their house in order. What greater reason to rid ourselves of divisions, strife and backbiting. Our respon sibility is to keep our eyes focused on Him, singled to His glory, until that blessed hour when He comes back again. Christian's Strength Philippians chapter four deals with the great fact of Christ, the Christian's strength. We are urged right at the outset to stand fast in the Lord. Next, Euodias and Syn- tyche are urged to be of the same mind in the Lord. Christian unity begins with love. We are to let our "sweet reasonableness be known unto all men" for "the Lord is at hand." This does not just mean that His return is imminent, al though such is true. The idea be hind this is also that the Lord is standing by. He has promised nev er to leave or to forsake us. For our remaining study I would like to select some of the incom parable blessings the believer has in Christ. So manyare found in this wonderful chapter. As a recap, the believer has the privilege of prayer to help him (vrs. 6). He has the peace of God to keep him (vrs. 7). He has the presence of the God of peace to accompany him (vrs. 9b). He has the pattern of those who have gone before (vrs. 9a). He has the promise of contentment to calm him (vrs. 11). He has the power of Christ to strengthen him. (vrs. 13). He has the provision of God to support him (vrs. 19). Because of these things, this little book of Philippians ought to be in our constant possession. We ought to commit many portions of it to memory. Consider again the privi lege of prayer (vrs. 6). The child of Cod has a direct line to the very
goal. C. S. Lewis points out, "It does not matter how fast we are moving if we are on the wrong road." Paul was the soul of diplomacy. He was patient with those who were not mature spiritually. He urges all to follow a lowly pathway of humility, letting Cod be the fin al authority. Christian leaders are to set an example to the flock of Cod (vrs. 17). We are to observe Cod's stalwarts of the faith. We should seek to emulate their graces and to avoid their errors. The next two verses show us the danger of following those who have re nounced their faith, or who are liv ing without proper harmony with the Lord. It is a solemn but timely warning. Some people can be re garded as Christians when, in real ity, they are enemies of the cross. They grievously check the progress of the Gospel. Paul knows the meaning of sin all too well. The closing words of this third chapter are indeed blessed ones. "Our citizenship, is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Sav iour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our body of humilia tion, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto Himself." Jesus said that all power was given unto Him. One of the hymn writers penned: " He's coming again, He's coming again, The very same Jesus, rejected of men.” Paul assured us that the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout. This is but another incentive for the Philippian saints, as well as for you and me, to put Page 26
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