Some wisdom from Anne Brontë

When we are harassed by sorrows or anxieties, or long oppressed by any powerful feelings which we much keep to ourselves, for which we can obtain and seek no sympathy from any living creature, and which, yet, we cannot, or will not wholly crush, we often, naturally, seek relief in poetry—and often find it too—whether in the effusions of others, which seem to harmonize with our existing case, or in our own attempts to give utterance to those thoughts and feelings in strains less musical, perchance, but more appropriate, and therefore more penetrating and sympathetic, and, for the time, more soothing, or more powerful to rouse and to unburden the oppressed and swollen heart.
—Anne Brontë (Agnes Grey)

Believers: according to Philippians: part two

Partakers

The word for partakers is sygkoinōnós, which means a close companion or joint-sharer. It is amazing to think that we are not merely an audience, not passively watching grace, but that we are active accomplices, having fellowship with all believers through the Spirit. We are the hands and feet of Christ, serving one another out of reverence for Jesus. When Paul uses this word in Philippians, he is referencing the Philippians' willingness to share Paul's suffering and shame. You know a close companion when they stand by you in the worst of times, not just the best of times.

Brothers, Beloved, Children of God

These profound familial terms ignite our theology, bringing the truths of God's Word to light through relationship. Through His death, Christ has caused us to be born again, born into adoption. We are the children of God. To be adopted in Christ is an eternal and glorious relational aspect of our salvation. We are more than believers; we are beloved, loved by God as a father loves his children. We are co-heirs with Christ. Think about these mercies! I can barely understand them.

Not only does salvation affect our relationship with God, but it also changes how we fellowship with one another. Believers are brothers, united as the family of God, given new life and new purpose in Christ Jesus. We grow together in sanctification, love, joy, suffering, and everything else.

Lights in the world

As lights in the world, we shine brightly. We are not under baskets. We don't hide away, but rather declare the glories of Christ Jesus through the way we live and through what we say. How can we distinguish between what we say and how we live? It shouldn't be possible. If our "yes" really means "no", then there is something wrong. We are to live as lights in the world, shining the gospel of Christ into even the darkest corners. 

Citizens of heaven
We belong to the God of heaven, not the prince of the power of the air, nor this present darkness. We are sojourners here, living for Christ in the midst of our journey home. Our citizenry is with Christ, for we are seated with Him in the heavenly places, kept for, by, and through Jesus as we await the final day, the day when the "worst vacation ever" has come to an end.

Paul reminds the Philippians of many things in his short letter. I pray they've encouraged you as they did me. 

Believers: according to Philippians - part one

When reading through Scripture, you can find many different titles for believers. The term, "Christian" only shows up a few times, yet believers are referenced quite often, especially in the New Testament. Reading through Philippians I came across many different titles given among believers. Some are specific titles, such as "servants", used in Paul's introduction, as well as the titles of overseer and deacon. However, I think we can expand upon these titles in general. 

According to Philippians, we are

Servants

As I said, Paul uses this in his introduction: 

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, (Philippians 1:1)

However, this is not exclusive to Paul. John, Peter, Jude and James all refer to themselves in the same way. In light of that, I think it is appropriate that we follow their example in proclaiming our servanthood to Christ. I am a servant of Christ. What does this mean? This means my life is not my own. I have been bought with the price of Christ's precious blood. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. My whole life is lived in devotion to Christ, or that at least is what I strive to do. I want to live my life according to Christ's will and by His word. I want to grow in love for God as well as for those whom He has created, glorifying God through selfless ministry. I want Christ to live through me. In light of that, I am His servant. 

Saints

Again from verse one:

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: (Philippians 1:1)

Believers are often referred to as saints in the New Testament. This is a declaration of our state in Christ: by His sacrifice, by His substitution, by His atonement and redemption, we have been pronounced pure and blameless, without blemish. We have been clothed in Christ's righteousness. We have been given new life in Christ Jesus. We are saints - set apart, holy unto the Lord. This one is difficult to understand, because it is wrapped up in the mystery of salvation. Yet we can know that this is how God sees us. He sees us through Christ, perfect, blameless, holy, redeemed. To be declared a saint is a glorious concept, and it is the reality for believers. 

