Unity Through Right Thinking (Theology for Living from Philippians)

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Paul’s letter to the Philippians, chapter 4, verses 8-9)

Have you ever been around someone whose focus was on things noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable?  Instead of looking for the things in others or in life that are wrong, impure, ugly and despicable, they are not discouraged but believe, instead, that God has His hand on the world and people still and that He will bring glory to Himself through it all.  This is not only an astounding attitude to have because of the peace it affords to one, it is an astounding attitude to have because it so contributes to peace among other people.

Paul knows, as we have seen, that anxiety does not lead to inner peace, nor peace within the Body of Christ (4:6).  The anxious people among the Philippians, concerned as they were for Paul and the gospel, had managed to frighten many others into sending Paul money in hopes of rescuing the gospel.  Paul commended their love but not their discernment.  Their love needed to abound in knowledge and depth of insight (1:9-11).

Here, Paul is giving a guideline for how love’s knowledge and insight might abound.  Think on the things that are worthy of praise.  Think on the things that are excellent.  Paul saw opportunity in his imprisonment because he thought this way and it resulted in those in Caesar’s household hearing the gospel.  Paul saw benefit in being humbled because it was a way of knowing Jesus in his suffering and being conformed to his death as a prelude to resurrection (2:5-11; 3:10,11).

So Paul again becomes the example of this positive mindset that he can point the Philippians to and command them to follow. And the promise is the presence in their lives of the God of peace.  The God of peace will bring both an inner strength to the individual that Paul embodied, and will bring to the relationships one has a freedom from conflict.  I will not be focused on pursuing my own agenda because of fear, anxiety and negative anticipation.  I will be able to see God at work in all situations, and I will see my unity with you and all other believers as paramount to the progress of the gospel.

Joy and Peace in the Gospel (Theology for Living from Philippians)

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Paul’s letter to the Philippians, chapter 4, verses 4-7)

It seems a little odd that right after Paul mentions the names of the prime combatants in the church conflict (with whom, of course, most everyone has taken sides) and asks other leaders to help them resolve it, that Paul would not stay more immediately with this topic.  But in point of fact, he is on topic.

The enjoinder to rejoice in the Lord is tantamount to saying, “Rejoice in what God rejoices about,” which is the saving of souls who are in darkness by holding out the word of life in unity with one another.  The gentleness that is to be evident to all is that gentleness of interaction with one another in the Body of Christ that views one another as more important than oneself, that is concerned not only for one’s own interests only but also for the interests of others.

And that kind of selflessness extends itself to unbelievers, also.  They sense that the most important thing to you is not your personal agenda, your pet doctrines or behavioral distinctives, but the person in front of you — them.  When that is the case, it is not the individual who is offensive but only the gospel itself.  And that is what we want.

The flip side of this is freedom from anxiety.  The Philippians had been anxious about Paul’s imprisonment because they felt the gospel was limited by his personal limitations.  It was not, of course, as we have seen.  Confidence in the gospel and in the Lord’s ability to have it make progress, frees us to make good decisions in love, not desperation.  And that helps us stay in unity, as well.

When we hand over all our concerns to God in prayer and experience His incomparable peace guarding our hearts and minds, we are ready to be a part of the progress of the gospel.  We are able to see each other not as enemies to our selfish ambitions but sisters and brothers who can stand firm in one spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel.

NOTHING is more important than the progress of the gospel.  NOTHING!

Dealing with Disunity (Theology for Living from Philippians)

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!

I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.  Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. (Paul’s letter to the Philippians, chapter 4, verses 1-3)

We learn at last the key players in the conflict at Philippi.  Two women (remember, women played key roles in the church at Philippi from the very beginning, Acts 16), two fellow warriors at Paul’s side, are not of the same mind.  We will see more clearly what they are fighting about at the end of the letter.  But for now, Paul appeals to other leaders in the church to help bring unity after begging the two women to pursue the same.

Paul has just finished teasing out the implications of the true gospel and it is this gospel that each player in the conflict agrees about.  This is what they can stand firm over in the Lord together.  This is what has brought them the certainty of reward in the kingdom.  To what greater issue could they give their attention?  And yet they were divided over such a lesser concern.

How were Paul’s true companion and Clement and the rest supposed to help these sisters come to unity?  Paul doesn’t spell it out.  But he is quite familiar with the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 18 (see 1 Corinthians 5) and no doubt mentions the overseers and deacons at the opening greeting to his letter to highlight their authority and responsibility for bringing church order.  Perhaps the next step was to challenge these women with the authority they possessed from God when they agreed together in prayer about the solution to this problem.

