Epistle for October 22, 2023

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

According to most scholars, 1 Thessalonians is the earliest written work included in the New Testament.  Paul may have written this letter to the church in Thessalonika from Corinth sometime around 52 AD.

He had only recently left Thessalonika.  He was at this time on what is called his Second Missionary Journey, which took him through Syria, Cilicia, Galatia and Asia — and then, for the first time, across the Aegean Sea into Europe. His journeys in Europe took him to key cities where he planted churches — in Macedonia (Philippi, Thessalonika and Berea) and in Achaea (Athens and Corinth).

This letter to the Thessalonians represents one of the earliest samples of Christian preaching and doctrine, some twenty years after the resurrection of Jesus and the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost.

As was common with ancient letters, Paul begins with a salutation.  He is writing this as a corporate letter, with greetings from the other two missionaries who are with him in Corinth — Silvanus, and Timothy. And the recipient of the letter is also corporate — the entire church at Thessalonika.

Silvanus and Timothy both appear elsewhere throughout the New Testament record.

Silvanus is believed to be the same person known as Silas in the book of the Acts of the Apostles.  At one of the key councils in Jerusalem, Silas was chosen, along with Judas Barsabbas, to accompany Paul and Barnabas as they set out for Antioch (Acts 15:22).  This was the beginning of the very missionary journey that would take them to their present location in Corinth. Silas is mentioned twelve times in Acts. One of those accounts describes Paul and Silas in jail together in Philippi, which proved to be a pivotal moment in their ministry there (Acts 16:25-32).  Paul mentions his colleague and travelling companion Silvanus three times in his letters (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:19). And we also find Silvanus mentioned by the Apostle Peter in his first letter, giving the impression that Silvanus actually helped Peter in the drafting of the letter (1 Peter 5:12).

Timothy, of course, is well-known as Paul’s young protege. The relationship of Paul and Timothy is that of an affectionate father with an adopted son. We know much more about Timothy — he was from Lystra in Galatia, the son of a Jewish woman and a Greek father.  Paul made a point of having Timothy circumcised because of his Jewish heritage, in order to avoid offending the Jews in Galatia (Acts 16:1-3).   Timothy often acted as a messenger for Paul, bearing his letters and bringing personal possessions that had been left behind.  We last see Timothy in Acts saying farewell to Paul in Asia, and there is some evidence that Timothy became the overseer (Greek episcopos, or bishop) of the church in Ephesus.  Timothy is mentioned six times in Acts; twelve times in Paul’s letters (not including the two letters that were written specifically to Timothy by Paul, 1 & 2 Timothy), and once in Hebrews 13:23.

These co-workers in the Gospel may also have been co-writers with Paul of this letter.

But let’s return to the Thessalonians.  Their identity and relationship with God are immediately established. The church is described as:

 in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…

While we might be tempted to scan this greeting rather quickly, we do well to pause just a moment.  Because this is likely the first written record of the New Testament, these are significant words.  It is clear that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are being given equal billing.  Although the Holy Spirit is not mentioned until verse 5 and 6 in this passage, we have the beginnings of a doctrine of the Trinity.

That God is Father is a given from the Jewish perspective.  But when Paul says that Jesus is Lord and Christ, he is making an important claim about Jesus.  Jesus is not only the Christ (aka Messiah), fulfilling the Hebrew prophecies and expectations — he is also Lord.  Lord denotes more than merely a title of aristocracy for Paul.  In Hebraic thought, the word Lord is synonymous with the title given to Yahweh in the Old Testament — Adonai.  Based on that evidence, Paul is describing Jesus the Christ as God.   

And Paul offers a greeting that will become familiar to the reader of his epistles:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace is one of Paul’s consistent themes throughout his epistles.

As he continues the body of his letter, Paul is personal when remembering the Thessalonians, their faith and their work.  He speaks in the first person plural on behalf of Silvanus, Timothy and himself, describing their intercession for the church:

We always give thanks to God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.

Paul calls the Thessalonians his brothers, and reminds them of their new identity.  They are chosen — the theological term is elect — and Paul celebrates the fact that they not only heard the Gospel, but the Holy Spirit reinforced this word with power and assurance. 

This provides a glimpse into the doctrine of Pneumatology (theology related to the Holy Spirit).  A survey of the work of the Holy Spirit as described in the New Testament suggests that power and assurance are frequently associated with the presence of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit’s power is manifested in such events as:

• The Holy Spirit overshadows Mary and conceives the holy child within her, despite her virginity (Luke 1:35).
• The Holy Spirit anoints Jesus with power, enabling him to heal all who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38).
• The outpouring on Pentecost, with its mighty wind, tongues of fire, and speaking in tongues (Acts 2).

And along with power, there is the unique work of assurance — what is also called the witness of the Spirit.  This sense of assurance describes the inward witness given by the Holy Spirit within the spirit of the believer. This inward witness makes possible the personal relationship that exists between believer and the Spirit:

• The Spirit affirms the believer’s identity as a child of God:
  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-17).
• The Spirit is also the intimate agent of communication between God the Father and the believer. Because the Spirit is God’s Spirit, he knows the mind of the Father; and because the Spirit is omniscient (all-knowing) he can penetrate every person’s thoughts, motives and emotions:
  In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.  He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God (Romans 8:26-27).

Paul then continues by reminding the Thessalonians of the ministry that he and his colleagues offered when they were in Thessalonika, and the impact that it has had on the church.  He says boldly that the Thessalonians became imitators of the three missionaries, and of the Lord.  The implication is clear — Paul is an imitator of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 11:1). Therefore the example that the Thessalonians see in these missionaries is a good role model for new believers.

Moreover, because the Thessalonians received the Gospel with joy, despite their affliction (presumably persecution), they now have become:

an example to all who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia.  For from you the word of the Lord has been declared, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone out; so that we need not to say anything.

The rumors of Thessalonian receptivity and repentance have preceded the three missionaries throughout Macedonia and Achaia even before Silvanus, Timothy and Paul arrived in those regions!

For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

At the very conclusion of this portion of 1 Thessalonians, which serves as a salutation, Paul sums up the essence of the Christian Gospel that he proclaims:

• That God is the true God, and no idol such as the Greeks have previously been worshipping.
• That Jesus is the very Son of God, and therefore divine.
• That God has raised Jesus from the dead.
• And faith in Jesus delivers us from the consequences of sin.

This is the eschatological hope for which they are waiting — for Christ who will come from heaven for his church.

APPLY:  

Anyone who has ever tried acting on the stage knows that part of what he or she is doing is imitating a character — and the best actors learn to think, feel, move, and behave like the character they are seeking to portray. This applies to one of the themes of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians — that we are to imitate those who imitate Christ, so that we may be an example to others. The ripple effect of such a lifestyle can be profound.  The more we imitate Christ, the more others are drawn to Christ.

As Paul and his colleagues have proclaimed the Gospel and lived in imitation of Christ, the Thessalonians have sought to replicate that example in their own lives.  And as the Thessalonians have lived in this radical, new way, others have also been influenced.

We see this clearly when Paul writes:

You became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia.

The concept of the Imitation of Christ has a long and distinguished history.  Although Thomas a Kempis wrote his famous book by the same name sometime between 1418 and 1427, the principle originates in the New Testament.

This is a serious challenge to all Christians, which has both inspired and discouraged multitudes for many centuries. On the one hand, this is a high calling to a heroic life.  As C.S. Lewis says:

Now the whole offer which Christianity makes is this: that we can, if we let God have His way, come to share in the life of Christ. If we do, we shall then be sharing a life which was begotten, not made, which always existed and always will exist. Christ is the Son of God. If we share in this kind of life we also shall be sons of God. We shall love the Father as He does and the Holy Ghost will arise in us. He came to this world and became a man in order to spread to other men the kind of life He has — by what I call “good infection.” Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else (from Mere Christianity).

Sadly, we also have many bad examples of Christians and Christian leaders who have failed to follow the teachings and example of Christ.  Today, we tend to hear this excuse most often — quite often even on bumper stickers — Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven. This becomes a rationale for behavior that is quite unChristlike.

The excuse “well, I’m only human” may be true.  And, yes, it may be necessary for Christian leaders to publically repent and apologize — but a lifestyle that is inconsistent with the life and teaching of Christ can be subversive to those who seek to be disciples, especially when those leaders refuse to change because “they’re only human.”

The saying is cliche — which makes us prone to dismiss it — but it is nonetheless true:

Your life is the only Bible some people will ever read.

The Thessalonians saw the Gospel and the character of Jesus Christ when they saw Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy.  And they were inspired not only to believe, but to follow their example.  And they in turn became an example to others.

This is the way the Gospel spreads — when our words and our works are in harmony with one another.

RESPOND: 

A family member of mine used to say that her God was a “God of love, not a God of wrath.”  I think I understand where she was coming from.  She had been raised in the church, and I’m sure had heard more than a few sermons from the “fire and brimstone” genre. I surmise that God’s wrath was a frequent theme in those days instead of God’s love.

And yet.  And yet.  We cannot escape language about wrath, and judgment, and, yes, Hell.  Not if we are faithful to the Biblical text. After praising the Thessalonians for their faith, love and patience of hope, Paul assures them that they are loved by God and are chosen.  And then he reminds them that they now worship the living and true God who raised his Son from the dead, who is:

—Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

How do we reconcile God’s love and God’s wrath?

Perhaps the simplest way to do so is to be reminded that for humans, love  really describes our desire that the one we love be happy and blessed and receive good things.  Isn’t that generally true when we think of God’s love for us?  God desires that we have abundant life, blessing, and receive good things.  That seems to be a consistent theme of the Bible. God’s ultimate goal is our well-being. And that goal requires great sacrifice on his part to achieve it for us.  And it also doesn’t mean that we won’t endure temporary suffering before we receive an everlasting reward.

