Stand Firmly Together
Standing firm in the Lord means to stay faithful. More specifically, it means to stay faithful to the goal of knowing Christ and making Him known. It also implies that there are forces at work that would keep us from pursuing the goal of the Christian life. The enemy is working from the outside. But we also need to be aware that he will seek to work from the inside through careless Christians to divide churches.
Jesus prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one (John 17:20-21). The unity Christians are to display is to bear witness to the world that Jesus was sent by God to the world to rescue sinners. Our unity is to reflect the unity that exists in the godhead in such a way that it leads others to believe that Jesus must be truly among us. Does this mean that a healthy church should never have disagreements? There are certain things, like essential Christian doctrine, that we must agree on. But unity does not mean uniformity. We will not always see eye to eye. We have different preferences. We will have disagreements.
The mark of a healthy church, a healthy marriage, and healthy relationships in general is not the absence of conflict. The mark of a healthy church is that we work through disagreements and resolve conflicts in a way that magnifies the selfless love of Jesus. Someone said, "there’s no problem too big for God to solve, just people too small to solve them."
Stand together in the love of the Lord. While expressing His love and longing for the believers at Philippi, Paul exhorts them to stand firm thus in the Lord. “Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved” (Philippians 4:1). To stand firm, like Paul, we need more than understanding what's in Paul’s head. We need the longings in His heart. Paul expresses to the Philippians that he loves them and longs for them. Paul desired to be in loving community with others.
Additionally, he writes that they were his joy and crown, not because they were helping him achieve earthly success and prosperity. He experienced the joy of the Lord in serving them. And his crown—the reward—the fulfillment that he received came from helping them become more like Jesus. To stand firm we must stand together in love as we strive together in our pursuit of Jesus. United we stand. Divided we fall.
Work through disagreements in the peace of the Lord. After exhorting believers to stand firm in the Lord, which necessitates standing together, Paul does something rather unusual. He calls out by name two godly, prominent, and influential women in the church, who apparently were not getting along—not standing together. “I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord” (Philippians 4:2).
What does Paul mean when he exhorts these two sisters in Christ to agree in the Lord? It’s safe to say that there was something that they were not in agreement about, which appears to have caused a rift between them. What that disagreement was, we don’t know. The fact that he doesn’t address it speaks volumes. He doesn’t address it because no matter what it was it should not have kept them from standing together in what united them, namely the faith of the gospel. (Philippians 1:27)
When we are more focused on what unites us as believers, we can set aside our personal preferences. We can peacefully work through things that we don’t see eye to eye on. We can overcome our differences. We don’t have to insist on getting our way. We can agree to disagree and continue to stand together in love for the sake of the gospel.
What happens when two influential believers in the church have a disagreement and don’t resolve it in the Lord? People take sides. And before you know it, there’s a war in the church. However, when we are focused on what unites us in the Lord, disagreements become petty. On the other hand, when we lose sight of the big picture, petty disagreements can lead to major division and dysfunction.
It was not Paul’s regular practice to call out believers publicly in the church. But he was prompted by the Spirit to do so in this case. Why? Unresolved conflicts that go on unchecked will tear a church apart, destroy relationships, and mar the testimony of God in our lives. Furthermore, Paul not only calls out these two women by name. He calls on another faithful and reliable believer in the church to help them get it together for Jesus' sake. “Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life” (Philippians 4:3).
It’s important to note that this mediator, who Paul refers to as “true companion” and everyone else that he names, are not unbelievers. All of them are individuals whose names are in the book of life. This should make us aware of at least two things. First, all of us, including the most mature believers in the church, are susceptible to allowing a petty disagreement to lead to division. If we are not careful, every one of us can be used of the enemy to spread gossip and bring discord in the church. Second, none of us are above needing the help of another trusted and mature believer to work through a relational conflict. We need to seek the counsel and prayers of others. In addition, there may also be a time when God would use us to help and encourage others to resolve their conflicts.
But sadly, what happens sometimes is that we become aware of a relational conflict, and rather than helping to resolve it, we perpetuate it by engaging in gossip. To overcome conflict and maintain unity we must resolve to talk with one another not about one another. Remember, there’s no problem too big for God to solve; only people too small to solve them.
Find joy in the Lord in every conflict. In order to have healthy relationships, sometimes we must sacrifice what we want in order to meet the needs of another. You will struggle to be in healthy relationships if you’re the type of person who always has to have it your way. Where does the strength to be a peacemaker come from? What gives us the motivation to put the interests of another above our own, to not insist on our way, to agree to disagree in a loving and respectful way for the sake of Christ? The joy of the Lord is our strength.
