STUDYING THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS #5

Phil. 2:1-4

By David J. Riggs

Intro.
   A. This section (Phil. 2:1-4) contains Paul's pleas to the        
      Philippians to be united and helpful to each other.
   B. Instead of a word of superficial advice regarding living in    
      peace, Paul persuades by several lofty spiritual motives.
   C. His motives are not the ones we often consider uppermost.
      1. We often feel that we can be united when we have, by fiery
         debate, overwhelmed our adversaries, and have forced them
         to conform to the truth.
      2. This is not to belittle the necessity for religious         
         discussion or defending the truth; however, Paul's appeals  
         here are different. He compels:
         a. By the exhortation resulting from four spiritual          
           qualities. Vs. 1
         b. By letting these spiritual qualities bring a fourfold    
            result. Vs. 2
         c. By destroying selfishness from within. Vs. 3
         d. By genuine concern or "looking out" for others. Vs. 4
 
I. Phil. 2:1 - By the exhortation from four spiritual qualities.
   A. The word "if" does not express doubt as our English word
      sometimes does.
      1. It would be better translated "since."
      2. To Paul's mind, there was nothing more certain than the
         realities to which he appeals.
   B. Paul gives four motives, compelling reasons, for being like-
      minded and of the same love.
      1. First, "If any consolation in Christ" - "If any
         encouragement in Christ" (NASV).
         a. The Greek word for "consolation" carried a double
            significance.
            (1) It indicates both consoling and urging.
         b. Certainly, there is great consolation and exhortation
            which flows from being "in Christ."
            (1) It is those "in Christ" who have taken advantage of
                the heavenly message. Luke 1:10-11
      2. Second, "If any comfort of love" - "If any consolation from
         love" (NRSV).
         a. The word "comfort" in 2:1 means literally, "persuasive
            speaking."
         b. Love is a "persuasive speaker" when it comes to unity
            and helpfulness among God's people.
      3. Third, "If and fellowship of the Spirit."
         a. The word "fellowship" in 2:1 means "a share or
            participation in something."
         b. Christians have a sharing or participation "in the       
            Spirit."
         c. Christians have both a fellowship in the Spirit (we are  
            in fellowship with the Spirit) and a fellowship wrought  
            by the Spirit (a fellowship produced by the Spirit).
         d. This like-sharing "in the Spirit" should lead us to      
            unity. Eph. 4:3
      4. Fourth, "If any affection and mercy" -  "If any affection
         and compassion" (NASV).
         a. As Christians, we share many like-feelings and, thus,    

            this is another reason we should be united and helpful to
            each other.
         b. The word "bowels" in the KJV is the literal meaning of
            the Greek word (splagchma).
            (1) The ancients regarded the nobler bowels (heart,
                liver, lungs, etc.) as the seat of the emotions.
            (2) It was just as logical for them to say, "I love you
                with all my bowels," as to say, "I love you with all
                my heart." We use the latter, only because it is the
                modern idiom.

II. Phil. 2:2 - By letting these bring a fourfold result.
   A. "Fulfill by joy" - In other words, he beseeches, "Let my cup of
      joy be full."
      1. The church at Philippi was a strong church, but if there was
         anything that might have been lacking, it was in their
         disunity.
         a. They were doing great works abroad, but on the home
            front, they needed peace. Phil. 4:2
      2. It is a joy to any teacher (preacher, elder) to see fellow
         Christians being like-minded and working together in love.
   B. The piling up of the expressions in verse 1 leaves no doubt as 
      to the apostle's desire. His fourfold appeal is to lead to a   
      fourfold result.
      1. "Being like-minded" - This is the noun form of "like-
         minded." We are to be a "like-minded" people.
      2. "Having the same love" - We must seek to prevent a
         situation where some love and some don't.
      3. "Being of one accord" - Literally, this means, "souled
         together" or "together in soul." The unity of believers runs
         deep. Acts 4:32
      4. "Of one mind" - This is the verb form of "like-minded." We
         are to be a like-minded people, "thinking alike." Our minds
         are to be on the same things. Our intentions are to be the
         same. We are to be thinking in the same direction.

