Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! (Philippians 4:1)
Firmness is a good thing! We don’t want it everywhere, but in some things it is an absolute necessity. Where in the world would we be without firmness in parenting, teaching, and coaching? The quick answer is: not anywhere we want to think about! Then we want our houses, cars, appliances, and electronics made of firm materials so they don’t fall apart. We want to have relationships with people that are firm so we know we can count on them (and they on us) when difficult times come. A firm friend is a blessing!
So firm is good and it’s the word Paul used when he was speaking to the disciples at Philippi. They were to “stand firm in the Lord” (4:1). It’s also helpful to note that this verse begins with “Therefore.” This signals the start of a conclusion and if we really want to appreciate and understand it, we need to look at what went before. That’s reinforced by the words “stand firm in this way.” The way he is speaking of can only be learned by looking back at 3:17-21. As we examine these verses, we learn about the ways Paul wanted them and us to be firm.
We are to be firm in our beliefs (v. 20-21). The specific beliefs he has just talked to them about are that 1) our citizenship is in heaven, 2) Jesus will return and 3) when He does, the power He has to bring everything under His control will transform our lowly bodies so they will become like His glorious body.
Philippi was a Roman colony and the people living there took great pride in their citizenship. Paul reminded the disciples at Philippi they were citizens of a greater kingdom and their mission was to bring heaven to earth. Earth wasn’t their final destination, so they didn’t need to think or act like it was.
Remembering these truths will help us today. We too, are just passing through. We’re living at the airport in a sense—we came in on one flight and before you know it, we will be living on another. So we don’t want to get bogged down in life at the airport. We want to live for heaven.
We are to to be firm in our behavior (v. 17). Paul tells them to “Join together in following my example.” There is a standard of behavior for us to follow and we are to be firm, not flabby, in it. We are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We love God by obeying Him and walking in His ways.
We are to be firm in our resistance. In v. 18, Paul speaks (with tears) of those who “live as enemies of the cross of Christ.” He goes on to say, “Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is their shame. They set their mind on earthly things” (v. 19). We aren’t to compromise our behavior—we are to be firm. In a world where there is so little firmness, where just about anything goes, we are to stand for what is true, right, and good here, there, and everywhere. This challenging because there will always be people around us pushing for us something less than firm.
We are to be firm in our fellowship. In v. 17 Paul also said, “Keep your eyes on those who live as we do.” This is the great thing about Christian community—we can always look around and found examples and models. Do you struggle with patience? Perseverance? Mercy? There’s always someone we can look to in whatever area we need help with and show us what that attribute looks like in a fleshed-out form.
But we must invest ourselves in each other’s lives for this to happen. We can’t pop in and out periodically only when “our schedule permits”—we must take control of our schedule and make fellowship a priority!
We are to be firm about our future. Our future is this—we will either go to Jesus when we die or if He will come to us when He returns. We are to be living in such a way that we “eagerly await” seeing Him.
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 