Knowing Christ

In contrast to Paul's pre-Chritian confidence in the flesh (verses 4-6), verses 7-14 show Paul's confidence in Christ. Compared to the surpassing greatness (infinite value) of knowing Christ Jesus, Paul considered everything else a loss (no use). "All true Christians know Christ--not with a mere theoretical knowledge, which may be obtained from books; but with a knowledge which the Holy Spirit works in the heart. We know Christ...in the glory of His person, in the perfection of His work, and in the riches of His wondrous grace. We so know Christ, that He stands out before us, as the chief among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely One. And the more we know Him--the more intimate we wish to become with Him!" (James Smith)

Nothing can compare to our union with Christ. Compared to Christ, all things of this world are worthless. "A holy soul, whose eyes are divinely opened, so sees that superlative goodness, beauty, and excellency in Christ--that all other things, which are good with an inferior goodness, seem to him as dross and dung!" (Thomas Dolittle) 

For Christ's sake, Paul had lost all things, including the comforts of life. He suffered afflictions and persecutions for preaching Christ. He had been beaten, lied about, and imprisoned. But he didn't mind because he gained Christ. When we have Christ, we have everything we need. Christ is mine; all is well. And when Jesus is your joy, no one and nothing can take away your joy because Jesus cannot be taken away from you. Paul proved that. Let us be thankful and joyful for all the precious promises we have in Christ, all the graces, blessings, and comforts we receive from Him, and the glory we will enjoy with Him for eternity.

"All that Christ has--is mine!

Christ's love is mine to pity me! 

Christ's mercy is mine to save me! 

Christ's graces are mine to beautify me! 

Christ's power is mine to protect me! 

Christ's wisdom is mine to counsel me! 

Christ's Spirit is mine to comfort me! 

Christ's Word is mine to teach me!

Christ's glory is mine to crown me!" (William Dyer)

Through faith in Christ, we, like Paul, have Christ's righteousness imputed upon us. This righteousness comes from God, not from the law (not from us keeping the law). "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags." (Isaiah 64:6a)

"He (Paul) says, 'that I may KNOW Him!' (Philippians 3:10.) Christ had appeared to Paul, he was revealed in him, and was constantly preached by him. Christ was . . .
  the object of his trust, 
  the subject of his ministry,
  and the joy of his heart! 

But he knew that there was much in Christ with which he was unacquainted. He knew but in part. He desired, therefore, to know more of . . .
  the glory of His person, 
  the riches of His grace, 
  the magnificence of His work, 
  the excellency of His natures, 
  the majesty of His kingdom! 

Everything in Christ interested Paul. Creation was good--and grace was better; but Christ was best of all. He was never wearied . . . 
  of thinking of Christ,
  of speaking of Christ, 
  of learning of Christ. 

He went on with his work, he went on his way--with the desire constantly rising in his heart, 'That I may know Him!'" (James Smith)

I Know Christ (by Margaret E. Clarkson)

I do not know tomorrow’s way,
If dark or gladsome it may be;
But I know Christ, and come what may,
I know that He abides with me.

I do not know what may befall
Of grief or gladness, peace or pain;
But I know Christ, and through it all
I know His presence will sustain.

To Ponder: Is it your daily heart's desire and constant aim to know Christ more and more...and to make Him known? Is Christ your Joy and Delight? Do you prefer the trifling vanities, fading riches, empty honors, fleeting pleasures of this world to the glorious treasures and endless pleasures found in Christ?

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for Christ's blood that washed away my sin and for Christ's righteousness that's imputed to me! Thank You for all that I have in Christ! Please help me know Christ more and better each day. May my mind dwell on Christ and my heart treasure Christ above all else! In Christ's Name, I pray. Amen.

