Paul concludes his letter to the Philippians, encouraging us to be content with everything & every situation God puts before us.

What we think about is important to God: Paul continues his call for Peace with a directive & thorough description of ‘the right thoughts’ for Peace in one’s mind.

Paul makes a Call for Peace: Peace in the Church and Peace in one’s inner self, encouraging believers to have gratitude, be gentle with others, and to not be anxious.

“Future promises determine present behavior” – Paul reminds the church at Philippi that because one has accepted Christ as a Savior, our thoughts & actions will be shaped & molded by Him.

Paul encourages the people of Philippi to continue in pursuit of holiness & maturity as a Christian. He offers himself as a model to follow, warns of false teachers, and reminds them that their true citizenship is in Heaven.

Paul’s words to the Philippians are a perfect summary of the basic Christian principle of Justification: Once we accept Christ as our Savior, we have a new position in Him & are declared righteous, and the process of defining & shaping our new lives begins.

Paul warns the Philippians of false teachers, and reminds them that the hope of salvation is not based on one’s genealogy, flesh, or works; Salvation comes through faith in Christ.

Paul teaches us that because we are children of God, we are to live pure & faithful lives in a crooked world. In modern terms, we are instructed to “live what we are” because how we live matters.

Dr. Eckman leads discussion on a short verse with big implications in our Christian lives: “Do everything without complaining or arguing.”

Paul tells the Church at Philippi to pursue God & to be obedient to Him, because God is already at work in the lives of His people, shaping their thoughts, desires, and actions.