Title: Philippians 04:4 Abide in the Lord
Contents
Philippians 4-4) Stay in the Lord
It's Karl Lyle who said, "The evaluation of a person begins after you drive the nail into the coffin lid." For some people, everything ends with death, while for others, it becomes more meaningful after death. Jesus was a person who exerted a much stronger influence after death than while he was alive. So is Paul. Paul had a reason to become such an influential figure.
(1) It was after realizing the will of God. His passion when he was a young man actually broke God's heart. Paul came to understand what God's will is through his Damascus experience.
(2) It was after realizing human incompetence. The book of Romans is the essence of theology framed by the inability of man and the omnipotence of God. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and corrupt is the heart.” It is said that the human heart is more ugliness than all the uncleanness and corruption in the world combined. It is not wrong because it is the evaluation of God who created man. A person's mentality changes over time. I can't get over it at all. It is not the degree of change, but it is the human heart that can have both a smiling face shaking hands and the cruelty of hitting a dagger. I couldn't believe this deceitful heart, so I realized that there must be someone who will never change. So, the person who discovered it was a person named “Lord”. Man is deceitful, but he is truth; man is incompetent, but he is omnipotent; man is ignorant but he is omniscient; man changes, but he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. That is why he was convinced that if he was “in the Lord,” he could enjoy safety. Please stand firm in the Lord. I love you, Lord, who will be my master from the other side of death.
The second reason - it was because of eschatological beliefs. Verse 5 says, “Let your generosity be made known to all, for the Lord is near.” “The Lord is near” This is one of the greetings of the early church, “Maranatha”. Christianity is a community of people living with eschatological tensions. Eschatology makes us nervous. It refers to the attitude of always living and preparing for death.
Everyone! The eschatological life has the power to strain, watch, cleanse, and organize everything. The root of all human corruption and pride comes from forgetting the eschatological attitude. All kinds of injustice and evil are parasitized because they think they will live for ten thousand years. All kinds of absurdities arise to prolong the government. Strictly speaking, even though there is no tomorrow, we are planning for years or decades. Let us heed the warning of Teacher James to the foolish.
Third - because you have experienced the peace of God. In verse 7, we see the word “peace of God”. Israelis are the nation that longs for peace the most in the world. Their greeting is “Shalom”. However, there is no peace in the cry of peace just as there is no crucian carp in bungeoppang. I don't know if I want more because there is no peace.
There are two kinds of peace. Formal peace and inner peace. A drawing contest was held on the theme of peace. Two paintings were shortlisted: one in which the leaders of hostile countries sign a peace treaty with smiles on their faces, and the other in a painting of a young chick sleeping soundly behind a stormy rock. In the end, it is said that the latter painting was selected as the target.
Wherever a person is, inner peace is important. For those who long for the kingdom of God and live while experiencing His presence, the environment like a storm is not a problem. May God's peace overflow to you as well. What are the results of those who have experienced faith in the Lord, eschatological faith, and God's peace? Is it possible to say that a person with a deep illness is told to live with a smile? You have to heal the disease to bring out laughter. It is unreasonable to live with joy and gratitude for a person who does not have inner peace.
The text speaks of the virtues that Christians should practice, such as always rejoice, show generosity to everyone, do not be anxious, and tell God with thanksgiving. But please don't get me wrong. You should know that the secret that Paul was able to get to this point was not because he acted like this, he lived in the Lord, had an eschatological experience, and tasted the peace of God, but the opposite. In other words, after abiding in the Lord, living an eschatological life, and tasting the peace of God, the results became like that.
Let's think about it. Is this an environment in which Paul can rejoice now? Are you in a position to be grateful? How can you be tolerant of others when you can't even foresee your own fate? It is unimaginable by the judgment and standards of the world. There is a higher level of ethics here. The eschatological ethic made it possible to transcend the world's environment. Knowing that he was safe in the Lord gave him peace of mind.
In hymn 455, do I have any other worries in the Lord?/I went to the bottom of the cross and released my burdens/That fear was changed and became a bereavement/The previous day’s sigh was changed and my song was sung/My lord is merciful and always with me/Knowing my need. You always fill me/My covenant with my lord is immutable/You always protect me until I go to that country/
In conclusion, let me tell you. Are you living in me? Are you living in the state? Are you living an apocalyptic life? Are you living in the center of this world as if you will live for a thousand or ten thousand years? Do you seek inner peace? Are you seeking outward peace? I earnestly wish that I can become the blessing of living in Paul's Lord, the blessing of living an eschatological life, and the saints living enjoying the peace of God.