True Christianity

Those who worship God in the spirit, glory in Christ Jesus as their Savior, and place no confidence in flesh are the true circumcision (inward circumcision of the heart which is the Holy Spirit's work...aka regeneration). In verse 2, Paul warned believers in the Philippi against Jewish legalists/Judaizers ("dogs"/evil workers) who insisted on the rite of circumcision as necessary for salvation. "In New Testament times, dogs were hated scavengers. The term came to be used for all who had morally impure minds." (commentary from the KJV Know the Word Study Bible). These Jews (who claimed to also believe in Christ) began teaching the Gentile converts that in order to be saved, they had to be circumcised according to the law of Moses, in addition to believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are saved by grace alone through faith in Christ alone. Beware of any false teachers who teach that faith in Christ is not sufficient if you do not also keep the Law. They pervert the true gospel. Paul wants to help us discern the difference between true and counterfeit Christianity. True Christianity relies solely and completely on the person and work of Christ while counterfeit Christianity adds human works/merits to this reliance. False teachers are deceiving (some are deceived themselves) and dangerous because they add work to the gospel of God's grace and therefore, put confidence in the flesh. "Of all such externalities Paul warns to beware. Similarly, in our own day, we must beware of other forms of legalism, such as the demand for baptism, the Lord's Supper, fasting, the confessing of sins to men, as conditions of salvation." (Lehman Strauss)

Paul mentions 3 marks of a true Christian: worshiping God in spirit, glorying in Christ Jesus, and putting no confidence/trust in the flesh.

1. Worshiping God in Spirit

"God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24)
"The overall lesson about worshipping the Lord in spirit and truth is that worship of God is not to be confined to a single geographical location or necessarily regulated by the temporary provisions of Old Testament law. With the coming of Christ, the separation between Jew and Gentile was no longer relevant, nor was the centrality of the temple in worship. With the coming of Christ, all of God’s children gained equal access to God through Him. Worship became a matter of the heart, not external actions, and directed by truth rather than ceremony." (from www.gotquestions.org) True worship involves loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, prompted by the indwelling Spirit of God. Our heart posture towards God should be: complete surrender, utmost reverence, joyful dependence, deepest gratitude, humble obedience, faithful devotion, and highest adoration. To me, that's worship. We can daily worship God by offering up our lives...our all (body, spirit, heart, mind, word, action) to praise and honor Him. "The body of the Christian becomes a temple in which God is worshiped in every thought and meditation and in the performing of every duty." (Lehman Strauss) 

2. Glorying/Exulting/Boasting in Christ Jesus

We ourselves have nothing to boast about, nothing to contribute to our salvation. We are saved by grace, transformed by grace, sanctified by grace, and kept by grace. It's the finished work of Christ on the cross that saved us. He deserves all the glory. True Christians glory in Christ alone. "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." (2 Corinthians 10:17) "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6:14)

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

"This is what the Lord says: 'Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the Lord." (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

3. Putting no confidence in the flesh

There's nothing good in the flesh/our sinful nature. We cannot trust in good works of the flesh to get us into Heaven. Salvation by grace leaves no room for human works or human pride. It's God's undeserved gift freely given to us. Do not place any confidence on any human efforts or accomplishment as ways to reach God or to earn God's favor. It's all grace!Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for saving me! I am in awe of Your amazing grace. May every aspect of my life be pleasing worship to You and bring You honor & glory! May I only boast of what You have done for me, never what I have done for You. May I joyfully put my trust and confidence in You alone!

Philippians 2 in Poem

Children of God are called to unite
Sharing the same love, shining the light
No room for vain conceit or selfish ambition
Put away pride; humbly work together as one
Consider others' concerns above your own
Imitate the humble obedience Christ has shown

Every knee will bow to Jesus our Lord
Everyone will one day acknowledge God
Tell the world about salvation by grace
Pray they'll choose Christ before it's too late

God's Spirit works in us, for us, and through us
To achieve His purpose and make us like Jesus
Shine brightly like stars in this world's darkness
Stay pure, irreproachable, and blameless
Conquer complaining; avoid arguing
Hold fast to the word of life rejoicing

Stand up and stand out for God's glory
Is your life for Christ a good testimony?
Be joyful and helpful like Paul and Timothy
God's transforming grace at work the world will see

Live for God; be a blessing to others
To the will of God we must surrender
Put Christ first above all else
Daily we must die to selves

Father, open our eyes to see the needs around us
Open our hearts to care and love them like Jesus
Open our arms to the broken and the lonely
May we serve others with joy and sincerity


~ Copyright 2017 Urailak Liljequist

Note: You can read my Philippians 1 in Poem here.

