Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians

The church in Philippi was in many ways like many churches today. We have those moments in our church life when we are doing well and the church is active, growing, and enjoying a measure of peace. Then for some reason a slump occurs, and we plateau, struggling to stay ahead of the challenges of living in a busy, challenging, and sometimes hostile world. We find this to be not only a church experience but also a personal challenge to our own life as a Christian. We are daily faced with numerous external challenges, but also from issues in personal family life, not necessarily evil issues but often the issues of health, loss of a close family person or friend, financial shifts, and unfortunately interpersonal issues. Paul was well aware of the difficulties Christians face, having encountered many of these in his daily experiences as a Christian missionary in a hostile world. Opposition from his own countrymen and some fellow Christians were a constant threat to Paul’s mindset. Paul reflects on each of these challenges in his letter to the church in Philippi, using these experiences as a foundation to his encouraging letter to the saints to build their faith on a trusty foundation to peace of mind and fulfillment in Christ. I like to refer to those downsides of our Christian life as the spiritual “blahs”! They are times in which we are sometimes challenged to just hang it all up! We, churches and Christians alike, will all experience those down times of the spiritual “blahs,” and it was at such a time in the life of the Philippian church that Paul wrote this beautiful letter to the saints in Philippi. It was with this in mind that Paul encouraged the saints to adopt the mind of Christ (Phil 2:5ff) which sets out a base for joy in the Christian life. Like Christ, joy in the Christian life comes through thoughtful humble service and help of others. The remedy of the “blahs” in the Christian life comes through adopting the mind of Christ and being humble servants of others. Perhaps Phil 4:4-9, for good reason, has become the favored periscope for many people: 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. 6 Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, what- ever is gracious, 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, do; and the God of peace will be with you.