Philippians Chapter 2

This chapter is focusing on what kind of mind we should have as saints. Throughout the chapter is an emphasis on the mind. Remember also that the entire book is based on chapter 1:9-11. “Approving things that excellent” is the way of wisdom and wisdom is the correct use of knowledge. Our love (grace motivation) is to grow so that we will make excellent choices. The following verses will tell us how to operate under grace doctrine as opposed to law.

Vs. 1… “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ” The “if” is not to promote doubts; he is saying since this is all true in chapter one, and it is, then the four things he mentions are found only in Christ. Consolation is comfort. (II Cor. 1:3-7) We know God is a Judge, a Creator but rarely do we think of Him as a Comforter. If we were never to experience any troubles, we would never be able to receive his consolation. Consolation only comes when the sufferings of Christ show up in our lives. So if we need comfort, where should we look for it? In Christ. Do we all need comfort in life? Yes! We especially need it when trouble comes our way; when things are not going well. There were some struggles in the Philippian assembly with their thinking about grace. Paul threatened to come to the Corinthians with a rod. He states that the Galatians had abandoned the Gospel of the grace of God. The Philippians were doing much better spiritually than those saints; however they did have some carnal thinking eating away at the fellowship. (Phil. 4:2) No matter how far you grow in grace, watch out for the flesh to manifest itself. “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”(I Cor. 10:2) Saints will always have the flesh to contend with. We also will always have adversaries (Phil 1:27).

“if any comfort of love” means the comfort that comes from knowing the love of God and it found in Christ. (Rom. 8:35-39) Death is mentioned first because it our greatest fear of separating us from the love of Christ. He mentions life second because life can get pretty tough sometimes. In fact, life can be so tough many seek death as a relief. He mentions angels next because angels are incredibly strong creatures; yet they can not separate us from the love of Christ in Jesus. This kind of love should comfort us.

“if any fellowship of the Spirit” Most saints look for fellowship guess where? The church. Paul tells us that true fellowship is found with the Holy Spirit. The goal of most “church services” is to stir our emotions. We have come to call this worship in our culture. In John 4:22-23 Jesus explains to the woman at the well that true worship is not swaying back and forth to music with hands raised. That is not worshipping God in the spirit. Jesus is talking about the coming Tribulation Period (the kingdom was at hand) when the little flock would have to flee into the mountains in order to avoid the mark of the beast and the antichrist. They would have to take God’s instructions seriously and identify where they were dispensationally, get out of town even if they did not feel like it emotionally. That is worshipping God in the spirit. So true worship is a positive response (faith) to God’s written Word. So true fellowship means whether you feel like you are in fellowship with the Father or not---you are. (I Cor. 1: 9) Now who is fellowshipping in the verse before we were called unto it? God the Father and God the Son. Can the fellowship of the Father and Son ever be broken? No!!! We were called into an eternal fellowship that had already been established. So the fellowship can not be broken with us.

“if any bowels and mercies” Our bowels are sensitive to what we are putting into our stomachs and to the pressures of life. Some people deal with IBS. It is a terrible malady. Our bowels are that part of us that is so sensitive to what is going on in our lives. Philemon 7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. Philemon provided great refreshment for the saints. Jesus Christ can provide us with everything we need as we live our lives. Now how do we get these four things in Christ? It is found in the Word of God. Paul found all four things in Christ and in vs. 2 he says for us to be “likeminded”.

Vs. 2… “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” There is something that unites us and it is the “revelation of the mystery”. We are to have a unity of right doctrine. We are all unique individuals; however we are not to be diverse in our belief system. Paul did not negotiate grace doctrine with the Lord. Neither are we to negotiate with Paul. Now we do not have to agree on everything in the Bible; however, the revelation of the mystery is non-negotiable. Therefore, we are to be likeminded, of one mind. And just who might the one mind belong to or think like? Verse 5 informs us it is the “mind of Christ”. The mind of Christ is described to us in Scripture: John 6:38; John 5:30; Luke 22:42. The essence of a godly life is selfless living.

Vs. 3… “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” Paul is saying for the Philippians to beware of the flesh no matter how far you grow in grace doctrine. Paul is not promoting compromise in this verse. Don’t forget he rebuked Peter to his face, he warns us to mark those who cause divisions contrary to the doctrine and avoid them, he parted company with Barnabus in Acts 15: 39, he named names---Demas, Alexander the copper smith. Today if you teach grace doctrine, saints will mark you and have no fellowship with you; it works in reverse today! The like-mindedness we are to have is to identify the error of the culture around us and send it away. (II Thess. 3: 2-6; II Tim. 2:16) The Philippians were to be like the “eye of the hurricane”---there is confusion all around us but there is peace in the eye of the hurricane. At the Anchorage I have to deal with this all the time. The clients get so confused from this teaching and that teaching and it keeps them stirred up and confused. A handful of men “get it” and they are my missionaries to the Anchorage. They do a great service to the Lord and the clients by reassuring them of grace doctrine.

Please remember that Christ also confronted error in His earthly ministry. He is not the meek and mild Jesus that modern Christianity portrays Him as. Matthew 23 is a prime example of this. Having the mind of Christ is not you and me getting along with erroneous doctrine.

Although we have many differences personally, as members of the body of Christ we have the same Head (Jesus) and the same calling---preach the doctrine. We are called to purify the doctrine, protect the doctrine and propagate the doctrine.

Vs. 4… “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” I should be caring about people who listen to me because it is my duty to “fill up that which is lacking” (I Thess. 3:10) when it comes to rightly divided doctrine. It is not about me. You will have to have a self-sacrificing mind in order to fulfill your commission. (II Cor. 5:17-23).

As a saint, I know that “all things are lawful to me” and that I am not under the law; I can do a lot of things that would never jeopardize my salvation. However, according to Titus 1:15… Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. If they are headed for hell, and I am to tell them of the Gospel of Christ and see their soul saved and I’m cussing, drinking and committing adultery---they may not think I am credible. They probably will not think my witness amounts to very much. So we should “take out the trash” in order that the Gospel can shine through their defiled, unbelieving mind. Therefore I will not have much credibility with the unbelievers if my lifestyle is similar to theirs. Because unbelievers have defiled minds and consciences, the purity of my life can validate the reliability of the Gospel.

Vs. 5… “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” We need to know something about the mind of Christ; we are to learn the mindset of Jesus. The following verses will give you a description of it. Paul is telling us that as saints (grace believers) we have a new focus now. II Cor. 5:17 “old things are passed away behold all things are become new”. We need a new mindset in order to function effectively in this dispensation. The mindset begins with humility. Jesus illustrated this to us by humbling Himself and becoming obedient unto death. Now common sense would tell you that it should easier for you and me to humble ourselves for the cause of the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ than for the Lord Jesus to humble Himself and become obedient unto death.

It should be emphasized that humility involves submission to the Gospel of the Grace of God. We don’t mind going to church and doing religious things; but when it comes to humbling ourselves to the Gospel we have a streak of pride a mile long. Because Jesus humbled Himself to the cross, God exalted Him. When you and I humble ourselves to the cross, God will exalt you at the Bema Seat Judgment (I Cor. 3). In eternity, you will never regret building on Pauline doctrine. So Christ’s humility to the death of the cross tells me something about how I ought to think.

Vs. 6… “Who, being in the form of God,” Whatever form that was in eternity past---there is Jesus. The Three are One. There are not three Gods. Ephesians 4: 1-6 makes it clear that believing in the Triune God is required in order to keep the unity of the Spirit.

“thought it not robbery to be equal with God:” Paul is saying that Jesus didn’t have to steal from God to be equal with Him. Adam in the Garden robbed something off of a tree in order so he could be a “god”. The Second Adam (Jesus) humbled Himself to honor God. The first Adam exalted himself and was humbled by God. The Last Adam humbled Himself and was exalted by God.

Vs. 7-8… “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily BUT He made Himself of no reputation---He took the form (position) of a servant, the likeness of men and no reputation. The difference between vs. 6 and 7 is the FORM---the form of God vs. the form of a servant. My sins did not humble Jesus, He humbled Himself.

“the death of the cross” Jesus did not have a King’s death; nor a politician’s death or a Hero’s death. He took a murderer’s death.

The debate today is over the question, “Was Jesus still God in His earthly ministry?” Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. [9] For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. [10] And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (Col. 2:8-10) When He takes a position of humility, is He still the fullness of the Godhead bodily? Some say that Jesus did not have His power or know who He was before His baptism by John. The truth is we don’t know anything about Him before His baptism. The Bible is silent about His first 30 years of life. Therefore, that would be an argument from silence.

“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant” Now the Bible does not say that Jesus “emptied Himself”; the NIV says ( 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.) the NASV says ( 7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”) and all modern translations state the same idea. It is a heresy of the highest degree because the KJV validates the Deity of Jesus when it says---He humbled Himself. There is a big difference between humbling yourself and emptying yourself. One confirms His deity and the other denies it. So do the Mormons and the Jehovah Witnesses and the Muslims. The NIV also says…6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,” Please don’t run to the Greek to challenge the deity of Christ. Let the plain King James English instruct you.