Be a Blessing to Others

"I have no one else like him (Timothy), who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 2:20-21 NIV)

"For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:20-21 NKJV)

This is a wonderful tribute Paul made to Timothy. Timothy and Paul were like-minded; they both desired to do God's will, to proclaim the gospel, and to glorify God. Timothy (like Paul) sincerely cared about the spiritual welfare of the believers in Philippi. Paul trusted Timothy because Timothy had proven his character by his faithful service. Timothy was a great example of Philippians 2:4 even though he was young. Good leaders genuinely care for their people and lead them with a servant heart.

Paul said everyone (except Timothy) looks out for their own interests. Sadly, it's the norm. People back then were no different than people nowadays in term of being "me-centered". They were occupied with their own concerns and did not want to be inconvenienced. Timothy was Christ-centered and other-oriented. Christ must have preeminence in our lives. If we put anything above Him, we commit a sin of idolatry. He must come first before our spouses, our children, our relationships, our jobs, and ourselves. "Jesus said to His disciples, 'Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me.'" (Matthew 16:24) Do you seek to do your own things or do you seek to do the things which pertain to Jesus Christ and His kingdom? May we share Paul's passion: "I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace." (Acts 20:24) Selfishness/self-centeredness is a major hindrance to unity and ministry. Selfishness is sin. We need to deny self/die to self daily and live for God and be a blessing to others. "From self denial in the spiritual worship of God flows self surrender to the will of God, and from self surrender flows selfless service in the work of God." (John MacArthur)

"He (God) is more concerned about our character as expressed in servant living than our comfort. His ultimate goal is not to pamper us physically or emotionally, but to perfect us spiritually, conforming us into the character of the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus gave Himself redemptively for us to restore us to God and create a people who would live as servants of God in the service of others proclaiming the good news and loving others for Him. Thus, as Christ gave Himself, so God wants us to give ourselves for others." (J. Hampton Keathley III)

"We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. God will be constantly crossing our paths and canceling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions. We may pass them by, preoccupied with our more important tasks . . . It is a strange fact that Christians frequently consider their work so important and urgent that they will allow nothing to disturb them . . . But it is part of the discipline of humility that we must not spare our hand where it can perform a service and that we do not assume our schedule is our own to manage, but allow it to be rearranged by God." (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

"Oh, to see the needs of others

More important than our own,

Following our Lord's example
When He left His heavenly throne." (Sper)

"Others, Lord, yes, others,

Let this my motto be;

Help me to live for others,

That I might live like Thee." (Charles D. Meigs)

To ponder: What practical things can you do to be a blessing to others today? Do you have a sincere concern for others (without ulterior motives)? Do you help/serve others with genuine, unconditional love (without expecting anything in return)? Do you get annoyed when someone interrupts your free time with his/her needs? Do you demand recognition or appreciation? Is it a joy or a chore for you to serve others?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please help me to love and serve others like Jesus. Please open my eyes to see the needs of others and how I can meet those needs. Please take away my selfishness and help me put others above myself. Please empower me to do Your will and Your kingdom work with joy and perseverance. May my life be a blessing to You and to others! In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

Below is a video that my daughter made of her short term mission trip onboard the Logos Hope in 2011 (she was 18). I love this song, Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath, which goes well with today's post.

Shine for Jesus!

