BOOK TITLE: PHILIPPIANS

DESCRIBE:

1. Epistle (General)
It’s a letter from Paul and Timothy addressed to the church of Philippi. Paul is sending out his
trusted Timothy whom he treats as a son in sharing the good news. Also, Epaphroditus whom
he relates as his brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, messenger and minister to his
needs, whom; upon hearing that he was very sick (and almost died), the people of Philippi
were greatly distraught, so sending him back to the people would be good for both of them.
Paul assured the people that the good news is still being preached and the people who
needed direction and assurance from their church. It’s Paul’s way of showing his gratitude to
the hospitable people of Philippi and thanked them for what they did for the church of Christ.
2. Context
a. Issue / Reason
1:5/7 Paul is relating his gratefulness to God’s holy people in Philippi as partners in spreading
the faith. Perhaps it includes financial, social and spiritual support one benefits from the other,
but ultimately it’s for the glory of God.

1:12-14: Paul reveals that he’s bound up and in chains because of his faith and yet it’s the
very same reason that he was able to preach the good news that even the whole palace
guard is aware of it and some even gained confidence to boldly preach the good news as
well.

1:15-18: Paul addressed that some believers are preaching the good news out of jealousy,
rivalry and selfish ambitions, yet he rejoices as the words of Christ are being preached either
way.

1:21: Paul justifies how living is meant to live for Christ alone, and to die, which is better off
for him were it not for the other believers, it’s for the glory and praise of God, which is worth it
in every sense.

2:14-15 Believers are role models of good will, he/she never loses his hope because he is
anchored on the greatest light of them all, blazingly magnificent and inextinguishable even by
the grasps of sin and death, Jesus Christ.

3:7-11: This probably is the most ground-breaking statement ever uttered by Paul the apostle
and could easily be the summary of the book of Philippians. Shifting back the focus to Jesus,
it is clear that Paul knows what he’s talking about and he means praising and giving thanks to
Him, glorifying Him through our works and knowing Jesus intimately with His words through
the Bible – this is what life should be about. Anything that stands in the way is wasteful and
considered as rubbish if it’s not for the glory of God. This reminds me of the song “Safe” by
Victory Worship:
I found my fortress, in You
And my soul is anchored, with You
My resting place, is in Your name
Forever safe

Christ’s righteousness, His glory and forgiveness of our sins, God’s overflowing love and
mercy for all of humanity that He gave up His son for man’s redemption so that we may be
restored with Him for all eternity... It’s a lot to wrap our heads into. But if one has surrendered
everything to Jesus all the other things just fades in the background. All the pain, heartaches,
shame, guilt, regret; all the suffering that this world could bring, it is a mere child’s play. A
trifling act, a drop of water in an ocean – it diminishes under the weight of God’s glory.

4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. In a time where Christians were
persecuted, Paul is encouraging the church to be joyful and not let their circumstances make
them anxious. It is an admirable feat for the Christians to do these amidst persecution but

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 after knowing Christ, dying for Him, ultimately gives one a happiness nothing else can
compare to. When we wholeheartedly seek after Christ and understand how loved and
complete we are in him, overflowing joy follows.

b. Use of Gospel (Principles)

4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God

This arrests our knowledge of the Lord: Who is He in our life? Is He a genie in a bottle,
rubbed and prayed on then you will get your heart’s desire? Is He like a father that takes care
and protects His children? Is He a mob boss who bullies people around? Once we have
made our peace with God and His identity and position in our hearts then true faith steps in.
When our hearts are focused only to God, He would be in control of our life, thus anxiety has
no place left in our hearts, just prayers, thanksgiving and total surrender to Him.

COMMENT:

1. Parallels
a. Social
1:5/7: As believers of the same faith, acts of generosity, kindness and being compassionate
towards others should spring forth to us like breathing for air, or like drinking water. Being
transformed by the love of Christ, we should help people not just when it’s convenient for us
but whenever it is warranted and deemed necessary. Responding to the call of the times,
especially when catastrophes, famine and war strikes, it’s Christ-like to help out as much as
we can.

1:14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are
much more bold to speak the word without fear. Yesterday, news about the Indonesian
husband and wife that used their four children in a string of deadly suicide attacks on three
churches in Surabay left 12 people dead has left me in awe of the fact that persecution in
Christian churches is a real and tangible thing. It is not a thing of the past and the
missionaries need all the help and the prayers from the other believers. And yet here I am,
ashamed from my own mother, with my own family, of admitting that I am indeed attending
Sunday service from a Born-again church, that I have a change of mind in regards of my
faith; that I don’t have the same belief that we used to have before as I have met Jesus as He
is – my Lord and Savior. All of this non-sense shame while missionaries all over the world are
being ridiculed and persecuted in a daily basis. I am humbled and still a long way to go in
regards of my faith.

Philippians 2:7-8: What did God feel when He first stepped into a human vessel? From a King
to a servant, from being loved to being scorned, my human mind and emotions are so limited
and incapable that I am not able to grasp even the minutest of His thoughts and the vastness
of His creation. Man is created out of dust, formed from God's own image and likeness and
yet when God showed Himself and dwelt among us, we loathed and killed Him instead. Truly,
we can’t boast on anything. The leaders and kings of this world, their so called influence and
power are limited and yet we still cling on to them. Humans have fought and killed over
something as trifling, fragile and limited – and to what avail? And yet here is the God of the
universe, humble as He is when it is written that every knee shall bow to Him, in heaven and
on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father.

