By Robert Olsen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Christian Studies, University of Mobile
JOY AND CONTENTMENT
Philippians 4:10–20
In All Situations (10–14)
Paul rejoices that the Philippian church sent him a gift and Epaphroditus, a faithful worker with Paul. But his thankfulness is not that he received the gift as much as the gift revealed the Philippians concern for him. Paul didn’t need the physical gift as he had learned how to live in contentment while in need, a crucial lesson for believers.
Many heresies and false teachers have preached the gospel is about receiving material goods and having their material desires given to them because of their faith. I was told one time by my friend that he knew a man who was told if he prayed for a Cadillac 5,000 times, God would give him a Cadillac, and so that is what he was doing.
This is a perversion of the gospel message. The gospel message is about deliverance from sin and being made right with God, not about “deliverance” from poverty.
This type of preaching is common around the world because it resonates with our desire to be financially stable or financially well off, but it is missing the mark.
Focusing on our financial or health situation takes our focus off our greatest need, to be forgiven from our sins by believing in Christ. Our faith needs to be in what God has done for us, not in our ability to “believe” God will reward us financially.
In Paul’s case, he had been wealthy, and he had been poor; he had been free, and he had been in prison. He had even been beaten and shipwrecked. But God had given Paul the ability to be content in these circumstances because his confidence and hope was in Christ, not his circumstances.
What a lesson this is for us today! We live in a time of instability with a global pandemic and worldwide unrest. If we watch the news too much or look at our circumstances, it is easy to worry and become frustrated; it can kill our joy.
But if we focus instead on Christ, it helps us maintain an eternal perspective and helps us focus on our task at hand, to glorify God in our current circumstances, whatever they may be — at work, at home, in prison; whether we are jobless, wealthy, sick or healthy. Our focus needs to be on how we can best reflect and represent Christ, not what will happen to us in the future. This is a monumental task, but Paul says it comes from Christ.
Through Other Believers (15–18)
Paul expresses his gratitude for the attitude and actions of the Philippians, but he points out that he doesn’t want the Philippians to think he needed the gift as much as the gift shows the character of their heart. It is often said it is the thought, not the gift, that counts. Paul emphasizes this mindset.
The attitude of the Philippians will be seen by God, and their reward is from Him.
It is reminiscent of the poor widow who gave two small coins into the temple treasury (Luke 21:1–4). This gift was more than what others had put in even though it was worth less, because she gave all she had.
God views our actions in the same way. Many people think their contributions are minimal because they are unable to give hefty sums of money. But Christians are able to contribute to others’ ministries through letters of encouragement and prayer.
For His Glory (19–20)
As Paul demonstrates God has met all his needs, he prays God would meet the Philippians’ needs as well.
The end result of this is bringing glory to God. In a world that increasingly looks to bring glory to self, Christians are to promote the glory of God. Pointing to eternal things is countercultural. It is a good way to demonstrate our commitment to God rather than worldly things, helping us to stand out against the culture.
Share with others: