Lesson 3

QUALITIES OF A CHURCH

Rev. Stanley L. Derickson Ph.D.

COPYRIGHT 2004

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ESTABLISHED (vs. 6)
(Phil. 1:3-11)

3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ;
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

3. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

Every time Paul thought of the folks at the church He took a moment to pray for them and thank God for them.

What an encouragement for the people to know someone was praying for them. When on deputation we were always encouraged greatly when we found out people were praying for us.

When I was doing meetings on the road, I seldom greeted people at the door with the pastor, usually opting to stand by the table with our information and prayer materials where I could speak with those that were interested.

One Sunday evening in mid Nebraska the pastor of a small church asked me to stand at the door with him. As the folks passed by, one elderly couple stopped quickly and the man opened his Bible to show me one of our first and oldest prayer cards. He shook my hand firmly and said "We pray for you every day." and they were off on out the door. I have no idea where they picked up the prayer card, only that they did and that God had given them a burden to spend some of their prayer time speaking to the Lord about our family.

How special the believers must have felt knowing that the apostle Paul was praying for them!

There is a possibility that he is thanking God for every one of their remembrances of Paul - such as the financial gifts that they gave - mentioned in chapter four. The term translated “you” can also be translated “your.”

At any rate Paul is praying for them in their labors for the Lord.

Paul states "my God" a statement of great import. This was HIS God, not one of the gods of the gentiles around him, not the god Caesar, but MY God. Paul thanked the God among many gods of Paul's day. The Old Testament carries forth this concept as well. God does not bother trying to prove that there are no other gods around, He just declares that He is the TRUE AND ONLY GOD THAT IS ABOVE ALL the gods that man has invented. He is the One and Only God, but He allows man his little dreams of creating something big enough to worship.

I am often reminded of a passage in the Old Testament where God in all his splendorous sense of humor speaks of man’s feeble attempts to create their own god. Ps. 115.4 “Their idols [are] silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. 8 They that make them are like unto them; [so is] every one that trusteth in them.” Also Isa. 44.14 “He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish [it]. 15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth [it], and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth [it]; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto. 16 He burneth part thereof in the fire ; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth [himself], and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire : 17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, [even] his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth [it], and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou [art] my god.”

4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

This verse and verse five lend weight to the thought of "your" in verse three.

Not only is he praying for them, but he is praying with joy, and making requests with joy.

Hummm, joy in prayer - not a common line of thought in many churches today. I don't think we should be disrespectful of the Lord, but to be happy to see God answering prayer and be happy to take requests before him is not wrong.

Might we dwell on this thought of a moment? The apostle Paul was praying for the believers with joy. Even though the apostle was in prison, even though he had many visitors, and even though he had many things to do, he took time to pray. He took time to pray specifically about a little church and he did it with joy. He wasn't begrudging of his time, he was happy spending time in prayer for these folks.

Where is the emphasis on prayer today? Where are the prayer warriors of our generation?

Recently in the news a man with mental disorders entered a large church auditorium with a gas can spraying the gas around and lit it on fire. Only a couple of folks were injured, and their injuries were minor. The amazing fact was that there were people in the auditorium on a Wednesday evening praying. How many churches have to use their auditorium on Wednesday evening? This man evidently knew there was a good possibility of killing people in this church on Wednesday night.

There are many books written on prayer, but the Lord gave us one book to be our guide. Just take a concordance and look up the word prayer and jot down the attributes of the prayer warriors of the Word and allow them to teach you in your prayer life.

5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

The specific thought here would be their participation in giving to Paul's efforts, but may well relate to their eager efforts in other areas of getting the gospel out to the world.

The word translated fellowship is the same word for the believers relationship with other believers - that which is to bring spiritual growth and benefit. It has the thought of communion - close relationship - a little more than the news, weather, and sports. The same word is also used of the believers relationship to God - not a casual hi there, how are you --- I hope!

Fellowship is one of the prime items mentioned in the book of Acts in relation to the early church. It is listed along with fasting and prayer the heavy items of the Christian walk. There must be some special place for fellowship in the Christian life.

