“So Stand Fast” (1)
“Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown,
so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.” (Phil 4:1)
In my last post I looked at Paul’s exhortation in 2 Thes 2:15: “Stand firm, Hold fast” !
In the midst of widespread apostasy today, where many who once professed to be Christians have denied the faith, we are commanded to “stand firm”, or “stand fast”.
What does it mean to “stand firm”?
The picture the world has of a Christian “standing firm” is more than likely that of a stubborn, irascible individual who’s always shouting others down.
That’s O.K. – we expect that. Jesus warned: “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
If we are true to Christ, we will always be different from the world around us. And the world doesn’t like that. Despite all its rhetoric about “diversity”, it doesn’t like it when people are different.
“They think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.” (1 Pet 4:4)
We are not to be ashamed that we are thought strange. Peter says: “If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” (1 Pet 4:16)
But Peter also cautions: “Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.” (v 15)
The gospel carries its own offence. (1 Cor 1:18-25). Only let the offence be only because of the gospel, not because we are unnecessarily strange or personally offensive.
We want to “stand fast”. But we want to do so in a way that is according to the Bible; not because of any obnoxious human streak in us.
Unfortunately we are all prone to bias when assessing ourselves.
It was Bertrand Russell who came up with his own version of “irregular verbs” – such as:
– I am firm,
– You are obstinate,
– He is a pigheaded fool.
If we are going to “stand firm”, let’s make sure it is a Biblical “standing firm”, not just being obstinate, or (worse) a pigheaded fool.
In Philippians chs 3&4 Paul tells us what “standing fast” should look like:
“So stand fast…” That little word “so” there, means literally: “in this way.”
You want to “stand fast in the Lord”? “Well, this is what it looks like,” says Paul.
The Importance of Standing Fast
In 2 Thes ch 2, the urgency to stand fast arises because of widespread apostasy: many who once professed to be Christians have denied the faith.
But the warnings that Paul gives in Philippians 3 are not because some have openly repudiated the faith.
Rather, it seems to be because there were some who, while still maintaining a Christian profession, were teaching error – and were therefore in danger of leading astray Christians (especially those who are young in the faith) who looked up to them.
These are far more dangerous than those that apostatise and openly repudiate the faith.
Legalists
The first group of false teachers that Paul warns against are legalists.
“Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!” (3:2)
(All references are from Philippians unless stated otherwise)
These were the Judaisers.
These were Jews who had converted to Christianity, and were teaching in the churches. But they never really got what it meant to be saved by grace: grace alone, Christ alone.
Instead they insisted that, in addition to the work of Christ, you could help save yourself by keeping the law of Moses.
In contrast, Paul says: “We are the circumcision [i.e. the true Christians], who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” (3:3)
We have no confidence in our own works to save us.
“Beware! Beware! Beware!”
Legalism is not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
You really need to beware if you are going to “stand fast”.
Antinomians
The second lot of false teachers that can lead us astray are antinomians.
These are those “whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.” (3:19)
Again, it would seem, these were active in the church: notice how Paul, in exhorting believers to “join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern” follows up with a warning against “many [who] walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.” (3:18)
There was a very real danger that some Christians could be led astray following the wrong example.
Antinomians are the opposite of legalists. Far from insisting that we can help save ourselves by keeping the law of God they say: “Forget the law of God. We are already saved, saved by grace. So, we can live however we like. We don’t have to listen to God in His law any more.”
The god they really worship is their own “belly” – i.e. they are slaves to their appetites: “It feels so right it can’t be wrong. If it feels good, do it.”
“Beware, beware, beware”
Stand Firm
How are we to “stand firm” against the error of legalism on the one hand, and the error of antinomianism on the other?
Rejoice!
The first, and most important, way to “stand fast” is to “rejoice in the Lord.”
In warning us, first against legalism, and then against antinomianism, Paul’s first exhortation to us is to “rejoice in the Lord.”