The song written by John Wesley “And Can It Be” says in the second verse: “emptied Himself of all by love…” The Lord did no such thing. If He did, He was not God. Methodists believe and teach this since the days of John Wesley. If Jesus laid aside His divine attributes, then how did He perform miracles and know the thoughts of men?

“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (I Cor. 2:16) The “mind of Christ” is self sacrifice, not self aggrandizement!!! Having the mind of Christ does not mean that we are equal with God. It means that we are complete in Him; we can know what is important to Him and humble ourselves to getting the job done with Christ. We are to have humility with humanity. Christ’s self humiliation proved His deity. Muslim’s says that Jesus could not be God because God can’t die. He became a man so He could die!!! That is also why Jesus was “made a little lower than the angels”, because angels can not die. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” (Heb. 2:9)

The deity of Christ is the central tenet of Christianity. (John 3:13; 5:22; 6:46; 10:33)

If you don’t mind, please do not diminish my Saviour when God has exalted Him. God says He will exalt Jesus when His work on earth is done back to how He was in vs. 6.

Vs. 9… The name He has in verse 9 is the same name He has in vs. 6. Jesus never ceased to be who He was. He took a position and then laid the position aside. He is and always has been the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

Vs. 12-13… “Wherefore, my beloved” Paul just showed us some of the wonderful things about the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ; therefore I ought to learn something about the mind of Christ and I ought to behave better when I am not around Paul than when I am around him… “as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence”

“work out your own salvation” You do not have to work to maintain your salvation. Those who teach a “works righteousness” has added to the gospel of the grace of God. Performance or works is not included in the Gospel; “living the life” is not a part of the Gospel. My Dad use to say, “I’m not going to join the church until I can live the life. To many people in church are not living the life and I’m not going to be a hypocrite”. We are simply to work out what God has worked in us ---the mind of Christ and right doctrine. We are not to be working at our salvation trying to get it right; I am not justified by my behavior (Gal. 3:11 and Eph. 1:19). I have to be taking in God’s Word continually.

“with fear and trembling” My fear and trembling has nothing to do with losing my salvation. It goes back to the previous six verses where Paul told me about the humiliation of Christ. He also is the same man who told me I Cor. 3 that choices I make as a saint is going to have eternal consequences. I am stuck here in this corruption for three score and ten years. I better prioritize these years because they affect the eternity of incorruption over there. I ought to be more concerned about honoring God. Jesus humbled Himself therefore God exalted Him. The same thinking should direct our lives. What I am doing here has consequences over there in the heavenlies.

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” The willing must precede the doing of God’s good pleasure. This is Paul’s prayer for the Colossians 1:9-10. Learn the material and the material produces the worthy walk as we deal with God and our circumstances. So here is the order: first you learn the material; then the function of learning that material produces the worthy walk which results in fruit. God is working something in me (grace doctrine) in my inner man; that then affects my “will” (my chooser). God worked something in me (salvation/right doctrine) therefore I am now able to work something out---I am to be working out the mind of Christ and right divided scripture. (Phil. 3:16,19) Paul is reminding the Philippians of how their “gray matter” ought to work.

Vs. 14… “Do all things without murmurings and disputings” The only way this verse could make sense is if we as saints have “one mind” (Eph. 4) Paul is not telling us that we should never argue with someone who is teaching wrong doctrine. Now, we say that in America we have representative government. Every day we hear of tax cheats, adulterers, liars, thieves, etc. It is certainly representative government because it represents the culture in America today. Every time we learn of a politician breaking the law, we hear of a preacher, teacher or deacon breaking the law.

Vs. 15… “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” We are to shine our light of grace doctrine to this crooked and perverse generation as those who pay their taxes and pay their bills, etc. Don’t be afraid to be Pauline. We are to be shining our light in competition with the light Satan is shining to the world. (II Cor. 12:14-15; 4:3-4) We shine our light while Satan is shining his light and it is hard for the world to really take our light seriously.

Vs. 16… “Holding forth the word of life” This is not referring to the Lord Jesus; it is the Bible according to Ephesians 1:13… “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,” We are able to work together without murmuring and disputing because we have the revelation of the mystery. We are in agreement; we see things the way. Because of this, Paul is encouraging the Philippians and us to “ press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:14)

“that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” Wouldn’t it be awful to serve the Lord all your life and find out everything we did was wrong. We are building church buildings, collecting tithes, planning fall festivals and “turning the other cheek”, etc but who is shining forth the revelation of the mystery?

