Scripture Reading: Phil. 4:10, 14-20
In this message we shall consider the believers’ fellowship in the apostle’s need. In their giving, many Christians do not have fellowship. By fellowship we do not simply mean communication or mutual participation. Fellowship also involves the ministering of life. When we have fellowship with one another, we minister life to one another. When many Christians give something as a gift, they do not have the deep sense that in this transaction there is the ministry of life. But if we pray-read the verses listed above, we shall touch the ministry of life, both from the side of the apostle and also from the side of the believers who sent a gift to him. No doubt, the saints in Philippi not only sent the material supply to Paul, but also ministered life to him. Thus, between the two parties, the apostle and the believers, there was the fellowship of life and the mutual ministry of life. It is important that we learn to give in such a fellowship of life and ministry of life.
In 4:10 Paul says, “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you caused your thinking for me to blossom anew.” It might have been circumstances which kept the Philippian believers from continuing to send the material supply to Paul. When they sent a gift with Epaphroditus, Paul considered this the blossoming again of their thinking for him. According to Paul’s feeling, the sending of a gift with Epaphroditus was the blossoming again of their concern for him.
The words blossom anew are a beautiful expression, rich in their implication. How can something blossom without life? Paul’s use of the word blossom implies that the believers’ thought of him was a matter of life, something that expressed life. Furthermore, “blossom anew” implies that the believers’ concern for Paul had been dormant for a time, having passed through a winter season. For a plant to blossom anew requires that it undergo a period of withering or dormancy during the winter season. This winter season, during which the saints lacked the opportunity to care for Paul, was a time of suffering for him. But this suffering afforded him the opportunity to experience Christ in a richer way.
In 4:10 Paul also says to the Philippians, “You did indeed take thought, but you lacked opportunity.” These words show Paul’s experience and maturity. There were times that he rebuked the saints. For example, in writing to the Corinthians he rebuked them and asked if they wanted him to come with a rod (1 Cor. 4:21). In writing to the Philippians, however, he speaks in a very positive way, telling them that at length they caused their thinking for him to blossom anew, that they indeed did take thought, but lacked opportunity.
As we have indicated, the words blossom anew, a literal translation of the Greek, imply that the giving of material things is a matter of life and of the ministry of life. If this were not so, Paul would not have used such an expression.
We must pay careful attention to the word blossom. This word implies that our giving of material things to any church, to any servant of the Lord, and to any of the saints must be something living that is able to blossom. This fellowship involves more than participation; it involves the circulation of the current of life. According to the Bible, fellowship always comes from life. First John 1:2 and 3 reveal that fellowship issues from life. The source of fellowship is life. For this reason, in Philippians 4:10 Paul uses the word blossom, and in verse 14, the word fellowship: “Nevertheless you did well to have fellowship with me in my affliction.” It seems as if Paul is saying, “You ministered life to me and helped to sustain me in my imprisonment. When I was suffering, you helped me by ministering life to me. Surely you will receive a supply of life in return.”
The fellowship in life can be illustrated by the circulation of blood in the human body. On the one hand, as the blood circulates, it flows out; on the other hand, it returns. In like manner, our fellowship in life always has a going out with a return. Any outflow without a corresponding inflow is not true fellowship. Fellowship always involves circulation. The life goes out, and the life also returns. The life goes with a supply to the other party, and then it comes back with a supply from this party. Whenever we give material things under the leading of the Lord, we should experience such a fellowship in life. There should be the blossoming and the mutual supply of life.
The fellowship the believers in Philippi had with Paul was for the furtherance of the gospel (1:5). Their sending of the supply of material things was for the furtherance of the gospel. As we have pointed out, the gospel here equals God’s move on earth for His economy. The gospel includes not only the good news of salvation, redemption, forgiveness, justification, and eternal life. Especially in a book like Philippians, the gospel signifies the move of God in His economy. Therefore, fellowship, even in the sending of a material supply, is for the furtherance of God’s move in His economy.
In 4:15 and 16 Paul refers to those times in the past when the believers in Philippi supplied him materially. Then in verse 17 Paul goes on to say, “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit which increases to your account.” Why does Paul refer to their giving in the past? Surely this was not written by accident, for Paul would not write anything without a purpose. Whatever he wrote was with a purpose and according to a burden. The secret to understanding Paul’s purpose in these verses is in the word account (vv. 15, 17). The Philippian believers’ supply of material things to the apostle opened an account with him. In verse 17 Paul refers to the account opened in verse 15.
