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We need to learn the secret of being in Christ as the empowering One:
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In Philippians 4:12-13 Paul says, “I know also how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to hunger, both to abound and to lack. I am able to do all things in Him who empowers me”:
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The phrase learned the secret indicates that Paul had come into a new situation, a new environment; whenever we are put in a new environment, we need to learn the secret of living in that environment:
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I have learned the secret literally means “I have been initiated”; the metaphor here refers to a person's being initiated into a secret society with instruction in its rudimentary principles.
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After Paul was converted to Christ, he was initiated into Christ and into the Body of Christ.
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He then learned the secret of how to take Christ as life, how to live Christ, how to magnify Christ, how to gain Christ, and how to have the church life, all of which things are rudimentary principles.
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In everything means in each matter; in all things means in all matters; together, these two phrases encompass all the things in the course of human life.
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Paul learned the secret of experiencing Christ in everything and in every place; this is also the secret of having more of Christ accumulated within us.
Morning Nourishment
Phil. 4:12-13 I know also how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to hunger, both to abound and to lack. I am able to do all things in Him who empowers me.In the book of Philippians Paul uses a number of unusual expressions. One of these expressions is found in verse 12 of chapter 4....The phrase learned the secret indicates that Paul had come into a new situation, a new environment. Whenever we are put in a new environment, we need to learn the secret of living in that environment. For someone from the West to go to the Far East is for him to go into a new environment. In order to live, he must learn the secret of life there. For example, when brothers and sisters from the United States visit the Far East, they need to learn the secret of eating with chopsticks. If they do not learn the secret, they will not be able to eat. (CWWL, 1978, vol. 1, “The Experience of Christ,” p. 399)
Today's Reading
In Philippians 4:12...Paul seems to be saying, “In all things I have been instructed with the secret so that I know how to be in want and how to abound. I have been initiated with a type of secret knowledge.” What is the secret Paul learned? Because Paul had been instructed with the particular secret, he could handle any situation, whether he was rich or poor, filled or hungry. The secret is in Philippians 4:13: “I am able to do all things in Him who empowers me.” The secret is not that Christ is in us; it is that we are in Him.Simply to say that Christ lives in us is to be too objective. We also need to experience living in Christ and doing all things in Him. What a salvation it is to live in Him! If we live in Him, we will enjoy His salvation day by day. This salvation can be compared to riding in a car. As long as we remain in the car, we enjoy salvation. When I ride in a car, I am not worried about what direction I am going or anything else. I may rest, pray, or enjoy sightseeing. I simply rest and enjoy myself. In like manner, when we are in Christ, we should simply rest and enjoy ourselves. We should enjoy the life in Christ.
My burden in this chapter is that we would all learn the secret of being in Him. We can do all things in Him. This may seem to be a small secret, but actually it has great significance. This secret is the way for us to experience Christ and to enjoy Christ. It is also the secret of having more of Christ accumulated within us.
Such a secret needs to be put into practice. In order to practice this secret, we first need to realize that Christ lives in us. Second, we must deny the flesh and the natural man. We should count all things as loss and not treasure or appreciate anything of our natural man, such as our humility or other virtues. All our good points, attributes, and virtues need to be counted as loss. We should not have any confidence in anything other than Christ. Third, we should not do anything by ourselves, for we are not alone. Another person lives in us. (CWWL, 1978, vol. 1, “The Experience of Christ,” pp. 399-401)
In Philippians 4:12...the phrase I have learned the secret is an interpretation of the Greek word which literally means “I have been initiated.” The metaphor here refers to a person's being initiated into a secret society with instruction in its rudimentary principles. After Paul was converted to Christ, he was initiated into Christ and the Body of Christ. He then learned the secret of how to take Christ as life, how to live Christ, how to magnify Christ, how to gain Christ, and how to have the church life, all of which things are rudimentary principles. The secret of the Body is to take Christ as our life, to live Christ, to pursue Christ, to gain Christ, to magnify Christ, and to express Christ. These are the basic principles of the church, the Body of Christ. As one who had been initiated into the Body, Paul learned the secret. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 3527-3528)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1978, vol. 1, “The Experience of Christ,” ch. 10; Life-study of Philippians, msg. 29