Vs. 17… “Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.” Paul is not afraid to suffer or die. If he dies in a Roman prison, so what. Not too many people look at their death like that. We have a natural desire to live. Paul has a willingness to suffer for the Philippian saints. He saw his death as gain. In Romans 15: 16… That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. This ministry to the Gentiles made Paul an off scouring to unbelieving Israel and a target to the leadership of the secular and religious world.

According to Romans 12:1-2, we are called to be “living sacrifices”. That means we are willing to die for the cause of Christ. We face the same frustrations trying to get out the revelation of the mystery as Paul faced in his day. It is hard work and getting harder. If you talk to 100 people 99 of them don’t know what you are talking about and the other one is mad at what you said. Never forget that we have something that the next generation needs---the Gospel, right doctrine. Who is going to do the work of the ministry when you and I are gone? Paul said in II Tim. 4:6 that he was ready “to be offered”. This is the way grace work can make you feel.

Based on vs. 5-11 in chapter 2 we learn that Christ’s humiliation assures me that I am going to be humiliated because of the doctrine, because of the Gospel.

Be careful about judging things according to how they appear. Jesus didn’t look like much in His life. Fellowshipping in the revelation of the mystery doesn’t look like much either. Being a member of a beautiful church that has a long history in the community appeals to us. Those who fellowship in the revelation of the mystery do not look like much; but don’t judge things by appearance.

Vs. 18… “For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.” Paul is encouraged that the Philippians will carry on the ministry that he started. Paul was not about himself. He was interested in getting others onto the field of play. Paul saw the Philippians were potential “recruits” for the work of the ministry. It was their turn to suffer and they were rejoicing.

Vs. 19… “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort,” Paul would feel better if Timothy was able to be with the Philippians. Paul had a lot of confidence in Timothy. Paul said he wanted to go to Philippi also (vs. 24) and he wanted to send Epaphroditus too (vs. 25) Paul had a plan; he knew that somebody had to get over there and check on the Philippians. How was Timothy going to get sent? Was he going to get a sign from the Lord? Have a flat tire and some circumstance that made him want to go to Philippi? No! It looks like everybody is going to go to Philippi (Paul, Timothy, Epaphroditus) Paul was trusting in the Lord Jesus to work it all out but he had several plans to get it done also.

“when I know your state” Paul wants to know the state of their mind, not their financial state or physical well being. He wants to know if they are “like-minded”. Phil. 4: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 lays out how we are to have the “peace of God” (vs. 7).

Vs. 20… “ For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.” Preachers and churches have the hardest time separating themselves from the “law program of Israel”---tithing, baptism, church membership and Sunday Sabbaths. If you took these sermons away from most preachers, what would they preach on? They do not naturally know how to take care of grace believers. Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. [8] But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; [9] Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, [10] For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; [11] According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. (I Tim. 1:7-11) And just why should we presume a man has responded to the gospel when he cannot clearly tell you what the gospel is?

Vs. 21-25…Paul is indicating that Timothy is having medical problems and Paul is not sure if Timothy will make the trip to Philippi. It is possible that Paul is hinting that Timothy is having second thoughts about continuing in the ministry with Paul. So Paul wanted to go to Philippi himself but that was not possible since he was in prison and he might even be killed soon. Therefore Timothy is his second choice but in case he can’t go Paul said he wants Epaphroditus, who is sick nigh unto death to go. Epaphroditus is mentioned only in the book of Philippians; however I would like said of me what Paul said of Epaphroditus in this passage.

Now think about this: Epaphraditus exhibited the mind of Christ. This is the day of self-sacrifice. This is the day of humiliation; things are going to be hard. Get yourself into the soldier and fight. (II Tim.2:3-4)

“your messenger and he that ministered to my wants.”… Epaphraditus was sent from Philippi to Paul. They wanted Paul to know how they were doing in the doctrine. They had not abandoned Paul. (Phil. 4:14-18) Now how did Paul get his “wants” met? Obviously it was through the “body of Christ”. They didn’t say they would be praying that God would meet his wants; they would do it. The Philippians had thought through the doctrine and they understood how God meets needs of fellow saints.

We have a message to get out. Angels use to take God’s message to individuals and nations; but now we are the “evangelists” for God. In the middle of the word evangelist is the word angel; we are God’s angels today. I talk about the revelation of the mystery with preachers and they say, “I don’t know about all that stuff, but my church is larger than yours”. Paul is saved in Acts 9 and the first message we can read of is in Acts 13:38-39. Paul knew that men were not justified by the law and he knew that early on. Christians tell us today, “I know that I love the Lord, because I have followed Him in baptism.” Your pastor is not going to tell you about the death baptism Jesus explained in Luke 12:50. Jesus had already been water baptized in Luke 3:21. His death baptism is the one we are to experience.

