Phillipians 1-4: Find Solutions to Life's Challenges in the Scriptures

The Scriptures: Real Answers for Real Life

For each of the following common challenges, write the counsel from Philippians that you would use to resolve it:

1. People sometimes argue and complain over petty matters in church meetings or throughout the week (see Philippians 2:1-8, 14-15)

In chapter 2 of Philippians, Paul reminds us "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves" (v.3) and "Do all things without murmurings and disputing: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." (v. 14-15)  As soon as I read these verses, President Uchtdorf's famous two word sermon "Stop It!" from his awesome talk  The Merciful Obtain Mercy from General Conference April 2012 came to mind. As brothers and sisters in Christ, there is no room for pettiness in our interactions with each other. None of us are perfect, we all fall short of our fullest potential and we all owe each other the benefit of the doubt. 

2. Many youth feel that their parents' testimony is sufficient for them. Since they have good parents, they rely on them for all their spiritual strength (see Philippians 2:12-15 and Institute Student Manual "Work Out Your Own Salvation with Fear and Trembling" pp. 361-62) 

Oh, there have been times when I hoped and wished with all my might that my struggling child could just cling to my own testimony until she reconnected with hers. While much good comes from a child knowing and feeling her parents' testimony, eventually they have to gain their own testimony for themselves. Testimonies are not gained effortlessly or automatically. As Paul says in Philippians 2:12, we must all "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling." I think one aspect of "fear and trembling" is humility. We have to humbly want to know for ourselves and be willing to ask for spiritual confirmation. It also requires work - maybe that is what the trembling is referring to - when we physically work out our muscles, sometimes they shake and tremble and feel weak. The same is true when we are exercising our spiritual muscles as. There's a quote in the Institute manual from David O. McKay that says "To work out one's salvation is not to sit idly by dreaming and yearning for God miraculously to thrust bounteous blessings into our laps. It is to perform daily, hourly, momentarily, if necessary, the immediate task or duty at hand and to continue happily in such performance as the years come and go..." (p. 361). No one can do it for us.

3. An investigator is considering joining the Church, but his family will no longer associate with him if he does (see Philippians 3:7-16; 4:13)
Well, I'm not sure I would choose to put it quite this way, but Paul says: ""Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ." Obviously, our families are not "dung", but the point Paul is trying to make is that nothing is more important than Jesus Christ and if we have to give up everything for His sake, so be it. In the end, we will know with a surety that it was the right decision. It comes down to faith. Do we believe Christ? If we do, the things we may sacrifice will be worth it. Personally, I believe that through Christ, miracles can happen, too. So even if the investigator's family stops associating with him after he joins the Church, that doesn't necessarily mean it will always be there. The Lord can work in them and soften their hearts. In my own experience, my family thought we were crazy to join the Church 23 years ago, but now, they see the fruits the Gospel has yielded in our lives and they see how happy we are. My dad, who really thought it was crazy tells me all the time what a wonderful job I did raising our kids, even though at one point when they were little he asked me if I "was ever going to use the brain God gave me?" because in his eyes, I was wasting it by being a stay at home mom. :-)

4. How is this writing assignment an example of the principle taught in 2 Nephi 32:3? "Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." This writing assignment has been an awesome opportunity to see "in real life" that answers to all of life's problems can be found in the Scriptures and the words of the Prophets. The key and the trick is to get to the point where the scriptures are the FIRST place we turn, with prayer, rather than our last resort when we have tried everything else our limited minds can think of. 

Paul's Example of Courage and Conviction Acts 21-28

Paul's Example of Courage and Conviction

After three successful missionary journeys that took him into many lands, Paul returned to Jerusalem even though he knew it was dangerous to do so. Read Acts 21:10-14, 22-25, and answer the following questions in writing:

o       Who was Agabus? (See also Acts 11:28) Agabus was a prophet.

o       What did Agabus prophesy concerning Paul? He prophesied that Paul would be captured and bound by the Jews in Jerusalem.

o       How did Paul respond? Paul said that he was not only prepared to be bound in Jerusalem, but was ready to die there.

o       What consequences did Paul know would come if he followed the Spirit’s direction to go to Jerusalem? Paul knew that if he listened to the Spirit he would die in Jerusalem. 

o       How did Paul’s friends react to his commitment? Paul’s friends said “The will of the Lord be done.” (v. 14)

o       How did this demonstrate Paul’s commitment to Christ? Paul showed he was totally committed to Christ and doing His will, even if it meant going to his death.