What are you out of sorts about with someone at your church?  Were you wronged and needing to confront them in love just between the two of you to find a solution?  Are you the wronger?  Have you enlisted the help of wise witnesses you both trust to help you resolve this, if indeed you cannot find a solution on your own?  Have you taken it to the authorities of the church to prevent this leading to further disunity?  Nothing is more important than the unity of the church behind the true gospel.

Setting Aside the Counterfeits (Theology for Living from Philippians)

Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.  For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.  Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.  But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Paul’s letter to the Philippians, chapter 3, verses 17-21)

One of Paul’s responsibilities, and a responsibility of all spiritual leaders, is to identify counterfeits to the true gospel.  Given the rebellious nature of human beings and the very active influence of Satan, there should be a high expectation of distortions to the message of life.  Paul leverages his own example of orthodox living and orthodox doctrine, then he begins to describe those in particular who are threatening all of Paul’s church plants — the Judaizers.

Not everyone is agreed that these are “the enemies of the cross” to whom Paul is referring.  To some it looks like Paul is describing a group who seeks to push the limits of godly morality.  “Their god is their stomach” sounds to them like those who eat greedily. “Their glory is in their shame” sounds like taking pride in their willingness to push the boundaries ethically.

But in the context Paul has only identified one group of false teachers.  These appear to be people who teach the Jewish law as the standard of holiness and focus on the requirements of circumcision for males and kosher food laws for all.  With that in mind, “their god is their stomach” means their focus on keeping kosher has become their idol; “their glory is in their shame” means they rest confidence in circumcision as their badge of honor.  In all this “their mind is set on earthly things.”  What God designed as a picture of ultimate spiritual truths to be revealed when the new dispensation arrives, these false teachers are still clinging to and giving saving power to instead of looking at faith as the basis for salvation.

By way of contrast, Christianity, God’s new revelation in Christ contained in “new wine skins” (Matthew 9:17), is focused on heaven.  Though the Philippians might take pride in their Roman citizenship, the real reason to boast is their heavenly citizenship.  As citizens of heaven we need no longer be enslaved to earthly elements.  We are people of the last age, the age of the resurrection.  When Jesus comes He is going to resurrect us, make our bodies like His, with all the attributes of a body made suitable for the kingdom.

Focus on the coming resurrection when Jesus returns to rule on earth helps us stay moored to the true gospel.  We are not trying to muster our own law obedience in order to earn God’s love.  We are operating in God’s already abundantly outpoured love.  We are depending on what Jesus can work in us (the willing and the doing of His good will, 2:13), something He is able to do as the resurrected one.  We are free from the earthly elements that so many have clung to as a means of earning God’s love.  We are in training to recognize the false so we may more readily embrace the true.

Casting for Christians (Theology for Living from Philippians)

Image via Wikipedia

Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. (Paul’s letter to the Phiippians, chapter 3, verse 17)

One of our most ancient arts is casting, that is, the use of molds into which some liquified material is poured, allowed to set or cure, and then removed as a solid replication of the mold.  The mold, by necessity, is a work of art in itself and is able to be used over and over to turn out replicas.  Lifecasting is the art of taking molds directly from the human body. It is an ancient art form dating back to the time of the Egyptians where body casts were made as a means of transport to the next world.

One of the words used for mold is the Greek word tupos, sometimes translated as here in Paul’s letter, “example, model”.  Paul is urging his friends in Philippi to beware of false teaching that leads to wrong living.  But first he encourages them to imitate him and replicate the model he and his team have set for them.  They are the positive “mold” into which the Philippians may pour themselves to ensure they come out in the form desired by Jesus Christ.

Have you ever noticed that you become like those with whom you spend the most time or those whom you idolize or respect?  We have a proverb, “Bad company corrupts good character,” from the Greek poet Menander and quoted in our own 1 Corinthians 15:33 by Paul.  Paul is stating the corollary here in his letter to the Philippians.  Good company casts good character.

We need Christian casting.  We need not only teaching about how to live the Christian life, but molds into which we might be poured.  We need people with whom we might “hang” who know how to live for Christ and become our tupos, our example or model, and show us how to live.  This means we need to become tupoi (plural for tupos) ourselves, casting for other Christians who need a model or mold to fit into.

