WinstonY

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? To know Jesus is not a knowledge of something. It is rather knowing of some one, a person. To know their modes, what they want, to understand what they want, to listen when they talk and to respond to these wants and needs. Like a hand and a glove. A husband and wife for that is the imagery often portrayed in the book of Revelation. to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? No but to know some one well, to be a friend or spouse than you must have faith and believe in that person. It is the same with Jesus. Where are you on your quest to know Christ? Wonderful.

Q3. (3:9) How does righteousness obtained through faith differ from righteousness obtained through law observance? How seriously does righteousness by law observance infect your congregation? Society's view of Christianity in general? Why is this concept of justification or righteousness by faith so difficult to grasp? ​There is no righteousness that can be obtained by law observation. Human beings are such that they unable to achieve a state of righteousness by their own endeavors. Paul wrote "For all have sinned and come short of God's glory" (Romans 3:23) As Christians we believe that righteousness can only be obtained as it is granted by the grace of God in Jesus Christ. God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believed in that son would have eternal life and in receiving eternal life we are clothed in a cloak of righteousness that hides all our blotches and spots. The cloak wipes away our sin as water washes away dirt. Our baptism in effect washes our sin away through Jesus and covers us in a mantle of light. Thus, we Christ standing beside as the perpetuation of our sins we can stand before God the father as if we were righteous. well that is hard to determine. By church doctrine and law we all believe in Christ being the perpetuation of our sins. There are no doubt, however, that some feel their works will do. Because it is to good to be true.

Q2. (3:2-6) Why isn't Paul merely neutral about his religious pedigree? Why does he consider it loss, dung, an obstacle? In what way could your religious background be an impediment to your faith? There are probably at least three reasons why Paul is not neutral about his pedigree. 1) Paul is never neutral, he is either for or against. Take the case of putting self ahead of Christ, Paul would never tolerate this in his help. John mark was sacked from Paul's side because he had put his own interests first and quit the missionary journey. Paul was very upset and angry. Paul could not be neutral. Paul wishes to die for Christ as this would be gain. 2) and his heritage as a pharisee is seen as nothing as it to was not work for Christ. Paul is now in contempt of the pharisee position that one can merit heaven's doors by their good deeds and their works when it is, as Paul knows, only by the grace of God and belief in Jesus Christ. 3) Also, if Paul does not attack his background and clearly show his contempt than others will attack him through his pedigree. Paul most clearly distance himself from his old life in order to have success in his new vocation. A religious background can carry baggage that makes it hard to accept Jesus as Lord.

question 6.1 How does "confidence in the flesh" show up in your congregation? Have you ever struggled with it? "confidence in the flesh" as used by Paul in 3:2-6 applies to those who put great stock in their own accomplishments, the things they do, their cleverness, their social life.. They are the one who say 'pull yourself up by the bootstraps' or 'to succeed all you need is hard work'. Those with no confidence in the flesh are those who put their confidence in the Lord to help them in times of trial. These latter would agree with Paul " whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ." Nothing of our own doing improves our standing with God who loves us with the love of the Father for the prodigal son. Parents love their children very much and it is with this same love that God, the Father loves us. It is a matter of humility and Our church has a problem with humility- a problem of expecting more from others than from ourselves. a tendency to think that we are better than the rest, a little better in the eyes of God than the rest. Yes having the correct degree of of humility is hard for me. winstony

5Q4. From what you've read in Philippians so far, what seems to be the Philippian church's chief problem? How does Paul's description of Timothy's character speak to this problem? How does Paul's call to honor men like Epaphroditus speak to this problem? Opposition and disunity seem to be a problem with the Philippian church. In Acts 16 Paul and Silas are heckled by a slave girl- her owners made a tidy profit from her future telling. When Paul drove out the evil spirits the owners became angry, they lost their profit they had Paul and Silas arrested under the charge that they proclaimed 'Jesus is Lord' rather than Caesar. It seemed that the Judaizers were forever coming to Paul's founded churches to try to entice the gentile Christians to become circumcised and follow the Jewish laws in general. This seems to indicate a split between Paul and those who were Judaizers. Within the church itself there seems to be a problem with humility for Paul speaks to the church of humility. He tells the people " In humility count others more significant than yourself.(2.3") He also tells them to stop grumbling and complaining about their work in Christ but to "...shine like stars in a bright sky."(15) Paul praises Timothy and Epaphroditus for their humility and selfless work to help out the cause of Jesus and in their aid to Paul as he is in prison. even though, at this moment there are no great mountains to climb with Paul they still give him selfless aid. This descripton of the two workers in Christ would be for Paul an example of putting Jesus way before self.