2.    Study Acts 21:26-26:32 and write answers to the following questions:

o       What did Paul do that led to his arrest? In Acts 22, Paul shared his conversion story with the people.

o       What did the Lord say when He appeared to Paul following Paul’s examination by the Sanhedrin? The Lord said "Be of good Cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. How has the Lord helped you “be of good cheer” during difficult times? Oh, there are so many examples of the Lord helping me with this very thing! I clearly remember the night Preston had a heart attack in 2013. As I was following behind the ambulance in my car on the way to the hospital, I heard so clearly a voice that said "no matter what happens, everything is going to be okay." There was such a feeling of peace surrounding that entire nightmare of a night that it is hard to explain. But I know the Lord was with Preston, me and our youngest son who was home because we were calm and at peace.

o       What did Paul say that caused Felix to tremble? Felix trembled when Paul spoke to him "Concerning the faith in Christ" and "reasoned of righteousness, temperance and judgment to come." I imagine this thought of "judgment" is probably why Felix trembled, because he was afraid of how he would be judged for his actions.

o       Why didn’t Felix let Paul go? I think Felix didn't let Paul go because he was hoping he could bribe Paul for money in exchange for his release.

o       What happened when Paul “appealed unto Caesar”?  I am having a hard time understanding these verses especially in trying to answer these questions, but I found this quote online from ldsgospeldoctrine.net: “Paul's firm decision to invoke his right as a Roman citizen was probably an unpleasant one to Festus. It was embarrassing enough for a procurator ever to have his decisions

appealed to Caesar, but to have his first administrative decision thus appealed was to prejudice the

imperial government against him. But after conferring with the Council, composed of administrative

legal advisers, Festus decided that Paul's appeal was a valid one. He turned to the Apostle and said,

‘Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.’ (Acts 25:12)” (Sidney B. Sperry, Paul's

Life and Letters [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1955], 221.)) (http://www.ldsgospeldoctrine.net/bwc/bwc-nt-38.pdf)

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o       Review Acts 26 and compare the differences in the reactions of Festus (a Roman) and Agrippa (a Jew) to Paul’s testimony. Which of them said, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian”? Agrippa said "Almost thou persuades me to be a Christian" in Acts 26: 28. What prevents people today from fully accepting the truth when they hear it? I think change is hard and when we accept the gospel as truth, it requires us to make changes in our lives that aren't easy to make. It is easier to stay in our comfort zone. I also think peer and family pressure has something to do with it, too. When we hear truth and it threatens the status quo, other people don't want us to change either. I know this happened right before Preston and I were baptized. My mom did not support the idea at all and did her best to try to convince me that I didn't need to be baptized again because I had been baptized as an infant.

o       In which situation that you read about do you think Paul demonstrated the greatest courage? Why did you choose this example? I think Paul demonstrated courage each time he stood before the leaders and shared his testimony and conversion story with them. But it seems like King Agrippa was less antagonistic towards Paul than Felix or Festus.

o       Who do you know who has the courage to stand up for what he or she believes even in the face of opposition? Read the institute student manual Points to Ponder section, “You Can Prepare to Act with the Same Courage That Paul Exhibited in Presenting the Message of Jesus Christ” (pp.346-47). Write a paragraph explaining what you could do to develop that kind of courage. This semester I am taking FAML 460, a senior level Marriage and Family Studies class on becoming an Advocate for Children and Families. It is teaching each of us how to stand for truth and righteousness and have just the kind of courage that Paul demonstrated as we research various issues that threaten the family in today's society. Many of our beliefs and what we know about the Doctrine of the Family is in direct contrast to the ways of the world, whether we are talking about same sex marriage, pornography, divorce, cohabitation or any of a number of other threats. One of the ways that I am trying to develop courage to speak out on what I know to be true is to plead with the Lord for His spirit to be with me, to help me recognize truth and then to put the words that he would have me speak (or write) into my mind so I can share them with others. The other thing I am trying to do is to really and truly LEARN the doctrine and the research surrounding these threats so they are carried deep into my heart. It requires a lot of study and prayer. The problem is the Adversary's "minions" are all educated and wily in their abilities to confuse and twist words, so as advocates we really have to know what we are talking about it and be truly converted to the truths we are trying to share.

