Convinced, Philippians, 1:25-26

Good morning. Before we proceed into our study of Philippians, I just wanted to bring one thing out for your consideration, reflection, and perhaps response. This last week, among the elders, we were talking about having a baptism in, say, early June. And so if you are considering that maybe now is a good time for you to Be baptized as an expression of your faith in the Lord. See any one of the shepherds, okay? Hal or Mike or myself and we'll be glad to talk with you about it. Right now we're looking at trying to schedule it and part of that consideration is frankly how many we have lined up for that. So anyway, feel free to talk to us.

Let's look at this Philippians passage here. We've been going through this and Paul's continuing to kind of He's weaving through the Philippians' involvement in his ministry. At the same time, he's also telling them about his perspective on his imprisonment, on the outcome of things, his legal proceedings here. And imagine that, you know, this is kind of a missionary letter, and suppose you had a missionary that you were supporting, and you get some letter back from him, and he's in jail. It's like, hey, wait a minute, what's going on here? Am I paying for you to be in jail? And he's saying, yeah, the Lord is using that. As a matter of fact, this time in jail is not fruitless, and the Lord is using it rather substantially.

So here's Paul, he's writing this letter to them, and he's continuing on in this chapter, and he's not done with this subject. As a matter of fact, he won't get done until the very end of the chapter, and then he moves on to some other subjects. So there's a lot to explore here.

Let's look at this verses 25 and 26 that are really zeroing in on kind of Paul's perspective after what we looked at last week where he says, you know, really, whether I live or die, you know, if I live, that's Christ, if I die, that's gain. So now he says in verse 25, convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith. so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again."

Simple enough, right? Well, let's take a look at that. Convinced of this. That's how he starts off this verse. And, of course, one of the things that we find as we look at Scripture is to begin to look at Scripture, we want to begin asking some good questions. That's really our first step. What are some good questions about this passage? And so that's what he's doing here. What is Paul convinced of? I think we need to answer that one. Okay? Convinced of this. What's this? Okay? What is the this that he is writing about?

And as we look at that, you know, it's like we've said about real estate, the three most important things are location, location, location. In Bible study, three most important things are context, context, context. And so that this comes from the context. Paul's looking back at what he just told them in verse 24. That's all he's doing. He's having spelled it out.

He's saying, convinced of this that I've told you about in the prior verse, yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. He says, to live as Christ, to die as gain, but I know that the Lord has purpose in my being here, convinced of this. is his segue, if you will, his transition into the next thought. Now, Paul anticipates, to get it clear here, that he's going to continue on in ministry. He says, to live as Christ, to die as Gain, of those two, he says, motivational, I have a tough time sorting it out, but let me make it clear, he says, I'm anticipating continuing on in ministry.

That's what he's seeing here, okay? Paul knows that he will remain and continue on with them for, there's a purpose, and that purpose is for their progress and joy and faith. See that in this verse? He says, I know that the Lord has purpose in my remaining on here. I know that it is needful for your sakes that I remain on and continue in the faith. Therefore, for the sake of your spiritual progress and your spiritually based joy, I'll remain on and continue."

Notice he spells out the intended result. The intended result being, "...with your proud confidence in me that may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again and again." You might say, hey, wait a minute, Vern! Doesn't your proud confidence in me sound a little fleshly? Well, we'll revisit that, okay? We'll get back to it. Can you hold on? Just hang in there. We'll get there. One of the things that Paul is doing here is he is weaving a tapestry. He's weaving threads of words.

So rather than just spewing out words and just sort of saying things, he's starting themes. He has started off with themes in the beginning of this chapter, and he's continuing them, and in fact we'll find out he's going to continue those some more. Just like in a fabric, you see some particular colored thread show up here, it also shows up again and again and again, the composite of those threads is the pattern of the tapestry or the fabric, right? He's doing exactly that in words. He is weaving a tapestry in words. He's continuing on with some themes, some threads of words, and so let's take a look at how he's doing that.

