God-Centered Instruction for Every Christian - Part Two

Introduction

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

PRAY

Christians are lead by God’s commands

Let your reasonableness - Paul sets forth another command for his beloved in Philippi. Before we seek to understand this command, let us consider nature and importance of biblical commands.

A biblical command is an authoritative directive from God on how we should conduct ourselves. This includes all faculties of the human make-up; heart, mind, will, emotions and body.

These commands reflect who God is

These commands are not optional (The Ten Suggestions)

These commands are good for us

These commands bring God glory

These commands not burdensome to believers.

Commands from God are more than a demand for pull yourself up by your boot straps obedience, but they are an invitation to experience communion with God through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit strengthening us to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ for the pleasure of God our Father.

Practical Application

Ask God to give you a great love for Christ. A love that is expressed by keeping his commandments.

John 14:21 ESV

21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

Christians are called to graciousness

What is the command here? Let your reasonableness be known to all. There is some range of possible meanings based upon translation.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4

Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.

The New International Version (1984) Exhortations

5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

The New King James Version Chapter 4

5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 4

5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.

William Hendrickson translates it like this, “Let your big-heartedness be known to everyone.” His argument is that many words are needed to get the scope of this word. Hendrickson also writes, “one may substitute any of the following: forbearance, yielded-ness, geniality, kindliness, gentleness, sweet reasonableness, considerateness, charitableness, mildness, or generosity. All of these qualities are combined in the adjective-noun that is used in the original. Taken together they show real meaning. When each of these would-be-English equivalents is taken by itself alone, it becomes clear that there is not a single word in the English language that fully expresses the meaning of the original.”

All that said, we need to determine how to understand the exact action the Apostle Paul is getting at. How is it used in other places?

1 Timothy 3:3 ESV

3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

Titus 3:2 ESV

2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

James 3:17 ESV

17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

1 Peter 2:18 ESV

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.

Let me give you some possible antonyms to what Paul is talking about. Contentious, rigor, severity. stubbornness or thoughtlessness. Recognize that God does not have to commands us to act in these ways.

R.C.H. Lenski, “God and Christ exhibit what is meant. God deals so leniently with men, he remembers we are dust, he withholds justice so long. Christ is gentle, kind, patient, more than only fair.”

Paul is commanding the Philippians to be right-minded and tenderhearted just as Jesus Christ was in his incarnation as an expression and manifested of the character of God. This word is used in the Septuagint

Psalm 86:5 ESV

5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

Practical Application

Embrace reflecting the beauty of your Savior in expressions of grace toward others. You have his power to be like him.

Philippians 2:3–8 ESV

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Christian graciousness is to be evident

Be known - Let you gentleness be EVIDENT to all. Let there be enough evidence to find you guilty of being gentle. Let your graciousness be displayed. Let it be witnessed and experienced. Let it be made clear that you possess the gentle, right-mindedness of Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Notice that the command does not say talk about being gentle.

Notice that the command does not say to think about being kindly.

Notice that the command does not say write about being gracious.

Notice that the command does not say know about being reasonable.

The full expression of obedience to this command requires and expects that one will actually be gentle, reasonable, gracious to the point that it can be witnessed and known. By whom?

To everyone - Literally, to all men. The manifestation of our gentleness or reasonableness should be displayed to everyone, to all. There is not one exception to this command, nor is there an exceptional situation that would allow for exclusion. The command is all-inclusive of every person and every situation. We are called to gentle with all and around all men, all people without regard to anything about them or their actions toward us.

WOW! What a standard!!!

Let us restate the expectation. The gentle-kind-heartedness is to be directed at anyone and everyone. In addition, it is to be witnessed by those who are not the direct recipient of such at that particular moment.

This should be true in the company of unbelievers and believers alike.

This should be true in private and in public

This should be true with your spouse and children

This should be true at work and at church

This should be true of us as children of God, as heirs of eternal life, as those accepted in the beloved, as those who have experienced the new birth, as those who are slaves to Christ, as those who are freed from sin, as those who are aliens and strangers, as those who love not the world, as those who love the stranger and the outcast, as those who dine at the King’s table, as those who have been and are recipients of the gentle actions of God.

Practical Application

Do not make excuses for disobedience Do not give yourself an out. God will not. He wants you to be full of joy. He wants his character known by others through our actions.

Philippians 4:2–3 ESV

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Christian graciousness is motivated by Christ’s presence

The Lord is at hand - The Lord is near is the other dominant way for translation. Interpreters have asked the following: does Paul mean God’s nearness in his presence among his people or is he referring to the nearness of Christ’s return?

Some interpreters conclude one or the other. Others, suggest that Paul has left room for a wider interpretation. D.A. Carson writes, “This could mean one of two things. Both make sense, and I am not quite certain which the apostle means.”

I have concluded that the two are not totally disconnected in this verse. The basis for Paul’s command for reasonable, gentleness is the nearness of Christ in two ways.

First, Jesus’ personal nearness should motivate Christians to be like him. All we do, we do in his presence. When we are puffed up in arrogance and pride, he is present and he is grieved. When we are humble and exhibit the graciousness, he is present and he is pleased.

Second, Jesus imminent return motivates Christians to be more faithful to all the commands of Christ. We should be making progress when Jesus returns.Here is one place in the letter where Paul looks to the return of Christ.

Philippians 2:14–16 ESV

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

Carson adds, “What would you like to be doing when Jesus comes again? What would you like to be saying when Jesus comes again? What would you like to be thinking when Jesus comes again?

Practical Application

Aim to please God

Philippians 4:18–20 ESV

18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.