In the Bible we have a revelation of the heavenly banking system. In Matthew 6 the Lord Jesus speaks of making a deposit in our spiritual bank account. According to His word, we need to make deposits into our account in the heavens. In Matthew 6, of course, the word account is not used. In this matter also, the revelation in the Bible is progressive. Hence, in the Epistle to the Philippians Paul deliberately uses the word account in referring to the heavenly banking system.
In 4:15 Paul says, “And you yourselves also know, Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I went out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the account of giving and receiving but you only.” This verse indicates that the church in Philippi was unique in opening an account with Paul. With this account there is the side of giving, and the other side of receiving. Here we have a double entry account, an account of both giving and receiving. To be sure, in the account opened with Paul, the Philippian believers gave a great deal. The church in Philippi had opened an account to care for the needs of the apostle. This account, reflected in verse 15, was kept in the heavenly bank. They sent gifts to Paul, and in return they received God’s repayment.
Paul speaks of this in verse 19: “And my God shall fill every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” In the apostle’s experience, he had the conviction and assurance that God was his God through his being one with Him. Since he considered the Philippians’ material gift to him a sacrifice to God, he assuredly believed that God, who was one with him and who was his God, would richly repay the Philippians. On behalf of God, the believers sent something to God’s servant. For this, God would be sure to pay them back. He would not owe the believers anything. The heavenly account would enter both a credit and a debit for the Philippian believers.
Which side of the ledger do you think would be bigger — the debit side or the credit side, the giving side or the receiving side? It is always the receiving side which is greater. For example, on behalf of God you may give ten dollars, but God may repay you a thousand dollars, that is, a hundredfold. Thus, in your account you have a balance of nine-hundred ninety dollars. This indicates that you are not actually the giver; God is the One who gives. Would you not like to have such an account? No earthly bank account can compare with it. However, if you open such an account with the intention of enriching yourself, God’s repayment may not be given to you in this age. Rather, He may wait until your greediness has been dealt with before He repays you.
Although the Philippians had opened an account with Paul and even in Thessalonica had sent “both once and again” to his need, there was a period of time when no transactions took place. For this reason, Paul referred to the believers’ giving in the past. He expected that the transactions would not cease, but that there would be a continual giving and receiving. As Paul says in verse 17, he did not seek the gift, but the fruit which increases to the believers’ account. This refers to the increase on the credit side. In these verses Paul was encouraging the believers to keep their account active, to have no gaps in the giving and receiving. Then there would be fruit which increased to the believers’ account.
In verse 18 Paul continues, “But I have all things and abound; I have been filled, receiving from Epaphroditus the things from you, a fragrant odor, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.” The “things from you” were the material things given as a supply to the apostle. Receiving these things, Paul could say that he was fully supplied. He regarded the things sent to him as “a fragrant odor, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.” The Greek term rendered “fragrant odor” is the same as that used as sweet-smelling savor in Ephesians 5:2. It is a fragrant odor of sacrifices offered to God (Gen. 8:21). The Philippians’ material gift to supply the apostle’s need was considered by him a sacrifice to God, acceptable and well-pleasing (Heb. 13:16). Paul indicates in his appreciation that what the Philippians did to him was actually done to God. This implies his assurance that he was one with God and that his work was by God and for God.
In verse 19 Paul says that his God will abundantly repay the believers. In his experience Paul had the conviction and assurance that God was his God. He could say, “And my God shall fill every need of yours.” God was Paul’s God because Paul was one with Him. Thus, Paul regarded the material gift sent to him from the Philippian believers as a sacrifice to God. Furthermore, he believed with assurance that God would richly repay them. Here we see that whenever we receive a gift, we need to have the assurance that this gift is presented not only to us, but also to God. Then we need to have the conviction that God will repay the one who gives this gift. In His repayment, God will fill every need of the giver, fully supplying that one and satisfying him.
Paul told the Philippians that God would fill every need of theirs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Because the Philippians cared for God’s sent one, God would care for their every need. Furthermore, Paul indicates that God supplies our need according to His riches, not according to our needs. His riches exceed our needs.
The phrase in glory in verse 19 requires careful consideration. This phrase modifies fill; it does not modify His riches. Glory is the expression of God; it is God expressed in splendor. God’s rich supply to the believers, who are His children, expresses God and bears the glory of God. The apostle assured the Philippians that God would abundantly supply all their needs so as to bring them into His glory.
