Philippians 1:2-3
"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God at every remembrance of you."
Paul is describing something impossible: Thanking God every time I remember you. How?
Keep in mind who he is corresponding with. Telling the Philippians that he is thankful for them every single time he thinks about them. When he thinks about the beating he received in the city marketplace before the magistrates, he is thankful? When he thinks about the night in prison amidst bruises and chains, he is thankful?
How can this be?
Paul prefaces this statement with a blessing: God's grace and peace cover you!
This is how the Philippians epistle takes shape... When you are covered with God's grace and peace, my grace and peace is easy to show. Paul is not saying the Philippian church is easy to love as much as he is saying God's grace is easy to follow.
It is no difficult thing for me to love someone when I see through God's eyes.
Paul is describing something impossible: Thanking God every time I remember you. How?
Keep in mind who he is corresponding with. Telling the Philippians that he is thankful for them every single time he thinks about them. When he thinks about the beating he received in the city marketplace before the magistrates, he is thankful? When he thinks about the night in prison amidst bruises and chains, he is thankful?
How can this be?
Paul prefaces this statement with a blessing: God's grace and peace cover you!
This is how the Philippians epistle takes shape... When you are covered with God's grace and peace, my grace and peace is easy to show. Paul is not saying the Philippian church is easy to love as much as he is saying God's grace is easy to follow.
It is no difficult thing for me to love someone when I see through God's eyes.
When I read this verse and remember who he is talking to I think of Christ and his crucifiction. I mean Paul is showing Jesus's love to these people who beat him in the streets and incarcerated him. They treated him like Jesus was treated which was brutal but he still only spoke of God's grace and how it is sufficent for everyone. Paul was a perfect example of a follower of Christ. I would love to meet Paul!
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