Paul pointed out some ways in which we work out our salvation: Do not complain (grumble, murmur) and do not argue. Either complaining or arguing hinders unity in the Body of Christ. Both are toxic habits. "Grumbling and disputing are sins of the disposition." (George Brooks) Complaining expresses discontent, dissatisfaction, or disappointment (what takes place in our heart). If our heart is filled with gratitude and contentment, there will be no room for complaining. Our sense of entitlement needs to end. Instead of complaining, we should be counting our blessings. Complaining hurts our fellowship with God and people. Focus on God and His goodness, instead of your problems. Learn to look at everything with an eternal perspective...from God's perspective. God is displeased when we complain. For example, God struck Miriam with leprosy for 7 days because she grumbled against Moses. He wants His children to be thankful and joyful, not whiny and argumentative. Arguing expresses disagreement, desire to win, and pride. Are you more concerned about being "right" or being reconciled? Be humble and teachable. Value relationship more than the need to be "right". Seek to understand rather than demand to be understood. "Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry." (James 1:19) Complaining and arguing kill our own joy and other people's joy.

"If Christians spent as much time praying as they do grumbling, they would have nothing to grumble about." (Unknown)
"If we complained less, and praised more, we should be happier, and God would be more glorified." (Charles Spurgeon)
"As long as a man is alive and out of hell, he cannot have any cause to complain." (Charles Spurgeon)

"Those Christians who with thankful hearts
Praise God throughout the day
Won't tend to grumble and complain
When things don't go their way." (Branon)

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Ephesians 4:29)

The purpose/result of doing everything without complaining or arguing is to become blameless (outward conduct), pure (inward character), irreproachable children of God, shining like stars in this dark world in the midst of a crooked (opposed to God's truths, morally/spiritually corrupt) and perverse (depraved, distorting the truth) generation. A complaining Christian is a poor witness; so is a disputing church. People in general like to complain and argue (as seen in social media everyday). If we don't complain and don't argue, we will surely stand out. Let us live in such a way that gives no reason for people to blame us or find fault in us. We cannot influence the world by being like the world. "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2) God's children are set apart to resemble the Father and to shine His light in contrast to the darkness of this world. We are to reflect Jesus, the Light of the World, so that others may see Him in us. Our position in Christ is blameless and pure without blemish/fault. Does our conduct match our position? "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven." (Matthew 5:16) Remember that stars shine forth as clusters, not just as individual stars. Paul tried to encourage love and unity in the Body of Christ. When the unbelieving world looks at Christians, do they see the united body of stars shining the gospel light? 

We are to continually hold firmly to the World of Life by believing & obeying God's Word and spreading & living the gospel with perseverance. As a result, we will get to rejoice (along with Paul) on the day of Christ that we have not run or labored in vain (without fruit). The secret of living blameless & pure Christian lives lies in God working in us (Philippians 2:13) and the Word of Christ dwelling in us (Colossians 3:16a).

"Christian, we must face the fact that a complaining spirit is a bad testimony for Christ.  Instead of grumbling, we should be thankful and joyful which will make an impact for Christ.  Be honest, what is there in your life that would be attractive to an unsaved person?  Do you project to the world that a sovereign God is in control?  Can you imagine what kind of an impact the Apostle Paul would have had before the Praetorian Guard if while in that Roman jail, they would have heard him say, “This jail stinks!  The food is awful!  The conditions are atrocious!  These chains are killing me!  I wish these negative Christians would stop visiting me!  I’m being slandered unjustly!  I hate to pray because God doesn’t answer anyway!”  This kind of complaining and griping would have turned off every Roman soldier guarding Paul and they would have said, “This guy is nothing but a sour-puss.  Christianity is not for me!”  But instead Paul projected joy, confidence and assurance that God was in control of all things and he found reasons to be thankful even though his circumstances were miserable.  Paul did not just give external obedience to his circumstances.  He gave internal obedience and was glad and joyful in his circumstances because He knew it was all somehow part of God’s plan for his life.  Christians, what kind of impact do you have on this depraved world for Christ?  Do the unsaved see you conquering in areas they know they are failing?  Can they see Christ in you?" (Jack Arnold)

"Gracious Spirit dwell with me;
I myself would gracious be,
And with words that help and heal
Would thy life in mine reveal,
And with actions bold and meek
Would for Christ my Saviour speak." (Thomas Lynch)

