Active Faith
Before we continue in chapter two, I want to remind us of what has come before. Paul has just put together a beautiful hymn about Jesus and His great sacrifice and humility. Jesus, who is God, chose to give up all His rights, advantages and eternal home to be obedient by walking this earth as a man and humbling Himself to die on a cross. As I sit here writing, today is Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement and a day of fasting and prayer. It is a day to contemplate God’s atonement for our sins, and celebrate the death of the Lamb of God who became the kippur – the atonement – for us. It is a perfect day to read Philippians 2:5-11 and rejoice in the gift of the Messiah. As we continue to read through chapter 2, keep this hymn in mind.
Vs 12-13 So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.
Paul starts this next section with a “therefore” statement, hoste in Greek. Paul says, so, with this beautiful hymn in mind, and with the fact that you are obedient, even when I’m not around, keep on working out your salvation with fear and trembling. The Greek word here for “working out” is katergazomai, which literally means work down to the end-point to an exact, definite conclusion. Remember, Paul is speaking to believers. He is not advocating working to obtain salvation. Salvation is a gift, given at great sacrifice by God through Jesus the Messiah who became our kippur. Paul is saying, now that you have this wonderful gift, you need to walk as Jesus walked. This is why he begins his hymn with “make your attitude that of Christ Jesus.” Not only that, he wants them to work it out to completion. In Timothy 4:5-8, Paul says, “But as for you, be serious about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time for my departure is close. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. There is reserved for me in the future the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved His appearing.” We are to fight the good fight, finish the race and keep the faith. What does this look like?
There are many examples of fighting the good fight I can think of: Corrie Ten Boon (my spiritual hero), Mother Teresa, Dietrich Bonhoffer, my mother and father are just a few of the many who have gone before us and walk with us now. One example I think of took place at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano Japan. It was the 10K cross country ski race and the Norwegian skier Bjorn Daehlie was expected to, and did, win the race – his 6th gold medal btw! The conditions that day were horrible for the race. The skiers were rained on making the snow wet and hard to ski through, especially for one skier – Philip Boit. who had particular challenges that others didn’t. You see, Boit didn’t grow up around snow or in cold weather at all. Known more for their marathon and long distance running teams, Kenya was not a place you normally think of as producing Winter Olympic athletes. In the best of conditions the10K cross country race is difficult, but with the added hazards, Philip was having a hard time just keeping upright. He fell several times along the course. No one would have blamed him for quitting, but still, he carried on. Meanwhile, at the finish line Bjorn Daehlie decided he would wait and see if Philip would make it instead of going on to the medal ceremony. He waited as skier after skier crossed the finish line. Finally, 20 minutes later, Philip came across the line and Bjorn was the first one to greet him. It was a touching scene to see the gold medal winner embrace the last guy standing. It was a picture of true sportsmanship and heart and would be great with just that. But the story didn’t end there. Because of Philip’s determination, even through the trails and hardships of the race, to katergazomai – work it out to its definite conclusion, many other African athletes were inspired to participate in the Winter Olympics. He was a hero, not for winning the race, but for having the guts to finish it. In our walk we can remember God is with us – He is the One who works in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose. We can work through the hazards and difficulties of life, knowing He will be there in the end to welcome us across the finish line with an embrace.
Vs. 14-18 Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world. Hold firmly to the message of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.
Have you ever been around people who constantly grumble? As you probably already know, negativity is a real joy killer. The Greek word for grumble is goggusmos and it means muttering or murmuring. It describes a person who is always muttering something under their breath, never having anything positive to say and feels life is a constant battle. It’s exhausting being around them. This is why Paul says to do everything without grumbling. This doesn’t mean we are all positivity and sunshine, (people who radiate false positivity are also annoying). It means, in spite of the hazards, hardships and trials, we can still radiate joy. The Bible is loaded with exhortations to be joyful in the midst of trials. Here are a few: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always! Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Nehemiah 8:9-10, ”Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because the joy of the Lord is your stronghold.” James 1:2-4, “Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.”
