So much teaching still in this chapter. Humility is a big lesson though. And how humble Christ was is a pattern we are to follow. There are loads of wonderful things when you belong to a church family of believers.
Philippians 2 – Amplified Bible
Please read Philippians 2:1-2
Be Like Christ
1 Therefore if there is any encouragement and comfort in Christ [as there certainly is in abundance], if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship [that we share] in the Spirit, if [there is] any [great depth of] affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same [a]love [toward one another], knit together in spirit, intent on one purpose [and living a life that reflects your faith and spreads the gospel—the good news regarding salvation through faith in Christ].
Encouragement and Comfort in Christ is in abundance. As are all His other attributes, so Peace and Love and any more you can think of.
If there is any love for one another, which is consolation and fellowship in the Spirit, great depth of affection and compassion for the fellow believers in our church family, make joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same love, knit together in spirit, intent on living a life that reflects your faith and spreads the gospel, which is the good news regarding salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Do Not…
Please read Philippians 2:3-4
3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves. 4 Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
While your faith is your faith, it also makes you responsible to encourage and spur on other believers to continue in the faith, whether it’s by sharing the gospel again, telling how God has been active in your life lately, or just being like Jesus towards them.
Please read Philippians 2:5-7
5 Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility], 6 who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it]; 7 but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man].
It’s a completely humble way of sharing your faith with others. Because humility is always others focused, meaning it always sees others as better than them. Can you imagine if those you were talking to were all humble?
Please read Philippians 2:8-11
Name Above All Names
8 After He was found in [terms of His] outward appearance as a man [for a divinely-appointed time], He humbled Himself [still further] by becoming obedient [to the Father] to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus [b]every knee shall bow [in submission], of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess and openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord (sovereign God), to the glory of God the Father.
It’s a promise. Every knee shall bow. Some in joy some in sorrow, but every knee will bow.
By the way, here’s an encouraging story… it was several years ago and I was praying as hard as I could because my heart was being crushed with what I can only say was my husband’s insistence that our daughter had to go to school. And I turned and saw Jesus, well, his legs anyway and myself bowed at his feet. So when you pray, especially when you’re hurting, you are right there at His feet. He’s so close, so close He knows everything you’re doing, everything you’re saying, everything hurting you and your prayers are always heard.
Answers aren’t always given, but encouragement is, and a few years later I was granted people that helped convince my husband that school itself was not helping our daughter. So I have her home again and we do what we can to educate her while she learns what she wants to too.
Please read Philippians 2:12-13
Obey Always
12 So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]. 13 For it is [not your strength, but it is] [c]God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure.
Actively pursue spiritual maturity. And say Yes to God working in you to strengthen, energize, and create a longing and ability to fulfill your purpose which He has planned for you to do.
Please read Philippians 2:14-18
14 Do everything without murmuring or questioning [the providence of God], 15 so that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish in the midst of a [morally] crooked and [spiritually] perverted generation, among whom you are seen as bright lights [beacons shining out clearly] in the world [of darkness], 16 holding out and offering to everyone the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to rejoice greatly because I did not run [my race] in vain nor labor without result. 17 But even if I am being poured out as a [d]drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith [for preaching the message of salvation], still I rejoice and share my joy with you all. 18 You too, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.
The providence of God is on you because You believe Him, and questioning it or murmuring about it is not something you should do. But Trust. And then enjoy it. And in doing that you will prove yourself to be a blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated child of God without blemish in this not wholly saved world where you are to hold out and offer the word of life. With humility and love and full of peace is the how.
Please read Philippians 2:19-24
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I may also be encouraged by learning news about you. 20 For I have no one else [like him who is] so kindred a spirit who will be genuinely concerned for your [spiritual] welfare. 21 For the others [who deserted me after my arrest] all seek [to advance] their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know of Timothy’s tested worth and his proven character, that he has served with me to advance the gospel like a son serving with his father. 23 Therefore, I hope [that it is His will] to send him immediately, just as soon as I see how [e]my case turns out; 24 and I trust [confidently] in the Lord that soon I also will be coming to you.
So loved, Timothy is by Paul. He’s not alone in that, but he is the only one Paul says who is a kindred spirit who is generally concerned for their spiritual welfare. I think it’s entirely possible that Timothy is humble and Paul is humble and that is how they have such love for one another. Both think better than the other than they do themselves.
Please read Philippians 2:25-30
25 However, I thought it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, [who has been] my brother and companion and fellow soldier, who was also sent as your messenger to take care of my needs. 26 For he has been longing [f]for all of you and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 He certainly was sick and close to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 So I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. 29 Welcome him home in the Lord with great joy, and appreciate and honor men like him; 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me [which distance prevented you from rendering personally].
Siblings in the faith, that’s what we are and thus Paul calls Epaphroditus his brother and companion. And because they are men, also fellow soldier. I think it’s great that Paul asks them to appreciate men like Epaphroditus who risked his life in the work for the Lord. Appreciate those who preach to you. Appreciate those who share their faith with you and encourage you. Even if in doing so they aren’t really risking their life. They’re still doing what God has called them to do. And walk out your faith in humility and with love.
Grow your faith.
Footnotes
[a] Philippians 2:2 -having the same [a]love [toward one another]- The key to understanding this and other statements about love is to know that this love (the Greek word agape) is not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the best for another.
[b] Philippians 2:10 -at the name of Jesus [b]every knee shall bow- All intelligent beings in the universe, whether saved or unsaved, whether in spirit or as mortal mankind, will acknowledge Him.
[c] Philippians 2:13 –[c]God who is effectively at work in you- God supports the believer, but it is the believer’s responsibility to do what he has been called by God to do.
[d] Philippians 2:17 -I am being poured out as a [d]drink offering- The drink offering (wine) was required as part of the sacrificial system of the old covenant.
[e] Philippians 2:23 -just as soon as I see how [e]my case turns out- Lit things go with me. This letter to the Philippians was written near the end of Paul’s two-year period of imprisonment in Rome. This was the first of his two Roman imprisonments. At this time he was under house arrest and was living in his own rented home. About five years after his release he was imprisoned again. Emperor Nero was actively persecuting the Christians during this period, so Paul was held in the Mamertine dungeon (Tullianum). Shortly before his execution Paul wrote his second and final letter to Timothy from his cell in Rome.
[f] Philippians 2:26 -For he has been longing [f]for all of you- One early ms reads to see you all.