What is wrath?  Wrath is anger, and in terms of relationship, anger occurs when we are disappointed in someone or something, or when something has fallen short of the goal.  Wrath describes God’s reaction to the disparity between his will for us and, our will for us! This is what happens when we settle for something less than God’s best for us.  Biblically, God is angry when our lives and character separate us from him, harm others, and harm ourselves.  This is another way to describe sin.  Therefore God’s anger can be seen as an expression of God’s love.

God the Son has given up his life that we might be saved.  When we read language about God’s wrath we can often miss the point that his wrath — his anger — is not at us. God’s anger is against sin and evil and injustice.

As I’ve often said, expanding on an oft used cliche —

God loves the sinner, but hates the sin, because of what sin does to the sinner. 

Another way of putting this is another expression —

We aren’t punished for our sins; we are punished by our sins.

The following metaphor helps me get a little closer to understanding this concept, although I admit it is a very imperfect picture — suppose you, your family, and your whole neighborhood have been captured by a terrorist band.  They are holding you hostage.  They are threatening to shoot all of you, and the danger is imminent.  A rescuer arrives to rescue you, and he manages to free you so that you and the others are able to run away from the terrorists.  The rescuer warns you that you must run as far and as fast as you can, because he intends to destroy the terrorists and their weapons.  But instead of running away, you linger.  You have grown fond of your captors. But they are not fond of you.  They have you in their clutches, and are raising their weapons to fire on your family. your neighbors, and on you. They begin to fire. The rescuer must prevent the terrorists from harming all of the other people. He must fire immediately in order to prevent their violence. They will be destroyed. And because you did not separate yourself from the terrorists, you are also destroyed because you did not flee the wrath to come!

Granted, this is a crude analogy.  Our damnation is collateral damage because we refused to seek the safety that was offered.

John Wesley once answered his critics, who denounced him for suggesting that there was only one way to be saved. He said that his critics were right.  He did believe that:

For as there is but one heaven, so there is but one way to it, even the way of faith in Christ, (for we speak not of opinions or outward modes of worship,) the way of love to God and man, the highway of holiness. And is it uncharitable to think or say that none can be saved but those who walk in this way?

He then offers Biblical evidence that it is God who warns us that we must believe or be damned, follow holiness or we won’t see the Lord, and love God and neighbor.  But all of these warnings, from God or from God’s messengers, are inspired by love:

But is there any uncharitableness  [charity is also translated as love; so to be uncharitable is to be unloving] in this, in warning sinners to flee from the wrath to come? On the contrary, not to warn a poor, blind, stupid wretch that he is hanging over the mouth of hell, would be so inexcusable a want of charity, as would bring his blood upon our own head. (John Wesley: A Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, Section III,paragraph 3).

Our ultimate goal is to grow in grace, become imitators of Christ, and anticipate his return and the joy of fellowship with him in heaven.  But we must begin with the admission that we are sinners, and as such deserve the wrath of God.  We are immensely grateful for the grace and mercy that God has shown us in his love by sending his Son on our behalf.  And that means that we ask his forgiveness.

This is illustrated by John Wesley’s description of the early Methodists who met regularly to “watch over one another in love”:

There is one only condition previously required in those who desire admission into this society, — “a desire to flee from the wrath to come, to be saved from their sins.”  (from A Plain Account of the People Called Methodists, Section I, paragraph 8).

So, to my family member who believed in “love” over “wrath,” I would have to say that the most loving thing we can do is be aware that God’s wrath is the flip side of God’s love — he destroys the poisons and the pestilences that corrupt the good world that he has made.  And we must flee those poisons and pestilences and find refuge in God in order to be saved.

Our Lord, I pray that I might be encouraged to faith, love and patience as I seek to imitate you.  Thank you for delivering me from the wrath that is to come against all evil.  Amen.

 PHOTOS:
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Epistle for October 15, 2023

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Philippians 4:1-9
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Paul’s letter to the Philippians has been called The Epistle of Joy.  In four brief but eloquent chapters, he uses the word joy (Greek chara) five times, and the injunction rejoice! (Greek chairete) eight times.

Though Paul himself is in prison, writing to a church that may soon experience serious persecution, he himself is filled with joy, and he wants them to have that same joy.  This last section of Philippians is an earnest exhortation to the church at Philippi.

He begins this section with Therefore which, as we have learned in Paul’s writings, means we should ask “what is it there for?”  Therefore (translated from the Greek hoste) in grammar is an adverb functioning as a conjunction that transitions from one thought to another.  To put it more simply, it means for that reason.  So, we have to ask — for what reason is Paul exhorting the Philippians?  To know that, we have to know what Paul was just talking about in the previous sentences.

In the passage immediately preceding our lectionary epistle for this week, Paul has been describing his confidence that Christ is his greatest treasure, exceeding all of his many accomplishments.  He asserts that the treasure of knowing Christ and his salvation is no achievement of his own, but is obtainable by faith.  Nevertheless, he presses on toward the prize of salvation with utmost effort. He ends this passage by declaring the goal of the Christian hope, which is citizenship in heaven:

from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself (Philippians 3:20-21).

Therefore, because of their citizenship in heaven and the anticipation of their transformation into the glory of the resurrection body, Paul is advising the Philippians how they are to live now!

He affirms them as his brothers with highly affirming language that describes his affection for them, and encourages them:     

Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

And then he becomes personal and direct, mentioning two women who are evidently leaders in the Philippian church — Euodia and Syntyche.  This is the only time in the New Testament these women are mentioned.  He urges them to think the same way in the Lord. What does he mean?  Is he suggesting that they are in some kind of conflict, and they need to be on the same page with one another?  Or is he simply praising them as examples of leadership?  It is hard to say, although our knowledge of church personalities and politics through the ages suggests that he knows they may have some tension.

What is interesting is that when he tells them to think the same way in the Lord, Paul uses the same phrase that he uses earlier when exhorting all of the Philippians to have the same mind as Christ!  Even the word for think is the same word in Greek — phroneite.  We read earlier that he has described how all are to emulate the servanthood of Christ:

Have this in your mind (phroneite), which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:5-7).

Is Paul suggesting that these two women — perhaps strong personalities with definite leadership qualities — might need to stop worrying about who’s in charge and learn to serve, as Jesus modeled for us?  Again, we can only speculate, but there seems a good case to be made for that theory.

Paul follows that exhortation immediately by appealing to the rest of the church:

 Yes, I beg you also, true partner, help these women, for they labored with me in the Good News, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Paul is recalling to them the good memories of his ministry in Philippi, and asking them all to pull together just as they did when they first believed.  He refers by name also to Clement as one of his co-workers in Philippi.  Like Euodia and Syntyche, this is Clement’s only mention in the New Testament.  And his other fellow workers go unnamed — although we know at least a few members of his missionary team and fellow travelers from the Book of Acts.  Silas was jailed with Paul there following a riot.  Luke, the writer of Acts, was surely there, and probably Timothy who had begun to travel with the team following their ministry in Lystra (see Acts 16 for a more complete account of Paul’s ministry in Philippi).

And what an intriguing expression — their names are in the book of life.  This specific expression occurs just eight times in the Scriptures — once in the Old Testament (Psalm 69:28), once here in Philippians, and six times in the Revelation to John (Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20: 12, 15; 21:27; and 22:19).

However, the concept of the book of life has a rich history.  The first mention of a book with the names of people written in it appears when Moses intercedes for Israel after their sin of idolatry with the golden calf.  He asks Yahweh to blot him out of the book if Yahweh won’t forgive Israel!  And Yahweh says:

Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book (Exodus 32:33).

Each individual is responsible for their own sin. And it becomes very clear that those who fear and trust God are the ones whose names are written in God’s book.

Paul then turns to a series of imperatives and exhortations about how they are to live, because of the hope of Christ’s coming:

Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, “Rejoice!” Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

And Paul continues his encouragement with advice, along with a promise.  As Jesus counsels his followers in Matthew 6:25-34, Christians are not be anxious about anything.  And Paul advises them about the antidote to anxiety — prayer:

 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Note that along with the petitions, he advises thanksgiving — presumably for prayers already answered, but also perhaps in anticipation that God will hear their petitions and grant their requests!

Paul assures the Philippians that having done all of this, they will experience true serenity, knowing that all the matters that provoke their anxiety are in God’s hands:

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Those who have faith that God hears their prayers trust that God will answer those prayers, even though they may not see it yet.  Paul himself can attest to that as one who has suffered persecution, scourgings, stonings, and is at that very moment in jail!

Interestingly, the word that he uses to describe the inscrutable peace that comes even in the midst of suffering is a military word — this peace will guard their hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus.  We speculate that Paul is borrowing an image from his own incarceration — he has been guarded by Roman soldiers from angry mobs on several occasions, and I’m sure he was grateful.  And even now, he is ‘under guard’ by soldiers, so he knows how securely he is kept!   Although the Romans were his jailers as he writes to the Philippians, when he was first arrested they were also his protectors. We are reminded of the phrase from the Old Testament:

Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep (Psalm 121:4).

And Paul ends with another exhortation that explores how they are to modify their thoughts and minds:

Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

We recall that earlier Paul exhorted the Philippians to copy the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5).  The word for mind, or to think (phronein), used in that earlier context is different than the word used here.  Paul here uses the word logizesthe.  This word is in the imperative mood, and its root word suggests the notion of disciplined thinking according to strict logical rules.  This suggests the thought that Paul is advocating mental discipline as the Philippians focus their minds on following Christ.

And Paul is even so bold, as elsewhere, to offer himself as a role model for this way of thinking:

The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Note that he returns again with a recipe for peace:

• Trusting God to answer prayer
• Reshaping their minds by dwelling only on good things
• Following Paul’s example

Practicing these disciplines, he promises, will bring peace.

APPLY:  

Practically speaking, this passage is one of the richest and most fruitful in Paul’s epistles.  He addresses issues that still confront churches and individuals today.

First, how do we deal with church conflict, especially between strong personalities?  Chiefly by reminding them of their example, Jesus Christ.  If they seek to think the same way in the Lord they will be reminded that the one who is equal with God the Father humbled himself and took on himself the form of a servant.  There is no place there for personal agendas and selfish ambition.   And when any of us forget that, it us up to our friends and co-laborers to help us, and remind us of our priorities.