3.    Acts 27-28 recounts how Paul took many opportunities to teach and bless others because of his faith and courage. After reading these chapters, write your answers to the following questions:

o       What happened when the master of the ship rejected Paul’s counsel? When the ship master rejected Paul's counsel, a terrible storm came up and they were "exceedingly tossed with a tempest"  and the boat sustained damage. (Acts 27:18)

o       What motivated the centurion to disregard Paul’s counsel? The centurion believed the master and owner of the ship more than he believed the words that Paul spoke (Acts 27:11)

o       Why do some people occasionally disregard our Church leaders’ counsel? Sometimes people disregard the counsel of our leaders because of peer pressure from their friends who don't want to be obedient. Mostly it is a matter of pride - they think they know better than God and His servants. What have you experienced that has helped you know of the importance of following Church leaders’ counsel? It is hard not to see the terrible, heartbreaking consequences of those who don't follow the teachings of the Prophets. Just in the last few months we have seen two very vocal opponents to the Gospel be excommunicated because of their refusal to humble themselves and repent and stop the work they are doing to destroy other people's testimonies. For me, I am so thankful I have a childlike faith that seems to immediately testify to me the truthfulness of what the Prophets are teaching and I gain a testimony they are speaking the truth. But I see others who are more tempted to doubt and question and contend against their teachings. I worry a lot about them and whether they will get through their questions with their testimonies and covenants intact.

o       How do 2 Nephi 9:20 (O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it.)and Amos 3:7(Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.) help explain how Paul could know that all of the passengers would arrive on land safely even though the ship would be destroyed in the storm? Paul said that all night he had an angel of God at his side who told him not to be afraid and that everyone would be with him when he was brought before Caesar. How was this prophecy fulfilled? The ship "ran aground" and part of it was broken apart because of the violence of the waves. And although the soldier said they should kill the prisoners, the centurion chose to believe Paul's words that everyone would survive and they all made it safely to land. How did Paul use his priesthood power while on the island of Melita? Paul was bitten on the hand by a viper and used his Priesthood power to heal himself. He "felt no harm" and although he should have been swollen or even dead, no harm came to him. What does this incident suggest about the purpose of priesthood power? While I don't think healing happens to "show off" God's power, I do think they are able to help people see His power. And, it also shows us that if God has a work for us to do, He will help us find a way to do it. If the viper had killed Paul, his mission would not have been complete.

4.    Review Acts 28:16-31 and the institute student manual commentary for Acts 28:16-31, “What Do We Know Concerning Paul’s Activities While He Was Imprisoned in Rome?” (p. 343). Describe in writing what we know about Paul’s imprisonment in Rome. How did he turn this trial to his advantage? What can we learn from Paul about being a faithful witness of Jesus Christ? Even though Paul was imprisoned he "used his time wisely" to preach the Gospel and to also write four of his Epistles - Phillipians, Colossians, Ephesians and Philemon. Every trial we face is an opportunity to draw closer to the Lord. No matter what we are facing, we have covenanted to "stand as a witness at all times and in all things and in all places". We must always faithfully witness of Christ. 

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Faith, Grace and Works: Romans 2-5

Faith, Grace and Works

Grace: "Divine means of help or strength." "Enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts." - BIBLE DICTIONARY

"There is a difference between the Lord Jesus Christ and the rest of mankind. We have no life in ourselves, for no power has been given unto us, to lay down our lives and take them again. That is beyond our power, and so, being subject to death, and being sinners - for we are all transgressors of the law to some extent, no matter how good we have tried to be - we are therefore unable in and of ourselves to receive redemption from our sins by any act of our own. This is the grace that Paul was teaching. Therefore, it is by the grace of Jesus Christ that we are saved. And had he not come into the world, and laid down his life that he might take it again...we would still be subject to death and be in our sins...So it is easy to understand that we must accept the mission of Jesus Christ. We must believe that it is though his grace that we are saved, that he performed for us that labor which we were unable to perform for ourselves, and did for us those things which were essential to our salvation, which were beyond our power, and also that we are under the commandment and the necessity of performing the labors that are required of us as set forth in the commandments known as the Gospel of Jesus Christ." - President Joseph Fielding Smith

Faith, Grace and Good Works all play a part in our salvation. Romans 2-5 helps us understand this.

FAITH AND GRACE: 

Romans 3:23-24 "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

Romans 4:24-25  "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offense, and was raised again for our justification."

Romans 5:1 - "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Romans 5:6 - "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."

