By Paul M. Sadler
"Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons" (Phil. 1:1).
If you were to receive a letter from the person who led you to the Lord, I am sure they would have your undivided attention. We hold a very special place in our heart for the one who introduced us to the Savior and set us on the path of spiritual understanding. So when Paul writes to the saints at Philippi he didn't need an introduction, nor was it necessary for him to defend his apostleship. Paul simply opens the letter with: "Paul and Timothy, the servants [bond slaves] of Jesus Christ."
Unlike the Corinthians who questioned his apostleship (I Cor. 9:1,2), these brethren loved Paul and understood he was the apostle of the Gentiles who received a special revelation from the Lord. Furthermore, there were no major doctrinal departures at Philippi that made it necessary for Paul to exercise his apostolic authority. Instead he speaks to them as a loving spiritual father hoping to mend the rift between some within the assembly before it became a more serious problem (Phil. 4:2).
"Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ." The apostle includes Timothy in his salutation for good reason. Good leaders are good planners. They are always one step ahead of everyone else, which was true of Paul. These brethren knew Timothy well, but the apostle wanted to refresh their memory, and the memory of the other Gentile churches, that he knew of no other man who was so like-minded, who would naturally care for their spiritual state (Phil. 2:20). You see, Paul was uncertain if he would live or die at Rome at the time. He knew if he suffered martyrdom that the torch of grace would pass to Timothy. The brethren would then naturally look to Timothy and his faithful companions for direction in the things of the Lord. We are not speaking about apostolic succession, but the handing down of the message of Grace from one generation to the next.
Here, too, we need to follow Paul's example. If we fail to commit the Mystery to our children, or if the message is compromised, it will be lost in just one generation, which is exactly what happened when Timothy's generation passed from the scene. As a result, the Church was plunged into spiritual darkness, leaving it gripped by religious confusion as history painfully bears out. The same holds true for the local Grace assembly; if those who are entrusted with the responsibility of leadership waver in their commitment to Paul's apostleship and message it will only be a matter of time before the assembly drifts back to the perils of denominationalism.
Paul refers to himself and Timothy as the "servants of Jesus Christ." We are to understand from the apostle's words that he is making a reference to the Old Testament. Unlike most of us, Paul's knowledge of the Old Testament was incredible. He frequently drew from it in his epistles to teach valuable spiritual lessons. While we place great emphasis upon the various distinctions in the Scriptures, and justifiably so, there are also important connections between the two programs of God. In time past, many of the patriarchs and prophets were called the servants of the Lord. For example:
"But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you" (Josh. 22:5).
"This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD" (Isa. 54:17).
The title "LORD" is the name Jehovah in the Old Testament. Paul uses similar phraseology as above, "Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ" to point out that the Jehovah of the Old Testament, whom Israel acknowledged to be God, is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God! We serve the same living God who today is carrying out His secret purpose as the Head of the Church, the Body of Christ.
Sadly, we are living in a day when there is little reverence for the things of the Lord. Here's a case in point: "I Follow JC," "Jesus is the Reason for the Season." We feel that many believers who take the name of the Lord lightly will be absolutely awestruck when they step into His sovereign presence. Then they will witness the honor, and glory, and reverence in which the host of heaven holds that precious name, which is a name that is above every other name.
Protocol requires that heads of state always be addressed with a title of honor; it is disrespectful to do otherwise. Our Commander in Chief would be addressed as Mr. President, Tony Blair as Prime Minister Blair, the leader of Jordan as King Abdullah, etc. If this is true of earthly leaders who have feet of clay, how much more so should this be the case with our Savior. In biblical times those who spoke to the Lord did so, without exception, by using a title of respect such as, Rabbi, Master, Lord, or Savior.
Nicodemus: "The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto Him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God" (John 3:2).
Peter: "And Simon answering said unto Him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net" (Luke 5:5).
Paul: "And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on Thee" (Acts 22:19).
