Philippians 2

Paul began this next section with four if's. The most critical one was "fellowship of the Spirit," which would lead to fellowship with each other (consolation of love, tender mercies, compassions, etc.). Paul stated that if the Philippians had any fellowship of the Spirit (and any fellowship with each other)...

...then they should do the following:

1. Make Paul's joy full.

2. Unity - same mind and same love.

The overarching theme of this letter was joy, so it was no surprise that believers' fellowship with God (First Command) and fellowship with each other (Second Command) would make Paul's joy full. What is interesting was Paul's additional focus on unity, which was a theme of Ephesians - "unity through uniqueness." During the commentary for the Book of Ephesians we presented a "1-2-3" model. Fellowship with the Holy Spirit is a "1" - the individual. Fellowship with others is a "2" - exchanging with other individuals. Everyone being of one accord is a "3" - the community as a whole. How did Paul think believers could have unity? How can people achieve "3"?

Paul first explained a "not 1" - not doing things for the immediate benefit of the individual. Then he followed up with a "2" - do all things in humility, thinking of others as more excellent than ourselves. The principle of uniqueness allows everyone to see everyone else as more excellent than themselves, because everyone can be the most excellent in what God made them to be, in their "1."

Again, Paul explained a "not 1" - not doing things for the immediate benefit of the individual. Then he followed up with a "2" - do things for others.

Paul exhorted us to conform ourselves to the same mind that was in Christ, and Paul then specifically explained Christ's perspective.

Doctrine: Jesus is fully God. Jesus' Nature is Right and Just. The one man who ever lived that was God in the flesh did not see being equal with God as something He would do as a cause.

Huge Point: Jesus did not act directly in His God Nature while He was on earth. How did Jesus act?

Doctrine: Jesus was fully man. Man has a free will, which meant man has the ability to act apart from his nature. God the Father is Right and Just, and cannot act apart from this Nature. God still has choice, but all the choices are within His Nature. Jesus could act apart from His God Nature, and He did by emptying Himself, by becoming a servant.

John 8:28 documented Jesus said He did nothing of Himself, which was the same as Jesus not thinking that being equal with God was a thing He could intentionally do. While Jesus was on earth, He could have chosen to do wrong. Isaiah 7:14-16 (the most famous prophecy concerning Jesus' virginal birth) stated that He would eat butter and honey until He knew to refuse the evil and choose the good. Once Jesus went to heaven after His resurrection and was judged, His Nature was set. Today, Jesus does not have free will. Paul stated Jesus did not act in His equality with God by directly acting as God. Jesus humbled Himself and allowed God the Father to do everything through Him via the Holy Spirit, via grace. How humble was Christ?

Doctrine: Jesus humbled Himself even unto death on the cross. Paul's point was that we should humble ourselves towards other believers because even Jesus, who could have acted directly in His divinity, did not do it, so why do we think we can directly do divine behavior? The only way we can do divine works is if we humble ourselves and allow God to do the divine works through us via the Holy Spirit, which is grace. We need to choose to conform our mind to this same mind that was in Christ.

Doctrine: When you are humble, you will be exalted. When you exalt yourself, you will be humbled. Christ's ultimate obedience to the Father (going from divine to dying on the cross) caused God to highly exalt Christ.

Christ is exalted so highly that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. Everyone will be humble, it is up to you HOW this happens. You can humble yourself internally through understanding or you will be humbled externally through experience.

Paul brought back the perspective of walking in our faith regardless of the conditions. Paul liked to quote Psalms, and Psalm 2:11 said, "Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling." Verse 12 could be seen as saying our Christian walk ought to continue regardless of our circumstances, whether it was fear/respect or joy, which was the theme of this letter. We ought to be humbly living by obedience knowing that it works for our Salvation...

…because it is God that works in us via the Holy Spirit, which is grace.

Paul wanted the Philippians to continue their Christian walk regardless of the evil circumstances they lived in so that Paul would be able to glory (have joy) in the day of Christ: Meaning of Life. Paul did not want to think he wasted his time ministering to the Philippians. Notice, it was possible for Paul, of all people, to minister to a group of people and that people choose not to bear fruit, which would result in no Reward for Paul due to this interaction.

Paul stated he would have joy and rejoice if he had to give his life for their faith, and then stated that they would also have joy and rejoice with him. Again, the theme of this letter was joy.

Paul wanted to send Timothy to Philippi so that he would know how they were. Paul hoped that if Christ wanted Timothy to go to Philippi that Paul would see Timothy again to hear how the Philippians were doing.

Paul affirmed Timothy to the Philippians. Paul seemed to be quite alone, except for Timothy who must have been a man who was likeminded with Paul and who would truly care for the Philippians. Paul had been around many people who sought out their own benefit and not what would please Christ. Timothy had served with Paul and Timothy's actions proved he was sincere.

Paul also wanted to be in Philippi.

Paul sent Epaphroditus back to Philippi to be with his people.

Epaphroditus nearly lost his life for the work of Christ.

Theme of Chapter 2: Conformity. Paul began this letter exhorting the Philippians WHY to live out their day-to-day Christian faith: because it can result in joy regardless of the circumstances. The previous chapter focused on HOW to live out the day-to-day Christian faith: Conform one's mind to the mind of Christ. The mind that was in Christ was to humble himself and allow God to direct His actions via the Holy Spirit, even though Christ could have done divine acts in His own strength because His Nature is Right and Just. Again, the result of conforming to Christ's mind was joy in every circumstance during our Christian walk. Next, Paul exhorted the Philippians to continuously mature with a concentrated and consecrated walk.