The Joy of God Being Glorified

The Joy of God Being Glorified

The title of our message this evening is the joy of God being glorified. Recall that when we started Philippians a few weeks ago, that we commented on how much joy, how often joy appears in this letter.

And Paul has begun the letter by wishing the Philippians grace and peace and thanking God and remembering them in his prayers and various things that we're going to mention in a few moments. But it is clear that Paul wants God to be glorified.

Fellowship is precious. Believers ought to treasure the time of fellowship that we have with one another. Paul treasured his relationship with the Philippian believers, ultimately because true fellowship brings glory to God.

Recall what Paul has already said to the Philippians in verse two, he wishes them grace and peace. In verse three, he thanks God for the remembrances that he has of them. In verse four, he prays with joy for them in each of his prayers.

In verse five, he recalls their consistent participation with him in the ministry of the gospel. In verse six, he tells them that God will finish the divine work which God himself has started in each of them.

Paul recognizes that God began a good work within each of the Philippian believers. Their participation with him in the ministry of the gospel confirmed this. Knowing that God will finish what he has started, Paul is convinced that God will finish his divine work, the work of salvation in each of the Philippian believers.

God Finishes the Work He Begins

Why will God finish the work? We're going to see in our text that completing the work brings glory to himself. And so here we are in chapter one, we're going to begin in verse seven. The text says, for it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me.

The word for ties this verse to the previous verse. Paul had evidence that God had saved the Philippian believers, that God had transformed their hearts and granted them both faith and repentance. He was convinced that God had begun the work of salvation in them and that God indeed would finish what he started.

As Paul begins verse seven, he says that it is right for him to feel this way. The word right here can mean just or equitable, fair, righteous or upright. So Paul here is not saying merely that it is correct for him to think this way.

Rather, it is just for him to think this way. Evidence has been given to justify his conclusion. Paul uses the same word in many other places. Here are just three. Romans chapter five and verse 19, for as through the one man's disobedience, the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, the many will be made.

And here's our word righteous. Romans seven and verse twelve. So then the law is holy and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. In Ephesians six, one children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

The word indicates more than just a person's opinion. Rather, it indicates that the truth has been verified. It has been substantiated. Paul goes on and says that it is right for him to feel this way.

The word feel here probably is better understood as think. In fact, the King James Version translates this word as think. Paul uses this word other times here in this very letter. In Philippians chapter two and verse two, he says, make my mind, make my joy complete by being of the same.

And here's our word mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. In Philippians chapter three and in verse 15, he says, let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this.

And here's our word attitude. And if any in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you. Now, it's interesting that the King James translates verse 15 has let us therefore, as many be perfect, be thus minded.

And if anything, be you be otherwise minded. God shall reveal even this unto you where the new American standard has attitude. The idea really behind the word is what you're thinking, what your mind is geared toward.

Chapter three and verse 19, Philippians, whose end is destruction, whose God is their appetite, whose glory is in their shame, who set their here's our word minds on earthly things. Chapter four and verse 10.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your and here's our word concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. The word has more to do with a mental response than an emotional response.

So Paul is declaring to the Philippians that he is justified to think so highly of them. His conclusion is a logical one, not necessarily an emotional one. He then continues with the justification for his conclusion.

He says that because I have in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are partakers of grace with me. The heart for the apostle Paul would have represented more than just emotions.

The Old Testament often combines the heart with the mind. Paul's thinking, I think they would have been very much the same. Proverbs chapter two and verse two says, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding.

So he's tying the heart and the wisdom together. We normally associate that with something mental, not emotional. But Paul and his thought would have tied the two together. Proverbs chapter two and verse 10 says, for wisdom will enter your heart.

And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul, the heart referring to the inner part of the man, and then Proverbs chapter three and verse five, when we know well, trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.

Again, that the mind and the heart of the apostle Paul very much would have been the same thing. So we would say that the Philippians are in his heart and on his mind. Maybe how we would say it in our vernacular, the heart and mind both refer to the inner man and here refer to the same thing.

Paul's logical conclusion about the Philippian believers. Recall what he has said about them. He wishes them grace and peace. He remembers them in his prayers and he thanks God for them. He is confident of their salvation because he believes that God has begun the work of salvation in them and will bring it to conclusion.

