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Sketches from the Life of Paul
Rome, the faithful love of his Philippian brethren was evinced by their
kindly care for his comfort.
The church at Philippi were not wealthy. Paul says of these
brethren: “In a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy
and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For
to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were
willing of themselves; praying us with much entreaty that we would
receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to
the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own
selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.”
It had been one object of the apostle, in this journey, to collect
means for the relief of the poor saints at Jerusalem. He had established
in the Corinthian church, as also in Galatia, a system of weekly of-
ferings, and had enjoined upon Titus, in his visit to Corinth, to give
special attention to forwarding this benevolent enterprise. Not only
was the apostle actuated by a desire to relieve the sufferings of his
Jewish brethren, but he hoped that this tangible expression of the love
and sympathy of the Gentile converts would soften the bitter feelings
cherished toward them by many of the believers in Judea. Notwith-
standing the poverty of the Philippian church, they joined readily in
the apostle’s plan, and urged him to accept their bounty for the needy
Christians at Jerusalem. They had the utmost confidence in his in-
tegrity and judgment, and considered him the proper person to take
charge of their gifts.
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The Philippians did not hold their small earthly possessions with
a tenacious grasp, but considered them as theirs only to use in doing
good. They thus experienced the truth of the words of Christ, “It is
more blessed to give than to receive.” They felt that the cause of Christ
was one everywhere. They therefore, in their poverty, felt called out to
help other churches more needy than themselves.
This spirit of unsectional liberality should characterize the churches
of today. They should continually keep the burden on their souls for the
advancement of the cause of God in any and every place. Benevolence
is the very foundation of the universe. God is a benefactor of the
human family. He is a being of inexhaustible goodness and love. The
love of the Father for man was expressed in the gift of his beloved Son
to save the race from ruin.