Philippians 1:1-2 Servants, Saints and Salvation

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: ¹ grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²

Acts 16 records the founding of the Philippians Church. Paul established the Church during his second missionary journey approximately 20 years after Jesus was crucified on the cross and risen from the grave. From the moment the Church started, it displayed a strong missionary zeal and was consistent in its support of Paul’s ministry. It is for this reason that Paul enjoyed a close and special friendship with the Philippians than with any other Church. In their hearts they had determined to support the advancement of the Gospel at whatever cost.

When you get mail through the letterbox the first questions usually going through your head are: Who is it to? Who is it from? And what is the content? The first two verses of Paul and Timothy’s letter to the Church in Philippi (inscription and benediction) read a bit like an envelope. They tell us who the letter is from, to whom it is addressed and an indication as to what the content is.

SERVANTS

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

Inclusion of Timothy

The servant-hood humility of Paul is found in his greeting. Did Timothy write this letter? No. Was Timothy in prison with Paul when he wrote this letter? No. Was Timothy the one who planted the Church in Philippi? No. It was Paul who wrote this letter. It was Paul who was in prison whilst writing this letter and it was Paul who planted this Church.

But yet he seems to have no desire to take any acknowledgment and self credit for this. He is quick to include the less prominent and experienced Timothy in his greeting. Paul’s humility is the stronger, the more able, the wiser taking the weaker under his wings and including him as a joint worker. Paul is putting honor upon Timothy. We see here in God’s Word, in the obscurity of the greeting, the demonstration of Paul’s humility and care towards Timothy.

Human nature is so proud, stubborn and self-centered that we love the praise of others. A sinful nature loves to be acknowledged publicly and openly and take the sole credit for something. We love recognition.

But true servant-hood is being humble. It is not taking the credit for yourself but including others even if they have had a smaller contribution. It includes the bestowing of honor upon others. Those who are aged, strong and eminent among us should be quick to support those of us who are younger, weaker and of less note.

Let each of you look not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others (Philippians 2:4).

Exclusion of Title

Paul starts off by including Timothy, but then he goes onto excluding his apostolic title. Not only do we see his humility in the inclusion of Timothy in the greeting, but we also see that Paul feels right at home with the believers at Philippi that he doesn’t even need to remind them of his position as an apostle like he does with many of his other letters. He doesn’t seem to be reminding them of his  God given apostolic authority like he does with the Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians and Colossians. He simply addresses himself as Paul. Paul was on home ground, writing to familiar friends whom he was comfortable with, knew and loved. He didn’t need to explain himself or defend himself. They knew Paul and they knew who he was.

Instead Paul prefers to addresses himself along with Timothy simply as servants of Christ Jesus. It is by this title that Paul feels most comfortable with when addressing himself.

To be more Christ like servants of Jesus Christ, our lives must be marked by this kind of humility; giving the better honour to others; knowing who you are in Christ but not being arrogant, boastful or over confident in that which has been given to you. It is a better thing to be known as a servant of Christ Jesus than all the titles in the world.

A truly humble soul does not take offense easily. A truly humble person is not jealous of his position and dignity, or quick to resent what seems to touch them. A truly humble person does not seek great things for himself (S.L Brengle)

Slave of God

The word bond-servant is often translated as slave. In effect Paul was saying in his greeting, that we are slaves of Christ Jesus. When we think of the word slave today, we don’t instantly conjure up great thoughts. The characteristics of a slave are:

• someone who gives himself up to another’s will
• someone whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men
• someone devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests

God uses servants/slaves to execute his purposes. Paul and Timothy had willingly sold themselves into service and slavery to a good Master.

Could you say today gladly that you are slaves of Jesus Christ? Is everything about your life to do with your Master and how you can please Him? Is your life today committed to the Masters great goal.

SAINTS

to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: ¹

Did you know that if you were to ask many people to describe a saint, they would most likely try to think of the ancient or historical figures? Perhaps those who usually have a painting or statue made after them, or those who have a building dedicated to them. A title bestowed to a select few heroes in history. And on the opposite side you have those football fans who chant the old Christian hymn ‘When the saints go marching in’ suggesting perhaps that anyone and everyone will eventually go marching in. There is such a wrong understanding of what it means to be a saint.

But the very word saint literally means ‘holy’ (set apart). Paul is quite literally saying in his greeting, ‘to all the holy ones in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi.’ What should make us tremble even more is that the same word used for Holy Spirit (hagios pneuma) is used for saints (hagios).

If today you are in Christ, you are called a saint, a holy one. Only if you are in Christ can you be called a saint. This beloved is a greater incentive to live lives which are holy, set apart and bring honor to the work, person and ministry of the Holy Spirit of God.

Many people believe that if you pray to dead saints God will answer your prayers because they are closer to God. It is often called ‘intercession of the saints.’ This is not a Biblical teaching and is a lie. There is only one interceder and one mediator between God and living men, Jesus Christ.

