A Living That Is True and Dignified

 Bible Verses

Phil. 4:8  Finally, brothers, what things are true, what 

things are dignified, what things are righteous, what things 

are pure, what things are lovely, what things are well spoken 

of, if there is any virtue and if any praise, take account of 

these things.

          Words of Ministry

The first governing aspect of a life that lives Christ is 

"whatever is true." The word true here means truthful 

ethically, not merely true in matter of fact. In the 

expression of a life that lives Christ there can be no 

falsehood, no lying. Everything we do or say must be 

truthful. No one who lives Christ should practice falsehood 

of any kind. A life that is the expression of Christ is a 

truthful one.

The second aspect is "whatever is honorable." The Greek word 

rendered honorable means venerable, worthy of reverence, 

noble, grave, implying the idea of dignity, which inspires 

and invites reverence. A life that lives Christ will be 

honorable, noble, grave, solid, weighty, and dignified. We 

should not think that only older people should be weighty. 

All the young people, even the teenagers, should also have 

dignity. Even a young brother in junior high school should 

have dignity, for he has God within him. He is a vessel 

containing God as his worth, weight, and dignity.

To have dignity is not to act important; it is to live God. A
jewelry box containing a diamond ring has dignity not because
of the box itself, but because of the diamond. It is the                        
diamond in the box which gives dignity to the box. In like
manner, we are a vessel containing Christ. If we live Him, we       
shall have true dignity. When others see us 
bearing such a 
dignity, they will have a deep respect for us. 

The dignity
implied in the Greek word for honorable always
 inspires a
profound respect. This dignity is the second 
governing aspect
of the expression of a life that lives Christ.

Being Guarded by the Peace of God

Choose your right way by God's sight

Bible Verses 
Phil. 4:7  And the peace of God, which surpasses every man's
understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in
Christ Jesus.
John 14:27  Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you;
not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your
heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

 Words of Ministry 
The issue, the result, of practicing the organic union with
the Lord is that the peace of God guards our hearts and
thoughts in Christ Jesus (v. 7). The peace of God is actually
God as peace (v. 9), infused into us through our fellowship
with Him by prayer. This peace is the counterpoise of
troubles and the antidote to anxiety (John 16:33).

Bad news or difficult situations may cause us to worry or to
be anxious. We find the antidote to this anxiety when we
pray, practice communion with God, and enjoy the organic
union [a living oneness with the Lord]. Then spontaneously,
even unconsciously, the peace of God is transfused into our
inner being. This transfused peace becomes the counterpoise
of trouble and becomes the antidote to anxiety. From
experience we know that through prayer we receive this
antidote to anxiety when the peace of God is infused into us.
Having the peace of God as the counterpoise to our troubles
does not mean that the troubles will disappear. The troubles
remain, but we have a counterpoise. Furthermore, the poison
of anxiety is still within us, but we have an antidote--the
peace of God transfused into our being through our fellowship
with God in prayer. When we enjoy God as our peace, we are
made calm within.
                                                               

Peace By Mind, by faith, by reality.

The Greek word rendered "guard" may also be rendered "mount 
guard over." The God of peace patrols or stands guard before
our hearts and thoughts in Christ. This means that in Christ
Jesus the peace of God patrols as a guard who goes back and
forth before our hearts and our thoughts. The peace of God
which patrols within our inner being in such a way keeps us
calm and tranquil. Even though we may have many troubles and
much anxiety, nothing will disturb us. From experience we
know that the peace of God infused into us keeps us calm.

Being Constituted a Drink Offering

 Bible Verses
Phil. 2:17  But even if I am being poured out as a drink
offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I
rejoice, and I rejoice together with you all.
2 Tim. 4:6  For I am already being poured out, and the time
of my departure is at hand.

Words of Ministry
The drink offering was additional to the basic offerings
revealed in Leviticus chapters one through seven. The basic
offerings were types of various aspects of Christ. The drink
offering was a type of Christ as enjoyed by the offerer, an
offering that fills him with Christ as the heavenly wine and
even causes him to become wine to God. The Apostle Paul
became such a drink offering by so enjoying Christ that he
could be poured out by the shedding of his blood upon the
believers' faith as a sacrifice to God.

The burnt offering, the meal offering, the peace offering,
the sin offering, and the trespass offering were the basic
offerings, but the drink offering was not. The five basic
offerings covered in chapters one through seven of Leviticus
are types of various aspects of what Christ is to God on our
behalf. If we read Numbers 15:1-10 and 28:7-10, we shall see
that the drink offering was something additional. If one of
the basic offerings was offered without the drink offering,
this was an indication that there was something lacking with
the presentation of the basic offering. The one who offered
the basic offering must have been rather poor. Actually the
drink offering signifies that the offerer himself becomes the
drink offering. However, this does not mean that the offerer
can be such a drink offering according to his own natural
constitution. Rather, he must enjoy Christ to such an extent
that Christ fills him, saturates him, and permeates him.
Christ is the heavenly wine for our enjoyment. When we enjoy
Him by taking Him into us, we shall become filled with Him
and thoroughly saturated with Him. In this way we shall
become the wine to be poured out as a drink offering upon the     
offerings we present to God.
                                                                                                       



With the typology in the Old Testament as a basis, Paul came
to regard himself as a drink offering poured out upon the 
sacrifice and priestly service of the believers' faith. For 
years Paul had been drinking of Christ and enjoying Him so
that he came to the point that he was filled with Christ and
saturated with Him. Eventually, Christ as the heavenly wine
caused Paul to become a constitution of wine in his very
being. This was the reason Paul could consider himself wine
poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice he offered
to God as a priest.