The only way we can shine like stars in this crooked, perverted and sinful world is through our joy, even (especially) in the midst of trials. This is why Dietrich Bonhoffer was so inspirational. He went to his death in joy. Betsie Ten Boon died in a concentration camp radiating the joy of the Lord. This is how Paul and Silas could sing while in chains and Stephen could be joyful as the stones were coming at him. Right now we are in the midst of a battle and trial. A pandemic is raging around the world. How can we navigate it without grumbling and arguing. I love the definition of the Greek word for arguing. It is dialogismos and it describes self-based reasoning. That is exactly what these kinds of arguments are. They do not take into account anyone else’s viewpoint and only want to win. They even argue for the sake of arguing and put other’s down in the process. This is why Paul exhorts us in 2:3-4 to “Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” It’s hard to argue and grumble against a person you think highly of. In this way, we will have true joy and a world in need of kippur (atonement) will find it in Christ.
So how do we practically do this? I am currently reading a book about Mother Teresa entitled A Simple Path. It is a book of thoughts, sayings and testimonies about the ministries of Mother Teresa compiled by Lucinda Vardey. The simple path is as follows: The fruit of silence is prayer. The fruit of prayer is faith. The fruit of faith is love. The fruit of love is service. The fruit of service is peace. I would add – the fruit of all of this is true joy in the Lord. Where do we start? In prayer. Then, what begins in prayer will produce a deep faith that opens up the love of Christ in us. Out of that love, springs forth the work (service) that comes from the indwelling joy of the Holy Spirit. By being the hands and feet of Jesus, who is the Prince of Peace, we will experience His peace beyond all understanding. It is then when we will see a change in the world around us. The darkness of the world cannot comprehend this kind of light. No matter how hard it tries, darkness will never overtake the light that comes from a heart filled with the joy of Christ.
Vs 19-30 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I also may be encouraged when I hear news about you. For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. I am convinced in the Lord that I myself will also come quickly. But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need, since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have one grief on top of another. For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice when you see him again and I may be less anxious. Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with all joy and hold men like him in honor, because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.
In this last section, Paul gives us a glimpse of two individuals who lived out all he was talking about in the previous section. They are Timothy and Epaphroditus. Both men loved the Lord and served him. Both sacrificed a lot to do so. Both were highly regarded by Paul. We start with Timothy. We can read about Paul’s love and admiration for Timothy in several of his letters. He even writes at least two specific letters to Timothy. Paul thinks so highly of Timothy that he says, “I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father.” Timothy was like a son to Paul. He served along side Paul and eventually served as a leader in the church at Ephesus. It was said he came to Paul before Paul was executed and, according to extra-biblical writings, died by stoning in AD 97. He was faithful to the end.
The next person Paul speaks of is Epaphroditus. Paul describes him as “my brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need.” Apparently Epaphroditus became so ill he almost died trying to carry out the mission of the church. To put this in perspective, Epaphroditus traveled from Philippi to Rome which is around 1200 kilometers or a bit over 745 miles Today the trip would take about 19-20 hours. Back then, it probably took about a month or more. He is carrying a great deal of money and supplies with him and had apparently been exposed along the trip to a disease of some sort as well as the dangers he would encounter along the roads. Yet he persevered and made it to Paul with the gifts.
So, how far are we willing to go? What are we willing to do for the kingdom of God? One of the things I am getting from the book A Simple Path, is the exhortation to put our faith and love into action. Share the gospel, not only with words, but by our walk. An often quoted idea is that we should preach the gospel and if necessary use words. Attributed to Francis of Assisi, this is actually a misquote. Francis of Assisi was an advocate of both speaking the gospel and living out the gospel in works of service. Sharing the gospel inherently means we must use our words – but – as James tells us – faith without deeds is dead. “If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.” James 2:15-17 I love his directness – what good is it? It’s no good at all. Prayer is great and love is great, but if they do not produce active faith, then they are empty and Paul agrees. This is why he says to work out your faith with fear and trembling. Let Jesus be your example. Luke 5 records the familiar story of a paralyzed man who was healed. Not finding a way to Jesus, his friends cut open a hole in the roof of the house where Jesus was teaching and let the man down. Jesus saw their faith and said “friend, your sins are forgiven.” But he didn’t stop there. He saw the need for healing and did so. The paralyzed man got up, picked up the mat and walked home. Faith in action. The challenge I give myself (and to all of you): is to look around and see what I can do to live out the faith I speak. I pray my words are not empty, but full of the active grace of God in this world.
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