The Meaning of Contentment (
Philippians #16)

INTRODUCTION

Paul is following his typical pattern here. He loves to conclude his epistles with a set of rapid-fire exhortations, which is what he is doing here in our passage. The two larger themes to take away from this would be peace and purity—the peace of God, and purity of heart. These are the two main points to take away with us today. God wants His people protected from anxiety, and He wants them to cultivate purity of mind. 

THE TEXT

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” (Philippians 4:4–9). 

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

The Christian has a solemn obligation to live a life of joy (v. 4). Paul tells the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord all the time, and then he anchors the point a second time—rejoice (v. 4). He then says that Christians are to be steady people, and that their steady moderation should be visible to others (v. 5). Why? Because the Lord is at hand. One of the things that interferes with joy is anxiety, and so he then says to be anxious for nothing (v. 6). Rather than be anxious, he says that we are to present our requests to God with “prayer and supplication”—with thanksgiving. If you do this, then the peace of God—beyond our understanding—will protect your hearts and minds through Christ (v. 7). Thus protected, what are we supposed to do then? We are to set our minds to run a particular course. We are to think (logizomai) on certain objects. What should those objects be like? They should be true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, if there is any virtue or any praise. Pay attention to how wide ranging this is. Look at the “whatsoever” and “if there be any.” Those descriptions should be applied across the board. Paul then pronounces a blessing on those who do what they have learned, received, heard, and observed (v. 9). If they do this, then the peace of God—the guardian of their hearts and minds earlier—will accompany them. 

FREEDOM FROM ANXIETY

Worry is a basic challenge that many Christians struggle with. One of the reasons we have so much trouble is that we have a tendency to take this verse and pull it inside out. We have an anxiety and so we pray and pray and pray. What we are doing actually is worrying on our knees. This happens because we imagine the peace of God to be down inside us somewhere, and we try to arrange and configure our hearts and minds so as to protect that deep, inner peace of God. But this is exactly backwards. Notice that Paul says the peace of God protects our hearts and minds, not that our hearts and minds protect the peace of God.

The peace of God is the armor we must put on. The peace of God is the helmet that protects your head. The peace of God is the breastplate that protects your innards. Your head is not the helmet. Your stomach is not made of bronze. 

So how do we put the armor on? Paul tells us the basic steps here. 1. Don’t exclude anything. If it is big enough to trouble you, it is not too small to bring to God—“in every thing.” 2. Present your requests to God. Lay them all out. 3. With thanksgiving. This is often the missing piece. When you are done laying out your worries before God, find a place where you can sing a hymn of thanksgiving. You don’t simply thank God after He answers your prayers. You should thank Him, really thank Him, before He does. Remember that you are dealing with two things here—your prayer about “the issue,” and your “anxiety about the issue.”

TRUE AND LOVELY

Now this next part of the passage—whatever is true, whatever is lovely—applies to absolutely everyone here. We all must take it to heart. But I want to take a moment to address you young people on this topic. This is because you have been flattered into thinking that none of this applies to you, and yet it actually applies especially to you.  

If your Spotify playlist has at least one song that has that explicit warning attached, then you are not nearly as wise as you think you are. And this applies more broadly as well. It applies to the books you read, the TikTok videos you watch, the movies you take in, and the web sites you visit. And of course it applies to porn and almost porn. It is a bad business for someone to gunk up his brains at any time of life, but your brains are still growing into a particular shape—the concrete is still wet. Do you really want a patio with that many dried waves in it? And whether or not your folks were too careless in letting you run feral in cyber-space, you are still Christians with your own set of responsibilities before God. Stop putting dog doo in your salads, and then feeling virtuous because you know how to eat around the worst bits.  

C.S. Lewis made the point this way:

“Literature exists to teach what is useful, to honour what deserves honour, to appreciate what is delightful” (The Discarded Image, p. 214).

CHRIST IS THE PEACE OF GOD

In verse 7, it says the peace of God will do its guarding of our hearts and minds through Christ. We are told in Ephesians to put on the full armor of God. The helmet of salvation—well, Christ is our salvation (Eph. 6:17; Is. 59:17). We are to have the belt of truth (Eph. 6:14). Well, Christ is the truth (John 14:6). Our breastplate is righteousness (Eph. 6:14; Is. 59:17), and Christ is our righteousness (Jer. 23:6). Our feet are shod with the gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15), and Christ is the gospel. We have the shield of faith (Eph. 6:16), and we are saved by the faith of Christ Jesus (Gal. 2:16). When we put on this armor, we are putting on Christ. When we walk in this way, we are walking with Christ, who always accompanies us. 