"Is your life a channel of blessing?
Is the love of God flowing through you?
Are you telling the lost of the Savior?
Are you ready His service to do?" (Smyth)

"I want my life to shine for Jesus
So that everywhere I go
The watching world will see He loves them
And His saving grace will know." (Hess)

Prayer: Father, please help me be thankful and joyful, instead of complaining and arguing. Please mold my heart to be like Yours. "Like Father, like daughter"...that's what I hope people see. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer! (Psalm 19:14) Please empower me to faithfully and steadfastly run the race and proclaim the gospel. Please enable me to shine brightly for Jesus. May others see Christ in me and see what Christ has done in me, for me, and through me! To Christ alone be all the glory! In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

Work Out What God Works in Us

Philippians 2:12-13 portrays a beautiful interplay of God's sovereignty and His children's responsibility. After reminding the believers in Philippi of the humble obedience of Christ, Paul encouraged them to continue their obedience by working out their salvation with humility, awe, reverence, and dependence upon God. We're not saved by good works but we're saved to do good works. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:8-10) "Working out our salvation" refers to bearing fruit of salvation, growing in holiness/Christlikeness, loving what God loves & hating what God hates, living out the gospel of God's grace, persevering in the faith through trials, putting our faith in action, obeying God & doing His will. "To escape the error of salvation by works, we have fallen into the opposite error of salvation without obedience." (A.W. Tozer)

Verse 13 explains how God makes it possible for us to continually work out our salvation. The Holy Spirit who indwells us works in us to will (He gives us the desire) and to act (He gives us the power & ability) to achieve His purpose for His good pleasure. God saves and justifies us by grace through faith; He also transforms and sanctifies us by grace through faith. I'm so grateful that God doesn't expect me to work out my salvation all by myself with my own strength.

God's sovereignty (His divine enablement) does not negate our responsibility (obedience). God gives us free will. We can choose to submit, obey, and cooperate with what God the Holy Spirit is doing in us or we can choose to resist Him and disobey Him. God works in us (His part) so that we can work out with hope and confidence (our part). It gives God pleasure to see us love, serve, obey, and honor Him.

Prayer: May F B Meyer's prayer also be our prayer:
"O God work in me, not only to will
but to do of Thy good pleasure;
and may I work out in daily life
what Thou dost work in. AMEN."

Every Knee Will Bow

Because of Christ's humble obedience to the point of death on the cross, God the Father exalted Him to the highest place (indicating supremacy/preeminence) and gave Him the name that is above every name (indicating power, glory, and honor that's higher than any other). "The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead--whom you killed by hanging Him on a cross. God exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Savior that He might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins." (Acts 5:30-31) "He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come." (Ephesians 1:20-21) "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) "The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." (Proverbs 18:10) Indeed, Jesus is the greatest and sweetest Name of all!

God's Word tells us that one day every knee (no exception whatsoever) will bow to Jesus and every tongue will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. Every creature in Heaven, on earth, and in Hell, will bow in submission to Jesus. Sadly, many people still go on living their lives without acknowledging Jesus as their Lord and Savior. They don't realize that they, too, will bow to Jesus, whether willingly or not. May we sense the urgency to share the gospel with the unsaved! "I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2b) They need to repent of their sins, trust in Christ as Savior, and submit to Him as Lord...before it's too late.

Paul tried to encourage the believers to embrace Christlike humility by pointing out how Christ was highly exalted by God the Father after He greatly humbled Himself for us. "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you up in due time." (1 Peter 5:6) If you humble yourselves, in order to maintain and preserve peace and unity within the Body of Christ, God will honor you.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I'm eternally grateful for Your death on the cross that paid the penalty for my sins! May I live to glorify and magnify Your Name! I surrender all to You; please have Your way in me. Please transform my mind and attitude to be like Yours. Help me be humble and teachable. Use me, Lord, to spread the gospel and lead others to You. In Your precious Name, I pray. Amen.