After appealing to the two sisters to work it out, and soliciting the help of a trusted friend, Paul writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;” (Philippians 4:4-5). When Paul exhorts believers to rejoice in the Lord always, he’s not saying that a believer should never feel sorrow from a loss or the pain of being in conflict with a loved one. However, although we will experience sorrow because of the changing circumstances of life, we can always find joy in the unchanging person and promises of Jesus Christ.
It's been said that to rejoice is a choice. It’s a choice because in difficult circumstances and conflicts we can always rejoice knowing Jesus will always be with us. We can remember what Jesus has done for us and the promise that He is working through our trials to fulfill His good purpose in our lives. If we look to circumstances or even other believers as our primary source of happiness, we are going to be disappointed. And it will be very difficult for us to move beyond the disappointment. Rather, we will likely become bitter and resentful.
But when we rejoice in the Lord always, we are able to get past ourselves and work through conflicts graciously. This is why Paul goes on to say to believers in conflict, “let your reasonableness be known to all men” (v.5a). When our ultimate joy is found in the Lord, we can be reasonable in our relationships with others, including people we disagree with. We won’t write people off when they don’t meet our expectations. God doesn’t write us off.
Finally, notice that Paul writes, "the Lord is at hand." God is near. And because He's near, we can happily trust Him to give us the grace we need to do our part to live at peace with all men. Because of all that is at stake in the cause of Christ and the need for believers to stand firm, Paul called out two sisters to get it together. To work it out. To let it go. To forgive. Some of us need to do the same.
I entreat you husbands and I entreat you wives, work through it. Don’t throw in the towel. Don’t accept the status quo, or believe that nothing will ever change or take the easy way out. The Lord is at hand. If you look to Him, He will help you. Seek others that He has placed in your life to help you.
I entreat you fathers, make the first move and reach out to your son. Sons, make things right with your father. Work out your differences.
I entreat you sisters in Christ, it’s time to come together, work through the hurt, and forgive as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you.
Church, stand firm in the Lord by standing together in the love of the Lord. Work through disagreements with the peace of the Lord. And find in every circumstance your joy in the Lord. The Lord is at hand. He’s watching. He’s ready to help us. If we are willing, He will give us the grace. May He find us faithful.
In your service,
Pastor Marco
Jesus prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one (John 17:20-21). The unity Christians are to display is to bear witness to the world that Jesus was sent by God to the world to rescue sinners. Our unity is to reflect the unity that exists in the godhead in such a way that it leads others to believe that Jesus must be truly among us. Does this mean that a healthy church should never have disagreements? There are certain things, like essential Christian doctrine, that we must agree on. But unity does not mean uniformity. We will not always see eye to eye. We have different preferences. We will have disagreements.
The mark of a healthy church, a healthy marriage, and healthy relationships in general is not the absence of conflict. The mark of a healthy church is that we work through disagreements and resolve conflicts in a way that magnifies the selfless love of Jesus. Someone said, "there’s no problem too big for God to solve, just people too small to solve them."
Stand together in the love of the Lord. While expressing His love and longing for the believers at Philippi, Paul exhorts them to stand firm thus in the Lord. “Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved” (Philippians 4:1). To stand firm, like Paul, we need more than understanding what's in Paul’s head. We need the longings in His heart. Paul expresses to the Philippians that he loves them and longs for them. Paul desired to be in loving community with others.
Additionally, he writes that they were his joy and crown, not because they were helping him achieve earthly success and prosperity. He experienced the joy of the Lord in serving them. And his crown—the reward—the fulfillment that he received came from helping them become more like Jesus. To stand firm we must stand together in love as we strive together in our pursuit of Jesus. United we stand. Divided we fall.
Work through disagreements in the peace of the Lord. After exhorting believers to stand firm in the Lord, which necessitates standing together, Paul does something rather unusual. He calls out by name two godly, prominent, and influential women in the church, who apparently were not getting along—not standing together. “I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord” (Philippians 4:2).
What does Paul mean when he exhorts these two sisters in Christ to agree in the Lord? It’s safe to say that there was something that they were not in agreement about, which appears to have caused a rift between them. What that disagreement was, we don’t know. The fact that he doesn’t address it speaks volumes. He doesn’t address it because no matter what it was it should not have kept them from standing together in what united them, namely the faith of the gospel. (Philippians 1:27)
When we are more focused on what unites us as believers, we can set aside our personal preferences. We can peacefully work through things that we don’t see eye to eye on. We can overcome our differences. We don’t have to insist on getting our way. We can agree to disagree and continue to stand together in love for the sake of the gospel.