III. Phil. 2:3 - By destroying selfishness from within.
   A. In verses 3 and 4, Paul gives three great causes of disunity   
      and lack of care. They can be summed up in one word:           
      "Selfishness."
   B. "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition and conceit" -
      "Strife and vain glory" (KJV)
      1. Many Christians are motivated by selfish ambition and
         conceit rather than by those things mentioned in verse 1.
      2. "Selfish ambition" - is from one word in the Greek and is
         found before NT times only in Aristotle where it denotes a
         self-seeking pursuit of political office by unfair means.
         (Arndt & Gingrich) 
         a. Paul is exhorting us to not put ourselves forward or to
            be selfish.
         b. He used the same word in Rom. 2:8 (translated
            "contentious" KJV) of those who do not obey the truth.
         c. James used the same word twice against those who have
            "self-seeking" or "self-promoting" in our hearts. James
            3:14-16
         d. A very simple basis of Christianity is to "deny self."
            Luke 9:23 
      3. "Conceit" is better translated, "empty glory" or "empty
         pride."
         a. "Vain glory" or "the pride of life" is one of the        
            strongest and most basic temptation man can experience. 1
            John 2:16
         b. Wanting to be superior or to be portrayed as superior is
            a basic desire of all. People want fame and notoriety.
         c. Such vainglory hinders us from having the unity we
            should with our brethren.
      4. The Holy Spirit through Paul gives us sure cures for these
         evils.
   C. "But in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than
      himself."
      1. Paul used the expression "lowliness of mind" ("humility of
         mind" KJV) of himself in Acts 20:19.
         a. Looking at the life and character of Paul, he certainly
            had lowliness of mind.
      2. Esteeming others better than ourselves will certainly get   
         rid of empty pride.
      3. God is certainly not impressed with our education, wealth,
         physical appearance, or possessions, but He is impressed
         with a meek and quite spirit. 1 Pet. 3:3-4 
      4. It takes great self control to conquer one's spirit in the
         fashion that Paul is encouraging. Prov. 16:19,32; 25:28

IV. Phil. 2:4 - By genuine concern "looking out" for others.
   A. Paul exhorts us to not look only upon our own needs, affairs,
      concerns, problems, and weaknesses, but also upon the needs,
      affairs, concerns, problems, and weaknesses of others.
      1. Paul is certainly not teaching us to be meddlesome in the
         affairs of others.
      2. Also, he is not teaching us to be merciless fault-finders of
         other's weaknesses.
      3. Rather, he is teaching us to be concerned with the affairs,
         failings, and needs of others that we may be able to help   
         and encourage.
   B. Most people are preoccupied with their own concerns. The
      following quote well illustrates the unconcern for others in
      today's society:
      1. Dr. James Dobson, in his book, Hide and Seek, spoke of
         giving a lecture to students which touched on the need of
         helping others who might have problems. Dr. Dobson said,
         "Sitting in the audience that day was another student with  
         the same kind of problems. However, he did not write me a
         letter. He never identified himself in any way. But three
         weeks after I left, he hanged himself in the basement of his
         apartment. One of the four young men with whom he lived
         called long distance to inform me of the tragedy. The       
         caller, very deeply shaken, said that the dead student's    
         roommates were so unaware of his problems that he hanged    
         there five days before he was missed!" 
      2. Let us be genuinely concerned about the problems and needs
         of our fellow Christians. Rom. 12:15

Concl.
   A. As we mentioned at first, in verses 1-4, Paul compels us by    
      lofty motives to have peace and helpfulness among ourselves. He
      compels:
      1. By the exhortation resulting from four spiritual qualities. 
         Vs. 1
      2. By letting these spiritual qualities bring a fourfold       
         result. Vs. 2
      3. By destroying selfishness from within. Vs. 3
      4. By genuine concern or "looking out" for others. Vs. 4
   B. On August 15, 1860, Longfellow wrote in his diary, "John Ward
      of Cambridge preached a good sermon today. I applied it to
      myself."
      1. On (Date & your name) preached a sermon on Phil. 2:1-4.
         Will you not apply it to yourself?
   C. Let us do our best in applying the Word of God to ourselves!
      1. When we do so, God's Word has had its "effectual working"
         within us.