Rewards
Jesus and Paul both spoke about rewards for those who serve God and his people. What we are doing now, in this lifetime, has a direct bearing on our future, eternal life.
Fear and Trembling in Philippians 2:12
God’s transcendent and truly awesome nature warrants reverence and wonder. God working within us should inspire fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).
Women Church Leaders in the New Testament
In this article, I show that several women in the New Testament functioned with the Ephesians 4:11 ministries of apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers.
The Fullness of Christ
God doesn’t want us to be content with a lack lustre Christianity. He wants us to be partakers of his divine nature (2 Pet. 1:3-4) and live lives enriched and empowered by the fullness of Christ.
Power Struggles in Christian Marriage?
Are power struggles between a Christian husband and wife an ordinary part of married life? Annoyingly, many Christian books on marriage presume so.
New Testament Church Culture: Sexual Immorality
The influence of the surrounding pagan culture meant that sexual immorality and false doctrines were real problems in the early church. The New Testament letter writers addressed these issues.
An Introduction to Paul’s Letter to the Philippians
Here is some background information about the Roman colony of Philippi, the apostle Paul, and his letter to the Philippian church.
Philippians – Bibliography
Here is a list of the books that have been used in compiling these study notes on Paul’s letter to the Philippians.
Paul’s Greeting – Philippians 1:1-2
Paul’s greeting to the Philippians is similar to those in many of his other letters, except that he greets the church’s leaders, the overseers and deacons.
Paul’s Thanks – Philippians 1:3-6
Does God expect us to be perfect? This week we look at what “fellowship” (koinonia) means, at what “perfection” means, and at Paul’s views on giving.
Paul’s Affection – Philippians 1:7-11
What do you think Paul would have been like to meet in person? How do love and knowledge go together? What does Paul mean by defence and confirmation of the gospel?
Motives in Ministry – Philippians 1:12-18
Rivalry and jealousy between Christian ministers is not a new or rare phenomenon.
How did Paul feel about ministers who were motivated by ambition and envy?
Paul’s Courage – Philippians 1:19-27
What was Paul relying on for courage in his trial?
What does it mean to live a life worthy of the gospel?
Suffering and Standing – Philippians 1:27-30
This week we look at Philippians 1:27-30 and at the influence of church leaders, the goal of unity, standing firm in the face of opposition, and suffering.
Harmony and Humility – Philippians 2:1-5
With Jesus’ example in mind, what should be our attitude towards others and our attitude about ourselves? (Philippians 2:1-5)
The Creed (Hymn) of Philippians 2:6-11
The creed Paul quotes in Philippians 2:6-11 expresses the depths of humiliation Jesus Christ endured as well as his ultimate exaltation which results in glorious cosmic and universal worship.
Living as Lights in the World – Philippians 2:12-18
This article looks at what “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” means and what it means to “shine as stars.”
Timothy and Epaphroditus – Philippians 2:19-30
Of all his letters addressed to churches, Paul’s letter to the Philippians is the most personal. In Philippians we get to meet some of the people associated with the church, albeit briefly, people such as Timothy and Epaphroditus.
Joy in Philippians and in the Bible
In the New Testament, joy is closely associated with the infilling of the Holy Spirit, and with suffering and persecution.
The Judaisers and Circumcision – Philippians 3:1-3
Who were the Judaisers? And what does Paul say about circumcision in Philippians 3?
Paul’s Hebrew Heritage – Philippians 3:4-8
Paul had invested many years and much effort in strenuously studying and following Pharisaical Judaism. However, he willingly relinquished and forfeited all the advantages and privileges of his heritage and training. In fact, Paul saw the advantages as disadvantages and the privileges as liabilities. Paul had come to realise that following the traditions of Judaism, or any amount of human effort, was not able to earn him salvation or enable him to gain Christ.