Second, how do we overcome anxiety in a frantic world?  Paul tells us — in the imperative mood — to rejoice! And he also breaks down for us the process of what happens when we truly bring our anxieties to God in prayer.  First, we are to bring everything to God in prayer.  Prayer is not merely listing our wants and needs — prayer is fully coming in to the presence of God with complete trust — with confidence and thanksgiving.  The result of such trusting prayer is peace:

the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Third, Paul gives instruction on how our minds are to be reshaped and re-formed — he advocates that we focus our thoughts on:

whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

This kind of mental focus requires self-control and discipline.  We are reminded of the importance of the mind in relation to discipleship:

• We are instructed to love God with heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37). Loving God requires the very best of our intellect.
• We are to examine the Scriptures with an eager mind (Acts 17:11).
• We are to set our minds on the things of the Spirit, not things of the flesh (Romans 8:5; see also Colossians 3:2).
• As we offer our lives as a living sacrifice to God, we are to allow God to transform us by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2; see also Ephesians 4:20-24).
• And, just one more example — Paul encourages the Corinthians to bring every thought captive for Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). The word used in this context is noema, which suggests the notion of thought, purpose, or design. We are to take charge of the purposes and goals we have in mind, submitting them to Christ’s control.

RESPOND: 

I can certainly speak for myself when I say that this passage from Philippians speaks directly to my heart, on a practical spiritual level.  There are two issues specifically — anxiety and negativity.

The solution to anxiety, according to Paul, is genuine prayer.  Prayer is not merely sanctified begging for stuff.  At its best, prayer is relationship with God, the open communication between a child and a Father.  It is this intimate relationship of comfort that allays anxieties and brings peace.  Our Father knows our needs, and we can trust him to take care of us.

I appreciate what John Wesley says about prayer:

God does nothing but in answer to prayer… On every occasion of uneasiness, we should retire to prayer, that we may give place to the grace and light of God, and then form our resolutions, without being in any pain about what success they may have… God’s command to ‘pray without ceasing’ is founded on the necessity we have of his grace to preserve the life of God in the soul, which can no more subsist one moment without it, than the body can without air [A Plain Account of Christian Perfection (Part 5)].

And then there is the way I think.  I confess that I have a natural bent toward negativity.  Negativity seems to be a default mental habit for me.  Therefore, I take to heart Paul’s exhortation:

whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

Scripturally, this is not merely The Power of Positive Thinking.  The ability to focus and to think about these things is no mere human discipline — it comes when we take every thought captive through Christ.  But I believe it is a spiritual discipline that can shape my mind in a more ‘positive’ and Godly direction.

And, as I review all of the qualities that we are told to think about, it strikes me that they are all reflected in the character of God as revealed in Scripture, and reflected in Godly lives — true, honorable (or holy), just (ethically righteous), pure (as Christ is pure of sin), lovely (or deserving of love), worthy of praise, excellent (virtue). 

To paraphrase a slogan from the early days of computer programming — GIGO — garbage in, garbage out.  But more proactively for Paul, when we focus on all of the qualities enumerated in Philippians 4:8, we can change that to Godly character in, Godly character out.  What we think is ultimately how we live.

Lord, I pray for your peace that passes all understanding in the midst of anxieties.  And I pray that your Spirit will shape my mind as I focus on all that is true and honorable and just and pure and lovely — all those qualities that truly derive from you!  Amen.

 PHOTOS:
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Epistle for October 18, 2020

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

According to most scholars, 1 Thessalonians is the earliest written work included in the New Testament.  Paul  may have written this letter to the church in Thessalonika from Corinth sometime around 52 AD.

He had only recently left Thessalonika.  He was at this time on what is called his Second Missionary Journey, which took him through Syria, Cilicia, Galatia and Asia — and then, for the first time, across the Aegean Sea into Europe. His journeys in Europe took him to key cities where he planted churches — in Macedonia (Philippi, Thessalonika and Berea) and in Achaea (Athens and Corinth).

This letter to the Thessalonians represents one of the earliest samples of Christian preaching and doctrine, some twenty years after the resurrection of Jesus and the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost.

As was common with ancient letters, Paul begins with a salutation.  He is writing this as a corporate letter, with greetings from the other two missionaries who are with him in Corinth — Silvanus, and Timothy. And the recipient of the letter is also corporate — the entire church at Thessalonika.

Silvanus and Timothy both appear elsewhere throughout the New Testament record.

Silvanus is believed to be the same person known as Silas in the book of the Acts of the Apostles.  At one of the key councils in Jerusalem, Silas was chosen, along with Judas Barsabbas, to accompany Paul and Barnabas as they set out for Antioch (Acts 15:22).  This was the beginning of the very missionary journey that would take them to their present location in Corinth. Silas is mentioned twelve times in Acts. One of those accounts describes Paul and Silas in jail together in Philippi, which proved to be a pivotal moment in their ministry there (Acts 16:25-32).  Paul mentions his colleague and travelling companion Silvanus three times in his letters (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:19). And we also find Silvanus mentioned by the Apostle Peter in his first letter, giving the impression that Silvanus actually helped Peter in the drafting of the letter (1 Peter 5:12).

Timothy, of course, is well-known as Paul’s young protege. The relationship of Paul and Timothy is that of an affectionate father with an adopted son. We know much more about Timothy — he was from Lystra in Galatia, the son of a Jewish woman and a Greek father.  Paul made a point of having Timothy circumcised because of his Jewish heritage, in order to avoid offending the Jews in Galatia (Acts 16:1-3).   Timothy often acted as a messenger for Paul, bearing his letters and bringing personal possessions that had been left behind.  We last see Timothy in Acts saying farewell to Paul in Asia, and there is some evidence that Timothy became the overseer (Greek episcopos, or bishop) of the church in Ephesus.  Timothy is mentioned six times in Acts;  twelve times in Paul’s letters (not including the two letters that were written specifically to Timothy by Paul, 1 & 2 Timothy), and once in Hebrews 13:23.

These co-workers in the Gospel may also have been co-writers with Paul of this letter.

But let’s return to the Thessalonians.  Their identity and relationship with God are immediately established. The church is described as:

 in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…

While we might be tempted to scan this greeting rather quickly, we do well to pause just a moment.  Because this is likely the first written record of the New Testament, these are significant words.  It is clear that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are being given equal billing.  Although the Holy Spirit is not mentioned until verse 5 and 6 in this passage, we have the beginnings of a doctrine of the Trinity.

That God is Father is a given from the Jewish perspective.  But when Paul says that Jesus is Lord and Christ, he is making an important claim about Jesus.  Jesus is not only the Christ (aka Messiah), fulfilling the Hebrew prophecies and expectations — he is also Lord.  Lord denotes more than merely a title of aristocracy for Paul.  In Hebraic thought,  the word Lord is synonymous with the title given to Yahweh in the Old Testament — Adonai.  Based on that evidence, Paul is describing Jesus the Christ as God.   

And Paul offers a greeting that will become familiar to the reader of his epistles:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace is one of Paul’s consistent themes throughout his epistles.

As he continues the body of his letter, Paul is personal when remembering the Thessalonians, their faith and their work.  He speaks in the first person plural on behalf of Silvanus, Timothy and himself, describing their intercession for the church:

We always give thanks to God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.

Paul calls the Thessalonians his brothers,  and reminds them of their new identity.  They are chosen — the theological term is elect — and Paul celebrates the fact that they not only heard the Gospel,  but the Holy Spirit reinforced this word  with power and assurance. 

This provides a glimpse into the doctrine of Pneumatology (theology related to the Holy Spirit).  A survey of the work of the Holy Spirit as described in the New Testament suggests that power and assurance are frequently associated with the presence of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit’s power is manifested in such events as:

• The Holy Spirit overshadows Mary and conceives the holy child within her, despite her virginity (Luke 1:35).
• The Holy Spirit anoints Jesus with power, enabling him to heal all who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38).
• The outpouring on Pentecost, with its mighty wind, tongues of fire, and speaking in tongues (Acts 2).

And along with power, there is the unique work of assurance — what is also called the witness of the Spirit.  This sense of assurance describes the inward witness given by the Holy Spirit within the spirit of the believer. This inward witness makes possible the personal relationship that exists between believer and the Spirit:

• The Spirit affirms the believer’s identity as a child of God:
  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-17).
• The Spirit is also the intimate agent of communication between God the Father and the believer. Because the Spirit is God’s Spirit, he knows the mind of the Father; and because the Spirit is omniscient (all-knowing) he can penetrate every person’s thoughts, motives and emotions:
  In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.  He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God (Romans 8:26-27).

Paul then continues by reminding the Thessalonians of the ministry that he and his colleagues offered when they were in Thessalonika, and the impact that it has had on the church.  He says boldly that the Thessalonians became imitators of the three missionaries, and of the Lord.  The implication is clear — Paul is an imitator of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 11:1). Therefore the example that the Thessalonians see in these missionaries is a good role model for new believers.

Moreover, because the Thessalonians received the Gospel with joy, despite their affliction (presumably persecution), they now have become:

an example to all who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia.  For from you the word of the Lord has been declared, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone out; so that we need not to say anything.

The rumors of Thessalonian receptivity and repentance have preceded the three missionaries throughout Macedonia and Achaia even before Silvanus, Timothy and Paul arrived in those regions!

For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

At the very conclusion of this portion of 1 Thessalonians, which serves as a salutation, Paul sums up the essence of the Christian Gospel that he proclaims:

• That God is the true God, and no idol such as the Greeks have previously been worshipping.
• That Jesus is the very Son of God, and therefore divine.
• That God has raised Jesus from the dead.
• And faith in Jesus delivers us from the consequences of sin.

This is the eschatological hope for which they are waiting — for Christ who will come from heaven for his church.