It is so important that Paul tells us four times to “rejoice in the Lord – see 3:1a, 3:3a (where the word “rejoice” means to “boast”), 4:4a, and again, 4:4b.
In fact, Philippians is full of joy, rejoicing.
Sixteen times, in just four chapters, Paul refers to his, or others’, “joy” or “rejoicing”.
Sometimes it seems obvious why he is joyful – eg. when he thinks of those in the church there as his “joy and crown” (4:1); and when he remembers them and prays for them with joy (1:3-4).
Also, they would “fulfil [his] joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” (2:2)
And Paul would “rejoice” if only they would “hold fast the word of life” – because then he would know he had not “run in vain or laboured in vain.” (2:16)
Rejoice??
But, at other times his rejoicing seems almost bizarre.
When Paul wrote these things he was in prison, and had been for nearly five years: falsely accused, without a fair trial, still waiting to appear before Caesar.
It is now 25 years or more since Jesus appeared to him and commissioned him as THE missionary to the Gentiles. But his three missionary journeys have occupied just ten of those 25 years.
Twenty five years beset with unimaginable toil and hardship. (2 Cor 11:23-28)
Or consider his response to the Christian preachers who were gloating that he is in gaol. These were not legalists or antinomians. These were Christians, preaching the true gospel – but for all the wrong reasons: they were jealous of Paul, they were just trying to promote themselves.
“What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.” (1:8)
Or think of how, facing imminent execution, he rejoices for what death will bring. (1:23, 2:17-18)
Rejoice:
– wrongly accused?
– beaten and in prison?
– left to languish, year after year, in chains?
– prominent Christian preachers despising him?
– facing a very painful execution?
Rejoice?
How can you rejoice?
Feelings
One thing that comes through clearly here is that the Christian’s joy does not depend upon feelings or circumstances.
I am not saying we are not affected by circumstances. We are not unfeeling.
Of course we feel things:
– When a loved one dies we feel sad.
– When false teachers flourish and could lead others astray, we feel angry.
– When a son or daughter comes to faith in Christ, we feel happy.
Feelings are real; we don’t deny what we feel.
But feelings are not to control us.
That was the error of the antinomians: “If it feels good, do it” – that’s what controlled their lives.
Feelings are real. Don’t deny that they are real.
But they aren’t to control the course of your life.
And: Feelings do not control the Christian’s joy!
Even when a Christian is filled with sadness – even then, the Christian can rejoice!
Because: he rejoices “in the Lord”!
That is how Habakkuk concludes his prophecy.
Facing terrible devastation – heartbreaking devastation, that would come later on and tear apart the heart of Jeremiah as he would lament and weep over Jerusalem.
But instead, Habakkuk cries: “Yet I will joy in the God of my salvation.”
Why? How?
Because: “The Lord God is my strength.” (Hab 3:18-19)
What does rejoicing in the Lord look like?
“Rejoice in the Lord always.
“Again I will say, rejoice!”
1. Rejoicing in the Lord begins with not rejoicing in our righteousness
“Believe in yourself,” some would say. “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
But nothing could be further from the truth for the apostle Paul.
We have no confidence in our own ability.
We “rejoice in Christ Jesus” because we “have no confidence in the flesh.” (3:3)
You can’t have one without the other.
See also: 3:8-9
2. We rejoice in the Lord because we know Christ
You cannot have joy in someone you do not know; you can only have joy in someone you know, know personally.
That was what Paul found when he gave up trying to pull himself up by his own bootstraps:
“I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord… to be found in Him, not having my own righteousness… but the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him”! (3:8-10)
3. We rejoice in the Lord because, by Him, we know the Father
Our joy is not simply in knowing Christ.
Our joy is in knowing the Father, through knowing Christ.
When we say “Christ alone” we don’t mean we know only Christ.
We mean it is by “Christ alone” we are brought to know God.
Salvation is not to know Christ alone. It is to know Christ, AND God the Father.
