Yesterday I shared that I struggle with Philippians 2 and have been engaging in looking for ways out, loopholes. The current argument is that since Paul was a special case, an apostle personally appointed by the post-resurrection Christ, I cannot possibly be expected to behave like he would…
And then Paul shares that he is sending Timothy to the Philippians. That is OK but the reason blows another loophole out of the water. Paul says in 2:20 – 21 that Timothy lives and models 2:3 – 4. Shoot. Timothy was not all that special – but he was around Paul a lot – hmm, maybe because he spent so much time around the apostle that is why he can do this, and I certainly have not been around an apostle, so perhaps I can slide by that way…
Then Paul cuts off all of my arguments, he closes all of the loopholes. In 2:8 Paul describes Christ as being obedient to the point of death. That is the big one in the chapter. But it is Epaphroditus who is the one who served to the point of death, 2:25 - 27 not Paul, not Timothy, not the “special” people, a virtual nobody with a hard name to spell.
There is no escape. Paul expects me to be able to follow Christ’s example. It is not the domain of the special Christians. It is mine. No loopholes…
Then Paul cuts off all of my arguments, he closes all of the loopholes. In 2:8 Paul describes Christ as being obedient to the point of death. That is the big one in the chapter. But it is Epaphroditus who is the one who served to the point of death, 2:25 - 27 not Paul, not Timothy, not the “special” people, a virtual nobody with a hard name to spell.
There is no escape. Paul expects me to be able to follow Christ’s example. It is not the domain of the special Christians. It is mine. No loopholes…
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