I believe that when we address the Lord, or use the name "Jesus," we should do so with reverence by acknowledging the honor of His name with a title of respect. For example, "Thank you Lord for saving me by Thy grace," "We pray in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who loved us and gave Himself for us," etc.
Interestingly, Paul uses the name of our Lord in two ways here in Philippians 1:1—Jesus Christ and Christ Jesus. When the apostle refers to the Savior as Jesus Christ he is speaking about Him as a person. As we saw above, "in Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily." This particular name is closely associated with the Lord's humanity, as the law of first occurrence of it clearly demonstrates: "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham" (Matt. 1:1). Paul's reference to the gift of grace coming "by one man, Jesus Christ" further substantiates this as well (Rom. 5:15).
Paul was the first to make reference to our Lord as Christ Jesus. In fact, with the exception of two passing references in Peter, this name is exclusively used by the Apostle Paul. The name Christ Jesus has to do with our Lord's exaltation. Today He is seated at the right hand of the Father as the Head of the Church, the Body of Christ, far above all principalities and powers and every name that is named (Eph. 1:20-22).
We also learn here in Philippians when Paul writes "to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi" that the designation Christ Jesus has to do with the Lord's relationship with the members of His Body. The Philippians were "in Christ," therefore, they were identified with His death, burial, and resurrection. They were also seated with Christ in a position of exaltation and blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies.1
"To all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons."
In the apostle's opening words he addresses all the saints at Philippi. What the Scriptures teach on the subject of "sainthood" and what religion teaches are diametrically opposed to one another. A case in point would be the canonization process of Roman Catholicism. According to Religion Facts:
"The primary purpose of canonization is to officially authorize veneration and intercession of a particular saint. The investigation process that precedes canonization seeks primarily to ensure that the person is in heaven and God is working through him or her....If a person is martyred for the faith, miracles are not necessary to be declared a saint. As mentioned above, the purpose of canonization is to verify that the person is now in heaven, and all those who die as martyrs are believed to go straight to heaven.
"For those who died naturally, however, at least one miracle is necessary to be declared Blessed (beatified) and at least two miracles are necessary to be declared a saint (canonized). These miracles must have occurred after the person's death (to demonstrate that the person is in heaven and able to assist the living), but miracles during his or her lifetime are also taken into account as evidence of God's favor.
"Phenomena investigated as miracles after a would-be saint's death include the following:
Healings attributed to intercession of the saint or contact with relics.
Incorruptibility—the saint's body does not decay after a long period in the grave.
Liquefaction—the dried blood of the saint liquefies every year on the day of his or her death.
Odor of sanctity—body exudes a sweet aroma instead of the normal stench of decay.
"Miracles during the life of the saint that have been reported:
Levitation—the saint floats in the air.
Stigmata—the saint's body exhibits five wounds of Christ, which usually bleed during Mass.
Bilocation—the saint reportedly appeared in two places at once."2
Normally the process of declaring a deceased individual a saint is only considered decades after their death. It is reserved for an elite few. After a long, tedious process the pope declares canonization at a special Mass in the saint's honor, at which time a tapestry of the image of the new saint is displayed at St. Peter's Square for Catholics to pray to and venerate. This is a good example of what the Lord meant when He stated that the traditions of men make the Word of God of none effect (Mark 7:13). We must always carefully distinguish between Church doctrine (teachings of men) and the teaching of the Word of God.
According to the Scriptures, those who have placed their faith in the finished work of Christ are saints. The members of the Body of Christ do not become saints after death; they are saints at the moment of conversion. As it has been said "sainthood is not an attainment, it is a state into which God in grace calls men." Note that the apostle writes "to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons." In other words, these saints were present at Philippi faithfully serving the Lord, with the bishops and deacons.
