Twin Peaks

"Those things, which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you."

Not only does the apostle Paul present the instructions for victorious living, he presents himself as an example of living such a life. All of the "things" that he eludes to are summed up in the first verse of this chapter. "Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved." Philippians 4:1 This is the end result of a life that receives and lives the truth of the gospel. The gospel changes a life from weakness to strength, and the new life is lived in victory. That victory is expressed as we "stand fast in the Lord."

In our text for today, the apostle gives the process in reverse order; first, we hear, then we receive what we have heard, and then we learn from it. As we learn the truth, it should produce in us a willing obedience to the things which we have learned. Obedience is a requirement of God. He loves to see it in us because He knows that the obedient one is following the path of safety. God does not demand obedience for His own sake; He does it for us. Because He loves us, He wants us to live in harmony with the principles that lead to a good life, safety, health, and peace. He is the God for peace; as we follow His instructions, we will find peace for our souls. He gives us His commandments, for example, not to constrain us but to free us. The path of obedience is not the path of bondage; it is the path of liberation. It provides us with freedom from satanic domination, sin and eternal death. Jesus walked that path for us and instructed us to follow Him. He is the only example of a life lived in complete obedience to the Father; He provided it for us. He did it because He loves us. Let us follow in His steps because we love Him.

- Pastor Tim