Three Themes in Philippians: The Gospel, the Oneness of the Saints, and the Church’s Affection for the Apostle

Scripture Reading: Phil. 1:5, 7, 12, 27: 2:1-4; 4:2-3, 10, 14-20

I.　Concerning the gospel, in Philippians Paul used several significant terms: fellowship unto…the gospel (1:5), the defense and confirmation of the gospel (v. 7), the advancement of the gospel (v. 12), and the faith of the gospel (v. 27)—Hymns, #1295:1

A.　The whole book of Philippians is a definition of the gospel; the gospel is the proclamation of the move of God on earth according to His economy; this means that the gospel is the preaching of God’s economy:2

1.　It includes every aspect of the experience of Christ covered in this book.

2.　For the Philippian believers to participate with Paul in the furtherance of the gospel meant that they were partaking in the move of God’s economy on earth.

B.　Verse 5 says, “For your fellowship unto the furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now”:

1.　Fellowship here means participation, communication; the saints in Philippi had fellowship unto the gospel, participating in the furtherance of the gospel through the apostle Paul’s ministry. 3

2.　This participation included their financial contributions to the apostle (4:10, 15-16), which issued in the furtherance of the gospel.

3.　This kind of fellowship, which kept them from being individualistic and diversely minded, implies that they were one with the apostle Paul and with one another.

4.　This gave them the ground for their experience and enjoyment of Christ, which is the main point of this book:

a.　The Christ-experiencing and -enjoying life is a life in the furtherance of the gospel, a gospel-preaching life, not individualistic but corporate; hence, there is the fellowship unto the furtherance of the gospel.

b.　The more fellowship we have in the furtherance of the gospel, the more Christ we experience and enjoy; this kills our self, ambition, preference, and choice.

C.　Verse 7 says, “Even as it is right for me to think this concerning you all because you have me in your heart, since both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel you are all fellow partakers with me of grace”:

1.　On the negative side, the defense of the gospel is for the resisting of perverting and distorting heresies, such as Judaism, dealt with in Galatians, and Gnosticism, dealt with in Colossians.4

2.　On the positive side, the confirmation of the gospel is for the announcing of the revelations of God’s mysteries concerning Christ and the church as unveiled in the apostle’s Epistles.

3.　In preaching such a gospel according to God’s economy, Paul renounced religion, law, culture, ordinances, customs, habits, and every kind of “ism”—everything that was apart from God’s economy; because Paul preached such a gospel, he was regarded as a troublemaker, a pest—Acts 24:5.

4.　Fellow partakers of grace are those who share and enjoy the processed Triune God as grace; The apostle was such in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, and the saints in Philippi were fellow partakers with him in this grace—Phil. 1:7b. 5

D. Verse 12 says, “Now I want you to know, brothers, that the things concerning me have turned out rather to the advancement of the gospel”; the word advancement here refers to that made by the pioneers who cut the way before an army to further its march; Paul’s sufferings made such an advancement for the gospel. 6

E. Verse 27 speaks of “striving together along with the faith of the gospel”; the faith here is personified; the believers should strive together with one soul along with the personified faith.7

II.　Even though the Philippian believers participated with Paul in the furtherance of the gospel, there was still at least some amount of dissension among them (1:27; 2:1-4; 4:2-3); the reason for this dissension lay in the fact that they were not one in soul:8

A.　Philippians 1:27 says, “Only, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, that whether coming and seeing you or being absent, I may hear of the things concerning you, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving together along with the faith of the gospel”:

1.　We need not only to stand firm in one spirit in order to experience Christ but also to strive together with one soul along with the faith of the gospel.

2.　To be of one soul for the gospel work is more difficult than to be in one spirit for the experience of Christ; to be of one soul requires that, after having been regenerated in our spirit, we go further and be transformed in our soul, especially in our mind, which is the main and leading part of our soul—Rom. 12:2.

B.　In Philippians 2:2-4 Paul says, “Make my joy full, that you think the same thing, having the same love, joined in soul, thinking the one thing, doing nothing by way of selfish ambition nor by way of vainglory, but in lowliness of mind considering one another more excellent than yourselves; not regarding each his own virtues, but each the virtues of others also”:

1.　Among the Philippians there was dissension in their thinking (4:2), which troubled the apostle; hence, he asked them to think the same thing, even the same one thing, that they might make his joy full.9

2.　This indicates that because of the dissension in their thinking, the Philippian believers had different levels of love; they did not have the same love toward all the saints for the keeping of oneness. 10

3.　This indicates further that the dissension among the Philippians was due to their not being joined in soul, to their not thinking the one thing in their mind, the leading part of their soul:11

a.　The Philippians’ problem was not with their spirit but with their soul, that is, with their mind.

b.　　They had Christ in their spirit through regeneration, but they did not have Christ in their soul through transformation; only by having Christ saturate and occupy their entire soul could they be made one in soul—cf. 2 Cor. 3:18.

