Philippians – La Vista Church of Christ

What does “under the earth” mean?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:40:21 +0000

Question:

Hi Jeff,

"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth" (Philippians 2:10 NKJV).

Does the phrase “those under the earth” refer to those in the grave?

Thank you!

Answer:

We typically refer to heaven as being located "up," even though it isn't in this physical universe. Since we bury the dead, it is common to refer to the realm of the dead as "down."

"Now this expression, 'He ascended,' what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things" (Ephesians 4:9-10).

Paul is discussing how Jesus descended from heaven to earth, then to the grave at his death, from which he was raised and ascended to heaven.

In Philippians 2:10, Paul is stating that Jesus rules everything (Matthew 28:19). He rules in heaven. He rules the earth. He rules even the realm of the dead. "Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment" (John 5:28-29).

Another verse has a similar phrase. "And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. ... And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, 'To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever'" (Revelation 5:3, 13).

Response:

Thank you, Jeff.

Prayers and Thoughts

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 16:25:03 +0000

by Edwin Crozier

As Paul continued to instruct the Philippians in the wake of calling out Euodia and Syntyche, he addressed two important aspects of maintaining harmony.

First, recognize that a great deal of disharmony comes from anxiety. Let’s face it. Viewing others as more significant and prioritizing their interests over our own can make us anxious about our own. If we always put others before ourselves, we might lose out. Anxiety starts to build. When we get anxious about something, we start to get defensive around it. When we are dominated by fear, we start to circle the wagons to protect ourselves. Further, we lash out at others who tread on our anxieties. How often does internal fear come out in relationships as external anger?

Paul explains how we are to face our anxieties. Bring them to God in prayer. Jesus told us God is a good Father who knows what we need and will provide for us (see Matthew 6:8-14, 25-34; 7:7-11). Therefore, when anxieties begin to take hold of our minds, we can turn to God in faith. He will care for us. He will provide for us. Trust Him.

Second, recognize that much of the disharmony comes from our mental fixations. Like anxiety, we can let our minds run away with us. Whether talking about our perspectives of other people or our outlook on situations, we can start to play out the future like a videotape full of envy, anger, despair, and fear. By the time we are done with this kind of fantasizing, we see ourselves living under the bridge down by the river, homeless and friendless.

In addition to prayer, we need to learn to redirect our thinking. When the enemy's whisperings cause us to fixate on dishonorable, unjust, impure, or base meditations about other people or our life situation, we need to exercise our ability to redirect our thinking. We must attack the lies of negative fixations and fantasies with the kind of thinking Paul directs in Philippians 4:8. We must fill our minds with what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise.

This redirected thinking can play out in multiple ways. First, we need to redirect our thinking to meditate on God and His ways. No one and nothing fit the description of Paul’s meditation instruction better than God. Second, as we consider our circumstances, rather than fantasizing about all the awful things that might happen, we should meditate on the blessings of God and His presence in our lives. Where will His blessings lead us? Third, as we start to negatively spiral in our minds about other people, we need to redirect our thinking to the excellent, pure, lovely things about them.

Let’s not take Paul’s instruction further than the context intended. Paul wrote in the context of congregational disharmony between sisters. As we deal with these interpersonal struggles, we should rejoice, show reasonableness, pray, and redirect our thinking. Paul does not mean we should gloss over the negative and dangerous realities of circumstances and people with mere Pollyanna-ish positivity. For instance, if we have lost a job, our fears about where our next meal will come from should drive us to look for work and to pray and meditate on God’s blessings.

Further, Paul is not asking us to ignore serious and harmful sins by telling us to pray about them and think more positively. No doubt, had the disharmony between these sisters been caused by one of them committing sexual immorality with the husband of the other, Paul’s instructions would have been quite different (recall I Corinthians 5). At the same time, prayer and God-focused meditation would help through those difficulties.

If we pursue the harmony Paul proclaims in this letter, we will not fixate on our anxieties. Instead, we will bring them to God in prayer and direct our thoughts to what is good, beautiful, and excellent. In so doing, the God of peace will guard us and our relationships.

Praise the Lord!

Philippians 1:2-11

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 18:32:26 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Philippians-1-2-11.mp3

by Raymond Warfel

Download Audio

God at Work

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 16:39:53 +0000

by David Gibson

Christians need encouragement! This is evident from the abundance of Bible passages designed to build up and motivate. Certainly, we need all the commands and all the warnings of the New Testament, but thank God also for all the verses that say, in essence, “Your efforts to do right are well worth it — keep it up! God is your helper.”