What we see here is at least four words, and I think if we look harder there'd be some others, but some I'd like us to concentrate on. He says, convinced of this, I know, okay? that I will remain, that's another word that is used again, for your progress and joy. Those are some words that have shown up here before, and we're going to see some more of. First one here, let's take a look at this word, I know.

Now, not all knows are created equal. We need to know that. First of all, it's not that kind of nose. It's K-N-O-W. It's not this thing on the front of your face. Not that one. We'll pass on that. Okay, now. So here, what we find is he says from the first chapter all the way, each chapter by the way, see that? All the way to the fourth chapter, he keeps using this word that's translated in English, I know, or you know, okay? He keeps talking about this, but they're not the same, okay? That's why we say they're not created equal, okay?

Where you see it there in blue or underlined here, this Greek word there is ado, And then those in the black are Gnosko. So you've got a different usage of words there. We'll take a look a little bit more at what this word Edo means, but it's important to look at the distinction, because just in the same way that we have words in English that mean different things, even though they may be of kind of the same category, there are some distinctions that he intends here.

He chooses which word carefully, and we'll still want to take note of that. Oh, one of the other things, just to make note, we've got this page number here. We've got this page number here that we're looking at, and that'll help you see where you are on your bullet.

Okay? Now the next one he uses is remain. And so it goes like this. In Philippians 1, 24 and 25, because remember we're going back in for context here, yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for yours say, convinced of this I know that I will remain. He comes back to that again. And this word remain there in the King James Abide is basically the same word. He's talking about, I know that my remaining, my continuing on is needful for you, and so I know that I will. Paul continues with this thread of words.

And then this next one in our thread of words series here is progress. And remember we talked about that before. Back in 1.12, he said this, Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel. Remember back when we studied that word, that word progress, prokope, means they would use it in this context.

Roman soldiers, whenever they were traveling around for military maneuvers in order to get into a battle situation, would at times send somebody ahead and actually clear a path through the woods or through dense underbrush in order to avoid an ambush or in order to allow them to make progress that the enemy wouldn't anticipate.

So that word Paul uses here. And it's very appropriate because a great many of the people in Philippi were Roman soldiers. So he uses that word here, we've talked about that in verse 12, he uses it again here in verse 25. Interestingly, it's the only place in all the letters to the churches where he uses that word. So it's fitting to the Philippians, they, being a Roman colony, would know the use of that word better than any other. The only other place he uses it is in writing to Timothy.

Next, joy. This is a word we've looked at before, and as you may recall back from our study in verse 2, charis is at the head of a family of words that occurs in Philippians. And this family of words includes charis built into it, or in some cases directly. And this particular word here, Kara is joy and we've seen that previously back in verse 2 And it shows up here again now Better than a half dozen times in this chapter as he used words out of this family of words This Karis family of words and he's using it here for the last time in this first chapter here But we're going to see it again a number of times in chapter 2 and chapter 4 especially So he's continued on.

Again, here's one of these threads of words that he has woven as part of the tapestry. The tapestry of words and messages written throughout this book. Now, something else to take a look at. There's a contrast here. He's spoken of joy before. He used that word before.

But, in Philippians 1, 3-5, it says, I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all." Notice that the prayer that he's conveying here, and his joy with it, is his. It's his joy. Now, as he turns that around in the passage we're studying here, it's your joy. He says, I have this joy, and I want you to have this joy. See the distinction there?

He doesn't just leave it for his own, it is also for them. Let's take a look if there's a historical perspective to be gained in this here. Paul had become firmly convinced, and that's one of the reasons why he comes across, he's convinced, he'd become firmly convinced that the case that his accusers had brought against him had terrible legal support, and we see that several times in the book of Acts. He says, they have not got a good case, and that's mentioned. several times at the end of Acts where his legal case gets to be a big issue. In fact, there's good evidence that the entire book of Acts is Luke's legal submittal on behalf of Paul to the Roman authorities. A document in Paul's defense. Alright, now what about this question? Your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again. Doesn't that sound pretty fleshly? We'll get there. We'll get there. Okay. Now, keywords.