Children of God

 Bible Verses 
Phil 2:15  That you may be blameless and guileless, children
of God...
2 Pet. 1:4  Through which He has granted to us precious and

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,

exceedingly great promises that through these you might
become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption which is in the world by lust.

Words of Ministry 

The expression "children of God" is very rich in its
implications. It implies that God has actually been born into
us and that we possess His life and nature. Christians often
say, "I'm just a sinner saved by grace." Although this, of
course, is true, it is very shallow compared with the
revelation in the New Testament. If we know the truth of the
Word, we shall not say we are merely sinners saved by grace.
We shall have the assurance to declare, "I'm a child of God
born of the Spirit!" If you have truly seen the vision that
you are a child of God, you will be filled with joy, wonder,
and praise. In a proper sense, we need to boast of our status
as God's children. No doubt, we are sinners who have been
saved by God's grace. But because we have also been born of
God, we are now His children. How marvelous!

According to Paul's word in 2:15, we are to be children of
God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverted
generation. The generation in which we live is crooked,
warped, and twisted. We, however, as children of God, must be
different. Because we are God's children, we should be both
blameless and guileless, without blemish. We can be children
of God only by having the life of God. How marvelous it is to
have God's life! All those who are truly the children of God
need to realize that they have the divine life within them.

Along with the divine life, we also have the divine nature (2
Pet. 1:4). Although we cannot fully define the divine nature,
we know that as God's children we partake of it and have it
within us. Every living thing acts according to its own
nature. Everything it does comes out of its nature. For
example, a peach tree produces peaches because it is in
keeping with the nature of a peach tree to do so. It would be
absurd for anyone to charge a peach tree not to bring forth
apples, but only to produce peaches. As ridiculous as this
is, in principle many Christians are doing this very thing.
In giving commandments to others to behave in a certain way
or to improve themselves, they neglect the fact that as
children of God all genuine Christians have the divine
nature. This nature should govern and direct us. Everything
in the Christian life is according to the nature of God. How
wonderful that we have God's life with His nature!

Boasting in the Day of Christ

Bible Verses
Phil. 2:15 That you may be blameless and guileless, children
of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and
perverted generation, among whom you shine as luminaries in
the world,  (16)  Holding forth the word of life, so that I
may have a boast in the day of Christ that I did not run in
vain nor labor in vain.

Words of Ministry 

In verse 15 Paul refers to "children of God without blemish 

in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation." As 

children of God, we have God's life and nature (2 Pet. 1:4). 

Being children of God with the divine life and nature, we are 

luminaries which reflect the light of the sun (Christ). As 

such, we are without blemish in the midst of a crooked and 

perverted generation. "Without blemish" is the total quality 

of being blameless and guileless. The Greek word translated 

perverted means warped or twisted. There can be no doubt that 

today's generation is twisted and warped. In this kind of 

generation we should shine as lights in the world.

In verse 16...The Greek word for "holding forth" also means
applying, presenting, offering. As God's children, we need to
present the word of life to others. If the Philippian
believers did this, Paul would be able to boast in the day of
Christ that he had not labored in vain. The day of Christ is
the day of the Lord's second coming.…  In that day all
believers will appear before the judgment seat of Christ to
receive the reward each deserves (2 Cor. 5:10).

Whether or not his labor was actually in vain would be
determined by the deeds of the believers in Philippi. Suppose
the believers there did all things without murmurings or
reasonings and thus became blameless and guileless, children
of God without blemish in the midst of a warped and twisted
generation. Suppose, moreover, that the saints in Philippi
were shining forth as luminaries in the world and presented
the word of life to those around them. If such were their
situation, Paul would be able to rejoice and even boast at
the time of the Lord's coming back.

Work Out Your Own Salvation

Bible Verses 

Phil 2:12  So then, my beloved, even as you have always 

obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much rather in my 

absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;  

(13)  For it is God who operates in you both the willing and 

the working for His good pleasure.

 Words of Ministry 

To work out our own salvation is to carry it out, to bring it 

to the ultimate conclusion. We have received God's salva tion, 

which has as its climax to be exalted by God in glory as the 

Lord Jesus was. We need to carry out this salvation, to bring 

it to its ultimate conclusion, by our constant and absolute 

obedience with fear and trembling. We have received this 

salvation by faith. Now we must carry it out by obedience. To 

receive salvation by faith is once for all; to carry it out 

is lifelong.

