a surprising contrast
I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:19-21
These verses surprise me. I'm often aggravated by the social gospel movement, where people believe that the end goal of the gospel is to make life better for people. Sorry, that's not the point. The goal is Christ and His glory. These verses show that the way to be concerned for some else's welfare is to seek Christ's interest. check it out:
v20 says that Paul is going to send Timothy to the Philippians because there's no one else like him. what's so different about Timothy? Paul says that Timothy is selfless: he is concerned for others' welfare. But look at the unexpected (to me at least) contrast in the next verse...
v21 says that...expounding on the point Paul made in v20 that Timothy is concerned for the Philippians' welfare...it says that all the other people seek after their own interests, they are selfish. then comes the contrast: Timothy, instead of seeking after his own interests, seeks those of the Philippians...at least that's what I'd expect it to say. wouldn't you?
"I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not your interests." that's what i'd expect it to say. Paul is talking about 2 different parties: Timothy and the Philippians. And he says how great Timothy is because he'll be genuinely concerned for the other party--the Philippians. But then Paul throws in a third party unexpectedly: Jesus Christ.
this is how to be truly concerned for someones welfare: we seek, pursue, strive after Christ Jesus' interests.
Do you love someone? Pursue Christ's interests. Do you care for someone? Seek Christ's interests. Do you value someone? Prove it by striving after Christ's interests.
These verses surprise me. I'm often aggravated by the social gospel movement, where people believe that the end goal of the gospel is to make life better for people. Sorry, that's not the point. The goal is Christ and His glory. These verses show that the way to be concerned for some else's welfare is to seek Christ's interest. check it out:
v20 says that Paul is going to send Timothy to the Philippians because there's no one else like him. what's so different about Timothy? Paul says that Timothy is selfless: he is concerned for others' welfare. But look at the unexpected (to me at least) contrast in the next verse...
v21 says that...expounding on the point Paul made in v20 that Timothy is concerned for the Philippians' welfare...it says that all the other people seek after their own interests, they are selfish. then comes the contrast: Timothy, instead of seeking after his own interests, seeks those of the Philippians...at least that's what I'd expect it to say. wouldn't you?
"I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not your interests." that's what i'd expect it to say. Paul is talking about 2 different parties: Timothy and the Philippians. And he says how great Timothy is because he'll be genuinely concerned for the other party--the Philippians. But then Paul throws in a third party unexpectedly: Jesus Christ.
this is how to be truly concerned for someones welfare: we seek, pursue, strive after Christ Jesus' interests.
Do you love someone? Pursue Christ's interests. Do you care for someone? Seek Christ's interests. Do you value someone? Prove it by striving after Christ's interests.
Labels: scripture
posted by Elias at 00:17
5 Comments:
excellent!
i pray that i would pursue Christ above everything. thanks for the reminder and verse!
you're welcome.
Wow- loved this. . . Paul always puts that "third party" in there. Yep, so should we. Thanks, Elias.
That was great. Thanks for dissecting. God's word is a sword. That one cut straight to the heart.
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