Philippians 4:2-4

INTRODUCTION

In general our society admires those who stand true to their beliefs, who are resolute and stable under pressure. They can't be bribed, intimidated, or defeated and are looked upon as role models and leaders. Rudyard Kipling depicted such sterling character in his famous poem "If--":

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, not talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master;
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same.

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings--nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

While courage, conviction, and integrity are respectable qualities from even a secular viewpoint, it is even more essential that they be manifested in the life of every Christian. That's because the name "Christian" identifies us with Christ, who never compromised or deviated from the truth. He is the perfect example of courageous integrity.

It stands to reason then that Christians are called to be stable and steadfast like Christ and not waver "like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind" (James 1:6). The injunctions to stand firm (Eph. 6:11, 13-14) and be strong (1 Cor. 16:13; 2 Tim. 2:1) affirm that believers are to be bold and uncompromising in living for Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul rejoiced in seeing such stability among the Colossian believers: "Even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ" (Col. 2:5).

Most Christians earnestly desire to stand firm and not stumble in their Christian walk. No one wants to be crushed under the weight of life's trials or be defeated by the onslaught from the world, the flesh, and the devil. We all should want to hate sin the same way Paul did (Rom. 7:15). But we must realize that standing firm and being strong isn't easy because we're engaged in spiritual warfare (2 Tim. 2:3-4). That's why Paul uses the military term "stand firm" for the theme of spiritual stability in Philippians 4:1-9.

You might ask, "How can I be spiritually stable?" If you look at Christians around you, you'll notice some are more stable than others. That's no mystery because the Word of God openly reveals that spiritual stability is developed by adhering to certain principles. Let's look at those principles.

I. CULTIVATE HARMONY THROUGH LOVE (vv. 2-3)

"I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. Indeed, true comrade, 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."

A. The Problem

Spiritual stability depends on mutual love, harmony, and peace between believers. Our lives are to be intertwined that we might support and sustain one other. Paul wanted that kind of harmony in the Philippian church, but instead there was an intense disagreement between two women threatening the church's life. Paul wanted to keep sins such as partiality, criticism, bitterness, unforgiveness, and pride from spreading throughout the church.

To avoid such problems it is necessary for believers to care and pray for each other. Mutual love produces the harmony that's conducive to spiritual stability and reflects what the church is all about: supporting the weak, lifting the fallen, and restoring the broken.

B. The Plea

In verse 2 the Greek term translated "I urge" (parakale[ma]o) means "to appeal" or "entreat." It is applied to the Holy Spirit in John 14:16, whose ministry is to come alongside the believer and plead, help, or encourage. In a similar way Paul was pleading for Euodia and Syntyche "to live in harmony in the Lord."

As a great theologian and logician, Paul addressed important doctrinal issues. He opposed the legalism of the Judaizers (Phil. 3:2) and the libertine views of other false teachers (vv. 18-19). He knew such teachings perverted the doctrine of salvation and threatened the church's life. Yet he also realized that discord in the church was an equal threat to its life. That's because conflict robs the church of its power and destroys its testimony. Enemies of Christ are eager to find ways to discredit the church. Apparently the disunity in the Philippian church was about to destroy the integrity of its testimony.

Paul therefore said to them: "Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel" (1:27). "Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others" (2:2-4). "Do all things without grumbling or disputing" (2:14).

C. The People

1. Euodia and Syntyche

These women were apparently leading two opposing factions in the church. We don't know what their specific complaints were, but we can surmise they weren't disagreeing over doctrine. If one were propagating error and the other the truth, the difference would have been settled quickly (cf. Gal. 1:9; Titus 3:10). So it must have been a personal conflict.

We also know the two women were prominent church members because they had worked with Paul "in the cause of the gospel" (Phil. 4:3). Normally Paul began his evangelistic efforts by visiting the local synagogue. But since the city of Philippi had no official synagogue, some faithful Jewish women met together for worship by a river. Paul "began speaking to the women who had assembled" (Acts 16:13) and shared the good news with them. The group of women might have included Euodia and Syntyche, but we really don't know.

We do know they were creating havoc in the church because it apparently was not "united in spirit [or] intent on one purpose" (Phil. 2:2). Recognizing the issue to be a lack of love--which indicates the presence of pride and the absence of humility--Paul pleaded for the women "to live in harmony in the Lord" (4:2). Each was demanding her own way rather than being concerned about the other.

"In the Lord" is the sphere where harmony is found. A right relationship with the Lord will solve any problem with discord. If two believers are walking in the Spirit, they will be right with each other.

2. Suzugos

Not only did Paul directly entreat the two women to live in harmony, but he also asked others to help them. In verse 3 the Greek term translated "comrade" (suzugos) pictures two oxen in a yoke, pulling the same load. A comrade or "yokefellow" (KJV) is a partner or equal in a specific endeavor--in this case a spiritual one. Paul added that this individual was a "true" or "genuine" comrade.

Who is this person? One possibility is an unnamed individual who was known as Paul's yokefellow. But Paul just mentioned two women by name in verse 2 and is about to name Clement in verse 3, so that seems doubtful. Another possibility is that suzugos--singular in number--is used in a collective sense to refer to the entire church, but that is just as doubtful.

I believe the best explanation is not to translate suzugos and recognize it as a proper name. So the verse would say, "Indeed Suzugos, please help these women." Who then was Suzugos? We don't know, but it's likely he was one of the church elders (1:1). So Paul was exhorting him to fulfill his duty by restoring church unity.

Paul said he was a genuine Suzugos because he lived up to the meaning of his name. There are other examples in the New Testament of such men. Barnabas ("son of encouragement") genuinely encouraged believers (Acts 4:36), and Onesimus ("useful") was genuinely useful both to Paul and Philemon (Philem. 11).