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INTRODUCTION

Everybody thinks that likemindedness is a wonderful thing, and everyone approves of it in the abstract. Behold how pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity. Oil in Aaron’s beard, and all that (133:1). But we then get caught in what might be called the likemindedness dilemma. We approve of likemindedness when we are not in need of the virtue that makes it possible. And when we are genuinely in need of that virtue, we start to feel like likemindedness is not really “realistic.”

THE TEXT

“Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life” (Philippians 4:1–3). 

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Paul is now gearing up for his conclusion to the epistle. And so he addresses the Philippians as “brethren, dearly beloved and longed for” (v. 1). In addition, he calls them his “joy and crown,” just before he urges them to stand fast in the Lord—and then he calls them “dearly beloved” again (v. 1). He says something very similar to the Thessalonians (e.g. joy and crown): “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” (1 Thessalonians 2:19).

Paul then turns to a very practical problem in the church. Two women—who had been co-laborers with Paul in the gospel—had had a falling out. We know their names—Euodias and Syntyche—and we know that they were dear to Paul, and that their names were in the book of life, together with some others (v. 3). What we don’t know is what the quarrel was about, or who was in the right. Paul doesn’t go into that, and yet urges them to like-mindedness anyhow (v. 2). They were good Christian women, and had helped Paul, together with Clement and others. The dispute was apparently one in which it was not necessary to go into the details.

THE GALATIONS 6:1 DILEMMA

Here is a basic principle to remember. “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).

Quarrels erupt when a brother is overtaken in a fault, or when we think a brother is overtaken in a fault. But whether he is at fault, or we only think he is, the injunction that Paul gives us here applies. The erring brother should be restored by someone who is 1. spiritual 2. coming in a spirit of meekness, and 3. mindful of his own vulnerabilities.

The problem is that when you meet these requirements, you are qualified to correct—but have no motivation to correct. And when you are motivated to correct, it is usually because of a disqualification in one or more of these three areas. You are not spiritual, not meek, or not considering yourself. 

This applies to child rearing, by the way. When you are motivated to let the kids have it, you are not qualified. And when you are qualified, it does seem like kind of a hassle to get out of your chair and go deal with it. When you feel like yelling, you aren’t qualified, and when you are qualified to be yelling, you don’t want to. Child discipline must therefore be a matter of obedience, and not be something that runs on an emotional platform.  

FAULTS, REAL & IMAGINED

Now these situations are tough enough without us adding extra temptations to the pile. With this many sinners in the room, and in the community, there are bound to be thousands of bumps and bruises. Not only are there actual bumps and bruises, there are also the self-inflicted bumps and bruises. These occur when you imagine why your friend didn’t text you back, after you had texted her three times. You get yourself worked up into a state over it, because if you didn’t text somebody back after they had texted you three times, it would be because you were furious with them. Or perhaps it was because they went boating, and she dropped her phone in the lake (Prov 18:17).

We have enough work to do when we limit ourselves to real offenses. The Lord said that each day has enough trouble of its own, and so we shouldn’t create new and unnecessary ones. So in the same spirit, every relationship has enough troubles—sufficient unto the relationship are the grievances thereof. Love hopes all things, believes all things (1 Cor. 13:7). This means that before you know the whole story, the only speculation you are allowed to indulge in would be the speculation that is exculpatory. You should busy yourself making excuses for the other person. You will not always be correct, but the number of your quarrels will go down.

But when the offense is real, what then? When your brother or sister really has sinned against you, how do we avoid quarrels then? The first way is to let love cover it (Prov. 10:12; 1 Pet. 4:8). This is to sweep things under the carpet . . . but it must be a magic love carpet. This kind of carpet dissolves anything that is swept under it. The carpet doesn’t get lumpy over time. But if the sin is significant enough that it wouldn’t be healthy for anybody to let it ride, then what you do is follow the process laid out in Matthew 18:15-17. These are the only two legitimate options—cover or confront. What isn’t on the table is complaining about it to others.

AVOIDING QUARRELS AS GOSPEL PROCLAMATION

When we stay well away from rancor—whether over promotions, parking spots, or politics—we are doing so on the basis of gospel imitation. 

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31–32).

How are we supposed to be toward one another? Kind. Tenderhearted. Forgiving. Then we are told this is the way Christ was with us. Because Christ was kind to us, because He was tenderhearted toward us, and because He forgave us, so we also as Christians are called to a life of imitation. As the master in the parable forgave his servant an enormous sum (Matt. 18:21-35), so also we are to forgive those comparatively small amounts that we owe one another.

As we do this, we are showing the world what the aroma of forgiveness though Christ is actually like. And that is a gospel aroma.  

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INTRODUCTION

After the Lord’s resurrection from the dead, He established to His disciples that He was in fact alive forever, and then He ascended into the heavens for His coronation. When He did this, He was received by the Ancient of Days, and was given universal authority over all the nations of men. Earth now has a new capital city—located in the heavens—and we are called to learn how to live in terms of this. And as we learn, we are to teach.

