Section 8
him, had received from him, had heard of him, and had seen certain things in him. For this rea son, Paul charged them to follow him in practic ing these things.
Verse 9 closes with the word, "And the God of peace shall be with you." This is both a bless ing and a promise. The God of peace is the source of all the things mentioned in verses 8 and 9. By fellowshipping with Him and having Him with us, all these virtues will issue forth in our life.
In verse 7 Paul speaks of the peace of God, and in verse 9, of the God of peace. First he says that the peace of God will guard our hearts and thoughts, then that the God of peace Himself will be with us. Actually the peace of God and the God of peace are one. When God is with us, peace is with us also. The genuine peace we enjoy is God Himself. The way to enjoy the God of peace is by praying to have fellowship with Him.
If we did not have these verses in Philippians 4 concerning the expression of a life that lives Christ, we would not know what kind of life this is. The pattern of such a life was established by the Lord Jesus during the years He lived on earth. If you read the four Gospels carefully, you will see that the Lord lived a life absolutely outside religion, culture, and philosophy. His life was the