Archive for March, 2010

What is Joy?

Monday, March 15th, 2010

What is Joy?

Brothers, Workers and Fellow Soldiers

Philippians is the letter that Paul wrote to his brothers and fellow workers and fellow soldiers(as he calls Epaphraditus in 2:25) to encourage them to live joyful life. While Paul was imprisoned the Church of Philippi was also facing the problem of being suffered for Christ’s sake. They were apart from each other and fighting in different places but as Paul said they were in the same conflict(1:30) of spreading the gospel.

I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need. – Philippians 2:25

“Joy” and “Rejoice”

In this situation, Paul is encouraging the church to rejoice in the Lord always(4:4) even in the conflict and suffer. We can tell the importance of “joy” in this letter by seeing how many times Paul used these words “joy(5479)- 5 times” and “rejoice(5463) – 7 times”.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. – Philippians 4:4

Joy of Paul in This Letter

So what is the joy that Paul is speaking of in this letter? What is our joy and how can we rejoice in the time of hardship? It is clear in this letter that the Philippians themselves are the joy of Paul. While Paul was imprisoned for Christ’s sake he heard that the church is fighting the same battle as he is to spread the gospels and so it became his joy and comfort. The fact that the Philippians loved each other and that they stood as one in total unity was the joy of Paul.

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. – Philippians 1:9-11

Rejoice for The Safety

Paul is encouraging the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord dozen times in this letter. But why is that? There are several answers to this question, but the answer that can be found in chapter 3 is interesting. Paul is exhorting to rejoice for their safety. If the church stand strong in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;(1:27) it will be the sign of destruction for their enemy. But for the church, it will be the sign of salvation.

Finally, my brothers,rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. – Philippians 3:1

Stand Firm in Christ to Rejoice

So if we stand firm in Christ, we will be able to find joy and peace(4:7) in any circumstance. Even if we will be suffered for the cross of Christ, we will rejoice. And true joy in Christ will be one of the strongest weapon in the battle that we are fighting to spread the gospel of Christ. So that is why Paul is exhorting the Philippians to rejoice, and he is also mentioning about Timothy and Epaphroditus in chapter 2, because they are the good examples of what we need to be for the work of Christ.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:7

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Struggle for the Sake of Jesus Christ

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

Struggle for the Sake of Jesus Christ

“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you… (2:1)” Paul is repeatedly telling the Church in Colossae that he is suffering. So what was his purpose of letting them know about his struggle? And what was he struggling for?

The Purpose of Sending Letters in Paul’s Days

As Paul wrote in the very end of this letter, he sent this letter from the prison. So you can tell that one of the cause of his struggle was an imprisonment. While he was in prison, he received the news about the love between the church. This led Paul to the thankfulness and prayer about them. So Paul wanted let them know about his struggle but the church was also letting him know about what is happening to them by writing him letters. We can say that one of the main purpose of sending letters in Paul’s days was letting each other know about what is happening.

Struggle for the Sake of Jesus Christ

In Colossians 1:24, Paul is telling the church that he is suffering for their sake. And he also said that even the struggle is his joy. Because suffering for Christ’s church also means that they are suffering for Christ’s sake. For the church is the body of Christ and Christ is it’s head. Than what is the struggle for Christ’s sake? It is the struggle for spreading the Gospel but they were also promised that the Glory of Christ will be shown at the end of their suffering.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, – Colossians 1:24

True Hope in the Days of Struggle

Glory of Christ was Paul’s hope in the days of his struggle(1:23). So he encouraged the church to have hope in Christ and to stand firm in the faith by sending this letter. So I think that one of the purposes of sending this letter was to let the church know about his labor for the gospel so that they can follow his example. Because Paul also became the servant of Christ’s church(1:25) by following the perfect example of Jesus Christ(1:13-14, 1:18, 2:13-14).

if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. – Colossians 1:23

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. – Colossians 1:13-14

To Be Aware of the False Teaching

In this letter, Paul is encouraging the church to have hope in Christ, but also to beware of the false teaching. Because the deceptive teaching that was threatening the Colossian church was completely different and opposite from the word of the truth, gospel(1:5). Not only that it doesn’t get them closer to God but it separate them from Jesus Christ. As Paul said, the Colossian church used to follow the worldly teaching but by the forgiveness of their sins through the redemption that came by Christ, they were given the true knowledge of God. So Paul is teaching them repeatedly in this letter not to return to the rules of the world but to live as the new man(3:10).

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. – Colossians 3:9-10

What is the Worldly Teaching?

Than what is the worldly teaching? “self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body (2:23)” are what Paul described about it. As you can tell from this passage, these are completely different from the true knowledge of God. We once followed the worldly teaching but we have put off the old self and have put on the new self. So we no longer walk like we used to walk but we have to live as the new man pleasing God in every way, “filled with the full knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding (1:9-12).” And we have to spend a lot of time in prayer to make that happen like Paul always prayed for the Colossian church.

These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. – Colossians 2:23

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. – Colossians 1:9-12

What is the True knowledge of God?

What is the true knowledge of God? Jesus Christ himself is the answer for that question. And we can embody that answer by living like Jesus lived. As Paul gave the specific order to wives, husbands, children, fathers, masters and servants in chapter 3 to 4 (3:18-4:6), to live like Jesus is to be thankful and to love each other for the sake of Jesus Christ (1:28, 2:7, 3:12-17).

Spreading the gospel is to preach the true knowledge of God to the people, and Paul was struggling for that (1:24, 29, 2:1). So by understanding his struggle and work for Christ, it will lead you to the wisdom of Christ himself (2:2).

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, – Colossians 2:1-2

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