What sort of fellowship do you have in your church? Dinners, refreshments? Are these really the makeup of "fellowship?" If fellowship is related to our relationship to God and fellowship is related to fasting and prayer ought not there be something in the spiritual realm that is an integrated part of fellowship with one another?

Ought we not find out what that sort of fellowship is like? Ought we not find out what the Bible says about fellowship? When is the last time you have heard a sermon or class on fellowship and its "SPIRITUAL" applications to the body of Christ?

If you think fellowship is the news, weather and sports over a coffee and cookie or two you have the normal idea of fellowship, but you do not have the Biblical idea of fellowship.

Dare yourself to be challenged. Dare to study the word on your own and find out what it is supposed to be. Dare to bring what you find into your relationships with people at church. Dare to find that special relationship with God. Dare to "FELLOWSHIP" with Him and with your fellow believers.

Many feel that Paul is speaking of the giving of the church to his ministry, and this may well be included in his thinking. II Corinthians 8.1 and following speak to the churches of the area and their giving spirit. He also mentions their gifts to him in the fourth chapter of Philippians.

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:

Despite the naysayer, this is one of the glorious security passages that declare that God is in control of our salvation once received, not us! When we accept the work of Christ on the cross we end our responsibility for our salvation - it is His and not ours.

The verse is a promise that we will one day be a part of the day of the Lord and His glorification completed.

The context is of great importance. This is definitely relating to salvation and God's work in the believers. It might be suggested that it relates to the church and Paul establishing it, however this does not fit, in that the church no longer exists as an organization, only the people that the church produced. Paul is speaking to the people, not the organization.

Paul states that he is "confident" that God will complete the work begun. Barnes mentions of this confidence, "It means here that Paul was entirely convinced of the truth of what he said. It is the language of a man who had no doubt on the subject." Barnes continues by pointing out that Paul's confidence is based on the confidence that he had in the God that he served.

This game of salvation is occurring in God's ball park and we have no fear that the game is going His direction and will conclude as He has planned it.

7. Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

Now, just what does Paul mean by "ye all are partakers of my grace."?

a. In some way we can extend our excess grace to others? Indeed, the Roman church teaches this thought. All the saints that were really great had excess grace and it all goes into a large pool to be given to those less spiritual - and of course it is the church that controls the faucet.

b. The American Standard Version suggests another possible line of thought in its slightly different translation "ye all are partakers with me of grace." which indicates all believers partake of grace, Paul along with us.

Young's, the Literal Version and the Net Bible all follow this translation of the text while the Modern King James and Darby follow the King James. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown hold to this line of thought as well.

c. They partook of the Gospel that he graciously shared with them seems to be a possibility. He had gone to great lengths to travel here and there to share the Gospel and this was his gift to those that accepted the Gospel of Christ.

The Net Bible Clearly shows this to be the grace of God that they all were taking part in. "Partners together with me in the grace of God."

8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

Paul declares his love for the believers and calls God as his witness. How about that for a witness - anyone going to argue with Him? Actually God is our best witness - He knows all, He knows all truth, and He knows all that is within us.

Calling Him to the witness stand is a little difficult I imagine, but the life of the person most likely will show forth through time the truth of the witness.

The term witness is the term we gain Martyr from. A martyr is one that witnesses of his faith through his death.

A good study might be the picture of God - Christ giving witness of his love by His death on the cross. He would be a great witness of Paul's love I would think.

The idea of bowels seems to relate to the inner being - we might call it the heart.

9. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and [in] all judgment;

How do we grow our love in knowledge and all judgment?

Knowledge is easy enough, judgment however relates to moral, ethical knowledge. It relates to discernment.

It seems that Paul wants their love to be discerning and thoughtfully applied, that knowledge that the one loved or the item loved is worthy of our love.

It might indicate that the young believer is loving, but in too broad a sense - that the love should become more circumspect in finding objects.

Since love is something that we find to be active - doing things for the benefit of the one loved, shouldn't we be selective in who/what we act for?

Some call all Christians to love one another - love the cultist - love the liberal - love the false teacher - Not so quickly - love one that is worthy - be discerning in your love.