In verse 13 Paul goes on to say, "For it is God Who operates 

in you both the willing and the working for His good 

pleasure." The word "for" at the beginning of this verse 

gives the reason we need to obey always. It is because God 

operates in us. In God's economy [plan] we have the Lord 

Jesus as our pattern, as the standard of our salvation, and 

we also have God operating in us both the willing and the 

working to carry out our salvation, to bring it to its 

ultimate conclusion. It is not that we by ourselves carry it 

out, but that God operates in us to do it. The only thing we 

need to do is to obey the inner operating of God. 

Paul's word about obedience in verse 12 answers to what he 

has previously said about Christ becoming obedient (v. 8). 

The Bible underscores the importance of obedience. For 

example, in 1 Samuel 15:22 we are told that to obey is better 

than sacrifice. We who have received Christ as the pattern of 

our salvation must learn to always obey with fear and 

trembling. Within we should have fear as the motive, and 

without we should have trembling as our attitude, an 

indication that we have no confidence in ourselves.

Willing and Working His Good Pleasure

 Bible Verses

Phil. 2:13  For it is God who operates in you both the 

willing and the working for His good pleasure.

Rom. 8:6  For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the 

mind set on the spirit is life and peace.

         Words of Ministry 
In verse 13 Paul says that God operates in us "both the
willing and the working for His good pleasure." Where within
us does this willing take place? It must be in our will. This
indicates that God's operation begins from our spirit and
spreads into our mind, emotion, and will. We have pointed out
that the grace of Christ is with our spirit. However, God's
operating to will in us involves not only our spirit but also
our will. Therefore, God's operation must spread from our
spirit into our will.

As God operates the willing within us, He carries out His
working. This corresponds to Romans 8, where we see that God
works not only in our spirit, but also in our mind and
eventually in our physical body (vv. 6, 11). We will in our
will, and we work in our body. The Triune God operates in us
from our spirit, through our will, and then into our physical
body.
God's operating is for His good pleasure. His good pleasure
is the heart's desire of His will (Eph. 1:5) that we may
reach the climax of His supreme salvation. Every living being
has a good pleasure. This is especially true of God. For this
reason, Paul speaks of God's good pleasure. The good pleasure
of a mother can be observed in the way she loves her child.
Using this as an illustration of God's good pleasure, we may
say that God's good pleasure is to love us in a way that
makes Him happy. God's working in us is to enable us to reach
the climax of His supreme salvation. Praise Him that we are
now in God's good pleasure! As He operates in us, we
cooperate with Him by obeying Him.

Salvation, God, Luminaries, Word of Life

Bible Verses 

Phil 2:12  So then, my beloved, even as you have always 

obeyed...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;  

(13)  For it is God who operates in you both the willing and 

the working for His good pleasure.  (14)  Do all things 

without murmurings and reasonings  (15)  That you may be 

blameless and guileless, children of God without blemish in 

the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, among whom 

you shine as luminaries in the world,  (16)  Holding forth 

the word of life...

 
      Words of Ministry

In verses 12, 13, 15, and 16 we have four wonderful matters:
salvation, God operating in us, lights or luminaries, and the
word of life. The salvation in verse 12 is actually the very
God who operates in us in verse 13. The One who operates in
us both the willing and the working for His good pleasure is
Himself our salvation. As believers, we are children of God,
children of the One who is operating in us. Because we are
children of God, we most assuredly have the divine life and
divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4). How could a child not have the
life and nature of his father? It is simply not possible for
someone to be born of a particular person and not have the
life and nature of that person. In the same principle, it is
not possible for us to be genuine children of God, born of
Him, and not have His life and nature. We have been truly
born of God and not merely adopted by Him.

We definitely do not claim that man is evolving into the
Godhead. However, we definitely teach according to the Word
of God that, as true believers in Christ, we have experienced
a divine birth. God has actually been born into us, and
thereby we have His life and nature. Because we are children
of God with the life and nature of God, we shine as lights in
the world. The Greek word rendered lights in 2:15 means
luminaries which reflect the light of the sun. In this
universe there is only one source of light, and this source
is God. As those luminaries, we also hold forth the word of
life.

These four important matters are very subjective and
experiential. We have received a salvation which is God
Himself. Now there is operating in us this very God, the One
who is real in our experience as our subjective salvation. He
is not dormant, passive, or idle. His operating in us is His
energizing in us. How wonderful that we have been born of
this energizing God! Hence, we have His energizing life and
nature. Spontaneously we reflect the light which comes from
God as the universal source. In the midst of a crooked and
perverted generation, we shine as lights, as luminaries, in
the world. Therefore, we can hold forth the word of life to
those around us. 