Overseers and Deacons

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: (Philippians 1:1)

This does not refer to all believers, but to a specific group of men who are set apart within the believing community. These are elders, those who "supervise" the flock of God, who check the gospel pulse of the church. They keep watch, guarding against apostasy, guarding against the onslaught of the devil. They provide personal protection and care for believers. Deacons "kick up the dust" in ministry, serving the church in more practical, day-to-day-serving ways. Overseers have a great responsibility, and I think it is important for believers to pray for elders and deacons in their church. However, I think every believer can watch and guard against false teaching. We can all protect and care for one another through fellowship and prayer, and we can all certainly serve one another - in fact, we are called to do that very thing in Hebrews, stirring one another up to good works (Hebrews 10:24). 

Partners

All believers share things in common. Though we can disagree, though we can have many denominations and many different interpretations of any given Bible passage, we are bound together and unified in Christ Jesus. We share a fellowship through Christ. He is the unifier. He breaks down the walls of hostility and unites all peoples.

Reflections of today

I got up this morning, listening to the chittering birds. Cats also meowed at me from outside my bedroom window. Someone let them out in the night, and after prowling through the grass, pretending to be mighty hunters, they changed their minds about the outdoors and came and whined at me for their breakfast.

Driving to work, the morning mist soon disappeared, burned away by the rising sun. I felt the sunlight, warm on my face, bright in my eyes, and it crossed my mind how often I take "small" things for granted. I'm thankful for skin that can feel the warm sunlight instead of feeling constant pain from a spreading, fiery rash. I'm thankful for the ability to blink away tears because of the brightness of the sunlight. I'm thankful to grasp the steering wheel with a hand I once thought I'd end up losing. I'm thankful to see, to feel, to see the road as I'm driving, to have a life, a job, a family. There's so much I take for granted. God blesses me with so much.

Sometimes there are these windows where I seem to draw a breath, look up from my daily troubles and cares, and taste and see that the Lord is good. Most of the time my mind is going from one issue to the next, trying to organize life into neat, controlled, bagged and tagged sections. I don't forget that the Lord is good, but I don't really remember it either. I'm just "too busy". These are the times where I must recall these moments, precious moments of time where none of my cares and woes really matter, where I catch a glimpse of what is more important than what was just on my mind.

I walked to the window at lunchtime and noticed that rain had briefly overcome the sun. The grass still glistened with the drops. The stone walkway collected puddles and painted pictures out of tiny streams. The weather changes so often. Every day, the only constant thing is God. He is unchanging in a world where everything else changes, whether it is cats, weather, or me. 

But you are

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. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

Interesting note: "nation" is the Greek ethnos, which generally referred to "a race, a people, the Gentiles". This usually meant unbelieving Gentiles, or non-Jews, distinct and separate from Jewish people.

So when Peter says "holy nation", it was probably far more shockingly magnificent to the original readers than it is to us. I wonder if they dwelt on that concept - these Gentile dogs, formerly cut off from the blessings and promises of the people of God, have now been declared holy, set apart for God, declared to be the people of God. Imagine that. Truly Christ tore the veil. Truly Christ abolished the enmity. The Jewish believers probably thought of "holy nation [holy Gentiles]" as an oxymoron. How is it possible?

It is possible only through Christ and His excellencies, His light, and His mercy. 

put away

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. (1 Peter 2:1)

I find it interesting, when reading this passage, that Peter puts forth the image of newborn infants. When I see the command to put away (put off, renounce, throw away) these things - malice, deceit, hypocrisy, etc. - I think of two things:

1) An infant's clothing needs changing. Imagine if a mother neglected to change her baby's diaper, or change his sleeper after he threw up all over it. The baby would suffer. He would get rashes. He would be sore. All of these things, malice and slander and hypocrisy and everything else, all of these things are like a dirty diaper or soiled clothes. Peter tells us to change. To put these things away. They only hurt us.

2) An infant can't change his clothes by himself. Just as a baby needs help to dress himself, so we need the help of the Holy Spirit in dressing us in "the robes of Christ", in becoming Christlike, in putting off our old, soiled rags and putting on our new, rich garments.

Peter cautions us against what corrupts and defiles. He presents us with the "pure spiritual milk" of the gospel of Christ Jesus, the living stone, chosen and precious. Run to Him.

Rise Up, O Church of God

Rise up, O men of God!

His kingdom tarries long.

Bring in the day of brotherhood

And end the night of wrong.

 

Let women all rise up!

Have done with lesser things.

Give heart and mind and soul and strength

To serve the King of kings.

 

Rise up, O men of God!

The church for you doth wait,

Her strength unequal to her task;

Rise up, and make her great!

 

Lift high the cross of Christ!

Tread where his feet have trod.

Disciples of the Son of Man,

Rise up, O church of God!

---William P. Merrill