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"I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that
these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have
shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to
remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to
receive" (Acts 20: 33-35).
Hupodeiknumi, "shewed" (Acts 20: 35), gives us hupodeigma, "example" (John 13: 15),
and Paul, fulfilling his doctrine by his practice, is found following in the footsteps of His
Lord. This is teaching indeed, compared with which mere exactness in the form of
doctrine and accuracy of presentation appear cold and lifeless.
The Apostle exhorted the Philippians to stand fast, being in nothing terrified by their
adversaries, adding, "For unto you it is given, in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe
on Him, but also to suffer for His sake" (1: 28, 29), and then concluded on the personal
note, "Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me" (1: 30).
How near his Lord the Apostle must have walked to have taken this thought further, as
he did in the fourth chapter:
"Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me,
do: and the Lord of peace shall be with you" (Phil. 4: 9).
Let us take some of the doctrines that we have received through the Apostle's
writings, and see how he urges us to balance them by practice.
Forgiveness.
"Having forgiven you all trespasses" (Col. 2: 13).
That is the doctrine. What is the corresponding practice?
"Forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave
you, so also do ye" (Col. 3: 13).
"Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for
Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Eph. 4: 32).
Kindness.
In this second practical exhortation there is the word chrestos, "kind". This in its turn
is the practical outcome of the doctrinal truth revealed in Eph. 2::
"That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His
kindness (chrestotes) toward us through Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2: 7).
This same practical outworking is found in Col. 3::
"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness
(chrestotes)" (Col. 3: 12).
Put on.
The exhortation, "put on", reminds us of the passage in Eph. 4:, which in its turn is
the practical answer to the doctrinal passage of Eph. 2::