Therewith To Be Content

As today is Sunday, I will add to The Handbook of Libertarian Theology with a Sermon on a passage of Scripture. Let us start by reading the context …

4 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. ² I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. ³ And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. ⁵ Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. ⁶ Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ⁸ Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. ⁹ Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

¹⁰ But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. ¹¹ Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. ¹² I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. ¹³ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. ¹⁴ Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.

¹⁵ Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. ¹⁶ For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. ¹⁷ Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. ¹⁸ But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. ¹⁹ But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. ²⁰ Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

²¹ Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you. ²² All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Cæsar’s household.

²³ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

It was written to the Philippians from Rome by Epaphroditus.

I want to dwell on the “for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am in, therewith to be content.” By itself it seems a “stop fussing and put on a happy face” sort of statement. And I found myself wrestling with this thought when the Spirit brought this passage to mind earlier last week. For I have “complained” about a lot of things in the past few years, setbacks, mistreatments; I have not been content to take these things lying down, but couldn’t figure out what position I should take them in, if I have to take them, after all.

I was challenged to be content, but content in what way?

Paul puts together a huge list of things before his talking about being content. There is rejoicing, thanksgiving, both leading to peace, and a dwelling on what is honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report.

When you focus on these things, it seems hard to say anything negative, doesn’t it?

And so Paul has learned to be content when either abased or abounded. In fact, he is to always experience both: to be full and to be hungry, to abound and to suffer need. And the passage clearly shows that he didn’t hold back on telling people about his needs, as well as his bounty. Yet this doesn’t take away from his contentment.

If you are portraying a life of spiritual success and contentment, and there is no “suffering need” in what you show, you aren’t being truly content as Paul means content, and you probably aren’t showing a true portait of your spiritual life. If your portrait of your spiritual life is flat and one-dimensional, it is hard for anyone else to follow you, as Paul so encourages the Phillipians to follow him. It is hard to follow something or someone when you only see one dimension.

Perhaps Paul should have also said “I have learned to complain and to be content”, much like Job complained, and yet was content with God.

Perhaps we cannot be content in God without some form of complaint.

Perhaps to be content requires some form of complaint.

To be content requires that we understand what it means to be discontent, and that our discontent points us back to God.

“Lord I believe, help thou mine unbelief” comes to mind.

Without it we believe in a one-dimensional God, who cannot follow us in the many dimensions of our lives, nor can we follow him into the untold dimensions of his Grace.

And so we are called to follow him, not because He forces us to, but because only in doing so, and through our unbelief and discontent do we find the meaning of belief and contentment.

So give up your denial of your discontent. Be discontent. Be at peace with it, struggle with it, and be content. Only through the struggle does the God of Peace come to be with you. The struggle that we offer to him, and that He sees as a sweet smelling sacrifice.

So the next time you hear someone complaining, maybe they are doing it because they are content with God. Content to wrestle with Him. Perhaps more of us should be like Jacob, and wrestle with God, instead of throwing in the towel before the match even begins.

I wonder …