Philippians comes next for me after Galatians, written from Ephesus during the imprisonment alluded to in 2 Cor. 1:8.
Words for sin are not used in Philippians 1-2, however, there are number of comments of interest.
1:10--Paul desires for the Philippians to be "pure and blameless" on the day of Christ's return.
1:27--Paul urges them to conduct their life in a manner worthy of the gospel. The comments that follow focus on unity of spirit and courage in the face of persecution. Unity in particular seems to come up again and again when Paul is talking about Christian ethics and dissension seems a principal category of the flesh.
2:12--work out y'alls salvation with fear and trembling, a clear indicator that effort is involved in attaining salvation, another Pauline theme we see from time to time. To be sure, God is the one at work among you to bring this about (2:13).
2:15-16--In contrast to unbelievers, the Philippian believers shine like stars. They are not "crooked and perverse" like those around them. If they grumble and question (2:14), they will not be blameless and innocent. Despite where they are at now, failure could result that Paul's labor would be vain, for they would not make it to the end.
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3 comments:
I won't make it "to the end" in the Wesleyan "tradition", because Scripture is used as a manipulative tool. As a "second naivite" must be one that I desire to believe..and want to commit to, not one that is a "power play" using relgion as the means to that end...
I read the "revisions" of the text of scripture and now "know" if I commit to Christianity it will be, yes, for others, but NOT for a power play, because the truth is there is no "truth", it is what you make it....I have been "done with that" after 12 years...Just like King Axerxes, getting rid of Vashti because she didn't submit to a "party" he wanted...This is not a chess game but our lives...And they are not to be a sacrifice for another's "sport", but if so, so be it. I believe that there is NO religious purpose that is worthy of a sacrifice of a life. Religion is a cultural product.
Ken, I believe it is MANDANTORY for a person to "find their own way". I believe that God is "intergrating me", meaning that I am learning to interpret everything three different ways...my heart is the spiritual interpretation, my soul is the psychological interpretaion and my head is the political...I believe that these three aspects are the intergration of my "personhood", which is loving God with my heart, soul, mind and strengh (passion)...and my neighbor as myself...I cannot love my neighbor well, not in the area that God has called me until I am intergrated...and my learning is helping me do that..and being here away from Marion is also important... I believe that until you "love yourself" which I am still developing, I cannot know what is the appropriate thing to do, or say...and it tends to conform me into "another's image" for/of me, than in what God really wants...I am pursuing God in my learning and that is just as important in the work that will come from it...it is the work I am called to now. What He has for me later, I do not know. But, I fear right now anyone making choices for me...I guess it's my adolescence...(late, I know, but at least I have arrived at that, for now...)..Freedom has been a "theme for my life" and discrimination...justice...I think the mercy/compassion part has been because of my insecurities and "identifying" too much with others in their plight without a true passion or call from God...which I beleive is innate, but can be misaliagned if there is an unhealthy personality...so, excuse my immaturity, and know that I do embrace you guys in the religion department...I know you know that...Freedom I believe is an innate desire within man that resonates with statesmen in their speeches, and political activist in their acitivity...and I know that part of freedom comes from within...that is what I am working on...and I have been "faithful" in those areas I desire to "control"...and am having success...I cannot function where I beleive there is any ulterior motive (no trust), or control of any kind...that does not mean I am not law abiding..or desirous to be so....I hope you understand...
I think I already mentioned the Sartre quote: "Man [sic] is condemned to be free; thrown into the world, he is forced to define himself."
I've stolen another quote from our own Russ Gunsalus, "Everything is political, so you just have to do the right thing."
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