Here Paul is not saying that God’s riches are the riches of glory. Rather, he is testifying that God’s repayment to the giver is in glory. In glory God will fill every need of the Philippians. In doing so, He will show forth the splendor of His glory and bring the givers into this glory.
At this point let me share from my experience how God meets our needs in glory according to His riches. In January 1937 I received a cable from Brother Nee to come immediately to Shanghai to a very important conference of co-workers. After that conference, I visited a number of cities before returning home in the north of China. However, I had very little money with me to cover my travel expenses. Moreover, because the message to come to Shanghai was urgent, I had to leave my wife and children at home. On the one hand, I had very little money to take with me on the train. On the other hand, my wife had very little at home to take care of the needs of the family. However, we both trusted in the Lord. Not long after I left home, my wife’s supply of money was exhausted. Having learned the lesson not to tell others of the need, she called the oldest child and prayed together with her concerning the need. Later that day, in the evening, an elderly sister came to visit my wife, telling her that the Lord had stirred within her to give a certain amount of money to my wife. This elderly sister did not know that I was away from home and that my family was in need. When that sister departed, my wife wept before the Lord. This was the experience on her side.
Let me now share the experience on my side. After that conference in Shanghai, I went to Nanking, where I was ministering in some meetings. Suddenly the news came that the wife of a particular co-worker was seriously ill and that he needed to return home immediately to care for her. After I heard the news, something within told me to give this brother a certain amount of money. I hesitated, realizing that I needed this money for a train ticket. I wondered how I would be able to buy the ticket if I gave this money to the brother. But I could not argue with the Lord. I knew that I could not have peace unless I obeyed Him and gave that money to the brother. The Lord impressed me not to trust in the amount of money I had, but to trust only in Him. Telling the Lord that I trusted Him, I proceeded to give the money to the brother. As a result, on the one hand, my burden was gone, but, on the other hand, I became anxious concerning how I would purchase the train ticket. Later that day, in the evening after the meeting, I received a gift from someone. That gift was several times the amount I had given to the brother. When I opened the envelope and saw the amount of the gift, I was greatly surprised. Of course, my anxiety disappeared, but in its place was a feeling of shame. I felt so ashamed that I found it difficult even to give thanks to the Lord. In repaying me several times what I had given to the brother, the Lord acted in glory according to His riches. Yes, I did feel shame at first, but what the Lord did eventually brought me into His glory and strengthened me. Truly the Lord’s repayment of those who make deposits into the heavenly account is always according to His riches and in glory.
Philippians 4:19 indicates that the Lord’s repayment is also “in Christ Jesus.” The phrase in Christ Jesus also modifies fill. Christ is the all-inclusive One as the base, the element, the sphere, and the channel in which and by which God cares for His people according to His riches and in glory.
Again and again we have pointed out that the book of Philippians is a book on the experience of Christ. Whatever is written here must be related to the experience of Christ. If we do not apply this principle to the matter of giving and receiving, we shall not have a full understanding of what Paul says concerning giving and receiving in 4:10, 14-20. In these verses Paul speaks of blossoming, fellowship, a sacrifice to God, a sweet odor, and God supplying every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. All these terms and expressions indicate that even the giving and receiving of material things is intimately related to the experience of Christ. On our side, it is related to life; on God’s side, it is related to His glory. We give and receive in the way of life, in the fellowship of life. When we do this, there will be the blossoming in life, the sign that life is flourishing, that there is a normal circulation of life in the Body of Christ. The issue of this giving and receiving in the fellowship of life is the glory of God.
Among most Christians today, there is no trace of such blossoming, fellowship, sacrifice, and glory. But in Paul’s writing concerning the giving and receiving of material things, he uses such expressions as blossom, fellowship, sweet odor, sacrifice to God, according to His riches, and in glory. All this points to the experience of Christ. No doubt, when those saints in Philippi sent material gifts to Paul, they did so in life and with Christ. Thus, when Paul received their gifts, he enjoyed the ministry of life and comfort. Paul responded to the Philippians by writing them this Epistle. Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians ministered life not only to them, but to countless believers throughout the centuries. If we had been in Philippi receiving this Epistle, we might have read it more than a hundred times.