APPLY:  

Anyone who has ever tried acting on the stage knows that part of what he or she is doing is imitating a character — and the best actors learn to think, feel, move, and behave like the character they are seeking to portray. This applies to one of the themes of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians — that we are to imitate those who imitate Christ, so that we may be an example to others. The ripple effect of such a lifestyle can be profound.  The more we imitate Christ, the more others are drawn to Christ.

As Paul and his colleagues have proclaimed the Gospel and lived in imitation of Christ, the Thessalonians have sought to replicate that example in their own lives.  And as the Thessalonians have lived in this radical, new way, others have also been influenced.

We see this clearly when Paul writes:

You became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia.

The concept of the Imitation of Christ has a long and distinguished history.  Although Thomas a Kempis wrote his famous book by the same name sometime between 1418 and 1427, the principle originates in the New Testament.

This is a serious challenge to all Christians, which has both inspired and discouraged multitudes for many centuries. On the one hand, this is a high calling to a heroic life.  As C.S. Lewis says:

Now the whole offer which Christianity makes is this: that we can, if we let God have His way, come to share in the life of Christ. If we do, we shall then be sharing a life which was begotten, not made, which always existed and always will exist. Christ is the Son of God. If we share in this kind of life we also shall be sons of God. We shall love the Father as He does and the Holy Ghost will arise in us. He came to this world and became a man in order to spread to other men the kind of life He has — by what I call “good infection.” Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else (from Mere Christianity).

Sadly, we also have many bad examples of Christians and Christian leaders who have failed to follow the teachings and example of Christ.  Today, we tend to hear this excuse most often — quite often even on bumper stickers — Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven. This becomes a rationale for behavior that is quite unChristlike.

The excuse “well,  I’m only human” may be true.  And, yes, it may be necessary for Christian leaders to publically repent and apologize — but a lifestyle that is inconsistent with the life and teaching of Christ can be subversive to those who seek to be disciples, especially when those leaders refuse to change because “they’re only human.”

The saying is cliche — which makes us prone to dismiss it — but it is nonetheless true:

Your life is the only Bible some people will ever read.

The Thessalonians saw the Gospel and the character of Jesus Christ when they saw Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy.  And they were inspired not only to believe, but to follow their example.  And they in turn became an example to others.

This is the way the Gospel spreads — when our words and our works are in harmony with one another.

RESPOND: 

A family member of mine used to say that her God was a “God of love, not a God of wrath.”  I think I understand where she was coming from.  She had been raised in the church, and I’m sure had heard more than a few sermons from  the “fire and brimstone” genre. I surmise that God’s wrath was a frequent theme in those days instead of God’s love.

And yet.  And yet.  We cannot escape language about wrath, and judgment, and, yes, Hell.  Not if we are faithful to the Biblical text. After praising the Thessalonians for their faith, love and patience of hope, Paul assures them that they are loved by God and are chosen.  And then he reminds them that they now worship the living and true God who raised his Son from the dead, who is:

—Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

How do we reconcile God’s love and God’s wrath?

Perhaps the simplest way to do so is to be reminded that for humans, love  really describes our desire that the one we love be happy and blessed and receive good things.  Isn’t that generally true when we think of God’s love for us?  God desires that we have abundant life, blessing, and receive good things.  That seems to be a consistent theme of the Bible. God’s ultimate goal is our well-being. And that goal requires great sacrifice on his part to achieve it for us.  And it also doesn’t mean that we won’t endure temporary suffering before we receive an everlasting reward.

What is wrath?  Wrath is anger, and in terms of relationship, anger occurs when we are disappointed in someone or something, or when something has fallen short of the goal.  Wrath describes God’s reaction to the disparity between his will for us and, our will for us! This is what happens when we settle for something less than God’s best for us.  Biblically, God is angry when our lives and character separate us from him, harm others, and harm ourselves.  This is another way to describe sin.  Therefore God’s anger can be seen as an expression of God’s love.

God the Son has given up his life that we might be saved.  When we read language about God’s wrath we can often miss the point that his wrath  — his anger —  is not at us. God’s anger is against sin and evil and injustice.

As I’ve often said, expanding on an oft used cliche —

God loves the sinner, but hates the sin,  because of what sin does to the sinner. 

Another way of putting this is another expression —

We aren’t punished for our sins; we are punished by our sins.

The following metaphor helps me get a little closer to understanding this concept, although I admit it is a very imperfect picture — suppose you, your family, and your whole neighborhood  have been captured by a terrorist band.  They are holding you hostage.  They are threatening to shoot all of you, and the danger is imminent.  A rescuer arrives to rescue you, and he manages to free you so that you and the others are able to run away from the terrorists.  The rescuer warns you that you must run as far and as fast as you can, because he intends to destroy the terrorists and their weapons.  But instead of running away, you linger.  You have grown fond of your captors. But they are not fond of you.  They have you in their clutches, and are raising their weapons to fire on your family. your neighbors, and on you. They begin to fire. The rescuer must prevent the terrorists from harming all of the other people. He must fire immediately in order to prevent their violence. They will be destroyed. And because you did not separate yourself from the terrorists, you are also destroyed because you did not flee the wrath to come!

Granted, this is a crude analogy.  Our damnation is collateral damage because we refused to seek the safety that was offered.

John Wesley once answered his critics, who denounced him for suggesting that there was only one way to be saved. He said that his critics were right.  He did believe that:

For as there is but one heaven, so there is but one way to it, even the way of faith in Christ, (for we speak not of opinions or outward modes of worship,) the way of love to God and man, the highway of holiness. And is it uncharitable to think or say that none can be saved but those who walk in this way?

He then offers Biblical evidence that it is God who warns us that we must believe or be damned, follow holiness or we won’t see the Lord, and love God and neighbor.  But all of these warnings, from God or from God’s messengers, are inspired by love:

But is there any uncharitableness  [charity is also translated as love; so to be uncharitable is to be unloving] in this, in warning sinners to flee from the wrath to come? On the contrary, not to warn a poor, blind, stupid wretch that he is hanging over the mouth of hell, would be so inexcusable a want of charity, as would bring his blood upon our own head. (John Wesley: A Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, Section III,paragraph 3).

Our ultimate goal is to grow in grace, become imitators of Christ, and anticipate his return and the joy of fellowship with him in heaven.  But we must begin with the admission that we are sinners, and as such deserve the wrath of God.  We are immensely grateful for the grace and mercy that God has shown us in his love by sending his Son on our behalf.  And that means that we ask his forgiveness.

This is illustrated by John Wesley’s description of the early Methodists who met regularly to “watch over one another in love”:

There is one only condition previously required in those who desire admission into this society, — “a desire to flee from the wrath to come, to be saved from their sins.”  (from A Plain Account of the People Called Methodists, Section I, paragraph 8).

So, to my family member who believed in “love” over “wrath,” I would have to say that the most loving thing we can do is be aware that God’s wrath is the flip side of God’s love — he destroys the poisons and the pestilences that corrupt the good world that he has made.  And we must flee those poisons and pestilences and find refuge in God in order to be saved.

Our Lord, I pray that I might be encouraged to faith, love and patience as I seek to imitate you.  Thank you for delivering me from the wrath that is to come against all evil.  Amen.

 PHOTOS:
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Epistle for October 11, 2020

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Philippians 4:1-9
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Paul’s letter to the Philippians has been called The Epistle of Joy.  In four brief but eloquent chapters, he uses the word joy (Greek chara) five times, and the injunction rejoice! (Greek chairete) eight times.

Though Paul himself is in prison, writing to a church that may soon experience serious persecution, he himself is filled with joy, and he wants them to have that same joy.  This last section of Philippians is an earnest exhortation to the church at Philippi.

He begins this section with Therefore which, as we have learned in Paul’s writings, means we should ask “what is it there for?”  Therefore (translated from the Greek hoste) in grammar is an adverb functioning as a conjunction that transitions from one thought to another.  To put it more simply, it means for that reason.  So, we have to ask — for what reason is Paul exhorting the Philippians?  To know that, we have to know what Paul was just talking about in the previous sentences.

In the passage immediately preceding our lectionary epistle for this week, Paul has been describing his confidence that Christ is his greatest treasure, exceeding all of his many accomplishments.  He asserts that the treasure of knowing Christ and his salvation is no achievement of his own, but is obtainable by faith.  Nevertheless, he presses on toward the prize of salvation with utmost effort. He ends this passage by declaring the goal of the Christian hope, which is citizenship in heaven:

from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;  who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself (Philippians 3:20-21).

Therefore, because of their citizenship in heaven and the anticipation of their transformation into the glory of the resurrection body, Paul is advising the Philippians how they are to live now!

He affirms them as his brothers with highly affirming language that describes his affection for them, and encourages them:     

Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

And then he becomes personal and direct, mentioning two women who are evidently leaders in the Philippian church — Euodia and Syntyche.  This is the only time in the New Testament these women are mentioned.  He urges them to think the same way in the Lord. What does he mean?  Is he suggesting that they are in some kind of conflict, and they need to be on the same page with one another?  Or is he simply praising them as examples of leadership?  It is hard to say, although our knowledge of church personalities and politics through the ages suggests that he knows they may have some tension.

What is interesting is that when he tells them to think the same way in the Lord,  Paul uses the same phrase that he uses earlier when exhorting all of the Philippians to have the same mind as Christ!  Even the word for think is the same word in Greek — phroneite.  We read earlier that he has described how all are to emulate the servanthood of Christ:

Have this in your mind (phroneite), which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:5-7).

Is Paul suggesting that these two women — perhaps strong personalities with definite leadership qualities — might need to stop worrying about who’s in charge and learn to serve, as Jesus modeled for us?  Again, we can only speculate, but there seems a good case to be made for that theory.

