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Content in Whatever State - Philippians 4
Content In Whatever State
Philippians 4:11 is a favorite verse of many. It is often included in daily verse collections. Yet it has a context to help explain what Paul meant. In the book of Philippians we can gather several principles that allowed Paul to make such a statement.
His complete trust and dependence upon Jesus.His confidence was that God would complete what He started (1:6). His confidence was that God would answer his prayers on behalf of the brethren in Philippi (1:9-11). His confidence held that God could and would provide what was needful - (4:19). His confidence included that God is in fact with His people (4:9).
His willingness to die for the cause of Christ.He believed that to die is gain (1:21). He was willing to be poured out as a drink offering (2:17). He said that in such death he would depart and be with the Lord (1:23). This willingness to die also entailed his confidence that Jesus would in the end transform our bodies to be conformed to the body of His glory (3:21).
His willingness to LIVE for the cause of Christ. For me to live is Christ (1:21). Thus, for Paul, life was not about self - self goals, self glory, self comfort, etc.; life was about bringing glory to God through Jesus. Although departing and being with Christ would be better than living, living and serving Christ was what was more needful for the cause of Christ (1:24-25).
His earnest desire that in life or death, God would be glorified and praised through Jesus. That the events of life would bring glory and praise to God and Jesus is mentioned several times by Paul (cp. 1:11, 26; 2:11; 3:3; 4:19, 20). Paul could then write: “...it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death” (1:20).
His thankfulness to those involved in his life.This of course included God (1:3) but also included his brethren and their good-will toward him (ch. 4). Such thankfulness involves the acknowledgment that what others provide is not ‘owed’ but a gift (4:17). Self entitlement destroys thankfulness.
Paul’s attitude about life as a servant of Jesus can be seen in how he looked at ‘bad’ situations in his life. IF a bad situation for him resulted in the spread of the gospel and the glorification of God and Jesus, then it wasn’t a bad situation (cp. 1:12f). Thus, if being in prison results in the spread of the gospel, it is good to be in prison. If in causing difficulties for Paul people end up proclaiming the gospel of Jesus, then it is good to suffer such difficulties (1:15-18).
When one’s life is dominated by the thought of God and eternity rather than the temporal and material, it changes everything. As Paul wrote to the Romans, "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18). What dominates your thinking about life? Hugh DeLong