The Real Exaltation from a Crucified Life

Bible Verses 

Phil 2:3  Doing nothing by way of selfish ambition nor by way 
of vainglory, but in lowliness of mind considering one
another more excellent than yourselves;  (4)  Not regarding
each his own virtues, but each the virtues of others also. 
(5)  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus




Words of Ministry 

Nothing was more troubling to the Apostle Paul than to learn
that the saints in Philippi were living in the way of
vainglory. He was very concerned that they live a crucified
life. As we have seen, this life is Christ Himself as the One
who emptied Himself and humbled Himself. Taking this
crucified life as our pattern opens the gate of resurrection
and brings us into the power of resurrection. The exaltation
which is of God will never come by way of rivalry or vain-
glory. The more we seek vainglory, the more shameful our
situation will be. To pursue vainglory is not a glory at all;
it is a shame. Likewise, when we are in rivalry with others,
the result is never exaltation. Inevitably the result is that
we are brought low. The highest life on earth is the
crucified life. Whenever we live a crucified life, God will
bring us into the power of resurrection, and in this power we
shall be exalted.

During the years I have been in the church life, I have known
many cases of those who were in rivalry for vainglory.
Without exception, all those who engaged in such rivalry went
downhill. It is utterly foolish to have rivalry in the church
life. Furthermore, none of us in the church life should hold
to any personal standing. Of course, we must stand firm for
the Lord's testimony. However, we should not claim any
standing, title, or position for ourselves. Making such
claims will never bring us into the power of resurrection. I
earnestly hope that none of the saints in the church life
today will seek glory for themselves. Instead of seeking
glory, we should seek Christ and Him alone. Then we shall
experience the crucified life.

Because among the saints in Philippi there was rivalry for 

vainglory, it was necessary for Paul to present Christ as the 

pattern of a crucified life. Paul presents this pattern in 

Philippians, not in other books, because in Philippi rivalry 

for vainglory was a definite problem. As long as certain of 

the saints there were seeking glory for themselves, there was 

rivalry. Therefore, Paul showed them that Christ, the Son of 

God, had a very high position. He possessed the very form of 

God and had the right to be equal with God. Nevertheless, He 

did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but 

emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming in the 

likeness of men. Then, being found in fashion as a man, He 

humbled Himself and became obedient even unto the death of 

the cross. Those Philippian saints who were seeking position 

and title for themselves surely needed to live according to 

Christ as the pattern of a crucified life.

Work Out Your Own Salvation

 Bible Verses 

Phil 2:12  So then, my beloved, even as you have always 
obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much rather in my
absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 
(13)  For it is God who operates in you both the willing and
the working for His good pleasure.



Words of Ministry

To work out our own salvation is to carry it out, to bring it
to the ultimate conclusion. We have received God's salvation,
which has as its climax to be exalted by God in glory as the
Lord Jesus was. We need to carry out this salvation, to bring
it to its ultimate conclusion, by our constant and absolute
obedience with fear and trembling. We have received this
salvation by faith. Now we must carry it out by obedience. To
receive salvation by faith is once for all; to carry it out
is lifelong.

In verse 13 Paul goes on to say, "For it is God Who operates
in you both the willing and the working for His good
pleasure." The word "for" at the beginning of this verse
gives the reason we need to obey always. It is because God
operates in us. In God's economy [plan] we have the Lord
Jesus as our pattern, as the standard of our salvation, and
we also have God operating in us both the willing and the
working to carry out our salvation, to bring it to its
ultimate conclusion. It is not that we by ourselves carry it
out, but that God operates in us to do it. The only thing we
need to do is to obey the inner operating of God.

Paul's word about obedience in verse 12 answers to what he
has previously said about Christ becoming obedient (v. 8).
The Bible underscores the importance of obedience. For
example, in 1 Samuel 15:22 we are told that to obey is better
than sacrifice. We who have received Christ as the pattern of
our salvation must learn to always obey with fear and
trembling. Within we should have fear as the motive, and
without we should have trembling as our attitude, an
indication that we have no confidence in ourselves.

Confessing Jesus is to Call His Name

 Bible Verses 

Phil 2:12  So then, my beloved, even as you have always 
obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much rather in my
absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 
(13)  For it is God who operates in you both the willing and
the working for His good pleasure.



Words of Ministry

To work out our own salvation is to carry it out, to bring it
to the ultimate conclusion. We have received God's salvation,
which has as its climax to be exalted by God in glory as the
Lord Jesus was. We need to carry out this salvation, to bring
it to its ultimate conclusion, by our constant and absolute
obedience with fear and trembling. We have received this
salvation by faith. Now we must carry it out by obedience. To
receive salvation by faith is once for all; to carry it out
is lifelong.

In verse 13 Paul goes on to say, "For it is God Who operates
in you both the willing and the working for His good
pleasure." The word "for" at the beginning of this verse
gives the reason we need to obey always. It is because God
operates in us. In God's economy [plan] we have the Lord
Jesus as our pattern, as the standard of our salvation, and
we also have God operating in us both the willing and the
working to carry out our salvation, to bring it to its
ultimate conclusion. It is not that we by ourselves carry it
out, but that God operates in us to do it. The only thing we
need to do is to obey the inner operating of God.

Paul's word about obedience in verse 12 answers to what he
has previously said about Christ becoming obedient (v. 8).
The Bible underscores the importance of obedience. For
example, in 1 Samuel 15:22 we are told that to obey is better
than sacrifice. We who have received Christ as the pattern of
our salvation must learn to always obey with fear and
trembling. Within we should have fear as the motive, and
without we should have trembling as our attitude, an
indication that we have no confidence in ourselves.

