Unedited

THE GOD OF PEACE

Philippians 4:2-9

Key Verse 4:9

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Life in Jesus is life in mission, the mission to bring God's peace and joy to many. It comes with challenges and hardships. It involves participating in the sufferings of Christ. Even in these trials and challenges, however, the Lord provides us with the means to overcome them and experience deeper levels of peace and joy, just as we are emboldened to say, "The greater the challenges, the greater the peace and joy." This will happen to us, provided we are committed to the Lord, and understand Him as the God of peace and joy.

One of great historians named Arnold J. Toynbee (1889-1975) wrote a book entitled A study of History. In his study he saw the past of mankind as the succession of civilizations rather than of political entities. Thus in his book he analyzed the birth, growth, and disintegration of 26 civilizations in world history. In his hypothesis, the failure of a civilization to survive was the result of the inability to respond to moral and religious challenges rather than to the physical or environmental challenges. 

The problem with his book is that he did not present solutions to the problems. He tried to show the problem but not the solution. But the Bible is different. It shows not only problems but also solutions. 

In the passage, the Apostle Paul saw the problems in the church of Philippi. Having mastered the Bible, he was able to present solutions to their problems in clear terms. Let us think about some of the problems Paul is now addressing in this passage, and Paul's prescriptions for solving these problems. 

First, agree with each other in the Lord [Challenges coming from co-workers in the Lord] (2-3)

Look at vs. 2-3. "I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life." Here we see a problem: disagreement between two women, not between a man and a woman, or a man and a man, or a wife and a husband, but between two women. Woman represents "deep" pocket. Woman is what man is, only further refined. Relatively speaking, man is rather superficial but woman is not. They tend to be more serious and earnest than men, and I recognize this to be the case in all aspects of life such as finances or relationships. This indicates that in order for a family, a society, or a civilization in general to be healthy and strong, women must first be healthy and strong. The same is true of the church fellowship. I recognize this to be the case with myself and with the UBF ministry as well. After 31 years of marriage to Rebekah, I recognize that Isaac Kim's family without Rebekah is like a pond without fish. The same goes with our ministry. Dr. Samuel Lee passed away about one and a half years ago. But still so many faithful women remain in the ministry. And Missionary Grace A. Lee and Mother Barry are still there to serve many. In our ministry as well, I see many faithful women serving the Lord. Thanks largely to the integrity of these women, many of the families in this ministry maintain the integrity of a house church.

The point of all this is to emphasize the women. But in the church of Philippi, Paul recognizes two sisters not agreeing with each other. Paul recognized that in order for the church of Philippi to maintain its integrity, there must be a strong unity of love among the women. Otherwise, it will disintegrate. So Paul pleaded with each of them, Euodia and Syntyche. We don't know on what points they disagreed. Maybe it did not make any difference. So the Bible is silent. The important thing is that they not in agreement.

Paul's solution is surprisingly simple, couched in three words: "in the Lord." Where did Paul get this remedy? How does this work? What does Paul mean by suggesting that two people with two differing opinions can agree "in the Lord?" And where did he get this wisdom?

When we think about Paul as a Jew, it is not difficult to see that Paul got this out of the Old Testament Scriptures, particularly Deuteronomy 6:4, "The Lord God is one." All came from one, and all which consist of all one's must go back to this one, so that with all having returned to one, each of the all can function as one, still maintaining his or her unique oneness, all working in harmony under one Lord, in one faith, one spirit, one mind, and one unity. 

The concept of oneness is more spiritual than physical. We find this to be true in the usage of the phrase "one flesh" in describing the picture of the unity between a husband and a wife. We understand this concept when we think about a couple (Sarah and Shannon) living apart with the Pacific Ocean in the middle, but still remaining one in love. By the same token we see twin brothers like Esau and Jacob, but they always were in disagreement, and therefore went toward different directions, proving that physical closeness is not necessarily an indication of true intimacy.

