Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Philippians 1:1
The description of the Christians is given in terms of their relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ- and that must, of course, ever be remembered to be the true starting point of all Christian experience and all Christian instruction. We do well, in taking up the study of any of the epistles, to inquire carefully into that matter of where we stand in reference to Him.
In a fundamental sense, the epistles are the property of believers; they have, except incidentally, nothing to say to the people of the world. Their message is addressed to the church, the members of His body; their teaching is to be grasped and enjoyed only by those who have been truly "born again" by the same Spirit who inspired the writing of the epistles. We are, therefore, not wasting time if we pause to ask ourselves about our relationship to Christ. Have we, indeed, received Him into our hearts and lives as our own personal Saviour?
Only so do we have legitimate entrance to this treasure house; but if so, we have undisputed access to all its treasure trove. Our relationship to Him, then, determines both how we get into if and what we get out of it. Note what is said here concerning that relationship, for the terms employed are applicable to all believers- both to Paul and Timothy who send forth the epistle, and to the original and all subsequent readers of it, you and me among them.
-Guy King, Philippians: Joy Way
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