THE TEXT

“For our conversation [lit., citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Phil 3:20-21).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Caesar Augustus had established the Roman colony of Philippi after the battle of Philippi in 42 B.C. and the battle of Actium in 31 B.C. He did this by settling his veterans there, who were Roman citizens. This is the backdrop for Paul’s comment to the church that was located at this same Philippi. The Roman citizens of Philippi were there as Roman colonists, intended to extend the force of Roman influence throughout the Mediterranean world. They were not there in order for them to leave Philippi in order to come back to Rome for retirement.

In this passage, Paul is using this striking metaphor for a reason. He says that our citizenship is in heaven (v. 20). We look toward heaven because that is where Jesus went, which means that heaven is the place He is going to come from when He returns to earth. When the metaphor is translated, it means that Jesus was going to come from “Rome” back to “Philippi.” He was not going to take “Philippi” to “Rome.” And so when the Savior, the Lord Jesus, comes, He is going to transform our lowly body so that it becomes like His glorious body (v. 21). What He does in this final transformation is in complete accord with the authority He is exercising now as He brings all things into subjection to Himself (v. 21). In multiple places, the New Testament tells us that He is doing this.

THE LINE OF THE STORY

If we take this simple metaphor of Paul’s, it clears up a great deal for us. Christians currently are living in the colonies of heaven. Now colonies are not established as feeder towns for the mother country—just the opposite actually. The mother country feeds the colonies.

How you take the line of the story matters a great deal. Many Christians believe the cosmos has an upper and lower story, with earth as the lower and heaven as the upper. You live the first chapters of your life here. Then you die, and you move upstairs to live with all the nice people in part two. There might be some kind of sequel after that, but it is all kind of hazy. The basic movement in this thinking is from Philippi “below” to Rome “above.”

But what Paul teaches us here is quite different. We are establishing the colonies of heaven here, now. When we die, we get the privilege of visiting the heavenly motherland, which is quite different than moving back there permanently. After this brief visit, the Lord will bring us all back here for the final and great transformation of the colonists (and the colonies). In short, our time in heaven is the intermediate state. It is not the case that our time here is the intermediate state. There is an old folk song that says, “This world is not my home, I’m just passing through.” This captures the mistake almost perfectly. But as the saints gather in heaven, which is the real intermediate state, the growing question is, “When do we get to go back home?” And so this means that heaven is the place that we are just “passing through.”

THE IMAGE OF GOD

The ideas here—Jesus the Savior, Jesus the Lord, citizenship, a return that transforms—are all regal and political images. And what this means is that the emperor is coming here, and we are the advance team. But though Paul draws on this imagery from certain concepts in the Roman Empire, there are places where the analogy (obviously) breaks down. The pagan emperors did not elevate the people they ruled, but rather just sat on the top of a mountain of peons. But Christ intends to transform our lowly bodies so that they become like His. This means He is gathering us up into royalty. And the colonies will become as glorious as the motherland, which makes sense because it is the ultimate reunion between Heaven and earth. “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him” (Ephesians 1:10). 

Representing and establishing royalty on earth has been God’s design and purpose from the beginning. One of the indicators of this purpose and intent that is frequently missed is that famous phrase, “image of God.” The phrase image of God was one in the ancient world that indicated a divinely-imparted royal status. But unlike the pagan use of this, this royalty in Genesis was bestowed on all men and women, and not just a solitary ruler. Through our sin, we succeeded in marring this royal image, but God never relinquished His determination to establish it among us regardless. This is why Jesus came in the way that He did—to restore that image of God in man. This is why Peter can say that we are a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9), and it is also what Paul is talking about in this place. Christ is going to transform our lowly bodies so that they become like His glorious body.

HEAVEN MISPLACED

Christ is going to come from heaven when He returns. And until He returns, He rules from heaven—which we know on the basis of the Ascension. Consider what was given to Christ when He came back into the throne room of God. “Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Ps. 110:1). “Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21). “And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (Dan. 7:14). And so we wait and work in preparation, patiently, knowing that our labors here are not in vain. In this hope, we take care not to “misplace heaven.” The kingdom comes; the kingdom does not go. So Christ is going to come from heaven, and in the meantime, He rules from heaven. The kingdom is going to come, and we are the advance team.

THE GREAT DESCENT

When we consider the Lord’s Ascension, that is the basis for our faith in the coming Descent. If you stop the story at the Ascension, you are misplacing the point of heaven. If you stop the story when we follow Christ to heaven at the time of our deaths, you are misplacing the point of heaven also.

Christ has ascended, and this is why the earth is going to be redeemed. And the whole creation is groaning, longing for this to happen. We who have the Spirit long for this as well. This is the blessed hope (Titus 2:13). 

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