Are you in need of a Christian model?  Find one and hold on.  Do you need to become a Christian model?  There has never been more need for Christian casting than today.

When Believers Think Differently (Theology for Living from Philippians)

All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.  Only let us live up to what we have already attained. (Paul’s letter to the Philippians, chapter 3, verses 15,16)

What has been the norm for American churches when believers find themselves at odds with one another?  Too often it has been argument, anger, division and accusation.  Paul has just finished expounding the true gospel of a bestowed righteousness from God that replaces coming to Him with our own righteousness.  Paul draws a conclusion from this gospel that believers should not therefore focus on their accomplishments as Christians for their progress in the faith, but instead should keep forgetting their past accomplishments and striving toward all that Christ has called us to become.

But what if the Philippians don’t agree?  What if they feel there is an attainable perfection as Christians that brings with it a need to measure whether they have achieved it?  Paul very clearly states his view that they are not mature (same word translated “perfect” in some versions of verse 12, translated “already arrived” in the NIV), for if they were mature (perfect, already arrived) they would realize that they are not perfect, have not arrived, and agree with Paul’s view.

So Paul, as usual, is very willing to try to persuade believers of what he feels is the correct perspective.  But what is most interesting is his follow up statement.  If the Philippians do not agree with him, he is willing to let God take responsibility for making the truth clear to them. In fact, he believes God will do that.  His only request is that the Philippians continue to live the lives of holiness they have already attained.  This is not a time to go backwards in the race.

What if we lived in this confidence and faith that Paul has?  What if we were as persuasive as we could be, but instead of separating ourselves from those we disagree with we instead stayed in fellowship and watched for God to change their or our minds?  O, for more humility!

Related article:

The Elephant Room as a Snapshot of Contemporary Evangelicalism

Running the Race (Theology for Living from Philippians)

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Paul’s letter to the Philippians, chapter 3, verses 12-14)

In the Greek games there was an event called the stade race.  The stade was a measurement of distance and it was run in a straight line half a stade with a 180 degree return back.  Sometimes there was a pole at one end to grab and swing around to return to the finish line.  Runners were encouraged to throw their arms out in front of them to increase their speed.  As in any footrace, looking back to see how far ahead you were could mean the loss of just enough speed to lose the race.  The winner of the race would be called up upon a raised platform by the priest of Zeus and receive a garland crown in Zeus’ honor.

Paul was looking forward to the “prize of the upward call of God” (literal translation of “prize for which God has called me heavenward”) to receive the victor’s crown made possible by God Himself (He enables us to will and to do His good pleasure, 2:13).  But the worst thing he could do while in the race was to look back on what he had accomplished.  To lean on his accomplishments was tantamount to living as if it were his righteousness that got him there.  He had counted his righteousness as rubbish (3:7-9).

So the right perspective for the believer was not the pursuit of perfectionism accomplished in one’s own power, but the pursuit of what Christ had laid hold of him for, to become righteous with the righteousness of Jesus himself.  That meant forgetting what was behind, the distance he had already covered in the race, and straining for what was ahead, the finish line, the resurrection from the dead, the upward call to God given to all victors in Christ.

Whenever we get focused on what we have achieved in our Christian lives we have lost focus on Christ.  There is always more that He has called us to.  Perfection is His only standard because, after all, how could He condone less than pure love and holiness?  But even though perfection is not obtainable in this life, for surely Paul would have attained it, it is what we want to be.  We want to be like Jesus and He wants us to be like Him.

The true gospel around which we should unite ourselves is the one that focuses on progress, not proficiency.

Fellowship With Jesus (Theology for Living from Philippians)

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.  (Paul’s letter to the Philippians, chapter 3, verses 10,11)

When Jesus spoke those burning words to two disciples walking to Emmaus, “Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” (Luke 24:26), He laid out forever the path all His followers will have to walk if they want to have fellowship with him.  Do we want to know the power of His resurrection?  Then we must first know the pain of his sufferings and become like him in His death.  First comes suffering and then comes glory.

I have yet to experience the fullness of what Peter and John experienced when they were beaten at the command of the Sanhedrin and the “apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:41).  I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection, but I am hesitant to get excited and rejoice over suffering disgrace for His Name.

And yet, this is Paul’s desire.  He is wanting to know Christ in this way.  He is currently in jail as he writes because of his willingness to suffer with and for Christ.  He is ready to die, if need be, in order to bring glory to his Savior.  Though he doesn’t say it directly here, we know that his motive is gratitude for the rescue Jesus has done in his life, saving him from trying to face God with a righteousness of his own instead of that which comes from God by faith in Christ.  Another motive he states plainly here is so that he might attain to the resurrection from the dead.

