“So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,” (Phil 2:10). What comfort this reality gives the believer under persecution for faith and adherence to God’s Word. No matter what the outcome of our individual situations and lives on this earth under persecution, we will have the final victory through Jesus complete Lordship over all. We may experience the victorious King of all Kings taking victory over our adversaries and vindicating us in this life. Or we may suffer under our persecution to the point of death. If the latter, then we will experience victory in the next life as we watch the King of all Kings vindicate us before our tormentors and all the host of eternity.
If we feel the temptation to shrink back (Heb 10:39) from the exhortations of Scripture in the face of persecution, in any form, let us commit this truth to our minds and burn it upon our hearts, so that we will not shrink back for fear of man, but boldly stand firm for the glory of God and the good of our souls. Remembering that God has given Christ “the name above all names” (Phil 2:9), “so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”
Monday, June 11, 2007
Friday, June 01, 2007
Concern for Others
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 2:5). What mind is it we are to have? Part of the answer comes from verse four, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” So the mind Paul is commanding us to have is one that looks not only to our own interest but also to the interest of others. (From the grammar of the original language we know this is a command and not a suggestion.) This is a daunting challenge for any moral person, to look after not only his own interest but also the interest of others! In fact it is impossible for even a moral person to live-up to this standard.
Even the most moral person will put his or her own interest first, then the interest of others in their daily life. Just think about your drive to work each day. How often do you place your own interest first at a stop light or a lane merging? Our self-centered nature has us hardwired to place our own interest ahead of others.
What hope is there then for living-up to such a command in Scripture? The hope of faith in Christ and the life changing work that the Holy Spirit brings when one believes in Christ. Notice the last half of verse five, “which is yours in Christ Jesus.” The mind of looking out for not only your own interest but the interest of others comes from Christ. Why? Because only a change in our hearts and minds, done by the Holy Spirit as part of the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in a believer, can empower us to follow Christ example and give-up everything for the sake of others (the other part of what mind we are to have).
The proof of what I say is found not only in Scripture through the life of Christ and then the apostles, but it is also found in the biographies of God’s servants. Read the biographies of Hudson Taylor, Adoniram Judson and Lottie Moon. In them you will see the evidence of Philippians 2:5. You will also see how such obedience to this command came only through the transforming of their heart, mind and soul by the gospel of Jesus Christ. May God grant us the gift of His Holy Spirit capturing our entire beings as it did those heroes of the faith.
Even the most moral person will put his or her own interest first, then the interest of others in their daily life. Just think about your drive to work each day. How often do you place your own interest first at a stop light or a lane merging? Our self-centered nature has us hardwired to place our own interest ahead of others.
What hope is there then for living-up to such a command in Scripture? The hope of faith in Christ and the life changing work that the Holy Spirit brings when one believes in Christ. Notice the last half of verse five, “which is yours in Christ Jesus.” The mind of looking out for not only your own interest but the interest of others comes from Christ. Why? Because only a change in our hearts and minds, done by the Holy Spirit as part of the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in a believer, can empower us to follow Christ example and give-up everything for the sake of others (the other part of what mind we are to have).
The proof of what I say is found not only in Scripture through the life of Christ and then the apostles, but it is also found in the biographies of God’s servants. Read the biographies of Hudson Taylor, Adoniram Judson and Lottie Moon. In them you will see the evidence of Philippians 2:5. You will also see how such obedience to this command came only through the transforming of their heart, mind and soul by the gospel of Jesus Christ. May God grant us the gift of His Holy Spirit capturing our entire beings as it did those heroes of the faith.
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