As a Son with a Father Philippians 2:22

Because Paul the apostle desired to know the state of the church located in Philippi, he sent Timothy who was his young assistant to view them. Paul stated that no one else was as likeminded as Timothy, and he confirmed that Timothy would care more for them than for himself. In chapter two and verse twenty-two of Philippians, Paul shares even more about how close he is with Timothy where we read:

But you know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he has served with me in the gospel.

The verse begins, “But you know the proof of him, ...” Once again Paul employs the word “but” which means that what is about to be declared has precedence over what was just stated, “you know the proof” or “approved or tried character” “of him”. Paul was assured that the Philippians knew Timothy from being with them before, and his pointing this out once again only validates his faithful assistant more.

The verse goes on to say, “that, as a son with the father, he has served with me in the gospel.” We learn here just how close Paul felt to Timothy, “as a son with a father”. Paul referred to Timothy in the book of First Timothy in chapter one and verse two as his “son in the faith”, and by declaring this closeness to the Philippians it would only further promote his acceptance. Paul also wrote, “he has served” which once again is the Greek word “douleuo” which means “to be a slave, serve, or do service”, and as we learned early means a “bond-slave” or willing slave. Paul declared that Timothy who was as a son to him was a willing servant with him “in the gospel” which is the “good tidings” of Jesus Christ.

Every Christian should have three people in their lives with whom they confer on a regular basis. The first is a person who has walked the Christian walk a little longer than they. The second should be one who is their contemporary and has traveled the walk about the same amount of time. The final person should be someone who has not walked the walk quite as long. This third person is much like it was between Paul and Timothy. Timothy was as Paul's “son in the faith”, and as we ponder this relationship and the confidence that Paul had within it, perhaps it will help us to examine our own lives to discover whether we have any “children” in the faith. It might also do us well to know whether we have the other two people in our lives, and as we make our discovery, may the Lord add many more people to each of these areas as we serve with Him “in the gospel”.

Next time Paul tells the Philippians that Timothy will soon be sent to them, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow...there is more...

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