Wednesday, August 30, 2023 (2)

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Philippians 4:20-23

Tonight, we are going to wrap up our study in the book of Philippians. We started this study February 10th of 2022, and a year and seven months later we will finish it. I have not decided yet where we will go from here.

We began this study by saying the focus and theme of this letter was Joy. Paul is in house arrest; he does not know what his future holds. It could be release, it could be death, it could be any number of other fates, but despite all that Paul is facing at the time of this writing, he expressed the great joy he feels in being a follower of Jesus Christ.

As he concludes his letter in verses 20-23 of chapter four, there are a few final elements I want to point out.

Philippians 4:20-23

20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. Those brothers who are with me greet you. 22 All the saints greet you, but especially those from Caesar’s household. 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Though this may seem as a formal and unimportant conclusion; I want you to see a few things.

First let’s remember who the letter was written to. Paul writes in verse 21, “greet every SAINT in Christ Jesus.”

This is important for us to look at because of what the idea of a saint has evolved into over the ages. Many people when they hear the term saint, automatically assume someone of some sort of higher calling or greater spirituality.

The term is often confused with a person that has exemplary virtue, character, or devotion.

The Catholic church has done much to confuse this idea. They Catholic church lays out restrictions and requirements for someone to meet in order to be canonized as a “saint.”

· They must have lived a life of holiness, purity, kindness, and devotion.

· They must have a reputation for holiness after their death.

· They must have performed at least two miracles after their death.

· They must be thought of as having “heroic virtue”.

· They must be recognized by the Catholic Church.

· They must be voted to become Venerable.

· They must be declared Blessed after evidence of a first miracle is investigated and verified.

· They must be named a Saint and canonized by the Pope after a second miracle is proven.

The problem is that this is not the Biblical definition of a saint. A saint, according to the Bible, is ANYONE who has come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, the term saint was the Apostle Paul’s favorite term to use in referencing Christians, followers of Jesus. In his epistles that make up over half of the New Testament, Paul uses the term “saint” 40 times.

He addresses all the believers in Philip as saints. In his letters to the church in Corinth, which was a very troubled church, plagued with sin and false doctrine, Paul refers to the BELIEVERS there as,

1 Corinthians 1:2

2 To God’s church at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called as saints,

A saint is not some superhero of the faith. A saint is anyone who has eternal life in Christ.

I. Character of Saints

To that, let’s look at the Character of saints.

The term that is written, “saints,” could also be translated as “set apart ones,” “sanctified ones,” or even “holy ones.” A saint is someone who has been separated from sin TO God for a holy purpose. Our sainthood, as Paul indicates, comes to us from our relationship of being IN Christ Jesus. This is unique to Christianity. Other world religions do not see themselves and being united in or united with their founder; they are simply followers of his teachings. In Christianity, we not only believed Christ lived, died, rose from the grave, and is coming again; but also, we are unified in Him for life.

Because of this very fact, we can say as Paul did in Galatians 2:20

Galatians 2:20

20 and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

The writer of Hebrews says:

Hebrews 10:10

10 we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.

Baptism pictures our union with Christ in HIS death, burial, and resurrection as our own. The price of sin was paid for through that death. Therefore, every believer is a saint, separated from the power of sin through our faith in Jesus Christ. As Paul refers to the believers in Philippi as “Saints,” he is saying they are to be separated from sin and live a life toward righteousness.

II. The worship of the saints

Philippians 4:20

20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

This short portion of praise is a simple sample of the “saint’s” worship. Unlike the teaching of the Catholic church that places a “saint” into a position of higher beings, the truth is a saint is to worship, not someone TO BE worshiped.

Paul begins this final section with a doxology. Doxology is a word we use from time to time, and that we sing regularly.

Doxology comes from two Greek words, doxa (“glory”), and logos (“word”). A doxology is a word of praise.

It is an outburst of praise and adoration that ascribes glory and honor to God.

We find a lot of doxologies throughout scripture. These are fitting responses to a doctrinal truth revealed in scripture. This one we just read; comes from Paul’s joy he has unpacked in this letter. The truth of what is written, leads to praise.

True worship flows from Divine Truth.

