact. This is opposite to the aphorism, “Do as I say, not as I do.”

“Practice these things” - Apply what you have learned to your own life. Let these principles guide you. As is said of wisdom in Proverbs: “Don't turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will honor you.” (Pro. 4:6-8)
Also, in Proverbs: “My son, obey your father's commands, and don't neglect your mother's instruction. Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. When you walk, their counsel will lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up, they will advise you. For their command is a lamp and their instruction a light; their corrective discipline is the way to life.” (Pro. 6:20-23)
Get the knowledge. Learn how to apply it - wisdom. Knowledge without application is like playing the game “Trivial Pursuit” - it is useless information rattling around inside your head. Don’t let information that can guide your life be ‘nickel knowledge’ (that’s all it’s worth). Instead, put it to good use: “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” (James 1:22)

- “God of peace will be with you” - and from verse 7 (above) - “peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension” - Center your mind and your life on Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. You will have peace with God - no longer His enemy, but His child. Christ came to earth to give us peace with God. (John 14:27) Our sin separates from Him. Jesus brings us to God, blameless and innocent in Christ our Savior, so that you may have peace. (John 16:33).
The many cults and pagan religions understand clearly that the gods must be appeased. Rites and rituals are performed in order to turn back the anger of the gods they worship. They know the transcendent beings are not happy with them. Sacrifices are made in order to turn away that anger.

- Praise God, we Christians do not have to do that. It has been done for us - it is forever fully accomplished. Jesus said, “It is finished.” His resurrection proved it. God’s wrath - the actions of judgement against sinners - has been fully sated on Jesus Christ. His death on the cross satisfied God’s justice. Anyone who is in the umbra, or even penumbra, of Jesus Christ will feel no effect of God’s wrath being poured out. Jesus Christ is our shield, our defender. Not only is peace declared between us and God, but we are protected because we are in Him, He is in us. We cannot fully understand the horror, the terror that will be ours if we are not in Christ. Praise Him that we are safe in Christ. We may not fully understand it, but we can rejoice in it - forever and forever. “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him." (1 Cor. 2:9) See also: Eph 3:20; Jude 1:24.

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