This raises questions for those of us who believe the Scriptures teach that one can never earn nor lose one’s salvation.  Does Paul believe he has to suffer with Christ in order to attain to the resurrection?  Does he doubt that if he does not pursue this course he will be refused resurrection?  Yes and no.

Paul believed all who were true believers would be willing to suffer persecution with Jesus (2 Timothy 3:12).  He didn’t presume that no believer would struggle with the fear of such a decision.  That is why in the beginning of this letter he was counting on help from the Philippians’ prayer and the supply of the Holy Spirit (1:19).   He didn’t believe that after all this time serving Jesus he would quit now, but he knew and taught that true believers are enabled both to will and to do God’s good pleasure and would persevere in their faith (2:13).

Do you want fellowship with Jesus?  Of course you do.  Do you want to suffer?  Of course you don’t.  But if it comes to a choice of sharing in the life of Jesus or avoiding suffering, I believe we both will choose Jesus.

Is John Shelby Spong right that the Bible is unreliable?

Question:  I read an article by John Shelby Spong, a former Episcopal bishop, who seemed to question the historicity of the Bible and its authority over our lives in areas of morality.  Can you help me with his views?  Here is a link to the full article: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/29/my-take-the-3-biggest-biblical-misconceptions/?hpt=hp_c2.

Answer:  Reverend Spong sees three misconceptions people have about the Bible.

Misconception One

Spong’s  initial statement is,

To me, three misconceptions stand out and serve to make the Bible hard to comprehend.  First, people assume the Bible accurately reflects history. That is absolutely not so, and every biblical scholar recognizes it. 

Let me fill you in on a little secret.  When someone says that “every” biblical scholar or pastor or parent or politician or whoever says or believes the same thing, you can know for a certainty that this is an overstatement that is hiding contrary views.  And believe me, there are contrary views among biblical scholars on Spong’s position.

There have been many books written by reputable scholars for both the Old and New Testaments that support the historicity of the Bible.  But let’s deal with some of the examples Spong uses.

Spong notes,

Abraham, the biblically acknowledged founding father of the Jewish people, whose story forms the earliest content of the Bible, died about 900 years before the first story of Abraham was written in the Old Testament. 

From this disputed fact (disputed because there are reputable scholars who believe Moses wrote the account of Abraham 400 years after his life) Spong draws the conclusion that too much legend has grown up over that amount of time to give a realistic picture of a hero in Israelite history.  He makes the same argument about Moses and Jesus and the accuracy of their life stories.  Because the account of Jesus includes miracles this must surely be, in Spong’s mind, a padding of the account to make Jesus look more powerful than he was.

But oddly, when we read the account of Moses on the life of Abraham we do not find a glorified Abraham.  We see a very “warty” Abraham who lied about his wife being his sister, who married his wife’s servant at Sarah’s suggestion in order to circumvent what God told him would happen, and who expressed fear despite God’s promises to him that he would have a son through Sarah and that God would make a mighty nation from him.  Rather than glorifying Abraham we see him in his fallen human nature struggling to believe God.  By Spong’s account we ought to see him performing miracles and walking on water after so many years of legendary addition to his life story.

But this is not the way Bible history is written.  It defies the tendency Spong fears and gives us real people.  The other assumption Spong is making about the Bible is that God did not or could not guide the transmission of Abraham’s story, or Moses’ story or Jesus’ story, for that matter, accurately, protecting it from inaccurate accretion.  Spong’s naturalistic perspective, ruling out God’s purpose and power, taints all of his alleged concerns about the Bible.

Still dealing with the historicity of the Bible, Spong then asserts,

Jesus of Nazareth, according to our best research, lived between the years 4 B.C. and A.D. 30. Yet all of the gospels were written between the years 70 to 100 A.D., or 40 to 70 years after his crucifixion, and they were written in Greek, a language that neither Jesus nor any of his disciples spoke or were able to write.

First of all, there is no reason to believe that Jesus did not speak or write in Greek, but even if he didn’t, how does that make an account of his life written in Greek therefore and of necessity inaccurate?  The logic is baffling!