Just one example of this kind of positive builder-upper is Paul’s statement to one of his favorite churches:

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6 NASB).

God is working in us!

Christianity is not a do-it-yourself project. We can’t make it on our own. God works powerfully in the lives of those who acknowledge their weakness and leave Him room to work in their lives (II Corinthians 12:7-10).

God’s work in us is a process.

He began it when we obeyed the gospel, but there is much yet to be done: bad habits must be replaced with good ones; our thinking must be retrained; we must develop the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the Christian graces (II Peter 1:5-11).

Our tongues need bridling, and we have much to learn about how to use our words to bless and teach. It’s the challenge of a lifetime! God wants to finish what He started, and when Jesus comes back, the task will be brought to a glorious completion!

God is doing a good work in us.

During Creation Week, God repeatedly examined what He had made and saw that it was good. As the Master Craftsman, He would never do shoddy work. He wants to be pleased with His work in each of us.

“. . . work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13).

God is at work—in us—and the work is good!

Personal Sacrifice and Service

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 18:42:59 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Personal-Sacrifice-and-Service.mp3

Download Audio

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Philippians 2:17-18

I. Paul often discussed the topic of unity in his letters to the various churches.

A. Unity based having the same goals and the same standards - Romans 15:5; I Corinthians 1:10; II Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 4:1-3; I Thessalonians 5:11-15

B. Paul’s letter to the Philippians is no different - Philippians 1:27; 2:1-2

C. To gain that unity, Paul emphasizes to the brethren in Philippi that they needed to be willing to give personal sacrifice and service to others

II. The example of Paul - Philippians 1:21-26

A. Paul is awaiting trial, though he is certain at this point that he will be released - Philippians 2:24

B. He is willing to die for Christ because of the great advantage of joining God in heaven - Philippians 2:17-18

C. Yet, he is willing to delay that joy in order to help the Philippians - Philippians 1:24-26

III. The example of Christ - Philippians 2:3-11

A. Even though Jesus had everything in heaven, he willingly gave them up for mankind

B. He died on the cross, not for his benefit, but for ours - Romans 5:6-8

C. He left us an example - I Peter 2:21-25

IV. The example of Timothy - Philippians 2:19-23

A. Paul had no one better to send because of his genuine concern for the brethren

B. Most seek their own benefit and not what is needful for Christ, but Timothy is different in this regard

C. He has proven himself to be willing to serve

V. The example of Epaphroditus - Philippians 2:25-30

A. He had become ill and nearly died trying to serve Paul on behalf of his brethren in Philippi

B. And what was his concern? That the brethren in Philippi were distressed about his illness!

VI. Their own example - Philippians 4:15-19

A. More than once the brethren had sent funds to Paul so that he might continue preaching the gospel

B. Philippi is in Macedonia. The area where Paul mentions the brethren’s poverty - II Corinthians 8:1-5

1. Though time has elapsed between II Corinthians and the Philippian letters, it shows the willing attitude to give of themselves to others so prevalent in this region.

VII. All was not well in Philippi - Philippians 4:1-3

A. Two women, Euodia and Syntyche, were at odds with one another.

B. Their disagreement threatens to eventually destroy what Paul had so carefully built up

1. The impact of their disagreement must have been affecting the mood in the church, which was why Paul so frequently told them to rejoice and be glad.

2. Tension keeps everyone from doing their best.

C. The solution is hinted at throughout the letter

1. Personal sacrifice to benefit another.

a. Too many people hold grudges

b. “He owes me an apology,” and thus it remains in a stalemate

c. I Corinthians 6:7-8

2. Personal service to benefit another

a. If we focus outward, we stop seeing the petty slights as major problems.

b. Romans 12:18-21

D. The next time you find yourself in a meeting where emotions are escalating, or in the parking lot arguing over something that is really not all that important, or you realize you feel jealous of a brother or resent a sister in Christ, think about Paul’s letter to Philippi.

1. Sacrifice your own personal interests for the sake of others

2. Serve your brethren to the best of your abilities

E. If we all made this our goal, I doubt we would find time or inclinations to argue.

[Based on an article by Bob Hutto]

People Are Just Like Me

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 07 May 2022 21:01:21 +0000

by Doy Moyer

People often assume that others will act, react, and operate on the same basis that they do. If some are liars, they will assume the same of everyone else. If they operate “in the shadows,” they will assume the same of others. If they are the envious type, they will assume that others will also become envious and act accordingly. They are suspicious of everyone because they themselves lack integrity.
I believe this is the mentality that underlies that of the teachers who meant to do Paul harm. Here’s what Paul said in Philippians 1:15-17, “To be sure, some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of good will. These preach out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking that they will cause me trouble in my imprisonment.”

