4 REJOICE IN THE LORD always; again I say, rejoice! 5 LET YOUR GENTLENESS BE KNOWN to all people. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, IF THERE IS ANY EXCELLENCE AND IF ANYTHING WORTHY OF PRAISE, think about these things. 9 As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you…  20 Now to our GOD AND FATHER be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. 22 All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household. 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ BE WITH YOUR SPIRIT (Phil4:4-9; 20-23).

As ever, I have drawn out (in capitals) those comments from Paul’s letters that affirm what I have been attesting (and where necessary deal with any passages that might appear to refute it, but there is none such here). His exaltation to rejoice pertains to the Philippians’ Lord and his. They are in Him (v4) and He is near to them (v5). By “Lord” (Κύριος), Paul is always referring to Jesus Christ. Likewise, by “God” (Θεός), he is always referring to the Father, as is evident in verse 20: “Now to our GOD AND FATHER be the glory forever and ever”. [I considered this issue in more detail in the previous post.]

In terms of how the apostle wished the Philippians to relate to others including those outside the Church, he exhorts them to “Let your GENTLENESS be known to all people”. And having urged Ephesian Christians to be “imitators of God” (5:1), he clearly he must regard the Creator as being “ἐπιεικὲς”  also. As biblehub affirms, that word has a range of meanings encompassing being “gentle, mild, forbearing, fair and reasonable”. Paul’s God (once properly understood) is all of those things, and the elect of God as His imitators are intended to act likewise.

Paul also exhorts the Philippians to dwell on the positive: if there is ANYTHING good about something, delight in it. That will include aspects of life that are not directly related to the practice of the Faith (v8) whereas in the next verse he is referring to that which clearly is: “As for the things you have LEARNED AND RECEIVED AND HEARD AND SEEN IN ME, practice these things”. With Paul it is never a case of do what I say, not what I do, he is a perfect example of Christian living, for he in turn is an imitator of God and His Anointed.

Finally, note the benediction: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ BE WITH YOUR SPIRIT”. Unlike Augustine and the later Church, Paul affirms man to be comprised of body, soul and spirit. Everyone possesses a spirit (1Thes5:23), Christian or otherwise (except they be twice dead – Jud12), and it is reflected in the outworking of conscience.  But the Christian’s spirit is empowered by the enabling grace of Christ, by which believers can override and control the instincts of the flesh such that they “know how to POSSESS THEIR VESSEL in sanctity and honour” (1Thes4:4).

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