He loves them and he thinks of them, what we would refer to as actions, both of the heart and of the mind. He goes on in verse seven to say what they are in his heart. I said they are in his heart and on his mind.

In fact, he gives two reasons. First, he says they are partakers with him in his imprisonment. He says that in his bonds, literally, they are partakers with him. Paul uses this word multiple times in the first chapter of this letter and each time he uses the word to refer to his being in prison.

In verse 13 he says, so that my imprisonment, there's our word, and the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian garden to everyone else. Verse 14, and that most of the brethren trusting in the Lord because of my, again, our word, imprisonment, have far more encouraged to speak the word of God without fear.

And then verse 17, the former proclaimed Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. So the word literally means bonds being tied up, but Paul is using the word here in the sense of being imprisoned.

He's in bonds, he's in chains, and he says that they are partakers with him in this imprisonment. The second thing that they are partakers with him in is his defense and confirmation of the gospel. Now, why are they partakers with Paul in his imprisonment and in his defense and confirmation of the gospel?

In chapter 4 of Philippians he tells us, verse 15, you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone.

For even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. They had sent gifts for him to use in his ministry. They supported him financially as he sought to proclaim the gospel. He says that the process of sharing began when he first left Macedonia.

They shared in his defense and confirmation of the gospel. Here defense comes from the word from which our word apology comes. However, Paul is not saying that he is sorry for anything. The word literally means that he is giving a defense for, hence our word apologetics, giving a defense for the gospel.

Just to let you know how this word is used, in Acts chapter 22 and verse 1, the apostle Paul is getting ready to testify before the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, and he says in verse 1, Brethren and fathers, hear my defense.

That's our word, defense, which I now offer to you. In the 25th chapter of Acts, Paul is getting ready to testify before Agrippa, and Festus tells Agrippa, here's what's been going on, and Festus tells Agrippa the following before Paul is given the floor to give his testimony.

Verse 16 of Acts 25 says, I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense, there's our word, against the charges.

That's the kind of defense that Paul is talking about here in Philippians. He is giving a defense. He is presenting a justification for the doctrine that he preaches. The word confirmation here is used only one other time in the New Testament, and it's in Hebrews chapter 6, beginning in verse 13, for when God made the promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself saying, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply you, and so having patiently waited, he obtained the promise, for men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as, here's our word, confirmation is an end of every dispute.

Now, this word can also mean firm establishment, and according to one of the lexicons, which also says the verb form of this word means to strengthen or establish by arguments or proofs. Very similar to the idea of an apologetic or giving a defense, the verb form is used in Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 3.

How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation after it was at the first spoken through the Lord? It was confirmed to us by those who heard. They gave testimony to, they affirmed it. How did God confirm the reality of the salvation?

In Hebrews 2, we just read verse 3. Well, how did he confirm it? It says in verse 4, God gave signs and wonders. God confirmed that the truth that was being spoken was indeed from him. Romans chapter 15 and verse 8 also uses the verb form, for I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers.

See, God has confirmed through the work of Jesus Christ the promises that he gave to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to David, and to all the other great leaders of Israel's past. God did in fact give confirmation that he would in fact keep his promises.

He did so in Christ. Paul has defended the gospel. He's given his apologetic. He has given confirmation of its truth. He considers the Philippians to be partakers of this effort. He says specifically, you all are partakers of grace with me.

They share in being objects of God's grace, for salvation is by grace. They, like Paul, are objects of God's grace. Paul continues in verse 8 by trying to demonstrate to the Philippians how serious he is about this.

He has defended and confirmed the gospel, and now he is defending and confirming his thoughts and feelings toward the Philippian believers. He says that God is his witness regarding how much Paul longs or yearns for the Philippians.

To emphasize this yearning, he uses a phrase that is translated with the affection of Christ Jesus. However, the word translated affection really means your bowels down here in the intestines. It is used in Acts 118, in fact, to refer to Judas.

Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines. There's the word gushed out. The word, though, is used metaphorically to refer to the deepest part of the individual.