Notice that these teachers preach out of envy and rivalry. They have selfish ambitions and thought that their success in preaching would cause problems for Paul while he was imprisoned. How so? Likely by thinking that Paul would act the same way they do. Paul would become envious out of his own selfish ambition and thereby suffer at the success of others.

However, as is also common among those who have such bad motives, they misjudged Paul. Paul did not operate on the same basis they did. He was not envious and showed no such self ambition. Paul’s attitude was displayed through his humility, which included rejoicing that truth was being preached. These particular teachers are not said to be teaching errors. Their problem was their motives. “What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice” (Philippians 1:18).

One of the reasons we need to root out evil motives in ourselves is that we will invariably attribute the same evil motives to others (Titus 1:15). How we operate becomes, in our minds, how others also operate, and this does an injustice in our attitudes toward those we ought to be loving and serving. “Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (I Corinthians 13:6-7).

Assume the best in others and perhaps that will also speak to pure motives in ourselves. If we have pure motives, we can start by assuming that others do as well. This does not mean everyone will have pure motives, but if we cannot start by giving the “benefit of the doubt,” then our own bitterness will get in the way of being able to develop healthy relationships and serve one another through love.

Spiritual Maturity

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 31 Oct 2021 17:13:42 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Spiritual-Maturity.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Philippians 3:8-17

I. What is your goal in life?

A. Life is short. You don’t have time to accomplish everything that is available to you, so what do you desire most to obtain?

B. For Paul it was to be like Christ and obtain heaven - Philippians 3:8-11

1. The design of the church is to cause us to grow up to be like Christ - Ephesians 4:11-16

2. Stability only comes by growth - II Peter 3:17-18

II. Face the tests - Philippians 3:10

A. But how do we know that we are on the right track? How do we know we are making progress?

B. Imagine taking a class where for the whole year you never had homework, quizzes, or tests. Nothing was required of you until the final. Then your entire grade was based on that final test.

C. Sounded pretty good until I mentioned the final, huh?

1. A whole years worth of effort based on just one grade?

2. How would I know if I’m learning? What if I thought I understood something, but didn’t? You mean I wouldn’t find out until it was too late to do anything about it?

D. Oh, so those homework assignments, quizzes, and tests have a purpose!

1. They provide us early feedback so we know how well we are doing, giving us time to make course corrections in advance if necessary.

E. How do I know I’m on track for reaching heaven? Will I pass the judgment? The only way we will know is by the tests we have in life.

1. James 1:2-4

a. You mean homework, quizzes, and test are not miseries?

b. You mean trials in life are not miseries, but a cause of joy?

c. Why? Because they change us and give us chances to make changes - James 1:5

d. How did you learn you lacked wisdom?

2. James 1:12 - Then we when we reach the end, then we know!

3. II Corinthians 13:5 - Not only externally, but internally as well.

F. You see, tests force us to apply what we have learned

1. Too many try to drift through life. They never grow up.

2. They rightly should be scolded - Hebrews 5:12-14

III. Realize we aren’t there yet - Philippians 3:12-13

A. Few things are more frustrating to a teacher than a student who is confident that they already know the lesson.

1. You know that student will not learn much because they are not looking to gain

2. But then, have you met the Christian who tells you that you can’t teach them anything?

B. A mature Christian understands that the goal is to be like Christ - I Corinthians 11:1

1. In essence Paul is saying, “Follow me because I’m trying to catch up with Jesus and he’s way ahead of us.”

2. Every disciple should desire to be like the Teacher - Matthew 10:25

3. Recall that we are striving toward the measure of Christ - Ephesians 4:13

4. Now is there any subject, any topic, to which I can say that my understanding is equal to Christ’s?

C. The mature Christian’s standard is Christ, the immature uses standards easier to reach – brethren, or even himself.

1. “Hey! If I’m the goal, well, I’ve made it!”

