Sermons on Philippians 1:8

This is the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. You may be seated. Philippians is a letter that Paul wrote to a little church that he loved. The first church, in fact, he had planted in Europe, the first ever church in Europe. The story of that little church's founding is recorded in Acts 16. It's the one where Paul gets unexpectedly redirected into Philippi. And there Paul sees three people come to faith in Christ. The first is Lydia. She's a young up-and-coming female entrepreneur, a businesswoman. The second is a demon-possessed slave girl. And the third is a Roman jailer. I've told you how odd it was that the first worship service in Philippi consisted, the first one in Europe, consisted of a young female entrepreneur, a slave girl, a Roman jailer, and Paul, a former Jewish rabbi. That sounds like the prologue to a joke, but it wasn't. It was the first church service in Europe. It was an odd group to be sure, but that's just the miracle of the gospel. …

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Fourthly. He rejoiced at others’ prosperity and joy. When he saw the soul of any one comforted, the apostle was a sharer with him; his soul was comforted also. When he saw any Christian refreshed in his spirit, his own spirit was refreshed 2 Cor. vii. 6, 7. “Nevertheless, God that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; and not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me, so that I rejoiced the more.” “Therefore we were comforted in your comfort; yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all. ” Fifthly. He delighted in the fellowship of God’s people. He longed after them when absent Philip. i. 8. “For God is my record how greatly I long after you in the bowels of Christ.” And also, “Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown. ” So Rom. i. 11, 12. “For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may he established; that is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.” Sixthly. He was truly courteous in his behaviour towards others. Though he was so great a man, and had so much honour put upon him of God, yet he was full of courtesy towards all men, rendering to all suitable respect. Thus when he was called before Jewish or heathen magistrates, he treated them with the honour and respect due to their places. When the Jews took him in the temple, though they behaved themselves more like devils than men, yet he addresses them in terms of high respect, “Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence: ” calling the common Jews his brethren, and saluting the elders and scribes with the title of fathers, though they were a body of infidels. So when he pleads his cause before Festus, a heathen governor, he gives him the title that belonged to him in his station; calling him, “Most noble Festus. ” His courtesy also appears in his salutations in his epistles. He is particularly careful to mention many persons, directing that his salutations should be given to them. Such a degree of courtesy, in so great a person as this apostle, reproves all those professing Christians, who, though far below him, are not courteous and respectful in their behaviour to their neighbours, and especially to their superiors. Incivility is here reproved, and the too common neglect of Christians is reproved, who do not take strict care, that their children are taught good manners, and politeness, and brought up in a respectful and courteous behaviour towards others. …

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But our Lord here absolutely forbids all common swearing, as well as all false swearing; and shows the heinousness of both, by the same awful consideration, that every creature is Gods, and he is everywhere present, in all, and over all. “I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is Gods throne;” (Matt. 5:34; ) and, therefore, this is the same as to swear by Him who sitteth upon the circle of the heavens: “Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool;” (Matt. 5:35; ) and he is as intimately present in earth as heaven: “Neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King;” and God is well known in her palaces. “Neither shalt thou swear by thy head; because thou canst not make one hair white or black;” (Matt. 5:36; ) because even this, it is plain, is not thine, but Gods, the sole disposer of all in heaven and earth. “But let your communication,” (Matt. 5:37, ) your conversation, your discourse with each other “be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay;” a bare, serious affirming or denying; “for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil:” ek tou ponerou estin, is of the evil one; proceedeth from the devil, and is a mark of his children. 10. That our Lord does not here forbid the “swearing in judgment and truth,” when we are required so to do by a Magistrate, may appear, (1.) From the occasion of this part of his discourse, — the abuse he was here reproving, — which was false swearing and common swearing; the swearing before a Magistrate being quite out of the question. — (2.) From the very words wherein he forms the general conclusion: “Let your communication,” or discourse, “be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay.” — (3.) From his own example; for he answered himself upon oath, when required by a Magistrate. When the High Priest said unto him, “I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God;” Jesus immediately answered in the affirmative, “Thou hast said;” (that is, the truth;) “nevertheless,” (or rather, moreover,) “I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” (Matt. 26:63, 64.) — (4.) From the example of God, even the Father, who, “willing the more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath.” (Heb. 6:17.) — (5.) From the example of St. Paul, who we think had the Spirit of God, and well understood the mind of his Master. “God is my witness,” saith he, to the Romans, “that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers:” (Rom. 1:9:) To the Corinthians, “I call God to record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth:” (2 Cor. 1:23:) And to the Philippians, “God is my record, how greatly I long after you in the bowels of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1:8.) Hence it undeniably appears that, if the Apostle knew the meaning of his Lord’s words, they do not forbid swearing on weighty occasions, even to one another: How much less before a Magistrate! — And, Lastly, from that assertion of the great Apostle, concerning solemn swearing in general: (Which it is impossible he could have mentioned without any touch of blame, if his Lord had totally forbidden it:) “Men verily swear by the greater;” by one greater than themselves; “and an oath for confirmation is to them the end of all strife.” (Heb. 6:16.) …

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