Paul follows that exhortation immediately by appealing to the rest of the church:

 Yes, I beg you also, true partner, help these women, for they labored with me in the Good News, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Paul is recalling to them the good memories of his ministry in Philippi, and asking them all to pull together just as they did when they first believed.  He refers by name also to Clement as one of his co-workers in Philippi.  Like Euodia and Syntyche, this is Clement’s only mention in the New Testament.  And his other fellow workers go unnamed — although we know at least a few members of his missionary team and fellow travelers from the Book of Acts.  Silas was jailed with Paul there following a riot.  Luke, the writer of Acts, was surely there, and probably Timothy who had begun to travel with the team following their ministry in Lystra (see Acts 16 for a more complete account of Paul’s ministry in Philippi).

And what an intriguing expression — their names are in the book of life.  This specific expression occurs just eight times in the Scriptures — once in the Old Testament (Psalm 69:28), once here in Philippians, and six times in the Revelation to John (Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20: 12, 15; 21:27; and 22:19).

However, the concept of the book of life has a rich history.  The first mention of a book with the names of people written in it appears when Moses intercedes for Israel after their sin of idolatry with the golden calf.  He asks Yahweh to blot him out of the book if Yahweh won’t forgive Israel!  And Yahweh says:

Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book (Exodus 32:33).

Each individual is responsible for their own sin. And it becomes very clear that those who fear and trust God are the ones whose names are written in God’s book.

Paul then turns to a series of imperatives and exhortations about how they are to live, because of the hope of Christ’s coming:

Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, “Rejoice!” Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

And Paul continues his encouragement with advice, along with a promise.  As Jesus counsels his followers in Matthew 6:25-34, Christians are not be anxious about anything.  And Paul advises them about the antidote to anxiety — prayer:

 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Note that along with the petitions, he advises thanksgiving — presumably for prayers already answered, but also perhaps in anticipation that God will hear their petitions and grant their requests!

Paul assures the Philippians that having done all of this, they will experience true serenity, knowing that all the matters that provoke their anxiety are in God’s hands:

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Those who have faith that God hears their prayers trust that God will answer those prayers, even though they may not see it yet.  Paul himself can attest to that as one who has suffered persecution, scourgings, stonings, and is at that very moment in jail!

Interestingly, the word that he uses to describe the inscrutable peace that comes even in the midst of suffering is a military word — this peace will guard their hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus.  We speculate that Paul is borrowing an image from his own incarceration — he has been guarded by Roman soldiers from angry mobs on several occasions, and I’m sure he was grateful.  And even now, he is ‘under guard’ by soldiers, so he knows how securely he is kept!   Although the Romans were his jailers as he writes to the Philippians, when he was first arrested they were also his protectors. We are reminded of the phrase from the Old Testament:

Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep (Psalm 121:4).

And Paul ends with another exhortation that explores how they are to modify their thoughts and minds:

Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

We recall that earlier Paul exhorted the Philippians to copy the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5).  The word for mind, or to think (phronein), used in that earlier context is different than the word used here.  Paul here uses the word logizesthe.  This word is in the imperative mood, and its root word suggests the notion of disciplined thinking according to strict logical rules.  This suggests the thought that Paul is advocating mental discipline as the Philippians focus their minds on following Christ.

And Paul is even so bold, as elsewhere, to offer himself as a role model for this way of thinking:

The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Note that he returns again with a recipe for peace:

• Trusting God to answer prayer
• Reshaping their minds by dwelling only on good things
• Following Paul’s example

Practicing these disciplines, he promises, will bring peace.

APPLY:  

Practically speaking, this passage is one of the richest and most fruitful in Paul’s epistles.  He addresses issues that still confront churches and individuals today.

First, how do we deal with church conflict, especially between strong personalities?  Chiefly by reminding them of their example, Jesus Christ.  If they seek to think the same way in the Lord they will be reminded that the one who is equal with God the Father humbled himself and took on himself the form of a servant.  There is no place there for personal agendas and selfish ambition.   And when any of us forget that, it us up to our friends and co-laborers to help us, and remind us of our priorities.

Second, how do we overcome anxiety in a frantic world?  Paul tells us — in the imperative mood — to rejoice! And he also breaks down for us the process of what happens when we truly bring our anxieties to God in prayer.  First, we are to bring everything to God in prayer.  Prayer is not merely listing our wants and needs — prayer is fully coming in to the presence of God with complete trust — with confidence and thanksgiving.  The result of such trusting prayer is peace:

the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Third, Paul gives instruction on how our minds are to be reshaped and re-formed — he advocates that we focus our thoughts on:

whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

This kind of mental focus requires self-control and discipline.  We are reminded of the importance of the mind in relation to discipleship:

• We are instructed to love God with heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37). Loving God requires the very best of our intellect.
• We are to examine the Scriptures with an eager mind (Acts 17:11).
• We are to set our minds on the things of the Spirit, not things of the flesh (Romans 8:5; see also Colossians 3:2).
• As we offer our lives as a living sacrifice to God, we are to allow God to transform us by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2; see also Ephesians 4:20-24).
• And, just one more example — Paul encourages the Corinthians to bring every thought captive for Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). The word used in this context is noema, which suggests the notion of thought, purpose, or design. We are to take charge of the purposes and goals we have in mind, submitting them to Christ’s control.

RESPOND: 

I can certainly speak for myself when I say that this passage from Philippians speaks directly to my heart, on a practical spiritual level.  There are two issues specifically — anxiety and negativity.

The solution to anxiety, according to Paul, is genuine prayer.  Prayer is not merely sanctified begging for stuff.  At its best, prayer is relationship with God, the open communication between a child and a Father.  It is this intimate relationship of comfort that allays anxieties and brings peace.  Our Father knows our needs, and we can trust him to take care of us.

I appreciate what John Wesley says about prayer:

God does nothing but in answer to prayer….On every occasion of uneasiness, we should retire to prayer, that we may give place to the grace and light of God, and then form our resolutions, without being in any pain about what success they may have….God’s command to ‘pray without ceasing’ is founded on the necessity we have of his grace to preserve the life of God in the soul, which can no more subsist one moment without it, than the body can without air [A Plain Account of Christian Perfection (Part 5)].

And then there is the way I think.  I confess that I have a natural bent toward negativity.  Negativity seems to be a default mental habit for me.  Therefore, I take to heart Paul’s exhortation:

whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

Scripturally, this is not merely The Power of Positive Thinking.  The ability to focus and to think about these things is no mere human discipline — it comes when we take every thought captive through Christ.  But I believe it is a spiritual discipline that can shape my mind in a more ‘positive’ and Godly direction.

And, as I review all of the qualities that we are told to think about, it strikes me that they are all reflected in the character of God as revealed in Scripture, and reflected in Godly lives — true, honorable (or holy), just (ethically righteous), pure (as Christ is pure of sin), lovely (or deserving of love), worthy of praise, excellent (virtue). 

To paraphrase a slogan from the early days of computer programming  — GIGO — garbage in, garbage out.  But more proactively for Paul, when we focus on all of the qualities enumerated in Philippians 4:8, we can change that to Godly character in, Godly character out.  What we think is ultimately how we live.

Lord, I pray for your peace that passes all understanding in the midst of anxieties.  And I pray that your Spirit will shape my mind as I focus on all that is true and honorable and just and pure and lovely — all those qualities that truly derive from you!  Amen.

 PHOTOS:
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Epistle for October 29, 2017

START WITH SCRIPTURE:

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This passage provides some fascinating personal details about Paul’s missionary journey and how he was received in both Philippi and Thessalonika.  In Philippi, he and Silas were briefly imprisoned and flogged by the Roman authorities as Jewish troublemakers. They were accused of teaching customs contrary to Roman values.

In Thessalonika, ironically, it was the Jewish leaders of the local synagogue who were hostile to this new teaching about Jesus the Messiah, who had been raised from the dead.  In Thessalonika, their teaching stirred up riots.

It seems they couldn’t win!  The Romans and Gentiles suspected them of corrupting Roman culture; and the Jews, (their own countrymen), feared their new teaching!

But Paul cites the boldness of their preaching even in the face of stiff opposition.  It seems from his words that some were accusing the missionaries of self-interest or trickery, perhaps because their preaching was sometimes accompanied by healing and exorcism.  And Paul is making very clear that their preaching, though it provoked persecution, was motivated only by the desire to please God.

In fact, Paul is making quite clear that the good opinion and flattery of the crowds is not what motivates him to preach the Gospel.  He only has an eye to the approval of God.  Their motivation as missionaries is only to care for the Thessalonian Christians as children in Christ, driven purely by love.  He even uses a vivid image:

But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

His message isn’t just words — he shared himself as well.  His commitment wasn’t merely a duty — it was personal.

APPLY:  

Perhaps missionaries today can identify with the persecution and trials that Paul and Silas experienced in Philippi and Thessalonika.  A few years ago, a missionary to Tanzania visited our church and preached the Sunday morning sermon.  He  shared stories afterward with my wife and I about other missionaries who had been persecuted, and one Catholic priest on the coast of Tanzania who had been beheaded.  It was a sobering conversation.

Whatever our difficulties as Christians in the U.S., we don’t experience that level of suffering for our faith.  However, we are still called to be people of integrity.

We can learn from Paul’s clear self-differentiation that we are to be differentiated ourselves.  Here’s what I mean by that — Paul makes clear to the Thessalonians that he is motivated not by praise or flattery. His only desire is to please God.  Do we do what we do for the sake of praise or affirmation, or because we are seeking to do what we believe God wants us to do?  Flattery and praise can easily turn to criticism (given the fickleness of popularity), but if we are committed first and foremost to pleasing God alone, then criticism and even persecution will be bearable.

The Puritans used to have a saying: “I have an audience of One.”  In other words, ultimately I am accountable to God, and I really only want his praise and approval.

One more thing – having said all that, it is clear that Paul is motivated to preach the Gospel and serve these people because he loves them.  He embodies the teaching of the Gospels — that we are to love God with all our being, and love our neighbor as ourselves.  So his sharing of the Gospel is not just the message, but also himself.  He has put his whole being out there for their sake!

