Philippians: Living for What Really MattersParaugs

Let’s linger in Paul’s opening words to the Philippians for a moment.  He calls them saints, reminding them that they are sacred, holy, and consecrated. The Greek word for saints in this passage is almost always plural, encompassing the whole community. This means that, as Paul moves on to address bishops and deacons, he does so in the context of the larger community. The bishops and deacons were not over the fellowship of believers but rather part of the set-apart community. 

How do we know that? Let’s again look at the words Paul used in Philippians 1: “With the bishops and deacons.”

With. In the original Greek, the word literally means “including,” denoting “togetherness,” “union,” and “completeness.” (Strong's Concordance G4862) That doesn’t seem much like a hierarchy, does it? God invented leadership, and He knew the best way forward for the growing church as it spread the gospel: not leadership that placed people under but leaders who worked alongside.

Before Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, the only person who had direct access to God in the Jewish faith was the high priest. A few leaders and prophets had the gift of personal relationship with God (like Moses and Joshua) because God Himself had given them a specific task. The normal person—like you and me—didn’t have access to God. 

But when Jesus died for our sins, the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the everyday people tore (Matthew 27:51), and God changed everything. He now places us in the company of high priests (1 Peter 2:9).

Church leaders are on the same playing field as each of us. They don’t lead from above, but alongside. No person is higher or more valuable in the eyes of God than anyone else. 

Because of this, leaders of the church need to consider themselves first as a member of the body or community and second as someone who guides. The leaders and the led all make mistakes and sin, we are all saved by grace, and all are wholly and completely dependent on God’s mercy and goodness.