Daily Scripture Reading Philippians 2:23 - 3:17

Humans have a natural tendency to protect ourselves and our lives. If we see something that is dangerous, something which may injure or kill us, we stay away from it. Meanwhile, we Christians tend to assume that any person within organized Christianity is not a danger to us.

In today’s passage we will see that Paul taught a different perspective. Paul praised men who were willing to risk their lives to serve Christ, and he warned against dangers from within the church.

When we stopped reading yesterday, Paul was writing that he hoped to send Timothy to the Philippians in order to learn how the Christians in Philippi were doing. Paul knew Timothy genuinely cared for the welfare of the Philippians, he was not just seeking his interests.

Phil. 2:23 Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I evaluate my own circumstances,

Phil. 2:24 and I am confident in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly.

Phil. 2:25 But I regarded it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need;

Note that the Philippians had sent Epaphroditus to Paul first as a messenger and minister, and then Paul sent him back. The fact that Epaphroditus was a minister from Philippi to Paul indicates the care the Philippians exercised over Paul.

Phil. 2:26 because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.

At some point Epaphroditus became sick.

Phil. 2:27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.

Here we see that Epaphroditus almost died.

Phil. 2:28 Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned.

Notice the verb “have sent” and the phrase “when you see him”. This verse implies Epaphroditus was the person who delivered this letter from Paul to Philippi.

Phil. 2:29 Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard

The first command in this verse is to receive Epaphroditus in the Lord. This reinforces the idea that Epaphroditus carried this letter from Paul to Philippi, and then when the Philippians read the letter, they were to receive Epaphroditus with all joy.

The second command is to hold men like Epaphroditus in high regard. The next verse tells us the phrase “men like him” refers to men who almost died in the cause of Christ.

Phil. 2:30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to fulfill what was lacking in your service to me.

Look at the phrases “came close to death” and “risking his life”. Epaphroditus was so intent on serving Christ and helping Paul that he risked death. The Philippians were commanded to have high regard for men like that.

Humans have a natural instinct for self-preservation. We avoid situations where we might be injured or killed. However, sometimes we Christians should be willing to risk persecution or death in order to proclaim the truth about Christ.

Those who are persecuted or martyred should be held in high regard by those who are not.

Phil. 3:1 ¶ Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

Phil. 3:2 ¶ Beware of the dogs! Beware of the evil workers! Beware of the mutilation!

Think about the word “beware”. While Paul was praising men who were willing to risk their life in order to serve Christ, the terms “dogs”, “evil workers”, and “mutilation” refers to dangers from within the church, and the Philippians were supposed to have their guard up against those dangers so that they were not beaten by those dangers.

The definition of these terms is somewhat vague. “Evil workers” refers to supposed ministers who are actually evil. “Mutilation” probably refers to circumcision, meaning it refers to those who taught that Gentile believers needed to be circumcised. The term “dogs” is simple a generic term that refers to those who are doing something negative within the church.

We Christians like to assume that all people within the organized church are good people. We automatically credit good intentions to those who do ministry or attend church on a regular basis. However, this verse teaches us there are people within the church who are not good people. We must be on our guard against them.

Phil. 3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,

Phil. 3:4 although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:

Phil. 3:5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee;

Phil. 3:6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.

Phil. 3:7 ¶ But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

Phil. 3:8 More than that, I count all things to be loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ

Look at the phrase “suffered the loss of all things”. Paul lost everything, but that was okay because he believed knowing and serving Jesus was more important than anything this world has to offer.

Phil. 3:9 and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own which is from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God upon faith,

Phil. 3:10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

Phil. 3:11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Phil. 3:12 ¶ Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

Phil. 3:13 Brothers, I do not consider myself as having laid hold of it yet, but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,

Phil. 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Notice that Paul forgot the past and looked to the future. That is the opposite of human nature. It is easy for humans to have regrets about the past and get so entangled in daily life that we don’t plan for the future.

Phil. 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way; and if in anything you think differently, God will reveal that also to you.

Phil. 3:16 However, let us keep walking in step with the same standard to which we have attained.

Phil. 3:17 ¶ Brothers, join in following my example, and look for those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.

Humans have a natural tendency to stay away from anything which may injure or kill us; meanwhile, we Christians tend to assume that any person within organized Christianity is not a danger to us. In other words, we avoid dangers from outside the church, but we are oblivious to dangers from within the church.

Paul had the opposite perspective. He praised men who were willing to serve Christ even if it meant risking the wrath of those outside the church, but he warned us to be on guard against dangers from within the church.

What are some occasions when you shied away from speaking the truth because of what people outside the church might think or do?

Do you have high regard for those who risk their health and life in order to serve Christ?

What are the “dogs” and “evil workers” inside your church that need to be confronted?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”