Q3. (2:22) What is the significance of serving Jesus as a "slave" as opposed to serving him as a preference? What does it say about the quality of our service? Of our commitment? What is wrong with leaders who serve out of preference? The concept of slave is somewhat different today for many people than what it was in the first century. The Greek used by Paul in verse 22 is douleuo which means to act or conduct oneself as one in total service to another. (notes) The slave had no life, time or space of their own. Their life was their master's, literally. The slave could be beaten, molested or murdered without any legal consequences to the master. Thus Paul sees that he and Timothy who are both slaves to Jesus Messiah are than in humble service to their master-Jesus. To Paul, and no doubt to Timothy, it was an honor and a privilege to thus serve the Lord. Our own age is different, people today wish to do their own thing regardless of the pain and suffering it can cause. We drink our cheap coffee and the coffee farmer works in poverty. We want to serve God in a preference mode rather than in a slave mode because than we feel that we can do as we want. Self is more important than Christ. Jesus says when we put our hand to the plow we must not look back as did Lot's wife. we must continue forward. Quality service is only given by a worker who is totally committed to the business. To give quality service to Christ we must be totally committed to Him. Servants come and go but a slave is there for the duration. Workers who only serve from preference need not be totally committed and thus do not always give their all. And Jesus demands our all.

Q3. (2:22) What is the significance of serving Jesus as a "slave" as opposed to serving him as a preference? What does it say about the quality of our service? Of our commitment? What is wrong with leaders who serve out of preference? The concept of slave is somewhat different today for many people than what it was in the first century. The Greek used by Paul in verse 22 is douleuo which means to act or conduct oneself as one in total service to another. (notes) The slave had no life, time or space of their own. Their life was their master's, literally. The slave could be beaten, molested or murdered without any legal consequences to the master. Thus Paul sees that he and Timothy who are both slaves to Jesus Messiah are than in humble service to their master-Jesus. To Paul, and no doubt to Timothy, it was an honor and a privilege to thus serve the Lord. Our own age is different, people today wish to do their own thing regardless of the pain and suffering it can cause. We drink our cheap coffee and the coffee farmer works in poverty. We want to serve God in a preference mode rather than in a slave mode because than we feel that we can do as we want. Self is more important than Christ.

Q3. (2:22) What is the significance of serving Jesus as a "slave" as opposed to serving him as a preference? What does it say about the quality of our service? Of our commitment? What is wrong with leaders who serve out of preference? The concept of slave is somewhat different today for many people than what it was in the first century. The Greek used by Paul in verse 22 is douleuo which means to act or conduct oneself as one in total service to another. (notes) The slave had no life, time or space of their own. Their life was their master's, literally. The slave could be beaten, molested or murdered without any legal consequences to the master. Thus Paul sees that he and Timothy who are both slaves to Jesus Messiah are than in humble service to their master-Jesus. To Paul, and no doubt to Timothy, it was an honor and a privilege to thus serve the Lord. Our own age is different, people today wish to do their own thing regardless of the pain and suffering it can cause. We drink our cheap coffee and the coffee farmer works in poverty. We want to serve God in a preference mode rather than in a slave mode because than we feel that we can do as we want. Self is more important than Christ.

Q3. (2:22) What is the significance of serving Jesus as a "slave" as opposed to serving him as a preference? What does it say about the quality of our service? Of our commitment? What is wrong with leaders who serve out of preference? The concept of slave is somewhat different today for many people than what it was in the first century. The Greek used by Paul in verse 22 is douleuo which means to act or conduct oneself as one in total service to another. (notes) The slave had no life, time or space of their own. Their life was their master's, literally. The slave could be beaten, molested or murdered without any legal consequences to the master. Thus Paul sees that he and Timothy who are both slaves to Jesus Messiah are than in humble service to their master-Jesus. To Paul, and no doubt to Timothy, it was an honor and a privilege to thus serve the Lord. Our own age is different, people today wish to do their own thing regardless of the pain and suffering it can cause. We drink our cheap coffee and the coffee farmer works in poverty. We want to serve God in a preference mode rather than in a slave mode because than we feel that we can do as we want. Self is more important than Christ.