Side two of your handout. Keywords. One of the things we like to do as we go through these passages is make sure we understand what these keywords are saying, because it helps us put together a full and thorough understanding of what the passage is. Frequently, Paul elects to use very well-chosen words. very carefully selected words to get across the point that he wants to make. Okay, so this first one here is CONVINCED. Greek Peso. Persuaded by the evident facts. He says, I'm convinced by the facts that are apparent. I'm convinced by those facts that I'll be coming to you again. It's given in a perfect active form. What does that mean?

Paul is saying, he says, I'm not in the process of being convinced. I'm not kind of getting around to it. I'm not sort of eventually getting there. I'm being convinced, or I'm just about there. He's not saying that. He's saying, I am in the past convinced, because remember the perfect tense says, past completed action, ongoing results into the future. So what that's telling me, I have been convinced in the past, completely, done deal. And that, having been convinced, is impacting my perspective even now. That's what he's spelling out to them.

He has a settled conclusion, not by a persuasion process that's kind of still going on. It's a done deal as far as he's concerned. Now, it is continuing to have its impact. He right now holds that perspective, and he sees himself continuing to hold that perspective as time goes on.

The next one, Ado. Remember, we looked at this. It was Ado and Gnosko, and Paul uses both of those somewhat alternately, as he goes through the book of Philippians. This is to know by perception, and this is also a perfect tense verb. He says, I've already known. Just like the other word convinced, the tense of it tells us, I've already known it. He had this perception and knowledge in the past, and he says, I'm continuing to have it now, and it's going to have its impact in the future. Some have proposed that Paul had received a revelation to know, but that's not necessary, at least in this case, and he doesn't specifically say that he did. So it looks more like he is looking at the facts and drawing this conclusion. Okay? Now, next one.

Remain. The Greek is meno, okay? Abide, remain, stay is the idea. I'm going to stay here on planet Earth, is what he's telling us. I'm going to remain here. I'm going to abide here for a time. It's future active indicative. He sees himself staying on in the future, not just sort of, I'm going to stay for now, but he says, I see myself having a continuing purpose, and I see myself continuing to remain.

Now, Paul sees a remaining, a need rather, for him to remain on earth in order to continue ministry. That's what he's spelling out to them. He says, I know, I can perceive, putting the facts together, that there is a need for my continued ministry, and that's why God has me here, and so that's why I see myself as continuing to stay here. That's what God has in mind.

It's apparent by looking at the facts. Now, there's a poetic phrase here I need to point out that doesn't show up in English. It's one of the things that happens. Paul sometimes uses poetic phrases or makes a play on words that doesn't show up in English, and so we need to bring it out. The English is, I will remain and continue.

The Greek is meno kai parameno. He's building on it. Meno kai parameno. He's adding on to there. So the people as they're reading this are picking that up. Now, this other word that we mentioned before, and we talked about it back in verse 12, and we want to revisit that here, and this is the word progress, prokope.

It is used with this idea of cutting a path Previously he used that with the idea of clearing a path for the gospel. Now he's using the same word, which among all the churches he uniquely uses with the church at Philippi, now he's using the same word again, and he's saying, now it's not for the gospel, it's your progress, your spiritual progress.

And they didn't cut a path unless it was strategic. It wasn't just, hey, let's just cut a path just because that's the thing to do. It took time, and they had to put people to it, and they had to take time to do that and plan for that to happen ahead of time. Therefore, it was a strategic move.

He's saying, for your strategic spiritual progress. That's what this is about. It's not accidental happenstance or spur of the moment. Now, let's look at the next one. This word, proud confidence. See, I told you we'd get to this. Okay. The Greek word, kaukema, okay, rejoicing, delighted expressions of support, glorying in Christ, okay? It's not fleshly pride, okay? It's glorying in Christ. And one of the things that I think is important to look at, this isn't fleshly bragging or hollow boasting, okay?

