The Believer's Gentleness

INTRODUCTION

Please take God’s Word and turn with me to Philippians chapter 4

In our last time together we looked at “The Believer’s Joy” in verse 4

Today’s we are considering verse 5 as we talk about “The Believer’s Gentleness”

But so that we have the context, I want to begin reading at verse 1 down to verse 5

Philippians 4:1–5 NASB95

1 Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. 2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. 3 Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.

Divisions in the church is never a good thing

In fact, Proverbs 6:16 says it is something that God hates and is an abomination to Him

Because we are all sinners and still have this fallen flesh, this often occurs

That is why we must walk in the power of the Spirit

That’s not something that should happen once but all the time

Paul describes it in Galatians 5:16 as walking when he says “Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”

It’s a moment-by-moment surrender to the Spirit

That’s why Ephesians 5:18 literally says to “be being kept filled with the Spirit”

When we are filled with the Spirit, the Spirit produces His fruit in our lives

Galatians 5:22–23 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

The only thing that must be restrained is the flesh

You never want to restrain the Spirit

But He is restrained when we live in the flesh

In fact Ephesians 4:30 says He is grieved when we fail to “put on the new self” (Eph.4:24)

Lying, unrighteous anger, stealing, corrupt words all are from the flesh and all grieve the Holy Spirit

So these must be “put off” or laid aside (Eph.4:22)

As Paul is writing in Philippians 4, he is calling for certain behaviors among God’s people

He says in verse 4 to “rejoice in the Lord”

In verse 5, “Let your gentle spirit be known to all men”

In verse 6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer”

In verse 8 he tells them to “dwell” or “think” on things that are “true…honorable…right…pure…lovely…of good repute (or commendable)…[things that are] excellent and…worthy of praise”

Why?

Because this is honorable to God and this contributes to our witness of the Gospel

And no one wants to be part of a church that does nothing but fight with each other and say they are worshiping God

They see the hypocrisy

Jesus said in Matthew 5:23–24 “23 “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.”

The church must exhibit these kinds of attitudes and not those of the flesh

They should be at the heart of how we treat one another

Our text today is no different

Verse 5 says again, “Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.”

But in order to do what he says in verse 5, you have to do what he says in verse 4 because...

I. Everyone is to Rejoice is the Lord (vv.1-4)

Last week we looked at the term “rejoice” and saw that Paul was commanding them to have joy in the midst of all their circumstances, whether they were good or bad

In other words, they were to be joyful in the Lord period!

But I want us to notice something else that is found in this term that we didn’t see last time and that is the plurality of the term

Because this term is plural it is including everyone listed in verses 2-3

Euodia (v.2)

Syntyche (v.2)

“True companion” (v.3)

“Clement” (v.3)

“My fellow workers” (v.3)

Paul wanted all of them to “stand firm in the Lord” (v.1) because they were “all beloved” whose “names are in the book of life” (v.3)

But there was a problem in verse 2 between two women Euodia and Syntyche

The problem in verse 2 created problems in verses 4-6

Because Euodia and Syntyche were not living in “harmony in the Lord,” they were not able to “rejoice in the Lord” or to “let [their] gentle spirit be known to all men” (vv.4-5)

At this point they were not walking in the Spirit but in the flesh and Paul calls on others to help them to get back to where they needed to be....rejoicing and manifesting gentleness

So Paul says in order to “stand firm” they had to “live in harmony”

They had to be of the “same mind “maintaining the same love united in spirit, intent on one purpose” (2:2)

Their behavior, according to Philippians 2:3, was “selfish”

They lacked humility (2:3)

They did not “regard one another as more important than [themselves]” (2:3)

These two women had previously “shared [Paul’s] struggle in the cause of the gospel” or more literally “fought side by side with [him]” (Kent Hughes, Philippians)

“They had been in the “same conflict” as Paul (1:30) in the battle for the gospel” (Hughes)

But now they were out of harmony with each other

Someone said, “to live above with the saints we love, oh, that will be glory. But to live below with the saints we know, well, that’s another story” (Hughes)

It’s another story because no one likes conflict

And when harmony is lacking division is present

Paul warned the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 1:10, to “all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

So everyone is to rejoice and not be in conflict

In verse 5, Paul advances further by showing how...

II. Joy Produces Gentleness (v.5)

Paul continues by saying, “Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.”