Q3. (2:22) What is the significance of serving Jesus as a "slave" as opposed to serving him as a preference? What does it say about the quality of our service? Of our commitment? What is wrong with leaders who serve out of preference? The concept of slave is somewhat different today for many people than what it was in the first century. The Greek used by Paul in verse 22 is douleuo which means to act or conduct oneself as one in total service to another. (notes) The slave had no life, time or space of their own. Their life was their master's, literally. The slave could be beaten, molested or murdered without any legal consequences to the master. Thus Paul sees that he and Timothy who are both slaves to Jesus Messiah are than in humble service to their master-Jesus. To Paul, and no doubt to Timothy, it was an honor and a privilege to thus serve the Lord. Our own age is different, people today wish to do their own thing regardless of the pain and suffering it can cause. We drink our cheap coffee and the coffee farmer works in poverty. We want to serve God in a preference mode rather than in a slave mode because than we feel that we can do as we want. Self is more important than Christ.

Q3. (2:22) What is the significance of serving Jesus as a "slave" as opposed to serving him as a preference? What does it say about the quality of our service? Of our commitment? What is wrong with leaders who serve out of preference? The concept of slave is somewhat different today for many people than what it was in the first century. The Greek used by Paul in verse 22 is douleuo which means to act or conduct oneself as one in total service to another. (notes) The slave had no life, time or space of their own. Their life was their master's, literally. The slave could be beaten, molested or murdered without any legal consequences to the master. Thus Paul sees that he and Timothy who are both slaves to Jesus Messiah are than in humble service to their master-Jesus. To Paul, and no doubt to Timothy, it was an honor and a privilege to thus serve the Lord. Our own age is different, people today wish to do their own thing regardless of the pain and suffering it can cause. We drink our cheap coffee and the coffee farmer works in poverty. We want to serve God in a preference mode rather than in a slave mode because than we feel that we can do as we want. Self is more important than Christ.

Q1. (2:19-21) Why was Timothy's selfless concern so rare among church leaders? Rather than pointing the finger at others in your church, consider yourself. What things has Jesus had to deal with in your life that has helped you to become genuinely selfless and focused on the concerns of others? How has he refined you? Timothy's selfless concern is rare, so rare in fact that Paul writes "For everyone looks after his own interests instead of that of Christ ."Paul had a lot of experience with people and had broken away from Barnabas because of John Mark who had deserted them in Pomphylia. (Acts 15.37) Paul was not pleased with mark's desertion as he no doubt felt that Mark was putting his interests ahead of Jesus Christ. The notes suggest that there is deep within us a neediness to be loved and accepted . This is accompanied by a desire for power and control. As Shakespeare writes "The evil that man do lives after them the good is oft interred with there bones." (Act 3.2) Most of us are not mature enough in our walk with Jesus to allow him to work thoroughly and completely in us in a way that transforms us completely into a Jesus walk. Over the centuries those who have followed in the footsteps of Timothy have been called saints, holy ones set apart for dedication to the work of Christ My life has been hampered by a need for achievement- a desire for recognition and a lack of humility. This has been a thorn in my flesh. Timothy's humility and selfness is so rare because most people put themselves ahead of Christ. In so doing the become selfish and indulgent, complaining of everything. Paul describes Timothy as a model of humility, a standard that most people are unable to attain.

Q2. (2:22) Who has come alongside you to teach you? What potential leader in your church needs someone to come alongside them? Do you have a person or two that you are mentoring "as a son with a father" or "a daughter with a mother"? There have been many. My brother stands out. As well as several of the professors at AST in Halifax , Nova Scotia, Canada. Again there are several, a college girl who I hope will become a leader in the church, and several young men. Yes

Question 4.4 Our suffering, here in North America, is nothing in compared to that of Christ or even Paul and the other martyrs. Paul sees that suffering for the faith will bring he himself closer to Christ. He writes, “All I want to know is to know Christ and the power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer and die as he did, so that somehow I also may be raised from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10-11) For Paul to live or die, there is no difference and if he is poured out in liberation on the sacrifice and service of the Philippian’s faith. Paul still wants to rejoice. Our sufferings in North America are generally not for Christ’s purpose. Maybe they should be but that is not the case. Our sufferings are more of a physical nature like Paul’s thorn on our side to torment us. If we continue to work for God with this thorn, this working in pain may make people know our love and devotion for God, be impressed and make iniquities about our faith and this honor God. Honoring God in this way, however, is dated because we are not in a society that stresses honor as did that of Paul’s. My struggles are only valuable as they bring glory to the Lord.