It is of utmost importance, in fact, to recognize that such accounts of the life of an important person written only 40-70 years after his life and contained in thousands of existing manuscripts (there are over 5,000 existing New Testament manuscripts alone)  is unheard of for other famous individuals in history.  And it is likely that the accounts of the New Testament were written in some cases only 20-30 years after Jesus’ death.  This means there were people still alive who could refute or exonerate the accounts.  This is why Paul mentions that there were over 500 people who saw Jesus alive, or why the Gospels mention Simon of Cyrene who was forced to carry Jesus’ cross, or other individuals who could be asked about these facts.

Spong’s last historical jab is this,

Perhaps the most telling witness against the claim of accurate history for the Bible comes when we read the earliest narrative of the crucifixion found in Mark’s gospel and discover that it is not based on eyewitness testimony at all.

Spong is here assuming a view of Mark’s Gospel that sees it as a deliberate attempt to conform the life of Jesus to Old Testament prophecies.  He assumes what he wishes to prove.  But there is ample tradition and indications within Mark’s Gospel itself that it is based on eyewitness account.

Misconception Two

The second misconception Spong mentions is “the distorting claim that the Bible is in any literal sense ‘the word of God.’ Only someone who has never read the Bible could make such a claim.”  Well, of course, there are many who have read the Bible and claim exactly that.  But Spong’s evidence is that God endorses the violent judgment of unbelievers and this could certainly not be attributed to the God “everyone” knows is the true God.  And because people have misused these passages they cannot be from God.  Huh?  Again, the logic escapes me.  Has anyone misused Spong’s words?  Then they cannot be true.

Misconception Three

“The third major misconception,” according to Spong, “is that biblical truth is somehow static and thus unchanging.”  And there is something to what Spong is saying here.  There is a progression through the Bible of understanding and perspective, but it does not seem accurate to portray this as changing truth.  Because God deals with Israel in a way He does not deal with the church does not mean He is changing truth.  We deal with our children one way when they are minors and another as they mature into adults.

Spong’s final statement is,

The ultimate meaning of the Bible escapes human limits and calls us to a recognition that every life is holy, every life is loved, and every life is called to be all that that life is capable of being. The Bible is, thus, not about religion at all but about becoming deeply and fully human. It issues the invitation to live fully, to love wastefully and to have the courage to be our most complete selves.

But this only seems another way of saying that Spong has decided what being fully human is apart from Scripture, keeping the parts that fit with his perspective and explaining away those that don’t.  This kind of subjective handling of Scripture leaves one feeling that it would be best for him to simply say what he thinks is right and holy without appeal to the Bible at all.

For other articles exposing the poor logic and facts of John Shelby Spong see:

What’s Wrong with Bishop Spong?
William Lane Craig vs. John Shelby Spong on the resurrection of Jesus

John Shelby Spong’s Liberating the Gospels: A Critique

Randall Johnson

Surpassing Worth (Theology for Living from Philippians)

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.  (Paul’s letter to the Philippians, chapter 3, verses 10-11)

For what would you give up everything?  For love?  Many have chosen to give up careers, family, current marriages, and even God, for the love of another human being.  For money?  Many have chosen to give up friends, health, honesty, leisure, and even God for money.  For fame?  Many have given up privacy, comfort, peace, and even God for fame.

Paul gave up everything for the benefit of knowing Jesus Christ.  With knowing Jesus Christ came a right standing with God on the basis of faith.  What Paul had to give up to have this was the pursuit of a right relationship with God based on his own righteousness.  He had to quit being good to get to heaven.  He had to forget all he had been taught about keeping the Law as a means of getting God’s love and favor.  He had to give up his religion.  And he had to give up all other pursuits for happiness.

But he did not have to give up God.  By receiving what Jesus had done for him (and what He will do for all who come to Him) Paul received a right standing with God, a place of loving acceptance and cherished family relationship with the divine Father.  He gave up everything to get God.

And for Paul it was worth it.  Everything else paled in comparison to knowing Jesus.  With Jesus as his lord there was no other master and all other masters fell short of really satisfying Paul’s longing heart.  All else was garbage.  Love, money, and fame were actually hindrances if they were sought as that which could fill the human heart.  Only one thing sufficed to fill that empty place inside him.  Jesus.

It is hard to describe how true this is to someone else unless they have found love, money and fame, or their own way of pursuing God to be bankrupt.  Then maybe they become open to the reality of how Jesus can truly fill that place.  I hope you have filed bankruptcy on life’s trivial pursuits and found solvency in Jesus Christ.