4.　According to the context of this book, the one thing here must refer to the subjective knowledge and experience of Christ—Phil. 1:20-21; 2:5; 3:7-9; 4:13:12

a.　Christ, and Christ alone, should be the centrality and universality of our entire being; our thinking should be focused on the excellency of the knowledge and experience of Christ.

b.　Focusing on anything else causes us to think differently, thus creating dissensions among us.

5.　“Doing nothing by way of selfish ambition nor by way of vainglory” may indicate that the dissenting Philippians were doing things out of selfish ambition or vainglory, both of which cause dissensions among believers. 13

6.　Lowliness is in contrast to both selfish ambition and vainglory; this must be not our natural lowliness but the lowliness of Christ, as illustrated in 2:7-8. 14

7.　This indicates again that the problem of dissension among the Philippians was a matter of their untransformed mind; they needed to have the mind that was in Christ (see v. 5). 15

8.　Verse 4 also says we should regard not only our own virtues and qualities but also those of others. 16

C.　In 4:2 Paul says, “I exhort Euodias, and I exhort Syntyche, to think the same thing in the Lord”:

1.　This indicates that the two sisters were dissenting from each other; they were not of the same mind.

2.　Hence, there was the exhortation in this book to strive together with one soul along with the personified gospel (1:27), to be joined in soul, thinking the one thing (2:2), and to have the same mind to pursue Christ (3:14-15).

III.　We need to see the believers’ fellowship in the apostle’s need; between the two parties, the apostle and the believers, there was the fellowship of life and the mutual ministry of life—4:10, 14-20:17

A.　In 2:1-2a, Paul says, “If there is therefore any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of spirit, if any tenderheartedness and compassions, make my joy full”:

1.　In chapter 1 Paul, being rich in the experience of Christ, presented to the believers an account of his experience; now in chapter 2 he asked the believers to have fellowship with him; such a mutual fellowship of the believers and the apostle is needed for the experience of Christ.18

2.　In verses 1-2 the apostle appealed to the Philippians for their encouragement and consolation; he begged them to make his joy full if they had any encouragement in Christ, any consolation of love, any fellowship of spirit, any tenderheartedness and compassions toward him. 19

B.　In 4:10 Paul says, “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you caused your thinking for me to blossom anew”:

1.　The Greek word for blossom means to sprout and bloom, implying that the Philippian believers’ thinking toward the apostle was a matter of life. 20

2.　For some time their thinking for Paul had been dormant; but when Paul wrote this Epistle, their thinking for him had begun to blossom anew, just like a plant’s sprouting and blooming.

3.　According to Paul’s feeling, the sending of a gift with Epaphroditus was the blossoming again of their concern for him. 21

4.　We must pay careful attention to the word blossom; this word implies that our giving of material things to any church, to any servant of the Lord, and to any of the saints must be something living that is able to blossom; this fellowship involves more than participation; it involves the circulation of the current of life—cf. 1 John 1:2-3.

C.　In Philippians 4:14 Paul says, “you did well to have fellowship with me in my affliction”:

1.　This was the fellowship unto the furtherance of the gospel (1:5), by their supplying of material things to the apostle (v. 18). 22

2.　It seems as if Paul is saying, “You ministered life to me and helped to sustain me in my imprisonment. When I was suffering, you helped me by ministering life to me; surely you will receive a supply of life in return.” 23

D.　In verses 17-18 Paul says, “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit which increases to your account; but I have received in full all things and abound; I have been filled, receiving from Epaphroditus the things from you, a sweet-smelling savor, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God”:

1.　The fruit in verse 17 is the result of the Philippian believers’ fellowship, participation, in the apostle’s gospel work; this will be a reward in the day of the Lord. 24

2.　The Philippian believers’ supplying of material things to the apostle opened an account with the apostle (v. 15); 25 we should follow their example by opening such an account and keeping its credit side continually increasing in the fruit of our giving. 26

3.　The Philippians’ material gift, given to supply the apostle’s need, was considered by him a sacrifice to God, acceptable and well pleasing—Heb. 13:16. 27

4.　Paul indicated in his appreciation that what the Philippians did toward him was done toward God; this implies that he had the assurance that he was one with God and that his work was by God and for God.