2:17: The love of a mother, sacrificial, genuine, unconditional. I hope to feel that love from my
mother.
b. Moral

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 1:25: This is what all the other Christians who sowed seeds of faith in me did when I still
haven’t “met” the Lord. As commanded in the great commission, one of the moral tasks of a
Christian is to help each other grow and experience joy in our faith.

1:27/ 2:1-5: If we love God, we consequentially obey His commandments. It is obedience

done not just out of fear or by force, but by sheer love that He unconditionally bestowed upon
us. Thus living as citizens of heaven includes that we should live Christ-like in our thoughts,
words and deeds.

2:13: Amidst the brewing nuclear war around the world, the uncertainty and the growing
immorality of people even inside the church, it is a great comfort to know that God is at work
in us and that He is in control. He is sovereign and works out everything according to His
purpose.

2:29: The missionaries of the persecuted church. It is my hope and prayer that the
families/institutions that these missionaries encounter all treat them with respect and love just
like Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus experienced with the church of Philippi. Working is
difficult, but working for the Lord is especially treacherous and lonely, with some giving up
their life for God, just so His words could be proclaimed. Missionaries should be fervently
prayed for by Christians, and someday I hope I could be one too.

3:2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
Sometimes, it is easy for us to pinpoint the unrighteousness of others and call them on their
flaws and shortcomings, but I feel that before we are allowed to do that, we should first call
out our inner dogs, the sinner in us that in turn had led us to mutilate our own flesh. Because
of our sinful desires, we are damaging ourselves in the process.

c. Use of Gospel
3:3 As a regenerate being, God “quickens” our faith through an intimate relationship with Him.
We undergo “metanoia”, a change in mind or a change in one's way of life resulting from
penitence or spiritual conversion. This “circumcision” that leads us to worship by the Spirit of
God and glory in Christ Jesus should always strengthen believers whenever the pull of sin is
dragging us. The gospel is our anchor, our shield, a refuge.

APPLY:

2:3-4: In a world where likes and hearts are deemed as acceptance, affection and validation, it is natural
that man has turned inside of himself, indifferent with the rest of the world. Instead of wasting my time on
social media, I pledge to devote it to the Lord. Or if I do, I make sure to tune it to Godly posts, podcasts
and videos.

2:14-15: One of the things that the Lord has continually shown me time and again is how wasteful and
destructive grumbling is. Prior to becoming a regenerate, my family and friends are plagued with my
whining that it painted a negative or pessimistic view of me for them. Yet it is clearly written to do
everything without complaining. I admit that I often grumble about work but the Lord had taught me that I
should always start with a grateful heart. From the same profession that I complain and grumble about is
the same one that fed me and my family and the same profession that had equipped me in proclaiming
the word of God.

4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever
is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think
about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these
things, and the God of peace will be with you.

I have been saved by Christ and have declared that He is my Lord and Savior. I profess it as much as I
can and yet I still manage to falter with my sinfulness. Sometimes I fear that my heart would be hardened

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by my sin and would be helpless and indifferent to His laws, but His love had been keeping me afloat,
always reassuring me that I am forgiven, that I am loved and there is still a way for me to be saved. If I
repent, I realized that I need radical repentance and it starts with an intellectual understanding of what I
did, who I am and what I am capable of and how it all plays out with God’s encompassing love for me
made realized through Christ.

ADVICE: (Insights)

1:9 A Catholic friend; upon my advice to read the Bible because of her boredom, mentioned that they
have a Bible group and one doesn’t need to know lots of Bible verses to know God, but what matters is,
according to her , is that we believe and live for Him and do and be good. Out of respect from her
pregnancy and our friendship, I just kept my reasons to myself as this verse proves it: we should keep on
growing on knowledge and understanding and one does that simply by saturating oneself in the scripture
and praying earnestly to our Lord and savior, Jesus. We can’t simply establish a relationship to someone
unless we have earnestly known him/her; the person’s thoughts, beliefs and prejudices, their likes and
dislikes etc. Likewise, to have an intimate relationship with the Lord, it is essential that we know and
understand His words found in the Bible. It is the manual of our life and consequentially

4:11-13 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be
content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I
have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through
him who strengthens me.

Why do humans always want something more than what we have? Why are we always looking
for the better, the newer, the next? What makes us so discontented with life that we always tend to
neglect what’s in front of us, of what’s essential? Why, in a pursuit of the next big thing, we damage
ourselves in the process without even knowing it? Our gracious God has been lovingly teaching me this
lesson. I may have the best career, the most handsome husband or the riches of this world, but nothing
can’t compare with the eternal worth of Christ. If I put my heart, my worth and salvation to earthly things, I
can never be satisfied. I would always feel discontent. I would always feel neglected and taken for
granted. But if I allowed Christ to reign over my life through and through, be in poverty, a health crisis or
being bound in a prison or even in the face of death, I am empowered, strengthened and had overcome
by His love.

This verse calls out the believers to not lose our focus and attention to Christ. He is the focal point
of man’s history. He is the King of the universe. He created everything with just a word. He is our Lord
and Savior and nothing in this world is worth comparing to Him. As a firm believer, this book is a great
reminder of Christ’s Lordship over our life and warrants the believer to assess his/ her faith amidst
persecution, inevitable struggles in life and even in the brink of death. How passionate are we for Him?
How long can we endure this life? Are we going to falter back into sinfulness when life gets tough? Or
when things are going along in our way, when we are at the top of our game, is He still the King of our life
or does He get a backseat and make it everything about us? Do we give God a credit when we are
winning in life? Christians, let’s soak in His word daily and witness His unwavering love transform us for
His greater glory.