Philippians 4:19 – Budget and Sacrifice
And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
--Philippians 4:19 NASB
At first glance this verse would appear to be a general statement about the provision of God. But while we acknowledge that God is able to provide for us and sustain us through whatever we may face, this particular verse has a more specific meaning.
The primary reason for the Apostle Paul's letter to the church at Philippi was to thank the believers for their support of his work through the gifts brought to Paul by Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25; 4:18). Philippi was not a wealthy church, but its members gave sacrificially out of what they did have to support Paul who, though imprisoned, was still preaching and teaching. The “and” at the beginning of verse nine indicates that what followed was an outcome of the Philippians' their sacrificial giving.
Paul is telling the Philippians that because they allowed themselves to be used by God to meet the needs of His servant Paul, God would meet their needs in returned. The Greek word used for supply is transliterated pléroó (pronounced “play-RO-o”). It means to make full, to complete; to accomplish. In other words, God would not repay in half measures, but fully and completely. And God would not supply only their temporal, physical needs, but their spiritual needs as well.
God would provide out of what Paul describes with the Greek word ploutos (“PLOO-tos”), meaning wealth or riches. God's abundance is a supply far greater than ours. Paul even adds a descriptor, the Greek doxa (“DOX-ah”), meaning good opinion, praise, honor, glory. A few suggestions have been made on applying this reference of glory in the passage. Some suggest that it is a reference to God's riches, as in "His glorious riches." Others suggest that the riches and the glory should be flipped, as in "the richness of His glory." And still others suggest that the glory should be applied to the channel by which the supply is made possible--Jesus Christ--as in "His riches in the glory of Christ Jesus." Whatever the case, all of these would seem to be quite valid--God's riches are indeed glorious, God's glory is indeed rich, and Christ Jesus is indeed glorious.
The most important thing we should understand about this passage is that it does not promote the concept of “health and wealth,” where those who give extraordinarily are blessed by God with greater riches. Rather, the point here is that if we give sacrificially to the work of God, God will in turn meet our needs, not our wants, in His way and on His schedule.
Also, giving sacrificially does not necessarily mean that we should go without essential needs. The Philippians did give out of their poverty, which constitutes sacrificial giving, but they also met the needs of their families. Other Bible passages warn us of not meeting the needs of our families. This presumes the principle of careful money management. And our sacrificial giving must come out of that principle.
Father, this verse is such a challenge--to live within my means and to also give sacrificially for Your kingdom. Please keep me ever mindful of my fiscal responsibilities and Your spiritual requirements. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
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--Philippians 4:19 NASB
At first glance this verse would appear to be a general statement about the provision of God. But while we acknowledge that God is able to provide for us and sustain us through whatever we may face, this particular verse has a more specific meaning.
The primary reason for the Apostle Paul's letter to the church at Philippi was to thank the believers for their support of his work through the gifts brought to Paul by Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25; 4:18). Philippi was not a wealthy church, but its members gave sacrificially out of what they did have to support Paul who, though imprisoned, was still preaching and teaching. The “and” at the beginning of verse nine indicates that what followed was an outcome of the Philippians' their sacrificial giving.
Paul is telling the Philippians that because they allowed themselves to be used by God to meet the needs of His servant Paul, God would meet their needs in returned. The Greek word used for supply is transliterated pléroó (pronounced “play-RO-o”). It means to make full, to complete; to accomplish. In other words, God would not repay in half measures, but fully and completely. And God would not supply only their temporal, physical needs, but their spiritual needs as well.
God would provide out of what Paul describes with the Greek word ploutos (“PLOO-tos”), meaning wealth or riches. God's abundance is a supply far greater than ours. Paul even adds a descriptor, the Greek doxa (“DOX-ah”), meaning good opinion, praise, honor, glory. A few suggestions have been made on applying this reference of glory in the passage. Some suggest that it is a reference to God's riches, as in "His glorious riches." Others suggest that the riches and the glory should be flipped, as in "the richness of His glory." And still others suggest that the glory should be applied to the channel by which the supply is made possible--Jesus Christ--as in "His riches in the glory of Christ Jesus." Whatever the case, all of these would seem to be quite valid--God's riches are indeed glorious, God's glory is indeed rich, and Christ Jesus is indeed glorious.
The most important thing we should understand about this passage is that it does not promote the concept of “health and wealth,” where those who give extraordinarily are blessed by God with greater riches. Rather, the point here is that if we give sacrificially to the work of God, God will in turn meet our needs, not our wants, in His way and on His schedule.
Also, giving sacrificially does not necessarily mean that we should go without essential needs. The Philippians did give out of their poverty, which constitutes sacrificial giving, but they also met the needs of their families. Other Bible passages warn us of not meeting the needs of our families. This presumes the principle of careful money management. And our sacrificial giving must come out of that principle.
Father, this verse is such a challenge--to live within my means and to also give sacrificially for Your kingdom. Please keep me ever mindful of my fiscal responsibilities and Your spiritual requirements. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
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