Untitled Sermon (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 ever 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,