What happens when two influential believers in the church have a disagreement and don’t resolve it in the Lord? People take sides. And before you know it, there’s a war in the church. However, when we are focused on what unites us in the Lord, disagreements become petty. On the other hand, when we lose sight of the big picture, petty disagreements can lead to major division and dysfunction.
It was not Paul’s regular practice to call out believers publicly in the church. But he was prompted by the Spirit to do so in this case. Why? Unresolved conflicts that go on unchecked will tear a church apart, destroy relationships, and mar the testimony of God in our lives. Furthermore, Paul not only calls out these two women by name. He calls on another faithful and reliable believer in the church to help them get it together for Jesus' sake. “Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life” (Philippians 4:3).
It’s important to note that this mediator, who Paul refers to as “true companion” and everyone else that he names, are not unbelievers. All of them are individuals whose names are in the book of life. This should make us aware of at least two things. First, all of us, including the most mature believers in the church, are susceptible to allowing a petty disagreement to lead to division. If we are not careful, every one of us can be used of the enemy to spread gossip and bring discord in the church. Second, none of us are above needing the help of another trusted and mature believer to work through a relational conflict. We need to seek the counsel and prayers of others. In addition, there may also be a time when God would use us to help and encourage others to resolve their conflicts.
But sadly, what happens sometimes is that we become aware of a relational conflict, and rather than helping to resolve it, we perpetuate it by engaging in gossip. To overcome conflict and maintain unity we must resolve to talk with one another not about one another. Remember, there’s no problem too big for God to solve; only people too small to solve them.
Find joy in the Lord in every conflict. In order to have healthy relationships, sometimes we must sacrifice what we want in order to meet the needs of another. You will struggle to be in healthy relationships if you’re the type of person who always has to have it your way. Where does the strength to be a peacemaker come from? What gives us the motivation to put the interests of another above our own, to not insist on our way, to agree to disagree in a loving and respectful way for the sake of Christ? The joy of the Lord is our strength.
After appealing to the two sisters to work it out, and soliciting the help of a trusted friend, Paul writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;” (Philippians 4:4-5). When Paul exhorts believers to rejoice in the Lord always, he’s not saying that a believer should never feel sorrow from a loss or the pain of being in conflict with a loved one. However, although we will experience sorrow because of the changing circumstances of life, we can always find joy in the unchanging person and promises of Jesus Christ.
It's been said that to rejoice is a choice. It’s a choice because in difficult circumstances and conflicts we can always rejoice knowing Jesus will always be with us. We can remember what Jesus has done for us and the promise that He is working through our trials to fulfill His good purpose in our lives. If we look to circumstances or even other believers as our primary source of happiness, we are going to be disappointed. And it will be very difficult for us to move beyond the disappointment. Rather, we will likely become bitter and resentful.
But when we rejoice in the Lord always, we are able to get past ourselves and work through conflicts graciously. This is why Paul goes on to say to believers in conflict, “let your reasonableness be known to all men” (v.5a). When our ultimate joy is found in the Lord, we can be reasonable in our relationships with others, including people we disagree with. We won’t write people off when they don’t meet our expectations. God doesn’t write us off.
Finally, notice that Paul writes, "the Lord is at hand." God is near. And because He's near, we can happily trust Him to give us the grace we need to do our part to live at peace with all men. Because of all that is at stake in the cause of Christ and the need for believers to stand firm, Paul called out two sisters to get it together. To work it out. To let it go. To forgive. Some of us need to do the same.
I entreat you husbands and I entreat you wives, work through it. Don’t throw in the towel. Don’t accept the status quo, or believe that nothing will ever change or take the easy way out. The Lord is at hand. If you look to Him, He will help you. Seek others that He has placed in your life to help you.
I entreat you fathers, make the first move and reach out to your son. Sons, make things right with your father. Work out your differences.
I entreat you sisters in Christ, it’s time to come together, work through the hurt, and forgive as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you.
Church, stand firm in the Lord by standing together in the love of the Lord. Work through disagreements with the peace of the Lord. And find in every circumstance your joy in the Lord. The Lord is at hand. He’s watching. He’s ready to help us. If we are willing, He will give us the grace. May He find us faithful.
In your service,
Pastor Marco