Confessing the Highest Name

 Bible Verses 

Phil 2:12  So then, my beloved, even as you have always 
obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much rather in my
absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 
(13)  For it is God who operates in you both the willing and
the working for His good pleasure.



Words of Ministry

To work out our own salvation is to carry it out, to bring it
to the ultimate conclusion. We have received God's salvation,
which has as its climax to be exalted by God in glory as the
Lord Jesus was. We need to carry out this salvation, to bring
it to its ultimate conclusion, by our constant and absolute
obedience with fear and trembling. We have received this
salvation by faith. Now we must carry it out by obedience. To
receive salvation by faith is once for all; to carry it out
is lifelong.

In verse 13 Paul goes on to say, "For it is God Who operates
in you both the willing and the working for His good
pleasure." The word "for" at the beginning of this verse
gives the reason we need to obey always. It is because God
operates in us. In God's economy [plan] we have the Lord
Jesus as our pattern, as the standard of our salvation, and
we also have God operating in us both the willing and the
working to carry out our salvation, to bring it to its
ultimate conclusion. It is not that we by ourselves carry it
out, but that God operates in us to do it. The only thing we
need to do is to obey the inner operating of God.

Paul's word about obedience in verse 12 answers to what he
has previously said about Christ becoming obedient (v. 8).
The Bible underscores the importance of obedience. For
example, in 1 Samuel 15:22 we are told that to obey is better
than sacrifice. We who have received Christ as the pattern of
our salvation must learn to always obey with fear and
trembling. Within we should have fear as the motive, and
without we should have trembling as our attitude, an
indication that we have no confidence in ourselves.

The Real Exaltation from a Crucified Life

 Bible Verses 

Phil 2:3  Doing nothing by way of selfish ambition nor by way 

of vainglory, but in lowliness of mind considering one 

another more excellent than yourselves;  (4)  Not regarding 

each his own virtues, but each the virtues of others also.  

(5)  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus

Words of Ministry

Nothing was more troubling to the Apostle Paul than to learn 

that the saints in Philippi were living in the way of 

vainglory. He was very concerned that they live a crucified 

life. As we have seen, this life is Christ Himself as the One 

who emptied Himself and humbled Himself. Taking this 

crucified life as our pattern opens the gate of resurrection 

and brings us into the power of resurrection. The exaltation 

which is of God will never come by way of rivalry or vain-

glory. The more we seek vainglory, the more shameful our 

situation will be. To pursue vainglory is not a glory at all; 

it is a shame. Likewise, when we are in rivalry with others, 

the result is never exaltation. Inevitably the result is that 

we are brought low. The highest life on earth is the 

crucified life. Whenever we live a crucified life, God will 

bring us into the power of resurrection, and in this power we 

shall be exalted. 

During the years I have been in the church life, I have known 

many cases of those who were in rivalry for vainglory. 

Without exception, all those who engaged in such rivalry went 

downhill. It is utterly foolish to have rivalry in the church 

life. Furthermore, none of us in the church life should hold 

to any personal standing. Of course, we must stand firm for 

the Lord's testimony. However, we should not claim any 

standing, title, or position for ourselves. Making such 

claims will never bring us into the power of resurrection. I 

earnestly hope that none of the saints in the church life 

today will seek glory for themselves. Instead of seeking 

glory, we should seek Christ and Him alone. Then we shall 

experience the crucified life.

Because among the saints in Philippi there was rivalry for 

vainglory, it was necessary for Paul to present Christ as the 

pattern of a crucified life. Paul presents this pattern in 

Philippians, not in other books, because in Philippi rivalry 

for vainglory was a definite problem. As long as certain of 

the saints there were seeking glory for themselves, there was 

rivalry. Therefore, Paul showed them that Christ, the Son of 

God, had a very high position. He possessed the very form of 

God and had the right to be equal with God. Nevertheless, He 

did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but 

emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming in the 

likeness of men. Then, being found in fashion as a man, He 

humbled Himself and became obedient even unto the death of 

the cross. Those Philippian saints who were seeking position 

and title for themselves surely needed to live according to 

Christ as the pattern of a crucified life.

Work Out Your Own Salvation

Bible Verses 

Phil 2:12  So then, my beloved, even as you have always
obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much rather in my
absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 
(13)  For it is God who operates in you both the willing and
the working for His good pleasure.

 Words of Ministry 

How is it possible for us to work out our own salvation? If
we could work out our salvation, would that not make
salvation a matter of our own works? Suppose I fall into a
pit and someone rescues me. That is salvation. But if I
succeed in delivering myself, that is not salvation, but my
own working. Since salvation is not of works, but of grace,
what does Paul mean by telling us to work out our salvation?