Paul was asking Suzugos to be a peacemaker by helping to resolve the women's disagreement. The basis for his asking was that the women had shared Paul's struggle in advancing the gospel (Phil. 4:3). The Greek term used there (sunathle[ma]o, from which we derive athletics), speaks of an intense struggle. That kind of effort was certainly evident at the start of the Philippian church for Paul and Silas were beaten, imprisoned, and placed in stocks (Acts 16:22-24).

3. Clement

Clement also shared Paul's struggles and probably was a church leader. He may have been the church father known as Clement I or Clement of Rome. Paul asked for his help as well in resolving the women's disagreement. We don't know anything more specific about him.

4. Other co-workers

Paul then asked for the help of "the rest of [his] fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life" (Phil. 4:3). In eternity past God registered all the names of His elect in that Book (Dan. 12:1; Mal. 3:16-17; Luke 10:20). Although their names aren't mentioned here, "God is not unjust so as to forget [their] work and the love which [they] have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints" (Heb. 6:10).

Paul wanted all the Philippian believers to experience a rich fellowship. But to achieve such harmony, each one needed to be a peacemaker by helping settle any discord.

Love is the one word summarizing every believer's duty. God loves us and we need to love one another. It's the bond that will keep the church stable.

II. MAINTAIN A SPIRIT OF JOY (v. 4)

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!"

A. The Command to Rejoice

Many believers allow themselves to be victimized by their circumstances and consequently vacillate between a spiritual high and low. For them, a command to rejoice seems unreasonable. But the command is to rejoice "in the Lord."

We can't always rejoice in our circumstances or other people because both can be bad. However, we can rejoice in the Lord because He is always good and we know He never changes. So our spiritual stability directly relates to our knowledge of God. Knowing Him helps us live above our circumstances and provides stability. That's why the Psalms were written in poetic form and meter and set to music--so the people of Israel could memorize Scripture and sing hymns to deepen their knowledge of God. Knowing Him makes everything else seem less significant.

The early church rejoiced to suffer on Christ's behalf (Acts 5:41). That kind of joy should mark us too. Romans 14:17 says, "The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."

B. The Reasons for Rejoicing

We should rejoice because of who God is--He is sovereign. That's the single greatest truth I know about God. Nothing is outside His control, and He controls everything to work out ultimately for our good (Rom. 8:28). He has an infinite understanding of every aspect of our lives--where we are and what we say (Ps. 139:2-4). And He exercises His understanding in perfect wisdom. Knowing God like that will give you "an inexpressible and glorious joy" (1 Pet. 1:8, NIV).

We should also rejoice because God saved us, adopted us, and promised to give us an inheritance in Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:1-11). When Christ returns, we will enjoy His presence and the heavenly place prepared for us (John 14:2-3). Until that time it's a joy to know God has promised to supply all our needs (Phil. 4:19). Furthermore, we have the privilege of serving the One we supremely love. That includes sharing the good news with the lost and encouraging fellow Christians to increase their love and service for Him. It's also a joy knowing we can pray to God at any time (Heb. 4:15-16). Finally, we can rejoice knowing that death is gain (Phil. 1:21).

The depth of our joy is directly proportional to how deeply we truly know God. And circumstances or people can't dislodge a joy that's based on who God is and what His promises are.

1. is the perfect example of courageous integrity.

2. What did Paul rejoice in (Col. 2:5)?

3. What was the problem in the Philippian church?

4. What was Paul's plea in Philippians 4:2?

5. What must have been the nature of the conflict between Euodia and Syntyche? How could that be solved?

6. Who is the "true comrade" in Philippians 4:3? What did Paul ask him to do?

7. What was the significance of sharing in Paul's struggles"?

8. Where are the names of the rest of Paul's fellow workers mentioned (Phil. 4:3)?

9. is the one word summarizing every believer's duty.

10. Why do many believers vacillate between a spiritual high and low?

11. Why is the command to rejoice reasonable?

12. Knowing helps you live above your circumstances.

13. What are some reasons for rejoicing as a Christian?

1. The personal disagreement between two women spread discord in the Philippian church. Jonathan Edwards made this observation: "When we suffer injuries from others, the case is often such that a Christian spirit, if we did but exercise it as we ought, would dispose us to forbear taking the advantage we may have to vindicate and right ourselves. For by doing otherwise, we may be the means of bringing very great calamity on him that has injured us; and tenderness toward him may and ought to dispose us to a great deal of forbearance, and to suffer somewhat ourselves, rather than bring so much suffering on him. And besides, such a course would probably lead to a violation of peace, and to an established hostility, whereas in this way there may be hope of gaining our neighbour, and from an enemy making him a friend" (Charity and Its Fruits, edited by Tryon Edwards [Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1986], p. 74). Make it your goal to cultivate harmony between believers through your love for them.

2. Knowing God will help you be spiritually stable. In his classic study on the topic J.I. Packer said, "Our concern must be to enlarge our acquaintance, not simply with the doctrine of God's attributes, but with the living God whose attributes they are.... How can we turn our knowledge about God into knowledge of God? The rule for doing this is demanding, but simple. It is that we turn each truth that we learn about God into matter for meditation before God, leading to prayer and praise to God....

Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God.... It is a matter of talking to oneself about God and oneself; it is, indeed, often a matter of arguing with oneself, reasoning oneself out of moods of doubt and unbelief into a clear apprehension of God's power and grace. Its effect is ever to humble us and to encourage and reassure us.... And it is as we enter more and more deeply into this experience of being humbled and exalted that our knowledge of God increases, and with it our peace, our strength, and our joy" (Knowing God [Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1973], pp. 18-19). With the Lord's help, turn your knowledge about God toward knowing God Himself.