Php 2:25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.
Php 2:26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
Php 2:27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
Many Saints assume that Epaphroditus received ‘physical healing’ from God in Philippians chapter 2. And because he was doing “the work of Christ,” many feel that this is the reason “God had mercy on him” and healed him. But this is not the case at all, verse 27 says that “God had mercy on him,” this does not say that God healed him. Now the question is, how did God have mercy upon him? As we look at the context of Philippians chapter 2 verses 25 through 30, Paul says he “supposed it necessary” to send Epaphroditus unto them. And he says that he is ‘their messenger,’ but not just that, he “longed after” them all, and was “full of heaviness, because” that they had heard that he had been sick. Now, looking at what Paul just said in verse 25 and 26, Paul thought it would be necessary to send him to them, and this was for the purpose because he longed after them and was “full of heaviness.” And as verse 26 says, because they had heard that he had been sick.’ But the real issue here is that he was sick unto death for the work of Christ, but also for their sake, and to supply their “lack of service” toward Paul. And because they had a lack of service unto Paul, they were full of sorrow when they had heard he was sick because of them.
2Co 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
2Co 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2Co 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Furthermore, when Epaphroditus had heard that they were sorrowful, he himself became full of heaviness and he longed after them all because of their care for his sake. And more interestingly, Paul himself also had sorrow upon sorrow because they both were feeling sorrowful and longing after each other. And when Paul says that he “supposed it necessary” to send Epaphroditus, the necessity of this was so that they all could “rejoice,” and Paul too could rejoice because they would no longer be sorrowful and desiring to see one another. God’s “mercy” upon Epaphroditus was shown by Epaphroditus bringing onto the Philippian Saints the word of God. And now Epaphroditus would be doing the work of God, but also seeing the Saints whom he longed for, but not just that, they longed for him as well and would rejoice when they saw him. And as we see with the apostle Paul, he learned about his flesh, and we see in second Corinthians chapter 12, Paul had a thorn in his flesh, and he was not healed, but he was given the word of God. He was told by the Lord that his grace is sufficient for Paul, and it is sufficient for us as well.
Php 2:28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.
Php 2:29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:
Php 2:30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.
2Co 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
Therefore, Paul says in Philippians 2:29 that they ought to receive him in the Lord with “all gladness,” because for the “work of the ministry he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply their lack of service” toward Paul. And as we can see, the mercy of God was shown by the epistle being brought unto them by a man of God with the word of God, and in the meantime, they both would see each other, and rejoice, and Paul also would rejoice as well, this is what the context of Philippians chapter 2 verse 25 through 30 is referring to. And we are told in the verses above, that our outward man parishes, but our inward man is renewed day by day. God has not promised to heal our outward man and heal our flesh or the flesh of our loved ones. What God has promised unto us, is to renew our inward man by his word day by day. But sad to say, “day by day” mankind ignorantly asks God to heal their flesh, or the flesh of their loved ones. But we are told in the verses below that the whole creation “groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Finally, we are taught that our hope for our bodies is of an ‘unseen’ nature, we are told in Romans chapter 8 verses 22 through verse 25, that God is not going to physically heal these bodies that we now live in. But that we have a unseen hope that we are to hope for “with patience,” and as verse 25 says, “wait for it.” And as verse 24 says, “for we are saved by hope,” this ‘salvation’ is the salvation from the bondage of corruption in our bodies. And salvation from our physical bodies will not be seen by creation today, God has promised “redemption” from our physical bodies, and this redemption from our bodies is the salvation that Paul speaks about in verses 23 through 25. This is our hope, but it is an unseen hope concerning our physical bodies. And throughout God’s word of truth, Paul says things like we ought to be a “living sacrifice,” or “always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” We are also told that we are “killed all the day long,” but this does not mean that our physical body is dead, what it means that the life we live ought not be for our flesh’s sake, and we should not live unto our flesh. But we ought to understand that our outward man does perish, and that our inward man is ‘the man’ that God is educating, and allowing His power work effectually through, and our inward man has an eternal hope that begun when we became saved. And God is not placing emphasis upon our flesh as we do and desire the best for our flesh as we think that God does, but Simply put, the Excellency of the power of God is designed to work within our inward man only, and not upon our outward flesh, or the physical circumstances of our lives. And God’s “mercy” unto us is shown within our inward man only, and not upon our flesh or the flesh of others.
2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
2Co 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
2Co 4:9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
2Co 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
2Co 4:11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
2Co 4:12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
Rod Jones
SUPPLY OF GRACE 
Leave a comment