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Q3. (2:16) In what sense are we Christians to "hold fast" the Word of Life? In what sense are we to "hold forth" this Word of Life? How does this relate to the purpose of the church? The ESV study Bible suggests that holding fast to the word of life implies to functions, believing God's word and also following. This follows closely the message of Paul of both hearing the word and doing the work of God. It also follows Jesus commandment "“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself" This is the word of life as Jesus placed it in a nutshell. This is the purpose of the church.

Question 4.2 God is working to produce in our churches and in us purpose and resolve to accomplish and to carry out God’s pleasure for the church. (Notes) In order for the church to work together in love between the members and for the church to work co-operatively as a collective with God ; this can only happen through love. The church must act humbly in this endeavor and with fear and trembling work out their salvation as God works with us toward the same end. In order to thus bring out God’s pleasure for our church we must do everything without complaint and arguing. These two have a negative connotation to them - if we do not complain and argue in the church, we, as a church can become blameless and innocent children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation. But “it is in humility that the journey toward their salvation” (Barth , Epistle to the Philippians, 77) must proceed. It is in a struggle with ourselves in being humble which allows us to proceed toward salvation. If the church lives in this humility then the world must see and realize the difference between the church and the world around about which is filled with its own self glorification. The Christians in the church by their own lack of self glorification and instead of living by grace in fear and trembling and doing everything without complaint and arguing that the church can represent God midst the world’s crookedness and depredation. (Barth, 77) As Christians work through the process of humility and to present to the world the word of life in fear and trembling. Thus they become sanctified by God and then they (we) will exist to the glory of God against the day of Christ. In this way we shine as in the little hymn “Jesus bids us shine with a pure clear light ....Jesus bids us shine first of all for him....Jesus bids us shine then for all around ... you in your small corner and I in mine. Sometimes we are given ‘a thorn in our side to torment us’ (2 Corinthians 12.7). We pray about these thorns but our answer is often ‘ my grace is sufficient for you . For my power is in your weakness.”(8) Our church has a thorn at present. I think that we as a group need to become more humble and accept the thorn with fear and trembling as did the Philippians and allow God’s grace to be our power and strength and we must see His power as sufficient for our purpose and our cause as we walk through the deep waters. WinstonY

In this passage, what does it mean to "work out your own salvation"? Is this referring to salvation from sin? If not, what kind of salvation is it referring to? To "continue to work out your own salvation in fear and trembling". This phrase comes within a paragraph where Paul is praising the Philippians and this passage must be interpreted in light of this praise. The fear and trembling here is seen in a positive direction. John Chrys0stom writes " For without fear no one can accomplish anything noble or remarkable." (John Chrysostom, [Epistle to the Philippians] in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture,257]. It is as Karl Barth suggests a matter of a continuation upon the theme of humility. As we work out our salvation we must do so with humility with the thought of other in ones mind. we cannot not be getting in one another's way with vain ideas of our own knowledge, of our own point of view. We must work on our salvation with full reliance upon God. God offers it freely but we must work diligently and humbly to accept that salvation and we must do it with fear and trembling. {Karl Barth [Epistle to the Philippians, 73]} It does not mean exclusively salvation from sin. Salvation can mean adoption, faith, perseverance, prevenient grace, reconciliation , redemption, new birth, repentance and sanctification. I suspect that here Paul is talking about a firm relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Q4. (2:9-11) We know we're supposed to humble ourselves like Jesus did. But how can we know whether or not God will exalt us? Why do we get impatient with this? What does our impatience sometimes lead to? When we humble ourselves, we lose self in others, when we lose self in Jesus then God has promised to exalt us - but we are exalted by being in the very presence of God. We are exalted by the cloak of righteousness that Jesus places over us to make us righteous and acceptable before God. To be exalted is not ours to give, we cannot claim it – it is a grace of God. We cannot understand what will happen, we can only trust. Karl Barth writes, “God’s time and space are free from the limitations in which time and space are thinkable for us”. (Karl Barth, Dogmatics in Outline, SCM, UK 1966, 57) So God’s actions are unfathomable to us so we can only trust and believe that “the purpose for which God made the world was good”. (Karl Barth, 1966, 58) We need not get impatient with this process for it is a promise of God and God fulfills his promises. Our impatience leads us in to predicting the coming again of Christ even though we are promised that it will come like a thief in the night. But we must remember that we are not in this world to be exalted but to be humble and sometimes to suffer for saying “Jesus is Lord”.