The key to understanding Paul's word is to know the meaning
of salvation in this verse. Salvation here is not salvation
from the lake of fire. Rather, it refers to what Paul has
already said about salvation earlier in this Epistle. The
words "so then" in verse 12 indicate that what Paul says in
this verse is a consequence of what has gone before. Working
out our salvation is the result of taking Christ as our
pattern, as seen in the preceding verses. As our pattern,
Christ is our salvation. However, this salvation needs to be
worked out by us.

In order for this to be accomplished in our experience, the
pattern must be subjective to us as well as objective. If it
were only objective, it could not be the salvation worked out
by us. The salvation here is not the salvation we receive; it
is the salvation we work out. The salvation we receive is the
salvation from God's condemnation and from the lake of fire.
There is no need for us to work out that kind of salvation.
The salvation here in Philippians is salvation of another
kind, or of a different degree. It is higher than that
mentioned in Acts 16:31, where the jailer is told that if he
believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, he and his household will
be saved. The salvation in 2:12 is actually a living Person.
This Person is the very Christ whom we live, experience, and
enjoy. A pattern which is only objective could not be our
salvation in this way. The fact that salvation is a living
Person and that this Person is our pattern indicates that the
pattern is subjective as well as objective.

An Objective and Subjective Pattern

 Bible Verses

Phil 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ 

Jesus,  6  Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider 

being equal with God a treasure to be grasped,  7  But 

emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming in the 

likeness of men;  8  And being found in fashion as a man, He 

humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, and that 

the death of a cross.  9  Therefore also God highly exalted 

Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,  

12  So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not 

as in my presence only but now much rather in my absence, 

work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;  13  For 

it is God who operates in you both the willing and the 

working for His good pleasure.

 

Words of Ministry 
In 2:5-8 Paul presents Christ as our pattern. This pattern is
not only objective, but also subjective. However, when I was
young, I was taught only about the objective aspect of Christ
as our pattern. I was told that in His life on earth Christ
set up a pattern and that we should follow in His footsteps.
Now we must go on to ask where is this Christ who is our
pattern. Is He in heaven, or is He in us? Verse 9 indicates
clearly that God has highly exalted Christ. Thus, there can
be no doubt that as our pattern Christ is in heaven. However,
if Christ were only in the third heaven objectively, how
could we take Him as our pattern today? It would be
impossible. In order for us to take Christ as our pattern,
this pattern must be subjective.

In Philippians 2 Paul does not charge us to take the
objective Christ as our pattern and then imitate Him. Trying
to imitate Christ in this way is like a monkey trying to
imitate a human being. We should not take verses 5 through 8
out of context. When we consider these verses in context, we
see that the pattern is our salvation and that this salvation
is God Himself operating in us to save us in a practical way.
Although in ourselves we cannot work out our salvation, the
One who is able is now operating in us to will inwardly and
to work outwardly. Our responsibility is to cooperate with
Him. When we cooperate with God's operation in us, we take

Christ as our pattern.                                                                                       

The word "for" at the beginning of verse 13 indicates that
God's operating in us is related to our working out our own
salvation with fear and trembling. God operates in us both
the willing and the working for His good pleasure. Surely the
working in verse 13 refers to the working out in verse 12. We
may confess that we are not able to work out our own
salvation. Yes, in ourselves we are not able. But God, the
One operating in us, is able. Since He is operating in us
both the willing and the working, we can work out our own
salvation. Paul's word about God operating in us is a
indication that the pattern is subjective as well as
objective. Doctrinally, the pattern is objective;
experientially, it is very subjective.

Living a Crucified Life

Bible Verse

Phil 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ 

Jesus, (6)  Who, existing in the form of God, did not 

consider being equal with God a treasure to be grasped,  (7)  

But emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming in 

the likeness of men; (8) And being found in fashion as a man, 

He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, and 

that the death of a cross. (13) For it is God who operates in 

you both the willing and the working for His good pleasure.

Words of Ministry  

The pattern presented in these verses is now the life within
us. This life is what we call a crucified life. The seven
steps of Christ's humiliation are all aspects of the
crucified life. Although Christ had the expression of deity,
He laid aside this expression. However, He did not lay aside
the reality of His deity. He laid aside the higher form, the
form of God, and took on a much lower form, the form of a
slave. In this, He emptied Himself. Surely this is a mark of
a crucified life. Then, after becoming a man and being found
in the appearance of a man, Christ humbled Himself even unto
the death of the cross. This was the crucified life lived out
in a full and absolute way.

Christ is not only an outward pattern for us; He is also the
life within us. As this inner life, He would have us
experience Him and thereby live a crucified life. In this
crucified life there is no room for rivalry, vainglory, or
self-exaltation. On the contrary, there is self-emptying and
self-humbling. Whenever we experience Christ and live Christ,
we automatically live such a crucified life. This means that
when we live Christ, we live the One who is the pattern of a
crucified life. Then we also shall empty ourselves and humble
ourselves.

If we did not have the crucified life within us, we could
never live according to the pattern presented in Philippians
2. Only the crucified life can live such a pattern. If we
still do things out of rivalry and vainglory or are still
ambitious to be leaders or elders, we are not living a
crucified life. We are not emptying ourselves or humbling
ourselves. However, we have a life within us that truly is a
self-emptying and self-humbling life. This life never grasps
at something as a treasure. Instead, it is always willing to
lay aside position and title.

