“I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Phil. Jj:ll). T HE words, “whatsoever state,” in such a setting include every condition of being, ranging all the way from that of the man supplied with all the comforts of life, ample and certain income, beloved by a wide circle of friends, and with an assured happy future, to that of the moneyless, home less man, without friends, blind, deaf, and helpless. With this understanding of the words, “ whatsoever state,” one reading the text in any other book but the Bible would be excused for being skeptical as to its truth. Paul makes the statement about himself, so naturally one goes over in his mind Paul’s experiences. Are the words to be taken at their full meaning, as the words of one speaking from varied life experiences, or as the theoretical vaporings of the novice? At Philippi, Paul had been publicly stripped, beaten and cast into the inner prison and there so bound that he could not lie down except upon a lacerated back. He lay in the dark, breathing the fetid air, surrounded by criminals. His consciousness of innocence made it humanly much harder for him to be content. He had not violated any law of either God or man. It would be difficult to picture a “ state” more distressing. Although he had endured hours of physical weariness and pain and had suffered the ultimate of disgrace and shame, at midnight Paul prayed and sang praises to God. Was he content then? I should say his singing praises to God in that “ state” certainly indicated an affirmative answer. His instant, loving caution to the jailer, “ Do thyself no harm; for we are all here,” testified the same thing. His words in Philippians should be taken as the sober, considered words of a man of experience.
By Charles Elmo Robinson If Paul had been incarcerated for disturbing the peace or for snatching a purse, and still felt contented, what would that signify? We would conclude that instead of his being a high class Christian, he was but an habitual criminal who philosophically took the discomforts of life in prison as a thing to be expected as part of the game, and so borne with equanimity. “ Fools because of their transgressions, and be cause of their iniquities, are afflicted.” An essential factor in Christian contentment is that our situation must be something not brought on us by our own evil deeds. Christian content ment results from a deep-rooted conviction that what is happening to us is God-allowed, and designed for our good (Rom. 8:28). We are further confirmed in our belief of a statement almost beyond credence, when we read what this strange man, Paul, wrote to the Corinthians: “Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned [a line was then fastened to his ankle and he was dragged ignominiously through the streets out to the refuse heap, and there left for dead], thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In jour- neyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, [this clause is given emphasis by what he wrote to the Romans: ‘I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh’] in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” The man who, conscious of being wholly without fault, and looking over his life of faithfulness, could set down such a list of horrors as that, and yet say “ I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content,” is no novice in the Christian life. After this, Paul was cast into a Roman prison, where eventually he was executed. Before being sent to Rome he had been held two years in “ durance vile,” kept from carry ing on his beloved ministry, on trumped-up charges. At Rome he spent his days and nights chained to a Roman sol dier. But there he lived such a victorious life that many of the members of Caesar’s household were saved. His must have been one of visible contentment, to have had the influ ence on those contacting him in his imprisonment that his successes indicate. That Paul was content in that prison is further proved by the fact that while there he wrote his remarkable letter to the Philippians, in which he wrote at length of Christ as the believer’s pattern, specifying particularly His (1) Rejoicing in suffering; (2) Rejoicing in lowly service; (3) Rejoicing de spite imperfections; (4) Rejoicing over anxiety. While Paul was in the Roman jail, some of his brethren in the Lord (as he confided to his friends in Philippi) preached the gospel, “ supposing to add affliction to my bonds.” Yet he testifies, “ I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice” (Phil. 1:16-18). In chapter two he urged the Philippians to lowliness of mind, speaking of the way Jesus humbled Himself; but notwithstanding the solemnity of his message and his own trying situation, the entire chapter is a paean of praise. The words, joy and rejoice occur seven times in this one chapter. Chapter three warns against evil workers, but to rejoice as they do so. Chapter four is a continuation of Paul’s exhorta tion to “ Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice,” and it is in this chapter too that he says, “ I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” All of this warns us against tolerating in our mind the wicked thought, “It is too hard to rejoice, situated as I am.” Those directions to the Philippians are for us. T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
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