 

Excerpts from the Ministry:

The Philippian Believers Participating with the Apostle Paul

in the Furtherance of the Gospel

Another aspect of the background of this book concerns a matter that is very positive, the participation of the Philippian believers with the apostle Paul in the furtherance of the gospel (1:5-7; 4:14-19).

I am concerned that some among us still hold to an understanding of the gospel which is not adequate. The preaching of the gospel includes more than the fact that Christ is our Savior and that by believing in Him we shall have forgiveness of sins, salvation from hell to heaven, and regeneration. Actually, the whole book of Philippians is a definition of the gospel. The gospel is the proclamation of the move of God on earth according to His economy. This means that the gospel is the preaching of God’s economy. Thus, the gospel includes the matter of magnifying Christ and living Christ. It includes every aspect of the experience of Christ covered in this book. For the Philippian believers to participate with Paul in the furtherance of the gospel meant that they were partaking in the move of God’s economy on earth.

God’s economy is not simply to have a group of people who are forgiven of their sins, justified, washed by the blood of Christ, regenerated, saved from hell, and destined for heaven. Such things are just part of God’s salvation for the carrying out of His economy. The gospel includes the economy of God in its entirety. We should not try to define the gospel by taking a few phrases from Paul’s writings out of context. We need to consider the whole book of Philippians with all the major points. If we put these points together, we shall have the totality of the gospel, and we shall see that the gospel involves God’s move according to His economy. How blessed were the Philippian believers to participate in the furtherance of such a gospel! The gospel in which they had a share was not the low, narrow, superficial gospel preached by many Christians today. The Philippian believers had the privilege of sharing in the spread and furtherance of the gospel that is according to God’s economy. (Life-study of Philippians, msg. 1, pp. 6-8)

FELLOWSHIPPING

IN THE FURTHERANCE OF THE GOSPEL

The church in Philippi also had fellowship with Paul in the furtherance of the gospel. In 1:5 Paul speaks of “your fellowship unto the gospel from the first day until now.” Fellowship here means “participation, communication.” The same Greek word is translated “contribution” in Romans 15:26 and “sharing” in Hebrews 13:16. The saints in Philippi had fellowship unto the gospel, participating in the furtherance of the gospel through the apostle Paul’s ministry. This participation included their financial contributions to the apostle (4:10, 15-16), which issued in the furtherance of the gospel. This kind of fellowship, which kept them from being individualistic and diversely minded, implies their oneness with the apostle Paul and with one another. This gave them the ground for their experience and enjoyment of Christ, which is the main point of this book. The Christ-experiencing-and-enjoying life is a life in the furtherance of the gospel, a gospel-preaching life, not individualistic but corporate. Hence, there is “the fellowship unto the gospel.” The more fellowship we have in the furtherance of the gospel, the more Christ we experience and enjoy. This kills our self, ambition, preference, and choice.

As the Philippian believers were sharing in the furtherance of the gospel, in the furtherance of God’s move on earth according to His economy, they were partakers with Paul of grace. Those who partake of grace are those who share and enjoy the processed Triune God as grace. The apostle was such a one in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, and the saints at Philippi were joint-partakers with him in this grace. Grace is the Triune God processed to be our enjoyment. By having fellowship unto the gospel with Paul, the Philippians enjoyed this grace. According to the expression in Greek, they became partakers of Paul’s grace, of the very grace he enjoyed.

The church in Philippi also prayed for Paul (1:19), made his joy full and caused him to rejoice (2:1- 2), and supplied his material need. There is no doubt that this church was very good.

HAVING DISSENSIONS AMONG THEMSELVES

Although the church in Philippi was established in good order and had fellowship with Paul in the furtherance of the gospel, there was nevertheless dissension among them. By this we see that it is very difficult to avoid dissension. It can exist anywhere and at any time. The source of dissension is our opinions. Opinions come from the mind, the main part of the soul. In the book of Philippians Paul speaks often of the soul, the mind, and thinking. In 1:27 he uses the expression with one soul, and in 2:2, the expression joined in soul. In 2:20 he uses the term like-souled.

We in the church life today need to be one in the soul. Christians frequently speak of being one in the Lord or one in the Spirit, but have you ever heard believers speak of being one in the soul? Until we are one in soul, there is no practicality to our oneness. Our oneness will be that of shaking hands over the fence. Christians talk about oneness, but they still hold to their dissenting opinions. Paul’s concept of oneness was different. In Philippians he makes it clear that we need to be one in soul.

In order to be one in soul, we need to be transformed and renewed in our mind. Romans 12:2 speaks of being transformed by the renewing of the mind. It is quite possible that your mind is very old. This may even be true of young people. But if your mind has been renewed, it will be new and fresh, even though you may be an elderly person. I can testify that Christ has never bent my mind in any way, but He certainly has been renewing it.