Where do your feelings come from? Where do your thoughts come from? Well, if you think about how your own body works, you don't feel up in here so much when you get nervous. It comes from down here. You may recall in Luke chapter one, Zacharias gives a prophecy about the coming of his son, John the Baptist.

And in verse 78 of Luke one, we read the following because of the and believe it or not, here's the word tender mercy of our God with which the sunrise from on high will visit us. The word is translated as tender mercy, and I think it refers to the if you could think of God as having an innermost part, it's kind of hard to wrap your mind around that.

But it's coming from within him. These are feelings that God has for his people. He has a very tender mercy toward us. The word is also used in Second Corinthians six verse 11 says our mouth has spoken freely to you.

Oh, Corinthians, our heart is open wide. You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own. And here's our word affections. Now, in a like exchange, I speak as to children open wide to us also do not be bound together with unbelievers for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness or what fellowship has light with darkness.

See the affections of the Corinthians for the unbelievers restrained their ability to serve the Lord. These affections were strong, the type of affections that are so strong that they influence behavior and in this case had influenced it in a negative sense.

Paul also uses this word later in Philippians where we're at chapter two and verse one. He says, therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the spirit, if any affection, there's a word and compassion make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love united in spirit and intent on one purpose.

See, where would these affections come from? They come from deep within. Notice the strength of Paul's statement here in Philippians two. He mentions the encouragement in Christ, consolation of love, any fellowship of the spirit, any affection, compassion.

When he indicates the encouragement in Christ and fellowship of the spirit, he is most serious regarding them being of the same mind, the affections that he refers to here must therefore be serious as well.

Affections so serious that they are generated from the innermost being of the person. It is the love one another as I have loved you that Jesus commanded us to have. It is the love for the brethren that John speaks about in his first epistle.

These are the affections that we're supposed to have for one another. So we begin to get a good picture of why Paul believes that it is right for him to think as he does about the Philippian believers.

First, they were partakers with him in his imprisonment and his defense and confirmation of the gospel because they partnered with him in the ministry. Secondly, he has a godly affection for them as only one believer would have for another believer.

Love, Knowledge, and Discernment

Because of these two truths, he prays for them. Recall in verses three and four, he says, I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all. Here now in verse nine, he states for what he is praying.

In this, I pray that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment. See, the love of which he speaks up here is the agape love. It is the love that comes from God, according to John.

First John chapter four, verse seven says, Beloved, let us love one another for love is from God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. See what John writes, agape love is from God. Those who are able to love like this are born of God and believers are to show this love to one another.

It is the love that Paul prays will abound more and more among the Philippian believers. This love is to be manifested in real knowledge and discernment. Now, Paul uses this word translated as real knowledge in several places, but here are three.

Romans chapter three in verse 20 says,. Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight, for through the law comes the knowledge. There is our word of sin. Ephesians chapter one in verse 17, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation and the knowledge.

It is our word of him. Ephesians four, beginning in the 11th verse. And he gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge.

Here's the object of that knowledge of the son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. One source indicates that the word means the coming at the knowledge of a thing.

And that is how Paul used it in these three verses we just quoted. Remember we said he comes the knowledge of sin, a spirit of revelation, the knowledge of him and attain the knowledge of the son of God.

We're coming at the knowledge. You don't stop learning. You're continuing to come at it. Here in our text, in Philippians one, Paul wants the Philippians to gain more and more knowledge. He wants their love to abound more and more in this knowledge.

Those who love with agape love are those who have been born of God. Those who have been born of God are being confirmed to the image of Christ. With this change, with this growth, with this sanctification comes knowledge of the truth.

That man is sinful and God is righteous and that salvation is of the Lord. A greater understanding of the truth helps us to discern truth from error. And this is the second thing in which their love is to abound, discernment.

This word is used only here in the New Testament. It can also mean perception. Another form of the word is used in Luke chapter 9 beginning toward the end of verse 43. He said to his disciples, let these words sink into your ears for the son of man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.

