by Larry Ferrell | February 16, 2018
Every now and then people object to living the normal Christian life on the grounds that what is required of a Christian is impossible. When you begin to study the Bible and realize that God wants you to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ and you get a glimpse of His love, His compassion, His wisdom, His understanding, His holiness and all of His other perfections, you are apt to say, “Well, that’s impossible. I can’t do it. I guess I’ll just have to be content to live as I am.” That is wrong! It’s true that in this life you will never be completely like Christ and that much of your sanctification will consist in realizing how much unlike Him you still are. But you are to become like Him. The Bible teaches that although God’s standards are high, and thus seem impossible, God provides supernatural resources to meet them. God helps the Christian to put the highest of these principles into practice.

At this point someone is bound to object. “That might be all right in theory, but it’s pretty hard to do in practice. How can a Christian meet such standards?” Paul replies that although it is hard, it’s not impossible. To prove that it’s possible not only in theory, but also in practice, Paul presents three human examples: Paul himself, an apostle; Timothy, a young minister; and Epaphroditus, a layman. In the remainder of chapter 2 Paul uses these persons to show that the things he has been writing about are possible for the one who will surrender his or her life to God. We are going to look at the first two examples in this study.

The first example Paul uses is himself, although he does so only briefly. In fact, he uses only one verse (v. 17) to describe his own attitude and conduct as opposed to six verses for Timothy and Epaphroditus. To understand verse 17 we need to realize that Paul is using a potent image. The verb that is translated “poured out” is a technical word for a certain part of a pagan sacrificial offering. Following this sacrifice the ancient worshiper would make an additional offering called a libation. He would take a cup of wine and pour it on the altar, thus pouring it upon the sacrifice that was already burning. Because the altar was hot, the libation would immediately disappear in a puff of steam. Paul was placing hjis own achievements, even martyrdom, at a very low point on the scale of Christian service. He was holding up the faith and achievements of his converts for admiration. This is an example of the humility and obedience to Jesus Christ that Paul was writing about. Paul’s frame of mind was not something that came about in an instant of course. His humility was the product of a long relationship with God. If we would emulate Paul in his self-effacement, we must be prepared to start at the beginning. We must learn small lessons in humility before there can be large ones.

The second of Paul’s examples is Timothy, the young man whom Paul had often taken with him on his various missionary journeys. Paul speaks quite eloquently of him in verses 19-22. These verses say four things about Timothy. First, that Paul had “no one else like him.” Paul has been writing about the attitude of mind that thinks humbly of itself and much of others, and he has mentioned himself as an example. Now there is Timothy also, for Paul had found that he too was self-effacing in his conduct. Second, Paul says that Timothy was concerned for others. He cared for the naturally. In fact, he served them with the disposition of a true shepherd who was faithful in the care and protection of his flock. The third thing Paul praises Timothy for is his concern for Jesus Christ. Timothy put Jesus Christ first. In this he stood head and shoulders above those who were around him. The final thing Timothy is praised for is that he had learned to work with others (v. 22). How often we want to be independent! We want to serve God, but the work must be our work, and it must be run according to our conception of things. A real mark of Christian maturity is the ability to work with others cooperatively under the banner and for the cause of Jesus Christ.

Verse 22 also says much about Paul and his ability to work with others as it does about Timothy. Paul had referred to Timothy’s service as the service of a son with his father. But this is not the expression one would normally expect back then, or today either, for that matter. Paul puts the small word “with,” in the verse and thereby indicates that the service of himself and Timothy was a joint service in the Lord. This is the real answer to the problems of what some call the generation gap. We talk as if the generation gap were something new. But anyone who knows history well knows that it is not. There could have been jealousies, misunderstandings, diversities of purpose, rebellion, or tyranny. Instead of this, Paul and Timothy served together as partners in the spread of the gospel, each taking his standard and instructions from the Lord.

If you are a member of the younger generation, do you see the calling to which God has called you? It is not to rebellion against your parents or against the older generation in general. It is to work with them in mutual service to the Lord. You will be able to do this as you learn to serve Christ’s interests and not merely your own. This verse peaks also to the older generation. You have the duty of raising your children. You are to lead them to become faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. You are to encourage them to follow Jesus, to learn the truth of the gospel, to emulate Christ’s character. You have a role of supervision. But you must never forget that you actually serve them as bond-slaves of Jesus Christ. Whatever standards you set for them and whatever patterns of obedience you seek to instill in them must also become real for you and be part of your service. You must remember that the ultimate loyalty of your children in not to you but to the Lord Jesus Christ. If you recognize your children’s devotion to the Lord and know the freedom of serving Him, then you will be able to work with them to proclaim the gospel of salvation. In this you encourage each other, and you shine as ever brighter examples of what the Christian life can be.

Philippians 2:17-24 Reflection Questions:
Have you completely surrendered your life to God or are you still holding on to certain parts?
Do you show such humility as Paul did as you meet with other Christians?
How are with working the younger or older generation? In working together, are taking your standard and instructions from the Lord?

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