One reason for oldness in our mind is that we remember past offenses. Years ago a certain thing may have happened to you, but you are still not willing to forget it. This means that in this particular matter you do not show forgiveness, for genuine forgiveness implies forgetting the offense. Because certain saints remember offenses from the past, their mind is old. If our mind is old, it will cause us problems and lead to dissension. Therefore, it is crucial for us all to have a renewed mind.

The only defect in the church in Philippi was the dissension caused by different opinions. In 4:2 Paul said, “I beseech Euodias, and I beseech Syntyche, to think the same thing in the Lord.” These two leading sisters were co-workers with Paul. However, they were not one in their thinking. The differences in their thinking were probably not concerning secular matters, but concerning God’s move on earth. Concerning this, they had different opinions in the soul. Because they were still one in spirit, these sisters were not divided. But in practice there was dissension between them because of their different concepts. This dissension was a shortcoming in that very good church at Philippi. As a result of the dissension among them, the Philippian saints were not one soul in preaching the gospel (1:27).

In 2:2 and 4:2 we see that the Philippian saints were not thinking the same thing, not having the same love, not joined in soul, and not thinking the one thing. The situation of certain ones in the Lord’s recovery today is the same. These ones have been caught by the Lord for His recovery. They know the ground of the church and honor this ground of oneness. However, they do not think the same thing as the rest of the saints, they do not have the same love, and they are not joined in soul. They can truthfully say that they are one in spirit with all the saints, but they cannot say that they are one in the soul, thinking the same thing and even the one thing.

What does it mean to think the same thing and to think the one thing? Both expressions are found in 2:2. In 4:2 Paul besought Euodias and Syntyche to think the same thing. The same thing is Christ Himself, and the one thing is the pursuing of Christ to gain Him, lay hold of Him, and possess Him. We should not regard anything other than Christ as the “same thing” spoken of by Paul. Many Christian groups have something that they consider to be the “same thing.” But according to Paul, the “same thing” is Christ, and the “one thing” is the seeking after Christ to possess Him. The context of Philippians makes this very clear.

To think the same thing—Christ—and the one thing—the seeking after Christ to gain Him—causes our mind to be dealt with and renewed. To be renewed in our mind is to have a metabolic change in

which the old element is discharged and a new element is supplied. Something of Christ is infused into our being to discharge the old element and to replace it. This process causes our minds to be renewed. Even young people have many old things which need to be discharged and replaced by the element of Christ.

We need to allow Christ to become those positive elements in us which cause our minds to be renewed. Whereas many use their natural cleverness in a negative way, perhaps using it to focus on offenses or other negative things, we should be encouraged to set our minds on Christ and to allow our minds to be occupied by Christ. If our mind is not renewed, there will be dissension among us as there was among certain of the Philippian saints. Because they held to the natural mind with its oldness, this defect existed among them. (Life-study of Philippians, msg. 2, pp. 13-16)

THE BELIEVERS’ FELLOWSHIP IN THE APOSTLE’S NEED

In this message we shall consider the believers’ fellowship in the apostle’s need. In their giving, many Christians do not have fellowship. By fellowship we do not simply mean communication or mutual participation. Fellowship also involves the ministering of life. When we have fellowship with one another, we minister life to one another. When many Christians give something as a gift, they do not have the deep sense that in this transaction there is the ministry of life. But if we pray-read the verses listed above, we shall touch the ministry of life, both from the side of the apostle and also from the side of the believers who sent a gift to him. No doubt, the saints in Philippi not only sent the material supply to Paul, but also ministered life to him. Thus, between the two parties, the apostle and the believers, there was the fellowship of life and the mutual ministry of life. It is important that we learn to give in such a fellowship of life and ministry of life.

THE APOSTLE REJOICING IN THE LORD FOR THE BELIEVERS’ RENEWED CONCERN

In 4:10 Paul says, “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you caused your thinking for me to blossom anew.” It might have been circumstances which kept the Philippian believers from continuing to send the material supply to Paul. When they sent a gift with Epaphroditus, Paul considered this the blossoming again of their thinking for him. According to Paul’s feeling, the sending of a gift with Epaphroditus was the blossoming again of their concern for him.

The words blossom anew are a beautiful expression, rich in their implication. How can something blossom without life? Paul’s use of the word blossom implies that the believers’ thought of him was a matter of life, something that expressed life. Furthermore, “blossom anew” implies that the believers’ concern for Paul had been dormant for a time, having passed through a winter season. For a plant to blossom anew requires that it undergo a period of withering or dormancy during the winter season. This winter season, during which the saints lacked the opportunity to care for Paul, was a time of suffering for him. But this suffering afforded him the opportunity to experience Christ in a richer way.