This oneness is necessary for the body of Christ to contend in the cause of the gospel. Gospel is the gospel of peace. If there is an internal war going on among the members of the Lord's army, the church cannot advance the gospel. They have lost the war even before the war has begun. 

And advancing the gospel is very important, for it reconciles fallen men with God, resulting in a believer at peace with God, so that salvation of a lost soul would ensue. When this happens to more and more people, the number of the saved ones increases, and so God's peace increases.

Let us all say to one another: "The Lord God is one." This practically means that each of us must struggle to secure his or her "oneness" with the Lord. Euodia must do this, and Syntyche must do this as well. As they secure oneness with the Lord, then they can secure oneness between each other so that there would be a threefold oneness: the Lord, Euodia, and Syntyche forming one unity, like three strands forming a cord: "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12)." 

Securing each individual's oneness with the Lord must take place at the deepest level of one's life, for this fellowship with the Lord takes place at the innermost sanctum of one's existence. Today's Daily Bread passage, Jeremiah 52:3, illustrates this truth rather painfully: "It [the fall of Jerusalem] was because of the LORD'S anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence. Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon." The expression "thrust them from his presence" illustrates the thrust of the wisdom to form true oneness with the Lord. Our body is called the temple of the Lord. Therefore, in order to build oneness with the Lord, one must remove what the Lord hates the most: sin. To form true oneness, there should not be even a hint of sin. And what is sin? Theoretically it means falling short of the Lord's perfection. But characteristically it means "selfishness." For this reason it has been said, "Sin consists of three letters, S - I - N, and between the “S” and “N”, there is “I”, not the Lord! What is at the center of your life? Is it you or the Lord? More specifically than this, the Lord always looks to the interests of others. So whose interest are you seeking? Yours or your neighbors’? 

Second, rejoice in the Lord always [Challenges coming from the life that bears the cross] (4)

One of the problems found persistently in the lives of many in the Lord is the lack of joy. Paul saw that this was the case with the members of the church of Philippi. In the previous passage, Paul touched on this problem a couple of times, but here Paul expounds on the need for rejoicing. Look at v. 4. "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" The expansion is found in the adverb: always. This presupposes that it is possible for one to rejoice in the Lord always. What does “always” mean? “Always” means “always.”

This exhortation, however, is not to insist that we deny things that happen in reality. Rather, Paul’s exhortation is based on what the Lord has already accomplished: the Lord restored our relationship with God the Father.  Because we are in the Lord God, we can be perfectly joyful. 

This is true in view of what the Bible says, for in a number of places, the Bible says that God is the source of complete joy. Psalms 16:11 talks about it, and 1 John 1:3-4 talks about it. 

There is so much emphasis on the need for constant rejoicing because, first of all, joy is a trademark of Christianity. By not being joyful, we are mischaracterizing the name of God. The CEO of Sony tries to protect its trade name so that its products may be consistent with what Sony represents. Likewise, if we are God's children manufactured in the heavenly factory, we are to represent the Lord God correctly by remaining joyful all the time. 

Look at v. 4 again. "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" So what do we do? Do we try to make a plastic smile? Surprisingly, smiling does not depend on knowing how to use your muscles built underneath the surface of your face. Rather, it comes from your brain. Your brain is inside the skull of your head. And who is our head? 1 Corinthians 11:3 says, "Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." So our head is Christ Jesus.

The main function of our head is to remember. What should we remember? We must remember that Jesus came to take away our sorrows. He came to remove all the reasons or causes for being sad or sorrowful. Of all the causes that cause sadness, sin comes first. And Jesus came to take away the sins of the world. So each time we feel down, we must first think about Jesus who came to take away the sins of the world. One of the most remarkable passages I find in the Bible is Mark 14:26. And at this time I would suggest everyone to read it. "When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." Jesus sang a hymn right after putting the disciples through the Last Supper meal. At the Last Supper table they drank from the cup Jesus served. And the wine inside the cup represented the blood that Jesus came to shed to forgive us of our sins so we would receive His Spirit, who came to cleanse us of our sins. 