RESPOND: 

I resolve to make my aim only obedience to God, and seek to please him, not seeking the praise and approval of other people.  If I please God, then nothing that anyone gives or takes away from me will ever match hearing God say “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Our Lord, I confess that my head is easily turned by the praise and approval of others; and that I’m also too easily hurt by criticism.  Sink my roots so deeply into your love and grace that I don’t look anywhere else to have my emotional needs met.  At the same time, help me to be so in love with you that I love other people for your sake.  Amen.

 PHOTOS:
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Epistle for October 22, 2017

START WITH SCRIPTURE:

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

According to  most scholars, 1 Thessalonians is the earliest written work included in the New Testament.  Paul  may have written this letter to the church in Thessalonika from Corinth sometime around 52 AD.

He had only recently left Thessalonika.  He was at this time on what is called his Second Missionary Journey, which took him through Syria, Cilicia, Galatia and Asia — and then, for the first time, across the Aegean Sea into Europe. His journeys in Europe  took him to key cities where he planted churches — in Macedonia (Philippi, Thessalonika and Berea) and in Achaea (Athens and Corinth).

This letter to the Thessalonians represents one of the earliest samples of Christian preaching and doctrine, some twenty years after the resurrection of Jesus and the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost.

As was common with ancient letters, Paul begins with a salutation.  He is writing this as a corporate letter, with greetings from the other two missionaries who are with him in Corinth — Silvanus, and Timothy. And the recipient of the letter is also corporate — the entire church at Thessalonika.

Silvanus and Timothy both appear elsewhere throughout the New Testament record.

Silvanus is believed to be the same person known as Silas in the book of the Acts of the Apostles.  At one of the key councils in Jerusalem, Silas was chosen, along with Judas Barsabbas, to accompany Paul and Barnabas as they set out for Antioch (Acts 15:22).  This was the beginning of the very missionary journey that would take them to their present location in Corinth. Silas is mentioned twelve times in Acts. One of those accounts describes Paul and Silas in jail together in Philippi, which proved to be a pivotal moment in their ministry there (Acts 16:25-32).  Paul mentions his colleague and travelling companion Silvanus three  times in his letters (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:19) . And we also find Silvanus mentioned by the Apostle Peter in his first letter, giving the impression that Silvanus actually helped Peter in the drafting of the letter (1 Peter 5:12).

Timothy, of course, is well-known as Paul’s young protege. The relationship of Paul and Timothy is that of an affectionate father with an adopted son. We know much more about Timothy — he was from Lystra in Galatia, the son of a Jewish woman and a Greek father.  Paul made a point of having Timothy circumcised because of his Jewish heritage, in order to avoid offending the Jews in Galatia (Acts 16:1-3).   Timothy often acted as a messenger for Paul, bearing his letters and bringing personal possessions that had been left behind.  We last see Timothy in Acts saying farewell to Paul in Asia, and there is some evidence that Timothy became the overseer (Greek episcopos, or bishop)  of the church in Ephesus.  Timothy is mentioned six times in Acts;  twelve times in Paul’s letters (not including the two letters that were written specifically to Timothy by Paul, 1 & 2 Timothy), and once in Hebrews 13:23.

These co-workers in the Gospel may also have been co-writers with Paul of this letter.

But let’s return to the Thessalonians.  Their identity and relationship with God are immediately established. The church is described as:

 in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…

While we might be tempted to scan this greeting rather quickly, we do well to pause just a moment.  Because this is likely the first written record of the New Testament, these are significant words.  It is clear that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are being given equal billing.  Although the Holy Spirit is not mentioned until verse 5 and 6 in this passage, we have the beginnings of a doctrine of the Trinity.

That God is Father is a given from the Jewish perspective.  But when Paul says that Jesus is Lord and Christ, he is making an important claim about Jesus.  Jesus is not only the Christ (aka Messiah), fulfilling the Hebrew prophecies and expectations — he is also Lord.  Lord denotes more than merely a title of aristocracy for Paul.  In Hebraic thought,  the word Lord is synonymous with the title given to Yahweh in the Old Testament — Adonai.  Based on that evidence, Paul is describing Jesus the Christ as God.   

And Paul offers a greeting that will become familiar to the reader of his epistles:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace is one of Paul’s consistent themes throughout his epistles.

As he continues the body of his letter, Paul is personal when remembering the Thessalonians, their faith and their work.  He speaks in the first person plural on behalf of Silvanus, Timothy and himself, describing their intercession for the church:

We always give thanks to God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.

Paul calls the Thessalonians his brothers,  and reminds them of their new identity.  They are chosen — the theological term is elect — and Paul celebrates the fact that they not only heard the Gospel,  but the Holy Spirit reinforced this word  with power and assurance. 

This provides a glimpse into the doctrine of  Pneumatology (theology related to the Holy Spirit).  A survey of the work of the Holy Spirit as described in the New Testament suggests that power and assurance are frequently associated with the presence of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit’s power is manifested in such events as:

• The Holy Spirit overshadows Mary and conceives the holy child within her, despite her virginity (Luke 1:35).
• The Holy Spirit anoints Jesus with power, enabling him to heal all who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38).
• The outpouring on Pentecost, with its mighty wind, tongues of fire, and speaking in tongues (Acts 2).

And along with power, there is the unique work of assurance — what is also called the witness of the Spirit.  This sense of assurance describes the inward witness given by the Holy Spirit within the spirit of the believer. This inward witness makes possible the personal relationship that exists between believer and the Spirit:

• The Spirit affirms the believer’s identity as a child of God:
  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-17).
• The Spirit is also the intimate agent of communication between God the Father and the believer. Because the Spirit is God’s Spirit, he knows the mind of the Father; and because the Spirit is omniscient (all-knowing) he can penetrate every person’s thoughts, motives and emotions:
  In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.  He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God (Romans 8:26-27).

Paul then continues by reminding the Thessalonians of the ministry that he and his colleagues offered when they were in Thessalonika, and the impact that it has had on the church.  He says boldly that the Thessalonians became imitators of the three missionaries, and of the Lord.  The implication is clear — Paul is an imitator of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 11:1). Therefore the example that the Thessalonians see in these missionaries is a good role model for new believers.

Moreover, because the Thessalonians received the Gospel with joy, despite their affliction (presumably persecution), they now have become:

an example to all who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia.  For from you the word of the Lord has been declared, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone out; so that we need not to say anything.

The rumors of Thessalonian receptivity and repentance have preceded the three missionaries throughout Macedonia and Achaia even before Silvanus, Timothy and Paul arrived in those regions!

For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

At the very conclusion of this portion of 1 Thessalonians, which serves as a salutation, Paul sums up the essence of the Christian Gospel that he proclaims:

• That God is the true God, and no idol such as the Greeks have previously been worshipping.
• That Jesus is the very Son of God, and therefore divine.
• That God has raised Jesus from the dead.
• And faith in Jesus delivers us from the consequences of sin.

This is the eschatological hope for which they are waiting — for Christ who will come from heaven for his church.

APPLY:  

Anyone who has ever tried acting on the stage knows that part of what he or she is doing is imitating a character — and the best actors learn to think, feel, move, and behave like the character they are seeking to portray. This applies to one of the themes of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians — that we are to imitate those who imitate Christ, so that we may be an example to others. The ripple effect of such a lifestyle can be profound.  The more we imitate Christ, the more others are drawn to Christ.

As Paul and his colleagues have proclaimed the Gospel and lived in imitation of Christ, the Thessalonians have sought to replicate that example in their own lives.  And as the Thessalonians have lived in this radical, new way, others have also been  influenced.

We see this clearly when Paul writes:

You became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia.

The concept of the Imitation of Christ has a long and distinguished history.  Although Thomas a Kempis wrote his famous book by the same name sometime between 1418 and 1427, the principle originates in the New Testament.

This is a serious challenge to all Christians, which has both inspired and discouraged multitudes for many centuries. On the one hand, this is a high calling to a heroic life.  As C.S. Lewis says:

Now the whole offer which Christianity makes is this: that we can, if we let God have His way, come to share in the life of Christ. If we do, we shall then be sharing a life which was begotten, not made, which always existed and always will exist. Christ is the Son of God. If we share in this kind of life we also shall be sons of God. We shall love the Father as He does and the Holy Ghost will arise in us. He came to this world and became a man in order to spread to other men the kind of life He has — by what I call “good infection.” Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else (from Mere Christianity).

Sadly, we also have many bad examples of Christians and Christian leaders who have failed to follow the teachings and example of Christ.  Today, we tend to hear this excuse most often — quite often even on bumper stickers — Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.    This becomes a rationale for behavior that is quite unChristlike.

The excuse “well,  I’m only human” may be true.  And, yes, it may be necessary for Christian leaders to publically repent and apologize — but a lifestyle that is inconsistent with the life and teaching of Christ can be subversive to those who seek to be disciples, especially when those leaders refuse to change because “they’re only human.”

The saying is cliche — which makes us prone to dismiss it — but it is nonetheless true:

Your life is the only Bible some people will ever read.

The Thessalonians saw the Gospel and the character of Jesus Christ when they saw Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy.  And they were inspired not only to believe, but to follow their example.  And they in turn became an example to others.

This is the way the Gospel spreads — when our words and our works are in harmony with one another.

RESPOND: 

A family member of mine used to say that her God was a “God of love, not a God of wrath.”  I think I understand where she was coming from.  She had been raised in the church, and I’m sure had heard more than a few sermons from  the “fire and brimstone” genre. I surmise that God’s wrath was a frequent theme in those days instead of God’s love.

And yet.  And yet.  We cannot escape language about wrath, and judgment, and, yes, Hell.  Not if we are faithful to the Biblical text. After praising the Thessalonians for their faith, love and patience of hope, Paul assures them that they are loved by God and are chosen.  And then he reminds them that they now worship the living and true God who raised his Son from the dead, who is:

—Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

How do we reconcile God’s love and God’s wrath?