But they did not understand this statement and it was concealed from them so that they would not, and here's our word, perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this statement. Another form is used in Hebrews 5 .14, but solid food is for the mature who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

They could not perceive in Luke 9. We're supposed to discern in Hebrews 5. That's the word that Paul is using here that he wants the Philippians to be able to discern. With the increase in knowledge comes the increase in the ability to be discerning.

Note the parallel between Hebrews 5 .14 and our verse. Solid food is for the mature. The mature believers are able to discern good and evil because they have had practice. In Philippians 1 .9, Paul wants their love to abound more and more.

In other words, he wants them to become mature. As our love for the brethren grows and as we learn to recognize truth, then we will learn to discern truth from error with more success. The pattern expressed in Hebrews 5 .14 is the pattern that Paul desires for the Philippian believers.

As they mature in the faith, as they grow in their knowledge, their discernment will also grow. Why does Paul want these believers' love to grow? Why does he want them to be able to discern truth and gain real knowledge?

He gives them the reason in verse 10. Verse 10 says, so that you may approve the things that are excellent in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ. The phrase so that denotes purpose.

If we have discernment and if we have real knowledge, then we will be able to approve what is excellent. We will recognize excellence. We will want to practice excellence. We will inspire others to practice excellence.

If we live a life of excellence rooted in love, then we will do so with a genuine sincerity. If this love characterizes our lives, if we refrain from error, if we have genuine fellowship with other believers, then the hope is that we will remain blameless until the day of Christ.

In short, where our love and discernment increases, our sin decreases. As our obedience to God grows, our disobedience lessens. In verse 6 of chapter 1, Paul had already used the phrase the day of Christ.

We talked about this before. He is referring to the return of the Lord. We are supposed to live believing he could return at any time. The love rooted in God is to be demonstrated daily. Refraining from error is to be practiced daily.

These traits are to be exhibited in our lives. They are to describe our lives. If they do, we will be considered blameless such that our lives will not be a distraction to the proclamation of the gospel, which is what the Philippians had partnered with Paul to do, proclaim the gospel.

This is how Paul concludes the thought in verse 11, having been filled with the fruit of righteousness. Notice the verb is in the passive voice. They did not fill themselves. We cannot fill ourselves.

We do not have the ability to fill ourselves. God must fill us. Truth here refers to a result. Believers are declared by God to be righteous. This righteousness is declared through the gift of faith in Christ, the result of having been transformed by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the word is that now believers seek to do what we could not do before salvation, seek to live a life patterned by righteousness.

We cannot earn a righteous standing before God, but by his transforming us, we are now able to live lives that are considered blameless. Paul here drives home the point that this righteousness is not earned for according to the text that comes through Jesus Christ, it is his righteousness that covers us in salvation.

And because of the transformation of the heart by the Holy Spirit, we begin to live lives patterned after this righteousness. Are we to congratulate ourselves for this? No. Paul concludes verse 11 by stating that filling with the fruit of righteousness is to the glory and praise of God.

Why is this? Because we cannot transform our own heart. We cannot change our nature. Only God can do this. Therefore, it's God's glory that we should seek not our own. Paul had witnessed the transformation of the Philippian believers.

He knew this transformation to be the work of God. Since God had started this work, he knows that God will complete the work because their salvation is God's work. Then Paul is right to think of them as partakers with him in furthering the gospel.

Their acts are the fruit of righteousness, the result of being transformed by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the word. He wants these fruits to abound more and more, for as their lives exhibit an abundance of fruit, God receives more glory and more praise.

The Fruit of Righteousness and the Glory of God

And that brings joy to the heart of the Christian. God being glorified. God is glorified through the fruits of righteousness because only he can bear the fruit. The fruit is a result of his work of salvation in us.

The Philippians fruit of righteousness was proof that Paul had not labored in vain. God was working through Paul to bring glory to himself through the salvation of each of his people, each of his elect.

Oh, how it thrilled Paul to see the body of Christ grow and to see each believer grow in their knowledge of the truth. Remember, Paul's in prison. He is not able to be with them. He's not able to disciple them.

Yet in his absence, they are still continuing to do the things that are evidence of being transformed. He must have had tremendous joy because he sees the work of God being lived out. May we also know that joy, the joy of God being glorified through his use of us to preach the gospel and disciple those who respond.