THE BELIEVERS’ THINKING FOR THE APOSTLE

In 4:10 Paul also says to the Philippians, “You did indeed take thought, but you lacked opportunity.” These words show Paul’s experience and maturity. There were times that he rebuked the saints. For example, in writing to the Corinthians he rebuked them and asked if they wanted him to come with a rod (1 Cor. 4:21). In writing to the Philippians, however, he speaks in a very positive way, telling them that at length they caused their thinking for him to blossom anew, that they indeed did take thought, but lacked opportunity.

As we have indicated, the words blossom anew, a literal translation of the Greek, imply that the giving of material things is a matter of life and of the ministry of life. If this were not so, Paul would not have used such an expression.

We must pay careful attention to the word blossom. This word implies that our giving of material things to any church, to any servant of the Lord, and to any of the saints must be something living that is able to blossom. This fellowship involves more than participation; it involves the circulation of the current of life. According to the Bible, fellowship always comes from life. First John 1:2 and 3 reveal

[257] that fellowship issues from life. The source of fellowship is life. For this reason, in Philippians 4:10 Paul uses the word blossom, and in verse 14, the word fellowship: “Nevertheless you did well to have fellowship with me in my affliction.” It seems as if Paul is saying, “You ministered life to me and helped to sustain me in my imprisonment. When I was suffering, you helped me by ministering life to me. Surely you will receive a supply of life in return.”

The fellowship in life can be illustrated by the circulation of blood in the human body. On the one hand, as the blood circulates, it flows out; on the other hand, it returns. In like manner, our fellowship in life always has a going out with a return. Any outflow without a corresponding inflow is not true fellowship. Fellowship always involves circulation. The life goes out, and the life also returns. The life goes with a supply to the other party, and then it comes back with a supply from this party. Whenever we give material things under the leading of the Lord, we should experience such a fellowship in life. There should be the blossoming and the mutual supply of life. (Life-study of Philippians, msg. 30, pp. 255-257)

THE PHILIPPIANS’ SUPPLY TO THE APOSTLE THROUGH EPAPHRODITUS

In verse 18 Paul continues, “But I have all things and abound; I have been filled, receiving from Epaphroditus the things from you, a fragrant odor, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.” The “things from you” were the material things given as a supply to the apostle. Receiving these things, Paul could say that he was fully supplied. He regarded the things sent to him as “a fragrant odor, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.” The Greek term rendered “fragrant odor” is the same as that used as sweet-smelling savor in Ephesians 5:2. It is a fragrant odor of sacrifices offered to God (Gen. 8:21). The Philippians’ material gift to supply the apostle’s need was considered by him a sacrifice to God, acceptable and well-pleasing (Heb. 13:16). Paul indicates in his appreciation that what the Philippians did to him was actually done to God. This implies his assurance that he was one with God and that his work was by God and for God. (Life-study of Philippians, msg. 30, pp. 259-260)

References and Further Reading:

1.　Life-study of Philippians, msgs. 1, 2 and 30.

 

¹ Phil. 1:5, footnote 2.

² Life-study of Philippians, msg. 1, p. 6.

³ Phil. 1:5, footnote 1

⁴ Phil. 1:7, footnote 1

⁵ Phil. 1:7, footnote 2

⁶ Phil. 1:12, footnote 1

⁷ Phil. 1:27, footnote 3

⁸ Life-study of Philippians, msg. 1, p. 8.

⁹ Phil. 2:2, footnote 3

¹⁰ Phil. 2:2, footnote 4

¹¹ Phil. 2:2, footnote 5

¹² Phil. 2:2, footnote 6

¹³ Phil. 2:3, footnote 1

¹⁴ Phil. 2:3, footnote 3

¹⁵ Phil. 2:3, footnote 4

¹⁶ Phil. 2:4, footnote 1

¹⁷ Life-study of Philippians, msg. 30, p. 255.

¹⁸ Phil. 2:1, footnote 1

¹⁹ Phil. 2:1, footnote 2

²⁰ Phil. 4:10, footnote 1

²¹ Life-study of Philippians, msg. 30, pp. 255-256.

²² Phil. 4:14, footnote 1

²³ Life-study of Philippians, msg. 30, pp. 255-256.

²⁴ Phil. 4:17, footnote 1

²⁵ Phil. 4:15, footnote 2

²⁶ Phil. 4:17, footnote 1

²⁷ Phil. 4:18, footnote 4