Third, let your gentleness be evident to all [Challenges coming from the enemies of God] (5)

In talking about unity Paul tried to address the problem of division. In talking about joy, Paul attempted to resolve the heaviness of their hearts. Now, in mentioning about gentleness, he is getting to another problem: the problem of cruelty.

The word “gentle” has many different meanings. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, “gentle” can mean four things: One, “considerate or kindly in disposition”; two, “not harsh, severe, or violent”; three, “docile (in the sense of submissiveness for example)”; and four, “not steep or sudden, but gradual.” The first meaning "considerate" indicates that in order to be gentle to others, we must get out of ourselves, put ourselves in the position of others, and then think others from their own position. It is like a mother being mindful of a little baby. As a mother is considerate of her baby, she is as gentle as the baby handle. And it is because of the mother's gentleness that babies can grow strong. 

But here, Paul says we need to be gentle to all. He goes one step further. Let your gentleness be evident to all. Here the word “evident” means to be clear or to be real. “To all” means “to all,” not just a little baby like Rebekah Hahn or Hannah Larsen, but all. And by all, Paul means everyone including those who give you hard times. 

How can we be gentle to all? No one has to ask us to be gentle to those who are likable. But we are not nice and gentle to our enemies. But Paul says, "Let your gentleness be evident to all." How can we be gentle to even our enemies? 

Paul gives us an answer to this question in v. 5b: "The Lord is near." This has two meanings.

By this expression Paul talks about the promise of Jesus' second coming. The word "near" means the Lord is going to come back really soon. When he comes, what will he do? He will come no longer as the Savior but as the judge. And he will "deal" with the enemies of God. The tricky thing is that until the time of Jesus' second coming, on many occasions the Lord God sends us his enemies to test our character. For this reason the Apostle Peter says in 1 Peter 4:17, "For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" So if anyone is cruel to you today and tomorrow, don't think about how to get even with that person. Rather consider yourself as a man undergoing a test. 

There are two things for us to remember: the first is our standing, and the second is our faith. The first is our standing. Who are we? What platform are we to go by? In the first place, our citizenship is not here on earth but in heaven. So we are neither Republicans nor Democrats. Then our faith is this: we believe that God deals with your enemies far better than we do. So we should never try to correct our enemies. If any of your enemies is throwing at you a lot of garbage at you, by all means bless them. And on many occasions your enemies are the ones who are very close to you. This sounds impossible to practice. The Apostle Paul is not ignorant of this truth. So he says, "The Lord is near." So do you see the Lord standing next to you holding a big stick (Jer 1:13)? If you see it, you will stop being angry with or cruel to your enemies, and remain gentle and kind to them.

Fourth, do not be anxious about anything [Challenges coming from that which makes us worried] (6-7)

Another persistent enemy that kept bothering the saints in the Lord at the church of Philippi was the problem of worry and anxiety.

Worry is one of the great enemies of God, for it robs man of the peace of mind and heart. So what does Paul say? He says, "Do not be anxious about anything." 

During the group Bible study on this passage, Missionary Andrew said, "When I am anxious, I am anxious. But when one says to me, ‘Don't be anxious,’ I become more anxious." I think this is true because I think it is an act of cruelty to point out problems without providing for prescriptions for solving the problem. 

What was Paul's remedy? What kind of solution does Paul have? Look at vs. 6-7 as well. Here Paul offers a prescription which consists of three pills: prayer, petition, and thanksgiving. These three pills are to be consumed in an orderly fashion. 

