Loving EVERY Saint - Finding Joy in Philippians – October 22 Readings: Philippians 4:21-23

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Finding Joy in Philippians  

Background: For the next three weeks, we will be studying the Book of Philippians, another of Paul's letters from his Roman prison. In Philippi, men were using Paul's imprisonment as proof he was not genuine and seeking to undermine his authority. Many in the church were shaken at the fact that the Apostle was imprisoned. He wrote the letter to explain his imprisonment and to encourage his readers to walk in joy despite all the evil in the world. 

Philippians is not nearly as easily outlined at Ephesians was - it is much more personal and exhortational compared to the theological intent of Ephesians. Philippians was the church that was founded when Paul received the vision of the Macedonian man saying, "Come and help us."  

As often as time allows, the reader is encouraged to read the entire book - it will not take more than a few minutes. Each day we will work our way through the book passage by passage. 


Today's Reading:  Philippians 1-4  Focus Passage - Philippians 4:21-23


Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you greetings. 22 All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.


Through the Bible Readings: Jeremiah 47-48, 1 Thessalonians 1, Psalm119:25–32, Proverbs 25:25–28 

If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings. 

Devotional:  Loving EVERY Saint 


There isn't a lot to say about this closing section of Philippians. It is one of the shortest of Paul's epistles. He instructs those who read the book to greet all the saints and extends greetings from the brothers who are with him. 

One lesson we can gain from these greetings cuts against our sinful nature. Our tendency is to separate and exclude. Jesus did say that he came to bring a sword, but he divided only between those who trusted him and those who did not. He was not interested in dividing in all the ways we divide - us vs. them. 

We like to divide politically. "No Christian would vote...." and we fill in the blank in the favor of our party or candidate. If you don't vote like I vote, you aren't really saved! We are dividers, but Paul wanted to greet ALL the saints. We divide into theological camps. We are Calvinists. We follow this teacher or that. Paul said that Christianity build on following Paul or Apollos or others was a sign of stunted growth. We divide denominationally. We divide racially. We divide economically. We look for every reason we can find to divide the Body of Christ. 

Paul taught how essential unity in the Body was. Yes, truth and doctrine matters, but the word of God consistently teaches that unity is important, that the oneness of Christ's body mattered to him. There is a time to separate from a divisive man, or a false teacher, or one who walks in and promotes sin, But that must always be a last resort, not our first response 

Paul valued every saint, every brother. Let us do so too. 

Father, give me the love that Paul showed for all the Body of Christ. 

Think and Pray:

Do you pick and choose those you will love in the Body of Christ, or do you love all those Christ loves? 





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