Vs. 26-30… Epaphroditus was not full of heaviness because the Philippians had ignored him when he was sick; he was full of heaviness because they had heard that he was sick. He didn’t even want them to hear that he was sick. He was some grace believer; he was willing to play through pain. Everybody else was thinking he was out of the game---that’s what made Epaphroditus sorrow. Paul wants them to know that Epaphroditus did not just have the sniffles, or just not feeling well; he was sick nigh unto death. It further says he was sick for the work of Christ. That means Christ was not protecting him. He did not have a guardian angel to protect him. God won’t take your problems away. If the job is going to get done, the body of Christ must get it done.

“Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.[24] But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. [25] Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.” Paul talks different than Christians today. Paul thought about the situation and came to a decision. This is an example of “love abounding more and more” (1:9-11). We say things like…the Lord told me to do thus and thus; God showed me that; God gave me this sign, etc. If Paul would not have sent Epaphraditus, would he have been wrong? No. Well, where does this kind of thinking come from? I believe it is a hold over from Calvinism. Calvinists’ teach that God has one perfect will for your life and you better get in the middle of it. The whole purpose of the book of Philippians is to teach us how to think as grace believers. Paul did not say that God told me what to do about Epaphraditus. He did not ask God to intervene in the situation at all. Paul had the doctrine upon which to make the decision of whether to send Epaphraditus to Philippi. God let Paul make the decision. Paul was an adult son making an adult decision. He had the proper thinking process to make this determination. When Paul said he “supposed”, it infers that he didn’t necessarily have all the facts. It means there is some uncertainty. Paul does this same thing in II Cor. 2:1…he determined this with himself. He wasn’t looking for a sign from God.

Paul uses certain terminology when it comes to how we are to make decisions based upon God's revealed will. Here is a list of phrases not found in Paul's Epistles Concerning God's Will
• God showed me...
• God is leading me...
• I'm seeking God's will...
• God opened the door
• It's divine providential intervention
• I prayed and I have peace about it
Paul uses Renewed Mind language:
• We thought it good (1 Thessalonians 3:1) Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
• I have determined (Titus 3:12 ) When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter.
• If it be meet (1 Corinthians 16:3-4) And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. {4} And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me. In this particular situation, Paul is going to wait and see how large the offering is before he decides if it will be fitting for him to go; he will decide to go based on the best use of his time and energy. If it is a small offering then he will not go. There is no "God spoke to me and told me to go" just when the time comes I'll make a decision based upon wisdom.
• His will was not at all to. (1Corinthians 16:12) As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time. Apollos made up his own mind as to what he was going to do; he decided not to come. Here Apollos had an Apostle telling him he should go; most people would take that to be a "sign" that they should go. But Paul thought Apollos was responsible and competent to make up his own mind.
• Perhaps (I suppose). (Philemon 1:15) For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; This one is more of hindsight, after an event happened. He does not say it was a divine providential appointment that God arranged. Paul looked at it like a wise opportunity after the incident happened.
• Liberty. (1 Corinthians 7:39) The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. The wife is to free to make a decision to remarry but needs to make the decision based upon God's revealed will, that is marry a believer.
If you suggest that God is not intervening like He did in time past or our outward man is perishing or we live in a present evil world, Christians will exclude you from their fellowship. That is not acceptable among Christians. It is much too negative. Just tell us how much God loves us and how He just can’t wait to meet our needs. If a healing went on with Epaphraditus it is not mentioned in this passage. It says that God had mercy on him. Whatever that mercy was, he didn’t die but apparently it was not diving healing either. The mercy of God was Epaphraditus not getting what he did deserve. In fact we are told that Paul sent him “the more carefully”. That phrase leads me to believe that he was not healed. Apparently he was not fully recovered. This seems inconsistent with the context of the book of Philippians. It is teaching us to think through situations. God is not manipulating our circumstances today. God does not have to intervene in order for life to go on. How are we to think about our bad circumstances? Epaphraditus teaches us how to think this through…God had mercy on him.

My Saviour took the shame of the cross and He is exalted. Epaphraditus is sick and in terrible circumstance but he gets the job done. He humbled himself and got himself into the soldier and fought. Epaphraditus was not plan A or B; but he exhibits the mind of Christ. This is a day of humiliation, of misunderstanding, of redemption.