“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)
“These are the true Christians,” says Paul: “who worship GOD, in the SPIRIT, and, rejoice in CHRIST JESUS.”
We rejoice in Christ Jesus because, by Christ Jesus, we are brought to know God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
4. We rejoice in the Lord because by Him our sins are forgiven
If you could have anything you wanted in the world…
- Anything at all: health, wealth, live wherever you want, the best possible job, marriage to the perfect wife/husband, the most wonderful children, travel wherever you want whenever you want – anything at all that would give you joy…
- Or: a clear conscience and sins forgiven…
Which would you choose?
I know which one I would choose.
Maybe I wouldn’t have when I was young and foolish.
But I know which one I would choose now.
We rejoice in the Lord, because in the Lord our sins are forgiven. (3:8-9)
5. We rejoice in the Lord because the Lord is at hand
The Lord is “at hand” (4:5); He is nearby.
He has promised, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Before He left this earth, Jesus promised: “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
He fulfilled that promise by sending the Holy Spirit.
He has promised He will never leave you nor forsake you.
We “rejoice in the Lord.”
6. We rejoice in the Lord because the Lord is coming again soon
The Lord is “at hand” could also mean He is coming again soon.
“Soon? It has already been 2,000 years. That was hardly ‘at hand’, for those living 2,000 years ago when this was first written. What if it is another 2,000 years? Or more?”
But, for any of us, it is not long till we see the Lord come.
I don’t expect I will live all that much longer. Even if I live another 20 years, that is not all that long.
Perhaps Christ will come within that 20 years. Perhaps not.
But, if not, I will be immediately ushered into an eternity where time stands still.
I don’t expect, in that eternity where time stands still, it will be long before Christ returns.
And, once you are ushered into that eternity – and you will – it won’t be long for you either before Christ returns.
7. We rejoice in the Lord because we belong to the eternity where He dwells
Paul reminds us that “our citizenship is in heaven.” (3:20)
If you are in Christ you already belong to that eternity.
This is not our home. We are “strangers and pilgrims” upon the earth.
We belong to a different world – a world where, even now, Christ sits at the right hand of the Father on high.
To “rejoice in Christ” is to be reminded that we belong to another realm, a realm where Christ even now reigns. We belong to that eternity.
8. We rejoice in the Lord because we eagerly wait for the Lord to return
If we truly rejoice in Christ Jesus, we will be eagerly waiting for Him to return. (3:20)
We will be looking out for Him!
What will that mean for us?
“He will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” (3:21)
When Christ first came to this earth it says “He made Himself lowly.” (2:8) “He conformed to a bondservant” by being “transformed into a man.” (2:7)
But now He is glorified.
When He comes again, He will see that our “lowly” bodies are “transformed” by being “conformed to His glorious body.”
9. We rejoice in the Lord because we look forward to seeing Christ face to face
What a glorious cause for rejoicing that will be when He comes again.
Fanny Crosby was not born blind. She was blinded by the bungling of an incompetent doctor when she was only six weeks old.
Yet she never resented that doctor.
Instead, looking back on her life, she wrote: “If I had a choice, I would still choose to remain blind… For when I die, the first face I will ever see will be the face of my blessed Saviour.”
Some day the silver cord will break,
And I no more as now shall sing;
But, O the joy when I shall wake
Within the presence of the King!
And I shall see Him face to face,
And tell the story, saved by grace
10. We rejoice in the Lord because we will see God face to face
The Bible says, in glory we will see the face of God. (Rev 22:4)
That will be our ultimate glory.
Even more amazing, just as Jesus stooped to wash the disciples’ feet, God Himself shall stoop to “wipe away every tear from our eyes.”
And “there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Rev 21:4)
What glory!
How? Why?
Through no merit of our own. But solely because of the redeeming work of the Lord Jesus Christ for us upon the cross.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”
“So stand fast in the Lord, beloved.”
The audio of this post can be found here