Some are led to believe that your prayers must be channeled only through certain special people. People who are very spiritual with a great degree of Bible knowledge etc. But the Bible says:

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. (James 5:17-18)

God honours the prayer of faith and the prayer which is in accordance with His will, asked through His Son, Jesus Christ. I am dumbfounded by what I see happening on much of Christian TV today. It blows my mind away, yet grieves me greatly to see hundreds of people phoning these prayer lines requesting prayer from television ministries. What makes it even worst is some of the prayer requests being made and the way many of the preachers pray without knowing anything about the person.

The wonderful benefit and privilege given to every true saint in Christ Jesus is that they now have access to God because Jesus Christ has made a way of access open to you. This means you can pray directly to your heavenly Father without having to go through a priesthood.

you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (2 Peter 2:5,9)

If you’re religion tells you that you can only approach God through a certain person, place or practice; then you are serving a false god and a false religion.

The Bible declares that Jesus Christ is the Great and Eternal High Priest and that His death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave sealed the following blessings, benefits and privileges for those who are in Him:

• To forgive sinners;
• To reconcile us to God;
• To bring us to God;
• So that we might belong to Him;
• To give us confident access to the holiest place;
• To become for us the place where we meet God;
• To bring the Old Testament Priesthood to an end and become the eternal and great High Priest;
• To become a sympathetic High Priest.

Do you know what this means friends? Do you understand what breath taking act has been accomplished? This means that a poor, down and out, filthy, dirty rotten sinner can know God personally and be called a saint. And not only can they know God, they can seek Him, come to Him.

Quit phoning television ministries. Quit running around asking people to constantly pray for you. Go to God through Jesus Christ. Be confident and bold in coming to God. He will by no means cast you out. He alone is the sole mediator between God and man. But do live according to how saints ought to live.

SALVATION

grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²

This is a greeting of blessings which is exclusively given to the saints in Christ Jesus. It wasn’t for everyone in Philippi, but just for the saints in Philippi. Grace and peace belong to the saints who are in Christ Jesus. It was all from God. Grace and peace is something only God can give to the Philippians. As much as God used Paul, grace and peace was something only given by God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace (charis) is the undeserved favor of God in providing salvation for those deserving condemnation. Grace is undeserved favor that reconciles us to God through Christ. It is the saving work of God which is manifested in the gift of His Son to die in the place of sinners. The grace which is the good will, loving-kindness, favor of God towards you. Grace is that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm and loveliness in the soul.

Peace that Paul writes about is more than just the absence of conflict. It is the complete wellbeing of your soul and inner person. It involves being right with a holy God through reconciliation and enjoying the joy that comes with that peace, “the peace of God which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

My friends, if today you are a born-again Christian, having confessed your sins before God and repented of them; and turned to Jesus Christ in faith, then be assured that you are a recipient of this grace which even the angels desire to look into. Praise God you saints of the most High God. You are numbered amongst the saints from the beginning of time and you shall go marching in to heaven joyfully.

How do I experience this grace and peace?

If however today you have not repented from your sins and trusted upon the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, then be sure that the Bible says you are the opposite of a saint, a sinner. This means you are under the just condemnation of God’s wrath. You are guilty this day and your sin will find you out. God will deal with you not as an innocent victim, but as a guilty criminal. You will be sure to have your reward from God and the Bible clearly warns that you will spend an eternity in hell. But thanks be to God that this offer of free salvation, free grace is offered to you today.

You may be able to pay for elocution lessons on how to speak gracefully. But you cannot pay for the grace of God which forgives your sins. You may even be able to buy peaceful music, some headphones or sound proofing for some peace from the noisy neighbors. But this peace is temporary. You cannot pay for the peace of God and it cannot be given to you by any person. You can search high and low for it, but you will not find it any place.

How is it that God takes common people and makes them saints? Surely it would take years of religious living, learning and practicing to become a saint. It was not something that Paul did or something that they did. In fact, there was nothing that they could do to make them saints. There is not an office, university, establishment, company or authority in this world that can make a sinner into a saint. This alone is the work of God when a person is born-again and becomes a Christian.

This grace belongs to Him and He cannot be bribed to demonstrate it to anyone. He is not moved by good words, wealth or education. He is not moved by tears or sincerity or even religious service.

God will only demonstrate this merciful grace and this peace because of His Son Jesus Christ. There is no other way. You cannot tap into God’s grace and hope to catch a few drips of it through someone else’s life.

The Bible declares:

• the soul who sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:20)
• for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
• for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23)
• it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27)
• he will by no means clear the guilty (numbers 14:18)
• For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:10)
• And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)

The Bible also declares this:

• not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
• a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, (Exodus 34:6)
• For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
• but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
• the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

That I May Know Him 2010

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