with Elder Elico Manenji
✝️In this chapter, the Apostle t exhorts the believers to live in the unity of the Spirit and i
love for each other. Each person should not consider their own affairs or prefer themselves but others better than themselves. He exhorts them to have the mind of Christ, who though He was in the very nature God and equal with God, made Himself of no reputation. But He humbled Himself and became a servant and died for the salvation of mankind, even dying of the cross. For this reason, God gave Him a name higher than any other name in heaven and earth to whose authority every knee should bow, and whose glory every tongue should acknowledge and confess. So the Apostle exhorts believers to work out their own salvation through His power who works in them to will and do according to His good purpose so that they may prove blameless. The Apostle expresses his readiness to offer his life for the Gospel of which he was a minister. He intended to send Timothy to them, of whom he gives a very high character but he continued to hope to see them himself shortly if he had been released. So meanwhile he sent to them Epaphroditus, who had been near death, and whom he begs them to receive with especial tenderness and grace.
*1️⃣Philippians 2:1-11:Mutual love for each other and Glory and condensation of Christ.*
⏹️Four reasons remain why Christians should have greater unity amongst them such as:
i.The encouragement we get from the love of Christ brings much joy, which joy is made complete till there is genuine unity among the saints. The Apostle says, *"Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits"(Romans 12:16).*
ii. The power of Christ’s love working in them as believers should not only be concerned with their own spiritual progress but for the good of others to remove self-satisfaction and pride amongst them. The Apostle Peter says, *"Likewise, you younger, submit yourselves to the elder. Yes, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble"(1 Peter 5:5).*
The Apostle says, *"Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another" (Romans 12:10).*
iii. The common sharing they have in the same Spirit as they must learn to look for and admire the example of Christ Jesus who was God in very nature. He did not cling to remain God whilst the people He loved would die in sin, but He made Himself of no reputation, He incarnated and became a man to save mankind from sin and death. The Apostle says, *"And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross"(Philippians 2:8).*
*"For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings"(Hebrews 2:10).*
⏭️ Being humbled he died for mankind the cruel death on the cross so we can receive redemption by His death. So because of His willingness to suffer death for every man, God gave Him back a name above all other name, that in heaven and on earth even under the earth, all knees should bow acknowledging that Jesus Christ indeed is Lord and God. The Apostle John says, *"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men"(John 1:1-4).*
iv. The sympathetic kindness that God’s children should show towards each other as they share His spirit of humility and condensation, His denying of self for the sake of serving others. The Apostle Peter says, *"Finally, be you all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brothers, be pitiful, be courteous"(1Peter 3:8).*
⏭️ Christ did not selfishly grasp for the supreme glory of heaven, even though it was his by right, so even Christians should not be selfish but consider others. This gesture of love of Christ and God works in mankind the working of salvation with fear and trembling at the mark set before them. The Apostle John says, *"And now, O Father, glorify you me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world was"(John 17:5).*
The wiseman says *, "I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was"(Proverbs 8:23).*
*2️⃣Philippians 2:12-18: Practical Religion necessary for working out own salvation.*
⏹️Practical religion removes all trace of pride and quarrelling and shows the true nature of the salvation that God has given towards mankind. The Apostle says *" Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen"(Hebrews 13:21).*
⏭️Practical religion obeys the God’s will as Christ did which enables believers to imitate what Christ has done for us because the Holy Spirit works within us. The Apostle James says, *"From where come wars and fights among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?"(James 4:1).*
⏭️ True believers are like lights shining in darkness, they will live blameless lives and they reflect a blameless conduct as they take God’s Word as their guide in a morally and spiritually corrupt world. Jesus said, *"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid"(Matthew 5:14).*
⏹️ In living a perfect, holy lives,, believers will fulfil God’s purpose whcih will be pleasing to Him, as their lives will be living sacrifices as offered on the altar to God which is what makes our joy complete and sucured to the praise of God the Father. The Apostle says, *"That you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the middle of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world"(Philippians 2:15).*
*3️⃣Philippians 2:19-30: Good works of others are praiseworthy.*
⏹️As the Philippians were united in love, he expected Timothy to return to him with the good news of their unity in the faith. The Psalmist says, *"But it was you, a man my equal, my guide, and my acquaintance"(Psalm 55:13)*
⏭️ As Timothy was not much concerned about his own welfare but serving the interests of others, so believers should seek to serve others for the sake of Jesus Christ. The Apostle says, "So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to *have imparted to you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because you were dear to us"(1 Thessalonians 2:8).*
⏹️Whilst in imprisonment, the Apostle had his sympathy shared by Epaphroditus who sacrificed his life for the sake of him thus giving an example of self-denying service for others. This is the true Christian duty for others, to share the sympathy of others and serve God wholeheartedly. The Apostle says, *" Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves"(Philippians 2:3).*
*"And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves"(1Thessalonians 5:13).*
*🅰️Appeal*
It is the duty of ministers of God to care for the state of their people and be concerned for their welfare than to seek for their own welfare alone and not seek not others, Timothy and Epaphroditus are given as examples of selfless ministers of the gospel who worked highly for others and not for themselves. But the gospel of cheats and liers has upheld selfishness above selflessness. All seek their own and not the things which are Jesus Christ,so all men are liars and only God is true. The prophet Jonah says, *"They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice to you with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD"(Jonah 2:8-9).* Amen!!!
Elico Manenji
(+263712952704).
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