SEVEN EXHORTATIONS
BY:
HAMILTON SMITH
(Philippians 4:1-9)
The first
nine verses of the fourth chapter of the Epistle to the Philippians bring
before us the seven closing exhortations of the Epistle. These exhortations
were never more important, and comforting, than in these last difficult days.
The day of
grace draws to its close. Evils, within and without, oppose us. To meet these
different trails we have the encouragement of these seven exhortations, which,
if taken to heart and carried out, will lift us above the sorrows of the way
and guide us through every trail.
I
“Stand fast in the Lord”
(Verse 1)
This great
exhortation brings before us our resource in the presence of every kind of
opposition. When the Apostle gave us this word, he himself, was in bonds – the
prisoner of the Lord. Within the Christian circle he was opposed by jealous men
who were even preaching Christ out of envy, strife, and contention seeking to
“arouse tribulation” for him (1:15-16.) Outside it adversaries were plotting for
his life (1:28.)
Nevertheless,
he is not cast down nor overcome by one or the other. Do professors seek to add
to his afflictions by preaching out of envy; then, at least, he can rejoice
that Christ is preached. Do adversaries seek his life? He is not terrified.
What then
sustained him, and enabled him to stand unshaken in the presence of every
opposition? It was this, his confidence was entirely in the Lord, - in a word,
he stood fast in the Lord. And having experienced the sustaining grace and
support of the Lord, he passes on the exhortation to the saints of all ages. In
the presence of every opposition we may have to meet, he says, “Stand fast in
the Lord.”
The
adversaries without, and the “envy,” “strife” and “contention,” within the
Christian circle, that existed even in the Apostle’s day, have increased on
every hand in our day. Yet we have this comforting, exhortation, “Stand fast in
the Lord.”
We are
neither exhorted, nor expected, to stand fast in our own strength, or
knowledge, or wisdom. We are to stand fast against every effort of the enemy to
further break up and divide the people of God, whether from within or without,
by standing fast in the strength of the Lord, the living Lord, who is exalted
above every name, and is “able even to subdue all things unto Himself” (2:9;
3:21.)
II
“Be of the same mind in the Lord”
(Verse 2)
Nothing is
more distressing to the heart, and enfeebling to testimony, than the
differences of judgment that exist among the true people of God. In the second
chapter of the Epistle the Apostle traces all envy and strife to this one root
– “Vainglory” (2:3.) Even, in the very presence of the Lord, there was a strife
among the Apostles because each wanted to be accounted the greatest (Luke
22:24.) So, in the Apostle’s day, there was strife, as the result of the
vainglory of some who wanted to be great. And in our day, all the division and
strife that has come in among the people of God can be traced to this one root
– someone wanted to be great.
The
vainglorious man will ever be an envious man – jealous of every one that is
more spiritual or more gifted than himself. And jealousy expresses itself in
malice, and malice ends in strife (James 3:14-16.)
How, then,
can we “be of the same mind in the Lord?” The Apostle clearly shows that this
can only be as we are marked by “lowliness of mind,” and, to have the lowly
mind, he says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” His
was the lowly mind that led Him to make Himself of no reputation in order to
serve others in love. Self likes to be served, and think it is exalted when
being served by others; but love delights to serve.
If, then, we
each forget self, refuse to seek a reputation for ourselves, and seek only to
serve others in love, according to the lowly mind of Christ, we shall have the
mind of the Lord, and “be of the same mind in the Lord.”
III
“Rejoice in the Lord always”
(Verse 4)
The Apostle
has been telling us that within the Christian circle there are some marked by
envy, strife, and contention (i.); that all seek their own, not the things
which are Jesus Christ’s (ii); that many walk in such a way that they are the
enemies of the cross of Christ (iii). Alas! These things are still found among
the people of God, and may well call forth sorrow and tears, even as they did
with him.
But the
Apostle tells us more; he not only looks abroad and sees the failure of the
saints, but he looks up and sees the glory of Jesus. He sees Christ in the
glory, the prize of the calling on high (3:14.) He sees that God has called us
to be with Christ and like Christ in glory, and he sees the blessed end of the
wilderness journey with all its sorrows and failure. With this glorious end in
view, he forgets the things that are behind and presses on to the goal.
Moreover he
not only looks up to Christ in the glory, but he looks for the coming of the
Lord Jesus Christ to change our bodies of humiliation into bodies of glory.
Looking around he may weep, but looking up, and looking on, he rejoices, and
exhorts us to “Rejoice in the Lord always.”
We cannot
rejoice in ourselves, our service, or our walk: we cannot always rejoice in our
circumstances or in the saints. But with the living Christ on high, and the
coming Christ before us, we can “Rejoice in the Lord always.”
IV
“Let your gentleness be known of all
men. The Lord is near”
(Verse 5, New Translation)
It is only as
we walk with the Lord before us, according to the first three exhortations,
that we shall be able to carry out this exhortation, which sets before us the
character of gentleness by which we should be known of all men. Too often we
are known for our self-assertiveness, for our strong opinions, and perhaps
violence of expression, in relation to the affairs of this world. If our minds
are set on things above we shall not be eager to assert ourselves in regard to
things on earth. As to these matters we do well to yield to others and be
reticent of asserting our opinions. Thus we shall wear the beautiful character
of Christ who was marked by “meekness and gentleness” (2 Cor. 10:1.) We are to
beware of being drawn into strife with those who may oppose, for “the servant
of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men” (2 Tim. 2:24.) Let us
remember it is more important to exhibit the character of Christ, than to
assert our opinions, even if right, or to defend ourselves. Men can oppose our
opinions, our assertions, and our violence; but who can stand against
gentleness? As one has said, “Gentleness is irresistible.”
Moreover, to
encourage us to gentleness, the Apostle reminds us that “the Lord is near.”
There is no need for us to assert ourselves and seek to put the word right, for
the coming of the Lord is near, and at His coming He will right every wrong.
May we not
also say that, in another sense, the Lord is near to us, however little we may
realize His presence. He hears and sees all that we say and do. How many a hard
and violent word we may have uttered in unguarded moments that would never have
been said had we realized His presence.
The
disciples, in their hardness, rebuked the mothers who brought their little ones
to Jesus. The Lord, in His gentleness said, “Suffer the little children and
forbid them not to come unto Me.” Again, the disciples, in their resentment
against villagers that refused to receive the Lord, would, with violence, bring
down fire from heaven to destroy them. The Lord, in His gentleness, utters no
word against His rejecters, but quietly passes on to another village.
May we then
so speak and act while pursuing a separate path as the quiet in the land, that,
if the world takes any account of us, it will only be to make our “gentleness.”
V
“Be careful for nothing”
(Verse 6)
Here the
Apostle’s exhortation has in view the circumstances of life. He is not unmindful
that, in a world of sorrow and sickness, of want and care, there will be trials
to face and burdens to be borne; but, he would not have us racking our poor
hearts with them. He, himself, writes from a prison, and had suffered want, and
a companion and fellow-laborer had been sick nigh unto death; but in these
sorrowful circumstances he had been lifted above all anxious care, and
therefore can say to others, “Be careful for nothing.”
We may have
to face trials in our families, trials in our businesses, trials amongst the
Lord’s people; sorrows from sickness, sorrows from want, sorrows from the
saints, that press upon us as a great burden and, as one has said, “How often a
burden possesses a person’s mind, and when he tries in vain to cast it off, it
comes back and worries him.”
How then can
we find relief? How is it possible to “Be careful for nothing?” Very blessedly
the Apostle unfolds the way to be free, not necessarily of the trial, but of
the burden of the trial, so that it no longer weighs the spirit down with care
and anxiety. He says, “In everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Thus only shall we find
relief. “In everything,” whatever the trial may be, small or great, make it
known to God in prayer; and tell God exactly what you wish, “let your requests
be made known to Him.” The requests may not be for our good, they may not be
according to the mind of God; they may even be foolish, but we are to make them
known to God.
What will be
the result? Will He answer the requests? Will He remove the trial? He may see
that to answer the request, or remove the trial would not be for our good. So
far as the immediate trial is concerned, He will act in perfect wisdom for our
good, according to His perfect love. But this God will do; He will relieve our
hearts from the burden of the trial. If we pour out our hearts before Him, He
will pour in His peace into our hearts – that peace of God which passeth all
understanding.
So Hannah
found, in the days of old, when, in her sore trial she could say, “I … have
poured out my soul before the Lord.” In result, we read, “Her countenance was
no more sad.” And yet, at the time, her circumstances were just the same.
Afterwards, indeed, the Lord changed her circumstances, but first He showed
that He had the power to change Hannah. From grief of heart, and bitterness of
soul she was brought into great peace – the peace of God which passeth all
understanding – through making known her requests to God (1 Samuel 1:6-18.)
VI
“Think on these things”
(Verse 8)
Rejoicing in
the Lord, and set free from care, we shall be able peacefully to delight our
souls in the things that are pure and praiseworthy. In a world far from God we
are continually faced with evil. It is in us and around us; it presses upon us
from every side. At times we have to face it and deal with it in ourselves, or
others; but, even so, to have to do with evil in any form, is defiling, and
soiling to the mind. Alas! There is often with us a tendency to pry into evil,
and to be over busy in contending against it!
God would
have us to find our delight in all that is true, and noble, and just and pure.
The flesh in us is ever ready to listen to slander, and bad reports, and things
that are vicious and blameworthy. But says the Apostle, listen to the good
report, and if there is anything virtuous and praiseworthy in your brother,
“think on these things.”
VII
“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.”
(Verse 9)
The mind
being set on things which are pure will prepare the way for a life that is
according to God. Right “thinking” will lead to right “doing.” Having said of
the things that are pure, “think on these things,” the Apostle now says, “Those
things which … ye have seen in me do.”
It is not
enough to have “learned” and “received” the truth, through the Apostle’s
writings, or to have “heard” it from his lips and “seen” it in his life. What
we have learned, and received, and heard, and seen, is to be translated into
our lives. We are, as another Apostle has said, the be “doers of the word, and
not hearers only” (James 1:22.)
Then, says
the Apostle, if our minds are set on things that are pure, and our lives in
accordance with the truth – if we “think” and “do” rightly – we shall find that
not only the peace of God keeps our hearts, but that the God of peace will be
with us.
In spite then
of all the failure of the Church and the trials by the way, how blessed the
portion of those believers who:
Stand fast in the Lord;
Have the same mind in the Lord;
Rejoice in the Lord;
Who are known of all men for their gentleness;
Who are careful for nothing;
Who have their minds set on things that are pure, and
Who, in practice, “do” the things they have learned and
received.
Such will
have their hearts governed by the peace of God, and will enjoy the support of
the God of peace. In all these exhortations there is nothing that cannot be
carried out by the simplest and youngest believer, in the power of the Holy
Spirit. They demand no special gift; they require no great intellectual
attainment. They form the very essence of practical Christian life, and are as
applicable in these last difficult days as in the early days of freshness and
power.
Thus ever on through life we find,
To trust, O Lord, is best,
Who serve Thee with a quiet mind
Find in Thy service rest.
Their outward troubles may not
cease,
But this their joy will be –
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace
Whose mind is stayed on Thee.