“Joy has of itself a tendency to make us mild and gentle” (Bengel)

When you’re joyful, gentleness is inevitable

They both work together

Again both come from the Holy Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23, “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

The word that Paul uses in Philippians 4:5 for “gentle” has been translated by various terms

William Tyndale’s 1525 translation has “Let your softness be known to all men” (Hughes)

The KJV renders it “moderation”

The ESV has “reasonableness”

The LSB has “considerate”

But the best understanding of this term is “gentleness” (Hughes)

That’s the way the NIV translates it and that’s the best rendering in Greek

But this is only one side of the Greek concept

Lenski says the meaning is “yielding,” “not insisting on one’s legal rights”

Jamieson, Faussett, Brown, in their commentary, adds “but waiving a part, and thereby rectifying the injustices of justice”

“The archetype of this grace is God, who presses not the strictness of His law against us as we deserve”

Psalm 130:3-4, “3 If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.”

We see this in John 8:11 where Jesus doesn’t condemn the woman caught in adultery to death but tells her “From now on sin no more.”

The strictness of the law condemned her to death according to Leviticus 20:10 but Jesus waived that right and displayed “gentleness”

Kent Hughes says that “Paul was enjoining the gentleness that comes from the character of Christ Himself, as we see in 2 Corinthians 10:1 where Paul appeals to the Corinthians “by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.”

“Indeed, Jesus used the same word to describe Himself saying, “I am gentle and lowly in heart” (Mat.11:29).

“And here in the context of Philippians, the gentleness of Christ is in view—the one who did not “grasp” his own rights (cf.2:6).”

Jesus waived His rights

Paul said in Philippians 2:5–13 “5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

In other words, do the same thing Jesus did

Empty yourself…humble yourself and God will exalt you

Work it out with “fear and trembling” (v.12)

Stop “grumbling or disputing” (v.14)

Be “blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach” (v.15)

Peter does the same thing as he uses Christ as an example when he said in 1 Peter 2:21-24, “21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.”

We are to live in the same way…in “harmony in the Lord” (Phil.4:2), rejoicing and being gentle (4:4-5).

This, like rejoicing is also an imperative

And when it is present in the church, it will “prevent and moderate the kind of rift that occurred between Euodia and Syntyche.” (Hughes)

III. This is What We’re to Be Known For

We are to “let [our] gentle spirit be known to all men.”

Pastors are to do this according to 1 Timothy 3:3.

Slave masters are to do the same according to 1 Peter 2:18.

This is the kind of wisdom James says is “from above” (Jas.3:17) so it is definitely something everyone should know about us

The word for “known” is the Greek word ginosko which “speaks of knowledge that goes beyond the merely factual” (Precept Austin)

“Paul is saying that others are to realize our yieldedness “experientially” (PA)

This is by “seeing us in action that we are a people who do not cling to our rights as do non-Christians” (PA)

“The aorist imperative [used here] is a command calling for this to be done now and to be done effectively so that others come to know by their experience (by their interactions with you)” (PA)

The NET Bible conveys this sense rendering it “Let everyone see your gentleness”

The idea is to let this “be known” to men in “acts” (JFB)

When we’re filled with the Spirit, this will result just as with the other fruit

When Jesus told His disciples in John 13:35, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.””

The same is true when we “rejoice in the Lord” and “Let [our] gentle spirit be known to all men.”

Paul concludes by stating...

IV. The Lord’s Presence is Our Motivation

Paul concludes verse 5 with “The Lord is near.”

The word “near” (engys, adv.) can refer to “nearness in space or time”

“The context suggests nearness in space”

God is with us

He said He will “never desert you, nor will…ever forsake you” (Heb.13:5)

Paul used this same idea when he told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:1-2, “1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”

Some believe this is referring to the second coming of Christ

Either way both provide the motivation for holy living

We want to manifest this gracious spirit because of the Lord’s nearness and because of his soon coming

Kent Hughes says, “Jesus Christ is closer than our breath, and He is returning soon! Think of it and rejoice! Think of it and be gentle!

CONCLUSION

Are you standing firm in the Lord?

Are you “living in harmony” with one another by being of the same mind?

Are you rejoicing in the Lord and letting your gentle spirit be known to everyone? Even when your rights have been violated?

We can only live this way by being in Christ

Since we have become new creatures in Christ, we now have the capacity to live this way

Do you know Christ?

Has He saved you?

Then you can do what Paul says here in Philippians 4.

If not, then you need to come to Him now

Jesus said in Mark 1:15, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.””

Let’s pray