The term "saints" is the Greek word hagios, which simply means "holy" or "to be separate." It is always used in the plural to refer to a group of believers, with the exception of Philippians 4:21 where it says: "Salute every saint in Christ Jesus." But even here the passage implies plurality. Sainthood is tied directly to our sanctification in Christ, which has both a positional and practical side. We have been separated unto God for His service, but to effectively do so we must separate ourselves from the things of this world. We are to be holy as He is holy; consequently, we are to live a life of holiness.
The story is told of Oliver Cromwell [Lord Protector of England] who, when faced with a shortage of precious metal for coins, sent his troops out to find some. They reported that the only precious metal to be found was in the statues of the "saints" standing in the corners of the churches. Cromwell said, "Well, melt down the saints and put them in circulation."3
In the local Grace churches in Paul's day the majority of saints were actively involved in the Lord's work, such as we see at Philippi. Today it seems the burden usually falls on a small handful of believers who bear the load of the ministry on behalf of all those who enjoy the spiritual benefits, but who don't participate. What we need in our assemblies today, to help lighten the burden of those who have given so much, is to put more of the saints in circulation in the Lord's service. As the old saying goes, "Many hands make light work."
It is interesting to note that Paul addresses "all the saints at Philippi with the bishops and deacons." This is the only letter of the apostle where he mentions the bishops and deacons in his salutation. By addressing everyone in the assembly Paul was intentionally including Euodias and Syntyche who were causing tension among the brethren because they were not like-minded (Phil. 4:1,2). The apostle thought a great deal of the ministry of these two women, who apparently played an important role in the assembly, so much so he wanted them to reconcile their differences for the sake of the gospel. In making reference to the bishops and deacons, Paul showed he was in agreement with the spiritual leadership of the assembly that there needed to be unity among the brethren.
As we consider the leadership of the church at Philippi the first thing that is called to our attention is the importance that's placed on structure. Everything was done decently and in order. The bishops were the spiritual overseers of the assembly, while the deacons attended to the physical needs of the Lord's people. They, too, however, were to hold the Mystery of the faith in a pure conscience (I Tim. 3:8,9). It is noteworthy that both the elders and deacons are spoken of here in the plural, which is a clear indication that there was a plurality of leadership in the early church. There is wisdom in a multitude of counselors. As we have often said, "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
Today there seems to be less and less respect for those who hold positions of leadership in the Church. In fact, the ministry can be a dangerous place—you can get seriously hurt trying to care for the spiritual needs of the Lord's people! We often remind our young pastors to keep their eyes on the Lord lest they become discouraged. This is why Paul reminds the brethren "to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves" (I Thes. 5:12,13). I like the last part, "and be at peace among yourselves." Essentially the apostle is saying: lay aside your personal vendettas and the desire to have your own way, for the work's sake (Rom. 12:19).
"Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:2).
All of Paul's epistles open with grace and peace, not from the apostle, but from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a declaration from God Himself during the administration of Grace. Today the heavens are silent; God is not speaking to mankind in His wrath as He will in the coming day of the Lord. In that day He will declare war on this sinful world, but, thankfully, now He is declaring grace and peace. This is the message that was committed to the Apostle Paul by the Lord of glory. It is the good news we are responsible to share with others that all men might see what is the fellowship of the Mystery.
Pastor Stam used to say, "Paul's message is not the kingdom at hand, his message was not repent and be baptized for the remission of sins; his message was: `Grace be unto you and peace.'"
In Paul's revelation we learn that the grace of God has brought us salvation, and teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts; it has given us a blessed hope in Christ Jesus (Titus 2:11-13). We have received from Paul that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them (II Cor. 5:14-21). God is longsuffering in this present dispensation, not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to know Christ as their personal Savior. He has graciously declared peace to all who will receive it!
"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you" (Phil. 1:3).
1. For a more in-depth study of the names of our Lord, see The Honour of His Name by Sir Robert Anderson.
2. Religion Facts: Canonization of the Saints/www.religionfacts.com.
3. 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, Michael P. Green, Editor, Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI.