Philip

24 February 2015

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There are two prominent men named Philip in the New Testament. One was ordained as one of the seven deacons and later was apparently ordained as a preacher because we find him doing the work of an evangelist. The other Philip was one of the twelve chosen by Jesus to be His Apostles. 

The Apostle Philip was a Jew even though his named suggests the heavy influence of the Greek Hellenistic culture in Judea. He was called to be a disciple personally by Jesus, and he had a very different personality than that of Peter or the other outspoken Apostles. 

One of the prominent events recorded about Philip is his trial of faith found in John 6. Many people had followed Jesus and we're now out in the wilderness with nothing to eat. Jesus knew what He planned to do but He tested Philip before feeding the people miraculously. 

"When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little." (John 6:5-7)

Philip, having already seen what wondrous things Jesus had done, abandoned that knowledge and ignored his faith. He responds with a declaration of hopelessness at their situation.  Philip didn't  test very well through this trial of faith!

On a later occasion, Philip once again struggled with his faith and knowledge of Jesus:

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?" (John 14:6-9)

Having just heard Jesus say, "when you have seen me, you have seen the Father," Philip asks to see the Father. This is more than just a lack of using faith. Now, Philip has a fairly serious theological misunderstanding! 

If these tests of faith were the chance for Philip to prove his faith in Jesus to God, he failed miserably. And, according to most modern Christian belief systems, is probably lost!  However, God does not need to find out whether we have faith or not. He knows because He is the author of it in us. These trials were for Philip to discover the faith God had given him.  Philip obviously learned, he needed to learn more about Jesus! This is the main purpose of the trial of faith. We are to learn to trust and depend Jesus more and more. 

We can also learn from the latter example that having imperfect theology does not negate our standing in Christ. Having every detail about Who Jesus is and exactly how He saved His people is very important in order to honor Him properly here on earth. But while a man's confession may be flawed, his salvation is still secure in the finished work of Christ!

Tags: apostles, faith, harmony_of_the_gospels, philip

Welcome

Brentwood Hills Primitive Baptist Church is a community of believers working together to transform our lives to the image of Jesus Christ. We believe it is our duty and privilege to live the gospel of the doctrines of grace in such a way as to edify the families within our church and other children of God in our community. Through regular worship based on strong Biblical principles, fellowship, admonishment, and outreach, we glory in the grace of the sovereign God working in our lives thereby showing the Spirit of God in the world.

Brentwood Hills was organized in 1906 in Fort Worth, Texas as Laodicea Primitive Baptist Church. You can find much of the history of the church, as well as other churches here: Primitive Baptist History Database

We identify ourselves as an old-line Primitive Baptist church. If you read our Articles of Faith, you’ll see that we hold to such doctrines as the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible. We recognize the King James Version (KJV) as the only English translation worthy of being called the Bible. We believe in salvation solely by the grace of a sovereign God. We believe that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, came to the earth to do the will of His Father, which was to deliver from the sentence of death all those the Father gave Him before the world began. We believe that Jesus fully satisfied the Father by atoning for all the sins of all His people. In time, we believe the Holy Spirit comes to each person that belongs to Jesus and regenerates them. Then (and only then) can anyone have faith, which is a fruit of the Spirit, by which you are able to believe the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Whether or not you ever hear the gospel, or believe it if you did hear it, or obey it if you did believe it, rest assured that Jesus will remain forever faithful to you because, if He died for you, He will never deny that you belong to Him.

We believe that everyone for whom Christ died will without fail be raised again from the dead to a glorified life. Even if we are alive when He returns to raise the dead, we shall be changed to a glorified life. All the Redeemed will meet the Lord in the air. Then He will take us to Heaven and there we shall forever be with the Lord. The wicked will be raised at the same time as the righteous, but the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment along with Satan and his angels. Until that glorious day when Christ returns to raise the dead, He has provided a place for His people to find rest for their souls. This place is the Church. Jesus Christ set-up His church on this earth before His death on the Cross. The church is there for those of His people who have come to believe that God saved them by His Son, Jesus Christ. To believe that Christ “paid it all” gives believers the strongest motivation to serve Him. Once enlightened to this glorious truth, then the child of God should feel an obligation to become and remain an active member of the His church. To serve the Lord in His church makes for one of the great blessings to experience this side of Heaven. It fulfills you to serve in His church and it gives your life purpose and meaning.

Living in Liberty

Elder Bryce Lowrance

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