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Philippians 4:3: Help These Women


Philippians 4:3
[3] Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. (ESV)

There was a disagreement in Philippi. We do not know what it was about. We know that it involved two women, Euodia and Syntyche. They were mentioned in the previous verse and that is the only time we see their names in Scripture. These ladies were very special to the Apostle Paul and to the church at Philippi.

We discover in today's verse that these ladies labored side by side with Paul in proclaiming the Gospel at Philippi. He is asking the recipients of this letter to prove the genuineness of their being a companion to Paul by helping these ladies to set aside their dispute and work together again for the cause of the Gospel.

Satan hates the church. He wants to destroy it. Always. We have a foolish notion about the devil wearing a red suit and carrying a pitchfork. Satan is not a myth. He is real, and he is cunning. How does he attack a church? From the inside. He finds two willing participants who he can stir up resentment between and from there he can undermine the church's effectiveness.

I don't know what Euodia and Syntyche disagreed about. It might have been a very legitimate concern. The reality is that when we hold on to resentment towards someone the credibility of the Gospel suffers. We are to forgive even if the other is not sorry. We are to overlook an offense. We are to place Christ first, and not our collection of offenses.

Are you in a dispute with someone? Could it be time to let it go so that you can free your heart to love others and share the Gospel with them? Don't wait. For the sake of Christ, let it go.

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