It's joyful expression of support. Praise the Lord for what the Lord is doing in your life, Paul. Praise the Lord that the Lord has brought you here so you can minister to us. The Lord gets the glory. Now, this thing about boasting. I think we need to address this because you see that in different places in the New Testament. Paul brings it up several places, and we're going to get into it some more in Philippians. They make reference to Paul's boasting about those being saved and growing through his ministry. And we need to understand how he uses that. Paul even seemed to have no problem with the church's boasting in him. But it's not our fleshly, hollow, selfish kind of boasting that we may be thinking of. The point was this, and Paul makes it clear.

Galatians 6.14, May it never be that I would boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. The point of Paul's boasting is not to say, boy, look how good I am. He goes in other places to great ends to say he's not that great. He's got all sorts of things that if it were his own, he would have trouble with. He's pointing out here, we're talking about something that glorified the Lord Jesus Christ. Here's another one we'll get into in Philippians 3.

For we are the true circumcision who worship in the spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence, here's that word again, petho, in the flesh. This word glory, Greek hakema, is the same as in 1.26 here. The idea is that it is a glorying that is focused upon Jesus Christ, not a, boy, aren't I great.

So that's the distinction. All those red letter questions and everything, that's what it points to. It is glorying in the Lord Jesus Christ, and not our own worth, value, and estimation in other people's eyes, or even our own. Okay. Look at this now.

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus. Notice even here the direction of that glorying, rejoicing, expressions of support, focused upon Jesus Christ. One of the things we looked at way, way back in the first couple of verses was this Greek word en, which means in, and it means entirely within. In Christ Jesus. And when we looked at it, this en is the translation of the Greek word en, and this is the graphical expression there. So we show the believer being in Jesus Christ, or Christ Jesus, in this way.

Now, that's the picture, right? The believer's eternal position and identity are entirely within Christ Jesus. Now what is he doing? He's using the same expression in Christ Jesus, only, what does he say, the glorying is within Christ Jesus. Here's what he's picturing. The believer's glorying and rejoicing are entirely within Jesus Christ.

So this isn't Paul bragging. This isn't Paul saying, yeah, I'll give the glory to the Lord, but I want some too. This isn't Paul looking for some applause. It is Paul and the Lord's intent that the believers, glorying and rejoicing, are entirely in Christ Jesus. That's why he even starts off, he doesn't say, boy, you guys are really great for supporting me. He says, I thank the Lord for your support. That's how he underscores and emphasizes this point. Alright, let's look at some more.

Abounding. Paraseuo. I know you don't go around saying that all the time, but practice it a few times. Superabundance. More than enough is the idea. He wants the glory in Christ to be abundant, abounding. It's way beyond minimal. It's not just adequate or sufficient. It's not even full to the brim. It's overflowing. Get the idea? Not this. This. Massive difference. He's looking at not this, this. Huge distinction. He wants massive overflowing and glorying in Jesus Christ. Because it's justified. It's justified. That's why. Alright. Now, let's look at another one. This abounding here.

Paul uses this, and it's an extreme word. One of the things that I noticed lately is people put extreme in front of something. There's extreme all kinds of things, you know, extreme sports and other things I wouldn't even mention. But anyway, people use this word extreme a lot these days. Paul is using an extreme word, and the idea here is he desires that the Philippian saints rejoicing is way, way beyond just sort of casual rejoicing. because of the awesome, infinite person of Jesus Christ.

That's the only reason. That's the only way it makes sense. Now, next one, coming. Parousia. This coming, and it's interesting, it's a special word. It's a word that's often used for a special coming, not just sort of, hey, I just arrived. But a very special coming, frequently of a special person. And it means to be Beside or alongside, arrive alongside. In some context, this word is actually used for the Lord's coming. So this is a very special coming.