Paul is praying toward this end - one must wonder where the Philippians love was being placed that Paul wanted them to refine their object of their love.

Should this not be the prayer of the pastor, the teacher, the parent - that their charges are finding the proper people/things to love?

The Bible is full of encouragement to love not this world, but to love the next - to love one another - to love Christ etc. These are objects/people that we as mature believers should love - not those things that tie us to the world and its system.

10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

The purpose of this redirection of love is that we might be without offence when we stand before the Lord.

Just imagine the business man that has committed his love to his business to the detriment of his wife, his children and his Savior as he stands before Christ in the final day.

What will he say, what will he feel, what will he do - maybe these are some of the tears that the Lord will wipe away. It will be a sad day for many believers.

We are to approve the good things; we are not to be an offence as we live this life.

Where does your love find its time spent? Where is your thought life when your mind has a few moments to idle onto desired things? Where is your material wealth spent? Where is your time spent?

What a valuable evaluation this would be for the believer - take some time to take stock of your life this week. Are you approving of the right and moral things of life? Are you giving offense with your life?

11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Being filled - abundantly - abundantly filled - don't spare the goodies, so to speak. We are to be filled, but the fruit is from Christ for God's glory. We produce the fruit, but it is because we open ourselves to Christ and allow Him to work His work in us. That produces the fruit.

It seems from this passage that we don't have to struggle to produce fruit to glorify God, but that we just allow it to happen. Our openness to Him is all that is needed for Him to use us for His purposes.

This may speak to the teaching that says we have an old sin nature within us that fights us at all times to keep us from doing right. It seems here that there is little struggle - we can be full of these fruits - only allowing Him to work to do it. If we were constantly struggling and only winning now and then it seems that it would be hard to be abundantly full of fruit.

APPLICATION:

1. Ray Stedman brings up a good point from the third verse. He gives emphasis to the fact that a believer will naturally love the brethren. He comments that now and then you run across someone that does not seem to want to be around Christians. "I know occasionally you meet people who because of difficulties they experience in Christian relationships want to go live their lives by themselves. They never want to come to church or have anything to do with other Christians. When I hear that I am immediately suspicious as to whether they are really Christians, because one of the first signs the scriptures tell us of new life in Christ is that we love the brethren. John says this is an unmistakable sign that we are born again, that we love the brethren, and if we choose to live apart from them something's wrong."

I tend to agree with his conclusion. There are many in our day that have removed themselves from their churches and do not attend anywhere regularly. I don't think this is what Mr. Stedman was talking about. He went to be with the Lord before the present church situation where we have many leaving the church due to their disgust with the lack of Godly preaching.

If you find someone that does not attend because they dislike believers, you probably have an example of what Mr. Stedman was speaking of. On the other hand if you run across someone that has no regular church, that is loving and compassionate to you, you probably have someone that is disgusted with the current church situation.

Many of my acquaintances have left the organized church and find they have little use for the organization probably because it is an organization rather than a body. Those few that are still attending church regularly do so with a real desire for something much better. They often are attending out of a sense of duty to the Lord.

I find myself, that most churches disgust me more than encourage or prepare me for ministry. They are so man centered and shallow, that I wonder why anyone finds value in their goings on.

Church in the book of acts was fasting, prayer, and fellowship while church in America is often entertainment, hype and shallowness of character and content.

You may also run into people that have been so wronged by people in the church that they have isolated themselves to escape further pain and hurt from other believers.

2. Stedman further points out that Paul was thankful for ALL of the folks at the church, not the congregation, not the leaders, not the nice folks, but ALL believers.

This is another serious lesson for the church of our century. All are to be in your mind, the leaders, the people, the trouble makers, and the peaceful folks. All go together to make up the local body of Christ and all are necessary to the ongoing work of that body.

If you work through the troubles, you will most likely find out that the outcome is for the good, even though it was a real pain while you were going through it. Trouble often points up problems that need to be smoothed out or problems that folks have in their lives.

