(Philippians 4.)

Christian practice flows from Christian position and Christian prospect.

"We are called to be what we are," it has been said. That is, we who are Christians in position and prospect are to be Christians in practice also. Our position is given to us in the great grace of God. We are before Him "in Christ Jesus." This is all and altogether of Himself, as we read in Corinthians 1:30 :"Of Him (of God) are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." "In Christ," we are created anew. "In Christ," the Beloved, we are "made accepted," and all is to the praise of the glory of God's grace.

Our great ultimate is to be with Christ where He is, with bodies of glory like unto His body of glory. He has apprehended us for this. The hand of His grace reached from the glory of God to the gutter of guilt in which we lay. That hand now holds us in its mighty grasp, and will never allow us to be seized out of it, but will raise us to the glory from which it reached even to us.

Meanwhile power is ours from Himself to walk for His pleasure. The Holy Spirit dwells within us, so that something of the life of Christ may be expressed in us day by day. We have not to walk or war at our own changes. All-sufficiency for every part of our pathway is found in Christ. Thus the apostle could say, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

Remembering these verities let me speak a little of some of the details of Christian practice which came before us in this fourth chapter of Philippians. The first is

CHRISTIAN STEADFASTNESS

"Stand fast in the Lord" is the apostle's exhortation (ver. 1). There is all might in His hand. He controls everything. He sits on high above the noise of many waters. The stormy winds fulfil His word. We have but to wait a little longer, and He will subdue all things unto Himself. He can do everything and no thought of His can be hindered. Every counsel of His shall have its consummation. So in the midst of all that which is contrary, where the enemy would seek to drive us from our confidence, we are to hold fast, to stand firm, and to refuse to yield aught of the truth committed to our trust.

The next verse presents the thought of

CHRISTIAN UNITY

Euodias and Syntyche, two sisters in Christ, had a difference and were "out" with one another. This antagonism was a dead fly in the ointment of the Philippian assembly. And the word of exhortation is sent to them (and to all Christian sisters or brothers) to be "of the same mind in the Lord." We may notice that each sister is exhorted to get right with the other. The fault may have been on one side only, or as is commonly the case, there may have been faults on both sides. But, however the difficulty arose, Euodias was to seek reconciliation with Syntyche, and Syntyche was to seek reconciliation with Euodias. If such endeavor were made humbly and sincerely by each sister, a happy conclusion surely would be rapidly reached.

CHRISTIAN HELPFULNESS

Paul's "true yokefellow" is besought to "help those women." What a helper was the apostle! Every true yokefellow should aim at this-to be a helper of others. And what need of help is found on every hand. Each of us, writer and reader alike, may well ask, "Am I a help to my fellow-Christians? In the meeting am I a help or a hindrance? Do I seek to carry others, or am I in need of being carried myself?"

A quaint old brother used to remark of an assembly of Christians, "There are many passengers on board the ship, but there are not many who work the ship." Shall we enquire of our own consciences, "Am I a passenger on board the vessel of witness for Christ, or am I a worker helping forward all fellow-voyagers on our way to the port of glory?"

Many are crying aloud for help. May we be fitted to succor the feeble and faint-hearted and failing ones around us.

CHRISTIAN JOYFULNESS

comes before us in verse four. "Rejoice in the Lord alway:and again I say, Rejoice." Paul had a right to say so. Was it not in Philippi that in the prison he had rejoiced? There in the innermost dungeon, while his back was bruised and bleeding from the cruel scourge, and his feet were held fast in the grip of the stocks, his fellow-prisoner Silas and he had "sung praises to God." In that prison "a man of Macedonia" was soon crying out for help as he said, "What must I do to be saved?" And soon he was rejoicing also with all his house, believing the glad and glorious gospel.

The Lord abides unfailing in all our circumstances. Whoever rules, He overrules, and somehow He works all for our good and for His glory. This is the New Testament counterpart of the words of Habakkuk of old :"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (Hab. 3:17). "The Lord LIVETH." He knows the need of His loved ones, and is all-powerful on their behalf. Believing this they may exclaim, "Blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted." Relying on Him and His abounding affection and abiding ability they could afford to show

CHRISTIAN MODERATION

or gentleness to all. They need not "stand for their rights," "the Lord is at hand." This the next verse shows. He is near to uphold His own in all that will be for their truest welfare. He set us the example of moderation, of gentleness, of yieldingness. He was not received in a Samaritan village because His face was toward Jerusalem. John and James would have called down fire from heaven to destroy the inhabitants. But He said, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of Man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." Then there is added, "And they went to another village."

Gracious Master and Lord, "Thy gentleness hath made us great." Help us to be more after the manner of Thy spirit, Thou who wouldst touch and heal Malchus' ear when one of Thy followers had cut it off; Thou who didst say, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," when in Thy holy agony upon the tree of shame. Inglis Fleming

(Concluded In next number.)