Seven Steps of the Lord’s Humiliation

Seven Steps of the Lord’s Humiliation -II

Bible Verses

Phil 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ 

Jesus,  (6)  Who, existing in the form of God, did not 

consider being equal with God a treasure to be grasped,  (7)  

But emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming in 

the likeness of men;  (8)  And being found in fashion as a 

man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, 

and that the death of a cross.

                                           
              
                                          Words of Ministry

                                (Part 2 of 2)

Verse 8 continues, "And being found in fashion as a man, He 

humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, and that 

the death of a cross." When Christ became in the likeness of 

men, entering into the condition of humanity, He was found in 

fashion as a man by men. The word fashion implies the outward 

guise, the semblance. What Christ looked like in His humanity 

was found by men to be in fashion as a man.

Being found in fashion as a man, Christ humbled Himself. 

First He emptied Himself by putting aside the form, the 

outward expression, of His deity and becoming in the likeness 

of men. Then He humbled Himself by becoming obedient even 

unto death. Christ was God with the expression of God. 

Although He was equal with God, He put aside this equality 

and emptied Himself by taking the likeness of men. This 

indicates that He became a man through incarnation. Then, 

being found in the appearance of a man, He humbled Himself. 

This means that when He was a man, He did not insist on 

anything. Rather, He humbled Himself to the point of dying on 

the cross. This is Christ as our pattern.

Humbling Himself was a further step in emptying Himself. 

Christ's self-humbling manifests His self-emptying. The death 

of the cross was the climax of Christ's humiliation. To the 

Jews this was a curse (Deut. 21:22-23). To the Gentiles it 

was a death sentence imposed upon malefactors and slaves 

(Matt. 27:16-17, 20-23). Hence, it was a shameful thing (Heb. 

12:2).

The Lord's humiliation involves seven steps: emptying 

Himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming in the likeness 

of men, humbling Himself, becoming obedient, being obedient 

even unto death, and being obedient unto the death of the 

cross.

Seven Steps of the Lord’s Humiliation-I 

      Bible Verses 

Phil. 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ 

Jesus,  (6)  Who, existing in the form of God, did not 

consider being equal with God a treasure to be grasped,  (7)  

But emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming in 

the likeness of men.  

Words of Ministry 

(Part 1 of 2)
In verse 5 Paul says, "Let this mind be in you which was also
in Christ Jesus." The Greek words translated "let this mind
be in you" can also be rendered "think this in you." The word
"this" refers to the counting and regarding in verses 3 and
4. This kind of thinking, mind, attitude, was also in Christ
when He emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, and
humbled Himself, being found in fashion as a man (vv. 7-8).
To have such a mind requires us to be one with Christ in His
inward parts (1:8). To experience Christ, we need to be one
with Him to such an extent, that is, in His tender inward
feeling and in His thinking.

Verse 6 says, "Who subsisting in the form of God did not
regard equality with God a thing to be grasped." The Greek
word rendered subsisting denotes existing from the beginning.
It implies the Lord's eternal preexistence. The word form
refers to the expression, not the fashion, of God's being
(Heb. 1:3). It is identified with the essence and nature of
God's Person and thus expresses His essence and nature. This
refers to Christ's deity. In verse 6 Paul tells us that
Christ did not regard equality with God a thing to be
grasped. Although the Lord was equal with God, He did not
consider this equality a treasure to be grasped and retained.
Rather, He laid aside the form of God, not the nature of God,
and emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave.

Verse 7 goes on to say that Christ "emptied Himself, taking 

the form of a slave, becoming in the likeness of men." When 

Christ emptied Himself, He laid aside what He possessed--the 

form of God. The word form in verse 7 is the same word as 

used for the form of God in verse 6. In His incarnation, the 

Lord did not alter His divine nature, but only His outward 

expression of the form of God to that of a slave. This was 

not a change of essence; it was a change of state. The word 

"becoming" indicates entering into a new state. According to 

verse 7, Christ became in the "likeness of men." The form of 

God implies the inward reality of Christ's deity; the 

likeness of men denotes the outward appearance of His 

humanity. He appeared outwardly to men as a man, but inwardly 

He had the reality of deity.

Thinking the Same Thing

 Bible Verses

Phil. 2:2  Make my joy full, that you think the same thing, 

having the same love, joined in soul, thinking the one thing,  

(3)  Doing nothing by way of selfish ambition nor by way of 

vainglory, but in lowliness of mind considering one another 

more excellent than yourselves;  (4)  Not regarding each his 

own virtues, but each the virtues of others also.  (5)  Let 

this mind be in you, which was also in Christ.

 Words of Ministry

It is not possible for us to think the same thing unless
Christ saturates our mind and occupies our thinking. Then we
shall spontaneously think the same thing, even the one thing.
Apart from being saturated with Christ in this way, no two
people, not even a husband and wife, will be able to think
the same thing. Nevertheless, it was Paul's appeal and
expectation that the whole church in Philippi would think the
same thing. But how can a large group of people think one
thing? Once again we point out that this is possible only
when the believers are occupied by Christ and allow Him to
saturate their whole being. Then, and only then, shall we be
able to think the same thing.