3. And even further Mr. Stedman observes from Paul's comments "And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." that Paul was able to overlook the now and again problems with people to that day when he knows they will be perfected in the Lord's image as the Lord would have them to be.

Pastor, when you see that pain in the neck coming down the hall, don't duck into the nursery to avoid them, look them square in the eye and remember God isn't done with them yet, and try to see what they might be rather than what they seem to be. God will perfect them in the manner that He wants for His purpose and pleasure.

Congregant, when the pastor is rubbing you the wrong way, remember that God is working on the pastor - and maybe you as well - and think of what will one day be in the pastor's life. You can overlook some defects now for the better person tomorrow.

Now if you have someone that is in their sixties or seventies and they are still rubbing you the wrong way, you might wonder if the Lord is able to be in the molding process with this person. After many years of walking with the Lord, there should be some change for the good in anyone's life.

4. Verse nine mentions "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and [in] all judgment;"

Note their love is to increase or abound. The idea is to have and to have more until there is an over abundance, but this desire is qualified. Their love should abound in "knowledge and in all judgment."

The knowledge mentioned is a complete and detailed knowledge, while the judgment is a proper perception of things both by the observations of our external body, but by our intellect as well.

Now, when someone tells you the Bible tells us to love EVERYONE, remind them that it is to be done in knowledge and judgment. Love is to extend from a very clear knowledge and moral judgment.

Many there are in the church today that love everyone equally, but without this moral knowledge and judgment. They are loving liberals, heretics and non believers as they are to love a moral upright believer. Not good to say the least.

When you extend your Christian love, you are to do so with some good judgment. A man came to our door wanting twenty dollars for gas to get to work. He promised to pay me back the next day. I am not sure that I used good moral judgment when I handed him a twenty. Sure and begora, the next day came and went without a return on my investment. Yep, I loved him but not with that knowledge and judgment that Paul was speaking about.

5. Love abounding might have its outworking in what you DO for others. When you know someone is in trouble or could use a hand, be sure your love abounds to include assisting them in what ever they have need.

Years ago we moved to a new town. We had visited a church there a number of times, but were not regular. We had loaded a U-Haul truck with some assistance from a couple of friends that had dropped by, but when it came to unloading in the new location we were on our own. I was about half way through unloading when I began to have blood/sugar problems, which I did not know about. I was becoming terribly tired and knew I could not continue though knowing that we had to turn the truck in first thing in the morning.

Finally in desperation I asked the wife to call the church and ask if there was someone that could give us a hand for a few minutes. The woman on the other end told my wife that they were having a banquet and that there was no one to help, but we might call the hospitality committee chairman and ask him.

After some time two very kind young men showed up and we were done in only a few minutes. What a God send for us and it only took a few minutes with the extra hands. These two young men had abounding love to one in need. These men come to mind often when I think of love for the brethren.

Let your actions be your Christian testimony before your fellow believers but taking action when there is a need.

6. Verse two mentions "Grace [be] unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and [from] the Lord Jesus Christ." What peace might we have without God? None is the true answer though many lost in America might suggest otherwise. The affluence of our country has allowed many to feel quite self sufficient and without need of anything outside of themselves. Ian Thomas taught about the Christ that the Bible sets forth as our need and our Savior. "He had to be what He was to do what He did, and He had to do what He did in order that we might have what He is." (Quoted in a sermon by Ray Stedman.)

We are as we are only because of God's plan and Christ's submission to it.

7. Paul hadn't been with the folks at Philippi for several years, yet they were still on his prayer list. He had been speaking to God about these folks for years. That had to be an encouragement for them to understand.

I would encourage you to find a few people that you will commit to pray for daily. Even if you have no idea what they are doing day to day, just keep them before the Lord. He knows their needs even if you don't.

If you can get on their prayer letter list and find out what they are doing and what they have need of, all the better.

8. In verse six Paul tells them that God has begun a work in them and that He will accomplish that work. How does that relate to the down times of ministry, when nothing is going well, when you cannot get any thing going that is positive and when you feel like giving up?