Perhaps the simplest way to do so is to be reminded that for humans, love  really describes our desire that the one we love be happy and blessed and receive good things.  Isn’t that generally true when we think of God’s love for us?  God desires that we have abundant life, blessing, and receive good things.  That seems to be a consistent theme of the Bible. God’s ultimate goal is our well-being. And that goal requires great sacrifice on his part to achieve it for us.  And it also doesn’t mean that we won’t endure temporary suffering before we receive an everlasting reward.

What is wrath?  Wrath is anger, and in terms of relationship, anger occurs when we are disappointed in someone or something, or when something has fallen short of the goal.  Wrath describes God’s reaction to the disparity between his will for us and, our will for us! This is what happens when we settle for something less than God’s best for us.  Biblically, God is angry when our lives and character separate us from him, harm others, and harm ourselves.  This is another way to describe sin.  Therefore God’s anger can be seen as an expression of God’s love.

God the Son has given up his life that we might be saved.  When we read language about God’s wrath we can often miss the point that his wrath  — his anger —  is not at us. God’s anger is against sin and evil and injustice.

As I’ve often said, expanding on an oft used cliche —

God loves the sinner, but hates the sin,  because of what sin does to the sinner. 

Another way of putting this is another expression —

We aren’t punished for our sins; we are punished by our sins.

The following metaphor helps me get a little closer to understanding this concept, although I admit  it is a very imperfect picture — suppose you, your family, and your whole neighborhood  have been captured by a terrorist band.  They are holding you hostage.  They are threatening to shoot all of you, and the danger is imminent.  A rescuer arrives to rescue you, and he manages to free you so that you and the others are able to run away from the terrorists.  The rescuer warns you that you must run as far and as fast as you can, because he intends to destroy the terrorists and their weapons.  But instead of running away, you linger.  You have grown fond of your captors. But they are not fond of you.  They have you in their clutches, and are raising their weapons to fire on your family. your neighbors, and on you. They begin to fire. The rescuer must prevent the terrorists from harming all of the other people. He must fire immediately in order to prevent their violence. They will be destroyed. And because you did not separate yourself from the terrorists, you are also destroyed because you did not flee the wrath to come!

Granted, this is a crude analogy.  Our damnation is collateral damage because we refused to seek the safety that was offered.

John Wesley once answered his critics, who denounced him for suggesting that there was only one way to be saved. He said that his critics were right.  He did believe that:

For as there is but one heaven, so there is but one way to it, even the way of faith in Christ, (for we speak not of opinions or outward modes of worship,) the way of love to God and man, the highway of holiness. And is it uncharitable to think or say that none can be saved but those who walk in this way?

He then offers Biblical evidence that it is God who warns us that we must believe or be damned, follow holiness or we won’t see the Lord, and love God and neighbor.  But all of these warnings, from God or from God’s messengers, are inspired by love:

But is there any uncharitableness  [charity is also translated as love; so to be uncharitable is to be unloving] in this, in warning sinners to flee from the wrath to come? On the contrary, not to warn a poor, blind, stupid wretch that he is hanging over the mouth of hell, would be so inexcusable a want of charity, as would bring his blood upon our own head. (John Wesley: A Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, Section III,paragraph 3).

Our ultimate goal is to grow in grace, become imitators of Christ, and anticipate his return and the joy of fellowship with him in heaven.  But we must begin with the admission that we are sinners, and as such deserve the wrath of God.  We are immensely grateful for the grace and mercy that God has shown us in his love by sending his Son on our behalf.  And that means that we ask his forgiveness.

This is illustrated by John Wesley’s description of the early Methodists who met regularly to “watch over one another in love”:

There is one only condition previously required in those who desire admission into this society, — “a desire to flee from the wrath to come, to be saved from their sins.”  (from A Plain Account of the People Called Methodists, Section I, paragraph 8).

So, to my family member who believed in “love” over “wrath,” I would have to say that the most loving thing we can do is be aware that God’s wrath is the flip side of God’s love — he destroys the poisons and the pestilences that corrupt the good world that he has made.  And we must flee those poisons and pestilences and find refuge in God in order to be saved.

Our Lord, I pray that I might be encouraged to faith, love and patience as I seek to imitate you.  Thank you for delivering me from the wrath that is to come against all evil.  Amen.

 PHOTOS:
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Epistle for October 15, 2017

START WITH SCRIPTURE:

Philippians 4:1-9

CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Paul’s letter to the Philippians has been called The Epistle of Joy.  In four brief but eloquent chapters, he uses the word joy (Greek chara) five times, and the injunction rejoice! (Greek chairete) eight times.

Though Paul himself is in prison, writing to a church that may soon experience serious persecution, he himself is filled with joy, and he wants them to have that same joy.  This last section of Philippians is an earnest exhortation to the church at Philippi.

He begins this section with Therefore which, as we have learned in Paul’s writings, means we should ask “what is it there for?”  Therefore (translated from the Greek hoste) in grammar is an adverb functioning as a conjunction that transitions from one thought to another.  To put it more simply, it means for that reason.  So, we have to ask — for what reason is Paul exhorting the Philippians?  To know that, we have to know what Paul was just talking about in the previous sentences.

In the passage immediately preceding our lectionary epistle for this week, Paul has been describing his confidence that Christ is his greatest treasure, exceeding all of his many accomplishments.  He asserts that the treasure of knowing Christ and his salvation is no achievement of his own, but is obtainable by faith.  Nevertheless, he presses on toward the prize of salvation with utmost effort. He ends this passage by declaring the goal of the Christian hope, which is citizenship in heaven:

from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;  who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself (Philippians 3:20-21).

Therefore, because of their citizenship in heaven and the anticipation of their transformation into the glory of the resurrection body, Paul is advising the Philippians how they are to live now!

He affirms them as his brothers with highly affirming language that describes his affection for them, and encourages them:     

Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

And then he becomes personal and direct, mentioning two women who are evidently leaders in the Philippian church — Euodia and Syntyche.  This is the only time in the New Testament these women are mentioned.  He urges them to think the same way in the Lord. What does he mean?  Is he suggesting that they are in some kind of conflict, and they need to be on the same page with one another?  Or is he simply praising them as examples of leadership?  It is hard to say, although our knowledge of church personalities and politics through the ages suggests that he knows they may have some tension.

What is interesting is that when he tells them to think the same way in the Lord,  Paul uses the same phrase that he uses earlier when exhorting all of the Philippians to have the same mind as Christ!  Even the word for think is the same word in Greek — phroneite.  We read earlier that he has described how all are to emulate the servanthood of Christ:

Have this in your mind (phroneite), which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:5-7).

Is Paul suggesting that these two women — perhaps strong personalities with definite leadership qualities — might need to stop worrying about who’s in charge and learn to serve, as Jesus modeled for us?  Again, we can only speculate, but there seems a good case to be made for that theory.

Paul follows that exhortation immediately by appealing to the rest of the church:

 Yes, I beg you also, true partner, help these women, for they labored with me in the Good News, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Paul is recalling to them the good memories of his ministry in Philippi, and asking them all to pull together just as they did when they first believed.  He refers by name also to Clement as one of his co-workers in Philippi.  Like Euodia and Syntyche, this is Clement’s only mention in the New Testament.  And his other fellow workers go unnamed — although we know at least a few members of his missionary team and fellow travelers from the Book of Acts.  Silas was jailed with Paul there following a riot.  Luke, the writer of Acts, was surely there, and probably Timothy who had begun to travel with the team following their ministry in Lystra (see Acts 16 for a more complete account of Paul’s ministry in Philippi ).

And what an intriguing expression — their names are in the book of life.  This specific expression occurs just eight times in the Scriptures — once in the Old Testament (Psalm 69:28), once here in Philippians, and six times in the Revelation to John (Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20: 12, 15; 21:27; and 22:19).

However, the concept of the book of life has a rich history.  The first mention of a book with the names of people written in it appears when Moses intercedes for Israel after their sin of idolatry with the golden calf.  He asks Yahweh to blot him out of the book if Yahweh won’t forgive Israel!  And Yahweh says:

Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book (Exodus 32:33).

Each individual is responsible for their own sin. And it becomes very clear that those who fear and trust God are the ones whose names are written in God’s book.

Paul then turns to a series of imperatives and exhortations about how they are to live, because of the hope of Christ’s coming:

Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, “Rejoice!” Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

And Paul continues his encouragement with advice, along with a promise.  As Jesus counsels his followers in Matthew 6:25-34, Christians are not be anxious about anything.  And Paul advises them about the antidote to anxiety — prayer:

 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Note that along with the petitions, he advises thanksgiving — presumably for prayers already answered, but also perhaps in anticipation that God will hear their petitions and grant their requests!

Paul assures the Philippians that having done all of this, they will experience true serenity, knowing that all the matters that provoke their anxiety are in God’s hands:

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Those who have faith that God hears their prayers trust that God will answer those prayers, even though they may not see it yet.  Paul himself can attest to that as one who has suffered persecution, scourgings, stonings, and is at that very moment in jail!

Interestingly, the word that he uses to describe the inscrutable peace that comes even in the midst of suffering is a military word — this peace will guard their hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus.  We speculate that Paul is borrowing an image from his own incarceration — he has been guarded by Roman soldiers from angry mobs on several occasions, and I’m sure he was grateful.  And even now, he is ‘under guard’ by soldiers, so he knows how securely he is kept!   Although the Romans were his jailers as he writes to the Philippians, when he was first arrested they were also his protectors. We are reminded of the phrase from the Old Testament:

Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep (Psalm 121:4).

And Paul ends with another exhortation that explores how they are to modify their thoughts and minds:

Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

We recall that earlier Paul exhorted the Philippians to copy the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5).  The word for mind, or to think (phronein), used in that earlier context is different than the word used here.  Paul here uses the word logizesthe.  This word is in the imperative mood, and its root word suggests the notion of disciplined thinking according strict logical rules.  This suggests the thought that Paul is advocating mental discipline as the Philippians focus their minds on following Christ.

And Paul is even so bold, as elsewhere, to offer himself as a role model for this way of thinking:

The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Note that he returns again to recipe for peace:

• Trusting God to answer prayer
• Reshaping their minds by dwelling only on good things
• Following Paul’s example

Practicing these disciplines, he promises, will bring peace.