In giving to the apostle, the believers participated in the ministry of life. Paul’s answer upon receiving their gift was also a ministry of life, both to the believers in Philippi and to all the saints who read this portion of the Word. By this we see that even the giving and receiving of material gifts can become a rich experience of Christ which issues in the glorification of God. God comes in to visit both the ones who give and the one who receives in such a way as to express His splendor, His glory. Thus, the fellowship in the matters of giving and receiving not only ministers life to all concerned, but also brings all parties into the glory of God.
Philippians 4:19 and 20 are composed in a wonderful way, in a way that is subjective, intimate, and glorious. In verse 19 Paul tells the saints that his “God shall fill every need of yours.” What they gave to Paul was actually received by God. Thus, it was not Paul who was in debt to them, but God. Hence, God was obligated to pay back the believers. God and Paul were in partnership. Paul was one with God in God’s heavenly enterprise. God’s economy is His heavenly corporation. In this corporation God and Paul were partners. For this reason, when the Philippian believers gave something to Paul, it was God who became indebted to them. Paul knew that God would repay them.
It is important for us to realize, however, that it is only when we give in Christ that God becomes indebted to us. If we do not present our gifts in Christ, God will not be obligated to repay us. But whenever in Christ we give something to the church, to the needy saints, or to the Lord’s work in His recovery, God becomes indebted to us. The reason for His indebtedness is that by giving something in Christ to the church, the saints, or the work, we are actually giving to God Himself and to His concern, to His economy.
Because Paul was one with God and could speak of Him as “my God,” he could tell the believers that God would fill every need of theirs according to His riches. Paul did not have anything with which to repay the saints. However, God would repay them, not according to what they gave Him, but according to His riches. Furthermore, He might even repay them a hundredfold.
As we have pointed out, God will also fill our needs in glory and in Christ Jesus. Glory is God expressed in His splendor to bring us into the enjoyment of His expression. When God repays us in glory, He brings us into His splendor. I strongly encourage you to experience Christ in this way. Everyone who lives Christ and magnifies Him should have the experience of giving something to God for His interests and of being repaid by Him according to His riches and in glory, being brought into the enjoyment of His glorious expression in His splendor.
In verse 19 the word fill is modified by three phrases: first, according to His riches; second, in glory; and third, in Christ Jesus. As the all-inclusive One, Christ is the element, realm, channel, and atmosphere of God’s repayment.
The matter of giving and receiving in the way described in Philippians 4 is not a matter of natural generosity, of donating something out of a willingness to sacrifice. No, what is described here is an actual experience of Christ. If we give according to Paul’s word, we give not in ourselves, but in Christ. When our gift is presented in Christ and through Christ, it becomes something of life that blossoms. Furthermore, it becomes a sweet odor, a sacrifice well-pleasing to God. This will cause God’s glory to be manifested to us. This is the experience of Christ in giving material things for the Lord’s interest.
Paul concludes this portion of Philippians with the words, “Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (v. 20). Notice that in this verse Paul speaks of “our God and Father.” This indicates that God is not only the apostle’s God, but also the believers’ God. If Paul had not inserted the possessive pronoun our, there would not have been anything wrong. The use of this pronoun, however, is significant, for it indicates that God is our God.
To our God and Father is the glory forever and ever. As we have indicated, glory is God expressed in His splendor and excellency for our appreciation. For glory to be to God means that God is expressed and praised in this way.
The expression of God in His splendor may be illustrated by the blossoming of a carnation flower. When a carnation blossoms, it is glorified; the blossom brings out all the glory of the carnation flower. Thus, its blossoming is its glorification. In like manner, when we give something in Christ to God for God’s interest, this brings in God’s glory, not only for our enjoyment, but also for God’s glorification. Therefore, God is glorified, and we gain enjoyment. We enjoy the glorification of God. If we have never enjoyed Christ and experienced Him in giving material things for God’s interest, we shall not be able to appreciate the splendor or the excellency of God’s expression in this way.
According to verse 20, God is expressed in splendor and then praised by the believers. When we give material things in Christ for God’s interest, life is ministered to the Body, and God’s glory is brought in. As God’s glory is manifested, we appreciate His splendor and excellency. This appreciation is both an enjoyment and an experience. Without such an experience we cannot have this kind of appreciation. God is expressed in His splendor and excellency for our appreciation and satisfaction. On the part of the believers in Philippi, this brought in the full supply; on the part of Paul in Rome, it brought in full satisfaction. Therefore, the result of the believers’ fellowship in the apostle’s need is life and glory. Life is supplied to man, and God is glorified.