It relates directly. HE began the work - or if He didn't He should have! If HE began the work then it is not up to you to feel good about how that work is going. He is the one that is responsible for the outcome, not you.

More than one church planter has become discouraged and wondered what he was doing wrong. Nothing, if they are praying regularly for the Lord's leading. Christ said HE would build HIS church, so if you are starting a church HE is building it NOT YOU. So relax and enjoy the ride that HE has provided for you. All is on HIS shoulders, not yours.

We often stumble at what we are not able to do when we ought to be kneeling and asking for assistance with what we are not able to do - that is what God is for! He is the only builder, we are only the assistants.

9. Verse ten mentions "That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

All the verbs are in the present tense. These are qualities that the believers were to have from that point forward till the Lord's coming. ALL THEIR LIVES would be the implication.

I recently received an email forwarded from someone else that had forwarded to someone else that had for..... you know what I mean. The note was completely inappropriate for a Christian to read completely through, much less pass on to another believer yet it had been forwarded by two other Christians prior that I knew of. "Approve things that are excellent" demands nothing less. Nothing base, nothing shady, nothing crude, nothing inappropriate fits into "things that are excellent."

I would challenge each reader to stop and consider the television that they watch. Can you honestly say that all of it fits into "things that are excellent?" This is the standard for life, not when nobody is looking. A life of excellent things is the standard not met by most Christians today.

Where do we get off watching trash on the tube and going to church and affirming the book of Philippians? How can we kneel before the Father with a straight face and ask forgiveness for transgressions week after week, when we know we are an affront to His holiness when we sit in front of the tube watching and hearing the trash of this world?

A recent Evangelical big wig was recently exposed for his sexual perversions. He was married with children and admitted to sexual inappropriateness and being a liar. This was the pastor of a large church, and head of a large evangelical group.

Where was he when he read through Philippians? Where was He when the Spirit of God revealed that his life was to be in sync with "That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ?" How did he rationalize his sin away when he read verses like this? How did his mind work when he was giving invitations and admonitions in his church asking people to give up their sins when he knew full well he was going to hang on tight to his own?

How does a lost person hear of these sorts of things on the media and decide that he wants to become a Christian? How do believers that have been under this man's ministry react to such revelations?

And, don't be too hard on this one preacher, because there are many others that have been revealed for what they are and many others that have not been shown for their sinfulness.

The church members must decide as individuals to be honest in their Christian living, and churches as bodies need to hold their leaders to a very high standard.

The great sin that is revealed from time to time is glossed over most of the time, by the man having a tearful repentance and reinstatement immediately. This is sin in and of itself. The repentance does not wash away the addictions that are the cause of the sin. These men need to be sidetracked for many months if not years, until they can prove themselves to be free of their sin and reliable for ministry.

It was a great encouragement to me that the man described above was set aside by his church immediately. There is no place in ministry for a man that is fighting such sin in his life. Men that are found in sin need assistance and time to deal with their incorrect life.

If you are a church leader, open your own eyes to the sin in your secret life. Don't allow these sins to continue further. Ultimately they will be found out and your family will suffer along with you, as will the body of Christ. This goes equally well for church goers - all of us as believers are called to the same standard as the leadership and we all need to set aside that secret sin that we allow ourselves to enjoy.

I'd like to close with a quote from Mr. Stedman that sums up the Christian life.

"Furthermore, we will be sincere and blameless. This word "sincere" is most interesting. In the Latin it means "without wax" and in the Greek it means "sun tested". Both of these come from the same experience. In the ancient world oftentimes they made little images or pottery which would develop cracks. In order to pass these off as perfect, some of the merchants would fill the cracks with wax so the crack was not observable. There was a way of find out. They put the item out in the hot sun for awhile. If there was wax, the sun would melt it and the crack would become visible, so it was "sun tested". Paul is saying that the Christian life ought to be one without hypocrisy, without wax, so constantly exposed to the light that is in Jesus Christ that it is continually Son tested, This is where the Christian lives, in the light of the glory that streams from the face of the Father in heaven. If in our lives before Him we hide nothing we are then sincere, blameless, and as a result we are filled with the fruits of righteousness."