In Romans 11:33-36, Paul concludes a great deal of doctrine explained in the first eleven chapter of his letter to the Romans. This is perhaps the greatest doctrinal writing in all of scripture. To wrap up the doctrine Paul write:

Romans 11:33-36

33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments and untraceable His ways! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? 35 Or who has ever first given to Him, and has to be repaid? 36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul spends threechapters again laying out some truthful, sound doctrine, and he finishes is up with a doxology.

Ephesians 3:20-21

20 Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— 21 to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

A doxology is an appropriate response to the love, and grace of God.

In thanksgiving for the glories of salvation, Paul writes in his first letter to Timothy:

1 Timothy 1:17

17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, said to be his final letter written, just before he was to be executed, he writes a doxology of praise for the great work he has been able to do and the wonders he is soon to behold.

2 Timothy 4:18

18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil work and will bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever! Amen.

Jude wrote a doxology on the heals of a revelation concerning the eternal security of the believer, knowing nothing could rip us from the hand of God.

Jude 24-25

24 Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless and with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.

In our concluding text of Philippians, Paul points out the object of the doxology by placing the phrase “to our God” in the front of the sentence. This brings the emphasis away from what is being said, and points it to WHO it’s being said to. The only one worthy of such praise is

the One and Only true and Living God.

By placing the pronoun, OURS in the front of it, Paul emphasizes the personal relationship with the Heavenly Father. The ultimate purpose of our redemption in Christ is to create people of worship.

Jesus tells the woman at the well:

John 4:23

23 an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him.

Worshiping God is not done in ignorance;

it is impossible to worship the Heavenly Father unless one KNOWS the Heavenly Father.

Hosea 6:6

6 For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Ignorant worship of God is unacceptable because it is a form of Idolatry. Entertaining thoughts about the true God which are untrue or unworthy of Him, are as much considered idolatry as worshiping a false God.

The only sure way to avoid such idolatry is for the believer to make knowing God their primary pursuit.

The worship of the saints as mentioned in Paul’s doxology, is said to last forever and forever. This is praise that will extend not only through our lifetime, but into eternity as well.

III. Fellowship of the Saints

The fourth thing I want you to see is that this letter, though coming from Paul, also encompasses the fellowship of the Saints.

Philippians 4:21-22

21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. Those brothers who are with me greet you. 22 All the saints greet you, but especially those from Caesar’s household.

Paul uses the word “Greet” three times in these two verses. Such greetings have become a sort of foreign thing to us because of the constant communication we have with everyone.

Paul is saying, though this letter is written specifically to the leaders of the church in Philippi, it is also for all the saints. Make sure the rest of the church is aware of my love and concern for their spiritual wellbeing. And not only Paul, but those that were with him as well. We know Timothy and Epaphroditus were with Paul during the time he wrote the letter, but also Tychicus who carried Paul’s letters to the Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon. There could have been several other brothers that were with Paul when he wrote this letter. The greeting was not a formality, but a true concern for the people of Philippi.

The other group of people mentioned to be sending greetings through Paul’s letter, were the believers of Caesar’s household. Now, this was a huge deal, because this would encompass family members, servants, and praetorian guard of the house that worshiped a foreign god. So, for these people to have become believers would bring a great deal of joy to the saints in Philippi.

IV. The Resources of the Saints

Lastly, Paul comes full circle in ending this letter. He started in chapter one wishing the Philippians grace, and he now closes the letter the same way.

The greatest resource for all believers is the grace of God. Grace is the unmerited, or unearned favor of God through Christ.

The grace of God works in the life of the believer until we reach our point of glorification. We, in this time, only get to see a portion or a piece of this grace.

Paul told the Romans:

Romans 5:2 - New American Standard Bible 1995

2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

We are not only saved by grace, but we are sustained by grace, we are governed by grace, we are guided by grace, kept by grace, strengthened by grace, and enabled by grace.

We are in constant dependence on the grace of God for forgiveness, comfort, peace, joy, boldness, and instruction for life. This grace come through our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

When looking at the saints, the followers, and believers of Jesus Christ, we see that our character, worship, fellowship, joy, and resources are all tied up in Jesus Christ.

Paul summed all this up so concisely in chapter one:

Philippians 1:21

21 For me, living is Christ and dying is gain.