When He's talking about coming to them, He says, hey, I won't just happen to show up and pass through. He says, this is a very special coming that I'm looking forward to. I'm just rejoicing over the opportunity to be with you again. And I want that time that we have together to be not just insignificant or incidental or mundane, he says, I want to return to you because that would be marvelous. He has a relationship with these people that is extraordinary, and he wants to underscore it with them. He chooses just the right word to do that.

Okay, now we come to the part here where we want to kind of expand and explain the passage. Again, the idea is not that this is a strict translation, but that when we're done, we get the full sense of what the passage is saying. putting together all the facts that we've collected here. It goes like this, starting in verse 25, it says, having in the past been fully persuaded, that's that point, the perfect tense, having in the past been fully persuaded that my coming to you for further ministry among you is truly needed, that we get from the context of the prior verse, right? I perceive that I will stay here on earth and continue my ministry with you all for your strategic spiritual advancement. It isn't just progress, it sort of happens. It is deliberate, it is a special progress, and it is something that has to happen with some future movement in mind.

And God-given joy in the faith. When he uses this charis family of words, he's always looking at God's involvement. A word he just throws in to sort of spice up the letter. He's looking at God's involvement at each step. The source of this joy is the Lord.

And the Greek actually doesn't have the definite article, so we just put that in faith. Okay? In faith. So that your rejoicing and glorying in my presence may overflow in rejoicing about and entirely within Christ Jesus. by means of my being with you again."

This is a potent couple of verses that he has just laid on them. He hasn't just said, yeah, it's a good idea if I come, so I'll see you. He said instead, the Lord has this marvelous purpose in my coming. And it is something that the Lord intends to work in and through me, the Lord intends to to minister to you in tremendous ways that will impact you here on planet Earth and eternally. And for that, I'm looking forward to seeing you again." That's what he's looking at here.

And he doesn't even use a word, coming, that's just sort of, I showed up. Every word that he picks in here is packed with meaning and packed with significance so that his coming is eternally substantial. Isn't that amazing? Isn't that wonderful? Think of that for a minute here. A lot of times we just think we're just sort of going through life, just sort of, you know, all right, we're doing this or that, you know.

And what Paul's saying here, this guy's in prison while he's writing this stuff, okay? And he's saying, I'm coming to you because I know the Lord has need for my coming and that's why I'm going to remain, even though motivationally the Lord could take me home or leave me here and either one's fine. But he says, I know that the Lord is going to use me And I know I'm going to be the Lord's instrument. And furthermore, I know there's a need in your life because I'm looking forward so much to your making this immense spiritual progress that the Lord has laid out for your benefit. And so my coming to you is not just something mundane and passing through, but something that the Lord is going to do marvelous things with.

As we go through life, Do we have any reason to have any different perspective than Paul's? Isn't that something? When we came here this morning and walked in the doors, this just wasn't another Sunday at church. Just like this, the Lord had particular purpose in mind in our gathering. As we meet here this morning, and even as, you know, our kind of scheduled service breaks up, the ministry isn't done.

There's more ministering to go on, and in fact, this is only just a part of what's going on, right? The ministering that goes on, the real body life here takes place after we've said you're dismissed. And as we look at what Paul's doing here, I think it's important to look at each and every little part of our lives, even the time that he spells out here as being in prison. You ever been to an in-prison kind of time? A time you say, boy, this is tough. The Lord's got purpose in it. The Lord has reason for all those things.

And Paul spells that out even more as we go through the verses ahead. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your marvelous Word. We thank you for the richness that is here, that by your inspiration, Paul has chosen just the right words, even couching them in the right tense, to give us an overflowing and overwhelming sense of how valuable and eternally important these events are that take place in our lives. And that ultimately it is all designed to overflow with glory and praise to you. And we give you thanks for that. Thank you for the marvelous insights and opportunities. We just pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.