Jesus was a real human being - to believe otherwise or to claim otherwise is to disagree with the Nicene Creed and be liable to be named a heretic and possibly be excommunicated by the church. Jesus is truly God and truly human. Jesus and God are, according to the Council of Nices, homoosiouis of the same substance. They used this word because they wanted to be ultimately clear that Jesus was God. But Jesus was also man. Karl Barth wrote “A name stands forth, a man stands before us in God’s place. Here the almighty appears not almighty at all.” (Dogmatics in Outline, 1966, 68) This Jesus as a representative of people stands before us in God’s presence and represents us and justifies us before God. This man Jesus, fully human, suffered for us all, died and was resurrected. “This is a historical event” writes Barth. An event that marks a breaking in upon history dividing history between BC and AD - the before and after. The period when God descended to earth in the form of a person, a real person who was born , lived and died on earth - a real person. These verses teach that Jesus was both human and divine! If Jesus had not been truly human than he could not have taken on the burden of the world and died for mankind.

Jesus not clinging to his equality with God implies that he willing ly took upon himself the role of the suffering servant as it was portrayed in Isaiah 53, the one who was despise d and rejected, a man of suffering and the one w ho bore our iniquity and because of these iniquities was oppressed and afflicted by a perversion of justice was led away to suffer for the sin of the people. Jesus the homoousious of God willingly left his position on the right hand of God and becamethe stand in for the sins of the people. This righteous one was laid to rest with the wicked though he had done no violence. Remarkablly , inconcievebly thi suffering servant is God- God's homoousious God -self. Jesus being the same nature as God implies that Jesus is preexisting with God and that Jesus had a hand in the divine plan for human salvation. The passage in the form of God is contrasted in verse 7 with formof a servant . Col 1.5 suggests that Jesus is the visibility of gods divine glory. Winston y

Humility is the most important part of church union as we cannot be working together if one side thinks that they are better than the rest. It gets in the way. The humility of which Paul is speakimg is not a negative humility of self deprecation . It is instead a positive christian humility that has its focus on God the lord Jesus. We must be able to say with love, awe and humility Jesus is Lord! With this humility we are not to consider ourseves better tjan others but remember " there is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free nor male or female, for all are one in christ. " if we remember this we must be humble. Self is not part of humility, self is to be put in back, at the end of the table. It is " get behond me Satan. " . As humble christians we are to notice others and their needs. We are not to ignore these bit to help them as a loving neighbour. Paul writes "each of you should look after not only your own interests but also the interest of others. " paul puts rhese two on equal footlng. Each ic important but it seems easier to remember self than others, Division s are often caused by lack of humility. Revently a group in our church agressively began to push for what they desired while othets pushef for what they wanted. The result chaos. I try to show love and humility. Winston y

2-4 Paul seems to give 2 options in 2 corinthians 5.6-8. One is to be alive and in the human body or to be at home with the Lord. This also seems to be the thread of 1. 23 to 25. To be at home is comfortable it is nice. It is what most want. It is a conclusion then that we, bas Christians are to pass from the earthly body we now pocess to being home with Jesus. Also in acts 7:56 we see Jesus standing at the right hand of God waiting for Stephen. Not sitting but standing, waiting for Stephen as if Stephen was to be met by Jesus at the gates of heaven. Well, yes. But what God decides is fine. Perhaps

How can fear keep us from being a bold witness? In order to be a bold witness for Christ one must not be fearful of the consequences of witnessing. Paul did not fear death for he wrote "...to die is gain."(1.21) Why does fear of people bind our tongues? We are afraid of the consequences! How does "losing our life" for Christ's sake actually give us an abundant life? There are two aspects to the abundant life. (a) If one loses life in Christ than we live without fear of the consequences and as such have a more abundant life. We are filled with joy - our cup over flows and we live in love. ( If we actually lose our lives by a physical death we re guaranteed and abundant life with the Lord for eternity. Jesus Messiah had taught, "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it" (Matthew 16:25). winstony