Unity Through Humility

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:3-4)

Once again Paul called for unity; he told the believers in Philippi that they could make his joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Then he proceeded to tell them how they could achieve this unity. Selfish ambition (selfishness/self-gain) and vain conceit (pridefulness/self-importance) are unity killers. "Whereas selfish ambition pursues personal goals, empty conceit seeks personal glory and acclaim. The former pertains to personal accomplishments; the latter to an over inflated self-image. Understandably, a person with such conceit considers himself always to be right and expects others to agree with him. The only unity he seeks or values is centered on himself." (MacArthur) Paul wanted us to see that in order to have unity, we must get rid of self-centeredness and arrogance. Preoccupation with self destroys the unity among the Body of Christ. Humility is the antidote for vain conceit and consideration for others is the antidote for selfish ambition. We should not focus on our own needs & interests and become completely absorbed by our own concerns. Instead, we should be considerate of others and seek to meet the needs of others. "Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights." (John R. Wooden) "It is not a weak man’s surrender, but a strong man’s rejection of selfishness and determination to be actively concerned with the needs and interests of others." (Richards) "Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves." (Romans 12:10) 

Humility means realizing that "our competence comes from God." (2 Corinthians 3:5) Humility means being willing to selflessly do any task God has given us. Don't be envious of what gifts God gives others and/or how He uses them to do His kingdom work. Humility means recognizing that we are not infallible. In other words, be teachable no matter how old we are or how many years we have been Christians for. Get rid of superior attitude, prejudice, and boasting. True humility is about self-denial. To put others above ourselves is contrary to our human nature and can only be accomplished by the power of the indwelling Spirit in us.  "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." (Galatians 5:25-26) "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:2-3)

"Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means freedom from thinking about yourself at all." (William Temple)

"Humble yourself and cease to care what men think. A meek man is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. Rather,...he has stopped being fooled about himself. He knows well that the world will never see him as God sees him and he has stopped caring. He has obtained a place of soul rest. The old struggle to defend himself is over." (A.W. Tozer) 


"It is in seeing others as persons of great worth because they are loved by God and in seeing ourselves as their servants that we find the fulfilling lifestyle of humility." (Larry Richards)

Christians are to move from self-seeking/self-promotion to self-denial and servanthood. Want true joy? "J.O.Y." "J" for Jesus first, "O" for others next, and "Y" for yourselves last.

"As we esteem others better, we will naturally have a concern for their needs and concerns; this sort of outward looking mentality naturally leads to a unity among the people of God. If I am considering you above me, and you are considering me above you, a marvelous thing happens: we have a community where everyone is looked up to, and no one is looked down on." (Guzik) Humility brings unity!

Test of true humility:

"First, the test of precedence:

'Do you feel badly when others are honored, because they outshine you?'

Second, the test of sincerity:

'All too often, people say things about themselves to sound humble, when they really are not.'

Third, the test of criticism:

'Do you react unfavorably when someone points out your shortcomings?'

If you gave yourself a perfect score on this test, you failed the test of humility." (Richard DeHaan)

Beware of false humility--When you are proud of your humility, that's false humility. When you try to appear humble so that others think you're humble, that's false humility. False humility is self-centered; true humility is God-centered.

To ponder: Do we care too much about our own comfort, pleasure, and recognition? Do we seek approval, appreciation, and admiration from others more than seeking to encourage, edify, and serve others? Are we quick to give grace and forgiveness or quick to judge and criticize? Is our motive and attitude "What can I get out of this?" or "What can I do for you?"?