APPLY:  

Practically speaking, this passage is one of the richest and most fruitful in Paul’s epistles.  He addresses issues that still confront churches and individuals today.

First, how do we deal with church conflict, especially between strong personalities?  Chiefly by reminding them of their example, Jesus Christ.  If they seek to think the same way in the Lord they will be reminded that the one who is equal with God the Father humbled himself and took on himself the form of a servant.  There is no place there for personal agendas and selfish ambition.   And when any of us forget that, it us up to our friends and co-laborers to help us, and remind us of our priorities.

Second, how do we overcome anxiety in a frantic world?  Paul tells us — in the imperative mood — to rejoice! And he also breaks down for us the process of what happens when we truly bring our anxieties to God in prayer.  First, we are to bring everything to God in prayer.  Prayer is not merely listing our wants and needs — prayer is fully coming in to the presence of God with complete trust — with confidence and thanksgiving.  The result of such trusting prayer is peace:

the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Third, Paul gives instruction on how our minds are to be reshaped and re-formed — he advocates that we focus our thoughts on:

whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

This kind of mental focus requires self-control and discipline.  We are reminded of the importance of the mind in relation to discipleship:

• We are instructed to love God with heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37). Loving God requires the very best of our intellect.
• We are to examine the Scriptures with an eager mind (Acts 17:11).
• We are to set our minds on the things of the Spirit, not things of the flesh (Romans 8:5; see also Colossians 3:2).
• As we offer our lives as a living sacrifice to God, we are to allow God to transform us by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2; see also Ephesians 4:20-24).
• And, just one more example — Paul encourages the Corinthians to bring every thought captive for Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). The word used in this context is noema, which suggests the notion of thought, purpose, or design. We are to take charge of the purposes and goals we have in mind, submitting them to Christ’s control.

RESPOND: 

I can certainly speak for myself when I say that this passage from Philippians speaks directly to my heart, on a practical spiritual level.  There are two issues specifically — anxiety and negativity.

The solution to anxiety, according to Paul, is genuine prayer.  Prayer is not merely sanctified begging for stuff.  At its best, prayer is relationship with God, the open communication between a child and a Father.  It is this intimate relationship of comfort that allays anxieties and brings peace.  Our Father knows our needs, and we can trust him to take care of us.

I appreciate what John Wesley says about prayer:

God does nothing but in answer to prayer….On every occasion of uneasiness, we should retire to prayer, that we may give place to the grace and light of God, and then form our resolutions, without being in any pain about what success they may have….God’s command to ‘pray without ceasing’ is founded on the necessity we have of his grace to preserve the life of God in the soul, which can no more subsist one moment without it, than the body can without air [A Plain Account of Christian Perfection (Part 5)].

And then there is the way I think.  I confess that I have a natural bent toward negativity.  Negativity seems to be a default mental habit for me.  Therefore, I take to heart Paul’s exhortation:

whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

Scripturally, this is not merely The Power of Positive Thinking.  The ability to focus and to think about these things is no mere human discipline — it comes when we take every thought captive through Christ.  But I believe it is a spiritual discipline that can shape my mind in a more ‘positive’ and Godly direction.

And, as I review all of the qualities that we are told to think about, it strikes me that they are all reflected in the character of God as revealed in Scripture, and reflected in Godly lives — true, honorable (or holy), just (ethically righteous), pure (as Christ is pure of sin), lovely (or deserving of love), worthy of praise, excellent (virtue). 

To paraphrase a slogan from the early days of computer programming  — GIGO — garbage in, garbage out.  But more proactively for Paul, when we focus on all of the qualities enumerated in Philippians 4:8, we can change that to Godly character in, Godly character out.  What we think is ultimately how we live.

Lord, I pray for your peace that passes all understanding in the midst of anxieties.  And I pray that your Spirit will shape my mind as I focus on all that is true and honorable and just and pure and lovely — all those qualities that truly derive from you!  Amen.

 PHOTOS:
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Epistle for October 8, 2017

START WITH SCRIPTURE:

Philippians 3:4-14

CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Paul focuses on his own autobiography as a witness to the Gospel of grace that he proclaims.  In this passage we see through Paul’s  eyes his own transition from a self-righteous overachiever to a man completely dependent upon Christ.

He begins by demonstrating to the Philippians that he has a great personal resume, in purely human terms.  He has every reason to have confidence in the flesh if the goal of salvation is to be reached through human achievement.

The list he offers highlights his accomplishments as a highly committed, deeply  religious person:

circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.

His place in the Judaism of his day, regarded as the true faith of the Chosen People, was absolutely secure.  Not only had he received all the normal marks of an observant Jew — circumcision, a place in the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews — he was a member of the most exclusive religious “fraternity” of his day — the Pharisees.

To be a Pharisee was to be a part of a highly scrupulous group.  The word Pharisee means those who are set apart. They were renowned for their strict observance not only of the Law of Moses, but also of the Oral Law, that body of traditions, interpretations and applications that had been passed down by generations of rabbis.

Moreover, Paul’s zeal for his faith was so intense that he sought to root out those whom he regarded as heretics, this new Jewish sect that were called Christians.  His quest to rid the world of this threat led him to Damascus — and conversion!

Yet, Paul could honestly say that his devotion to the law of Moses was so impeccable that he was blameless.

However, compared to the glory and grace that Paul had come to know in Christ, his own accomplishments are meaningless to him:

However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ.  Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ….

Note the three-fold reference to loss, which illustrates that Paul has given up all  of the achievements and credentials of his former life.  In comparison to knowing Christ, his long list of merits are mere trash.

Paul reiterates the core of his message of grace when he outlines his new aim, to be found in Christ:

not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.

Throughout his epistles, Paul has made it clear that it is impossible to establish one’s own righteousness by obedience to the law.  While the law is holy and just and good, the human capacity to fulfill the law invariably falls short.  Only by complete surrender through faith in Christ does the believer receive the:

righteousness from God based on faith.

Paul states clearly his own personal mission statement:

that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death;  if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

This highlights an important aspect of Paul’s spirituality — that faith in Christ means identification with Christ’s cross and his resurrection.  We can see that very clearly in Galatians 2:19-20.

 For I, through the law, died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

Nevertheless, Paul confesses his own deep humility, acknowledging that he is still in the process of growing when it comes to following Christ:

Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

There are two key points that are striking here.

First, there is the paradox that Christ has already made Paul his own, yet there is a response still required in order for Paul to continue to make Christ his own.  Christ’s grace has already accepted Paul as he is.  But Paul is aware that identifying with Christ’s crucified and resurrected life requires that he press on to make it his own.

There  are several analogies that spring to mind — we are embraced by someone who loves us, but we also must embrace them in return if we are to experience the completion of affection.

But Paul’s own analogy brings us to the second point — Paul uses an athletic analogy to describe his spiritual journey:

Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

One can almost see the stadium and the runners as they are being cheered on by the crowds.  Paul runs his race so that he may cross the finish line and receive the ultimate prize.

So, the analogy prevails.  He has been selected for the “team” by the grace of Christ. It is time to forget those previous efforts of self-directed achievement that fell short of victory, without looking back.  And now he strives to excel in the spiritual contest with his utmost effort so that he may fulfill the high calling of Christ.

APPLY:  

Ours is an achievement-oriented society.  From our first report cards that our moms put on the refrigerator to the lists of awards and honors and degrees that follow our names in our resumes — we are hungry for recognition.

While this may be admirable and desirable from a human point of view for our resume building, this is not how we experience the glory of Christ.

Christ’s grace is available to all, from the president of the United States to the homeless woman pushing a shopping cart filled with her only possessions.

As Paul tells us, Christ has taken hold of us by grace.  He has already offered himself to us completely and without reserve.  He emptied himself of all but love, and offered his life on the cross so that he might raise us up with him.

What response should this elicit from us?  If we fully grasp what Christ has done for us, it inspires us to give all that we have and all that we are to follow him.  This is the path to sanctification.

We remember, however,  that even this striving toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus is still not our accomplishment.  It is not something that we achieve, but rather something that we receive by grace.

As Paul reminds us in his paradoxical statement earlier in this letter to the Philippians:

work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13).

No matter how intense our effort, how earnestly we press toward the goal, we are enabled to do so only by God who is at work in us.  That is why we are truly humble before God, who is the author and finisher of our salvation.

RESPOND: 

When I was a young man, I went to a Christian counselor concerning my depression.  He recommended a book that helped me to apply all of my theological training to my personal problems.

The book was The Search for Significance by Robert McGee.  I can sum up the message very simply — we are taught in our culture to base our self-worth on our performance and the opinions of others.  Our accomplishments and the opinions of others become the mirror in which we measure ourselves.

Unfortunately, even the most accomplished and most popular persons in the world, in their most honest moments, must accept that they fall short of perfection. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has nothing to say to those who do not accept that they are sinners.

The Gospel of grace tells us that we are already accepted for Christ’s sake.  We are loved.  There is nothing more that we need do in order to be more acceptable to God. Our acceptance by God is not based on our performance or the opinion of others. Christ has performed all that needs to be done for us to be reconciled to God. And Christ’s opinion of each of us is that we are worth dying for!

When I read McGee’s book, and began to apply its message in my own life, it liberated me from the effort to establish my own righteousness or to “prove” myself.

And, when I could accept that I was already accepted by Christ, I was free to give my very best effort to press on toward the life that he envisioned for me.

I had “made the team” already.  But now I didn’t want to simply sit on the bench.  I wanted to excel and perform at the highest level possible – not for my own sake but for Christ’s sake.  My motivation for obedience and excellence was no longer to bolster my ego or my resume, but gratitude for what Christ has done for me.

Our Lord, whatever I have accomplished is rubbish in comparison to the glory of knowing you through your death and resurrection.  I receive your grace with humble gratitude, and press on toward the goal of your high calling.  Amen. 

 PHOTOS:
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