Romans 5:9 - Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 

Romans 5:15-17  "...and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many...so is the gift, for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offense unto justification...for if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ."

Romans 5:21 - "That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."

GOOD WORKS: 

Romans 2: 6 - "Who will render to every man according to his deeds"

Romans 2:12 - "For as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judge by the law."

Romans 2:16 - "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel."

Romans 3:6 - "God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

ROMANS 4:17-25 In these verses, Paul talks about Abraham's faithfulness.  I think the reason Paul chose Abraham as a model of faith is that Abraham did not even have the Law of Moses yet, but he was still an example of faith and living a righteous life.

How does ROMANS 4:19-22 apply to your life? Paul reminds us that although Abraham was old and Sara had not yet conceived, he never lost faith in the promise God made him that he would have a son. There are times when I wonder if things that I have felt spiritual confirmation of will actually come to pass. One example right now is graduate school. I have been accepted into the Master's Program in Social Work at the University of Texas at Arlington, to start this fall. I have had more than one message from the Spirit that my education is necessary not just for me, but for other people that will need my help. Right now I am wondering if I can keep up the rigorous pace of two more years of school and also wondering if it is "worth it" to take on student loan debt to get my Master's. But I always have to remind myself of those powerful and meaningful spiritual experiences to help me stay focused and on track. If the Lord needs me to do this, He will follow through on His promises and everything will work out.

Review Romans 5:12-14. In what ways did Adam's Fall affect each of us? How did Paul answer the question of why a Savior is needed for all mankind? Because of the Fall of Adam, we now all experience physical death. We all sin and will also suffer spiritual death without the Savior and His Atonement. Romans 5:21 says "That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."

How does 2 Nephi 25:23 help us understand the relationship between faith, grace and good works? "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." 

I have always felt so much comfort when I read this verse. I know I will never be "good enough" all by myself to receive Eternal Life, but I know I can do my best and that Christ will help me "after all I can do." This reminds me of something my son sent in his last letter on his mission. He said "Momma, I am not a perfect person, but I can be and do better today than I did yesterday." I'm so grateful this isn't a "one strike and your out" gospel. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is there for us to call on over and over and over again as we go through life, somedays doing great and other days not so much. 

One thought that I've had about good works is that because of my gratitude and love for my Savior and the Grace he offers me, I have a strong desire to become like Him and please Him, which requires me to act like Him. So my "works" need to reflect my love for Him.

The Spirit Brings Us Closer to the Lord

2 Corinthians 3-7; 12. Use the Spirit to Come to the Lord

Review 2 Corinthians 3:6. Complete this sentence: "The spirit giveth LIFE."  So, having the Spirit gives us life. But spiritual death, according to Romans 6:23, comes from sin. If we want to have the spirit in our lives we need to be obedient to the Commandments of God and repent for our sins.

Each of the following verses help to teach us how to grow closer to God and have more freedom from Satan.

• 2 Corinthians 4:6-10 - We need to remember that God gave us the gospel light that shines within us. We need to be humble and not take credit for our goodness of our own merit. Even when we are in the midst of adversity, we need to let the light of Christ shine through us.
• 2 Corinthians 4:14-18 - Our earthly trials are nothing compared to the eternal glory that is awaiting the faithful. 
• 2 Corinthians 5:7-10 - We must walk by faith and will be judged according to our good works and conscience.
• 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 - We are spiritually reborn in Christ, who will help us return to our Heavenly Father and be "reconciled" with Him as we live His gospel. We can't do it without Christ's help.
• 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 - We need to fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ and avoid situations and people that will lead us away from our Savior. We need to choose good friends.
• 2 Corinthians 7:1, 9-10 - Cleanse ourselves from "all filthiness of the flesh and spirit." When we make mistakes, let the  sorrow we feel bring us to the desire to repent. It's not enough to just be sorry we were caught doing something wrong. We need to let the Atonement work through us and change us so we have no more desire to do bad.
• 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 - Christ's grace is sufficient to help us become perfect, despite all of our weaknesses, trials and infirmities. Our trials help to strengthen us.

I would like to share what to me is THE MOST LIFE CHANGING TALK I have ever heard. It is by Brad Wilcox and is called "His Grace Is Sufficient" which ties in perfectly with 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10. I'm not exaggerating at all. I have watched this so many times and each time I am overwhelmed with a deeper understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and all it can do for me if I will allow it. If you've never seen this, please take the time to watch it. You seriously won't be sorry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLXr9it_pbY