Prayer: Abba Father, please forgive me for my pride and selfishness that keep rearing their ugly heads from time to time. Please help me be able to continually die to self and put others above myself. Please instill in me Christlike humility and love. Please empower me to faithfully and joyfully put Philippians 2:3-4 into practice in my daily life. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

Philippians 1 in Poem

What God begins, He will complete
He is working in you and me
When you feel you trudge through life in defeat
Remember He's not yet finished with you or me

May your love abound more and more continually
May God bless you with wisdom and insight
May you be pure and blameless for the day of Christ
May you bear much fruit for God's praise and glory

God's children never suffer in vain
He uses our trials and our pain
To encourage others to persevere
To proclaim the gospel without fear

Rejoice when Christ is preached
Rejoice when lost souls are reached
Messengers' motives may not be right
Leave it to God; it's not our fight

If you want lasting joy, focus on Jesus
Be daring like Paul who was confident
To live is all for Christ; to die is gaining Heaven
We are one with the Victor; nothing can defeat us

May we live worthy of the gospel of Christ
May we stand firm and faithful day and night
May we work together with one heart and mind
May we unite to share the Gospel and His light to shine

~ Copyright 2017 Urailak Liljequist

To Live Worthy of the Gospel of Christ

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain...
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel." (Philippians 1:21, 27)

For Paul, to die is gain because he would be with Christ in Heaven for eternity and to live is all about Christ (he lived to proclaim Christ and the gospel of Christ). "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) 

"It did not matter what anyone did to this man, he loved God and continued to show it in every possible way. We see Paul's gospel fixation echoed throughout his letter to the Philippians. He is the man who when threatened says, 'Well, to die is gain.' In response his captors will say, 'We'll torture you, then.' He says, 'I don't count the present suffering as worthy to even compare to the future glory.' You can't win with a guy like this. If you want to kill him, he's cool with that because it means he gets to be with Jesus. If you want to make him suffer, he's cool with that, so long as it makes him like Jesus. If you want to let him live, he's fine with that, because to him, 'to live is Christ.' Paul is, as Richard Sibbes says of everyone united with Christ, a man who 'can never be conquered.'" (Matt Chandler)

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." (Jim Elliot)

Since Paul's main reason for remaining on earth is for their spiritual growth in Christ and joy in the faith, he encouraged the believers in Philippi to live in a manner worthy of their Heavenly citizenship and of the gospel of Christ. Essentially, we are to walk the talk and live what we believe. "Our manner of life either helps or hinders the Gospel. It either recommends the truth to others or else makes the truth repulsive. Paul is pleading for Gospel-worthy Christians who will carry on for Jesus Christ without the prop of the apostle's presence. Paul is saying, "Live for Christ whether I am with you or absent from you." (Ron Mattoon) Our lives should reflect Christ and testify of the gospel's transforming power. A life worthy of the gospel is a life lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:1-3) 

Paul wanted them to stand firm/faithful in one spirit (focusing on our unity with Christ) and to work/strive together with one mind (having the same purpose) as one team for the advancement of the gospel (focusing on our unity with one another which flows out of our unity with Christ). The Body of Christ's unity was very important to Paul and to Christ Himself, as reflected in His prayer to the Father in John 17:23, "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.” Disunity among God's children mars the gospel testimony and gives unbelievers excuses to not believe. We must not fight each other but should unite to fight against our common enemy. Don’t waste your time and energy on foolish arguments and on things that don’t contribute to advancing the gospel. Satan loves to divide God's children because he knows that “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand." (Matthew 12:25). We are stronger when we stand together!

Dietrich Bonhoeffer gave seven principles that help Christians live together. He said that Christians should:
"1. Hold their tongues, refusing to speak uncharitably about a Christian brother;
2. Cultivate the humility that comes from understanding that they, like Paul, are the greatest sinners and can only live in God’s sight by his grace;
3. Listen “long and patiently” so that they will understand their fellow Christian’s need;
4. Refuse to consider their time and calling so valuable that they cannot be interrupted to help with unexpected needs, no matter how small or menial;
5. Bear the burden of their brothers and sisters in the Lord, both by preserving their freedom and by forgiving their sinful abuse of that freedom;
6. Declare God’s word to their fellow believers when they need to hear it;
7. Understand that Christian authority is characterized by service and does not call attention to the person who performs the service."

To ponder: Is our conduct congruent with our creed? Does the way we live correspond with the gospel we share? 

Prayer: "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 15:5-6)