The first pill is prayer. What is prayer? From a spiritual standpoint, it works like a spiritual tranquilizer. How come? It works like a tranquilizer because as you come to God, you have effectively turned yourself away from the troubled waters where the waves of anxiety still rock your boat. As you enter the prayer room, however, you have already taken the first step to keeping yourself away from anxiety attacks. In coming to the prayer seat, you have wrapped all of the anxiety topics in a bag. Then you set the bag down next to you. Then in front of the Lord God, you start praying. Then suddenly you start calming down. In the presence of the Lord, who makes his presence visible not by fire or thunder or tornado, but in gentle whispers, the rage is no longer there, and the noise is no longer heard. And tranquility settles in. Speaking of the same concept, Psalms 46:10a says, "Be still, and know that I am God..." 

Then, in front of the Lord, you start adoring him. You listen to him, and you worship him. As you gaze on the beauty of the Lord, all of a sudden you recognize the stillness settling into your mind and heart (Psa 27:4). 

But the real solution to the problem does not come until it is indeed resolved. When you are cold, you cannot pretend you are warm. You are merely in denial. 

So what one should do is to consume the second pill. This second pill the Apostle Paul calls "petition." Petition is prayer topics made concrete and presented to God in earnest, meaning business on your part. The deal involved in prayer is this: God means business only with those who mean business with him. Then the Lord God who means business with you looks at your requests and acts upon them, one by one, and all at God's right time. In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus explained this concept in his parable of a persistent widow.

Still there is one more pill we need to consume: “thanksgiving.” This thanksgiving is an expression of the full trust that whether God's answer to your prayer requests are either negative or affirmative, or conditional upon yourself fulfilling further requirements, you still are ready to accept the answer knowing that it is in your best interest. This thanksgiving must be there before, during, and after the presentation. 

When we consume these pills fully, what will happen to us? The peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard our hearts and minds. 

We see a number of examples of those who by following Paul's prescription not only protected themselves from anxiety attacks, but also turned their points of anxiety into reasons for powerful victories. Hannah (in 1 Samuel 1 and 2) is an example, and David is another. And Elijah is still another.  So is Hezekiah nad Jehoshaphat, and there are many others, particularly Jesus Christ, who powerfully speaks for the truth that prayer is the all-powerful antidote for all kinds of anxieties in life. 

Fifth, think about such things [Challenges coming from evil thoughts] (8)

There are many things that cause us to lose the peace of mind and become not as joyful as we ought to.  Co-working is one. Selfishness is another. Worry is still another. But there is another huge category which causes man to lose joy and peace of mind. Look at v. 8. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." (The Bible says that every scripture is God-breathed, meaning "spiritually inspired." So what Paul says here is spiritual.) Paul listed seven categories. And they all talk about spiritual categories. When we put them together and look at them as a package, we can see that they all stem from one person: Jesus Christ. So in other Bible passages Paul says, "Fix your thoughts on Jesus" (Heb 3:1) and "Fix your eyes on Jesus" (Heb 12:2). 

Why is it that thinking about what is spiritual, particularly the things which are true of Jesus alone, beings peace to man? Why is it that having in your mind the things of man (or simply flesh) rather than the things of God causes a kingdom of hell to grow in your mind (Mk 8:33)? In praying for an answer to this question, I discovered this truth: peace comes from oneness; oneness comes from removal of conflicts; and unlike the fleshly world, it is impossible in a spiritual world for two conflicting ideas to co-exist. In a fleshly body, both good and evil can exist together, but not so in the spiritual dimension. And in the Lord, it is impossible for anything that breaks peace to come in. This is why there is so much peace in the Lord. This is why it is absolutely necessary for us to fix our eyes on Jesus, for without Jesus, it is categorically impossible for one to be at perfect peace with God or with anyone or anything.

Sixth, put it into practice (9)

Now, Paul shares the conclusion of the matter. Look at v. 9. "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." The conclusion—simply the bottom line—is to put it into practice. Securing the peace of God, and then the God of peace, is like a man wanting to make his clam chowder soup tasty. What do you do to make it tasty and not plain? Pick up the salt shaker, shake it over the bowl of soup in front of you, and add the salt. Practicing what Paul said is just like adding a little bit of salt to one's soup. 

One word: God of peace