Paul's Care For The Church

For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:8

The apostle Paul treated believers with a gracious and tender spirit—he often tempered commands with genuine expressions of love for the people. He had a special place in his heart for the Philippian church. He addressed those believers as his “beloved and longed–for brethren” (Phil 4:1).

He manifested his love in his desire to remain with them for their “progress and joy in the faith”(Phil 1:25). Indeed Paul was willing to be offered “on the sacrifice and service of [their] faith” (Phil 2:17). And only the Philippian believers had “shared with [him] concerning giving and receiving” (Phil 4:15), which also reveals his special bond with them.

Paul was a logician and theologian without equal—his intellectual capacity was staggering—but he was also endowed with a tremendous capacity to love people. Your ministry can be effective only when you love people.

MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 332). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

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