Christ is unique, central, and universal. When in an
experiential way, not just in a doctrinal way, Christ becomes
our centrality and universality, we shall automatically think
the same thing. We can test whether or not we truly think the
same thing by checking if we have the same love, are joined
in soul, are free from rivalry and vainglory, count others
more excellent than ourselves, and regard the virtues and
qualities of others. These matters will always test to what
extent we have actually been occupied by Christ, taken over
by Christ, and saturated with Christ. If Christ truly
possesses us inwardly, our love for all the saints will be on
the same level. Furthermore, we shall be joined in soul, and
our mind will be occupied with knowing Christ, experiencing
Christ, pursuing Christ, and gaining Christ. As a result, we
shall not do anything in the way of rivalry or vainglory, but
instead we shall count others more excellent than ourselves
and regard their virtues and qualities.

Not Having Rivalry and Vainglory

Bible Verses

Phil. 2:3  Doing nothing by way of selfish ambition nor by
way of vainglory, but in lowliness of mind considering one
another more excellent than yourselves;  (4) Not regarding
each his own virtues, but each the virtues of others also.

Words of Ministry 

Paul's word about rivalry and vainglory may indicate that the 

dissenting Philippians were doing things out of rivalry or 

vainglory, both of which cause dissension among believers. 

Rivalry and vainglory may lie hidden among us. Even when we 

testify in the church meetings, there may be rivalry. Perhaps 

when you share, not many saints say amen. But when someone 

else shares, the saints are very responsive, and there are 

many amens. Disappointed by the situation, you may decide 

never to share again in the meetings. Thus, in giving 

testimonies there may be rivalry. Even when we share our 

experiences of Christ, a feeling of rivalry may be hidden 

within us.

Rivalry and vainglory are often found together. Where there 

is rivalry, there is usually vainglory. Why are you unhappy 

when the saints do not say amen to your testimony? Because of 

vainglory. Why do the brothers not feel pleased when a 

certain brother is appointed an elder and they are not? Also 

because of vainglory.

In 4:2 Paul says, "I beseech Euodias, and I beseech Syntyche, 

to think the same thing in the Lord." I believe that there 

was rivalry between these two sisters, perhaps competition 

over who would be the leading one. As a result, they were 

doing things in the way of rivalry and vainglory. It is not 

easy to get rid of rivalry and vainglory, for we have a 

natural tendency to compete with others. In certain countries 

children are encouraged strongly to compete. In society 

competitiveness is found everywhere. However, we should not 

compete in the church life. Instead of competing with one 

another, we should count others more excellent than 

ourselves.

Thinking the Same Thing, Having the Same Love

 Bible Verses 

Phil 2:2  Make my joy full, that you think the same thing, 

having the same love, joined in soul, thinking the one thing.

3:8 But moreover I also count all things to be loss on 

account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my 

Lord, on account of whom I have suffered the loss of all 

things and count them as refuse that I may gain Christ.

                          Words of Ministry 

                 The way the Philippians could make Paul's joy full was to 

                      think the same thing, even the one thing (2:2). According to 

                         the context of the entire book, the one thing must refer to 

                                                               the subjective knowledge of Christ and experience of Christ 

                                                                    (1:20-21; 2:5; 3:7-9; 4:13). Christ, and Christ alone, should 

                                                         be the centrality and universality of our entire being. Our 

                                                     thinking should be focused on the excellency of the knowledge 

                                        of Christ and the experience of Christ. Anything else causes 

us to think differently and thus creates dissensions among 

us.

What troubled Paul in his imprisonment was the dissension 

among the Philippians. The saints in Philippi were good, and 

the church in that city had been well established. However, 

there was dissension among them. Although they were one in 

spirit, they were not striving together with one soul. 

Although they all loved the Lord, they were not thinking the 

same thing. This caused Paul's heart to be heavy. Out of 

heaviness of heart, he appealed to the Philippians to make 

his joy full by being joined in soul and by thinking the same 

thing.

Thinking the same thing is related to having the same love. 

Paul's word in verse 2 about "having the same love" indicates 

that, because of their dissenting thinking, the Philippian 

believers had different levels of love. They did not have the 

same love toward all the saints for the keeping of oneness. 

                      It is possible that we in the church life today may not have 

                            the same love for all the saints. Instead, our love may be on 

                                     different levels. We may love a certain brother much more 

                                      than we love another brother. Because we may love a 

particular brother only to a small degree, we may not be 

inclined to render much service to him. But because we love 

another brother to a very high degree, we may serve him too 

much and even spoil him by our love. It is possible in the 

church life to have different levels of love for different 

saints. If this is our situation, our love is not the love 

with one soul. We have one kind of soul when we love one 

brother, but a different kind of soul when we love another 

brother. As a result, instead of practical oneness, there 

will be dissension.