2. In any group, I can always find someone worse than I am.

3. How far would that take you in a class? How far will it take you before God?

4. The mature Christian knows that as far as I may have gotten to this point, I still have a long ways to go.

D. Jesus set the pattern - I John 2:6

1. So when I’m faced with temptation, I should answer with Scripture, just as He did - Matthew 4:1-11

2. When someone does me wrong, I should return good for evil, just as He did - I Peter 2:23

3. When someone is in need, I should show compassion, just as He did - Matthew 14:14

4. In everything, we follow the Lord, realizing that even at our best, we haven’t attained all that we could be.

IV. Forget the past - Philippians 3:13

A. A mature Christian doesn’t dwell on the past – good or bad

B. I could look back at all my mistakes, all my sins, and wallow in remorse and self-pity

1. We all have sinned - Romans 3:23

2. If I stay in the past, I am destroyed - Galatians 2:17-18

C. I could look back at all the good I have done and think that it is good enough

1. Our focus must be on what good can I do, not what good I have done - Luke 17:10

2. We must forget about the people we have taught, the number baptized, the sermons taught, the classes presented, the services attended, or any other work we have done, because what matters is what are we doing today.

3. What if today we leave what is right? - Ezekiel 18:24

V. Reach for the future - Philippians 3:13-14

A. Maturing means applying ourselves with effort - II Timothy 2:15

B. I don’t want to be a baby all my life - I Peter 2:2-3

C. It means always working because it has purpose - I Corinthians 15:58

D. It means not getting tired - Galatians 6:9-10

E. There is a goal to be reached and it is not here on earth - Colossians 3:1-4

F. God rewards those who diligently seek Him - Hebrews 11:6

G. No matter what level we have obtained, there is always more that we could do, there is more that we can learn - I Thessalonians 4:1,10

H. To the mature Christian, nothing will stand in his way - II Corinthians 4:17-18

1. Thus we do not walk by sight - II Corinthians 5:6-9

VI. Let the mature have this mind - Philippians 3:15

based on “Marks of Maturity” by Steven Harper

The Self-Emptying Jesus

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 25 Sep 2021 13:27:07 +0000

by Doy Moyer

One of the most intriguing, discussed, and challenging texts in Scripture is found in the statement made by Paul in Philippians 2:5-8:

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

This is said to be the mind or attitude of Christ (Philippians 2:5) and is set forth as the example for disciples to follow (Philippians 2:3-4). This shows an attitude of humble submission, putting aside any selfish ambition, and putting others before self. If Christians do not follow this example, they do not have the mind of Jesus and are missing what discipleship is all about. It is certainly a challenge because it is the very point at which (likely) most of us struggle. Self keeps getting in the way, and I doubt I’m overstating it to say that all of us can do far better than we do.

Jesus Christ’s self-denial is monumental due to His own identity as God manifest in the flesh. Part of Paul’s point is to say that if Jesus, who is God, could empty Himself and put others first, who do we think we are when we act in our own selfish interests? We have no inherent claim over others, yet the God who created us all and who does inherently own our lives was willing to set Himself aside to die so that we might live. What amazing grace! How do we begin to wrap our minds around what He did?

I often like to point people to the text itself and ask, what does the text specifically say that Jesus emptied himself of? So often when I’ve done this, I start getting answers back immediately. I might hear terms like “glory,” “power,” or “the form of God.” I will then ask them to actually put their eyes on the text to answer the question. What does it say Jesus emptied himself of? Look again.

Notice that it does not say he emptied himself of anything. It says He emptied himself. That is a huge difference. He was not just giving something of himself. He was giving himself. Completely. This is important for helping us understand how we follow His example. When Jesus tells His disciples to deny themselves (Luke 9:23), He was not telling them to deny themselves of things. He was telling them to deny themselves. The Lord does not just want things from us; He wants us. Completely.

The self-emptying of Jesus is highlighted by the fact that He is, by very nature, God. He was not denying his divine nature by going to the cross. He was, however, showing the kind of God whom we serve. While the wages of sin are death (Romans 6:23), Jesus took the wages upon Himself in a way that likely goes beyond our full understanding. This coincides with Isaiah 53:12, “He poured out Himself to death.” Why? Because “He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.”

In coming to earth, He, being in the form of God, took on the form of the servant. I judge this to be a reference to what we normally call the Suffering Servant for which Isaiah is known (e.g., Isaiah 49, 53). He fulfilled what the Servant was called to do so that He would be the light to the nations and that “My salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6). Because of what He did, the Servant “will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:11). The act of emptying Himself was not just about coming to earth; it was about going to the cross in order to provide justification for His people.

On the practical application, we simply note again Philippians 2:3-4, which teaches us to do what Jesus did. Nothing from selfishness is allowed; others are to come first. We are to seek the mind of Jesus.

The cross was not the end of the story: “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

We do not exalt ourselves. The Lord is the One who exalts, and as Christ was exalted, so also He promises to glorify His own people. Paul put it this way a chapter later: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:20-21).

May God be glorified as we seek the mind of Christ!

Why would we need to work out our salvation when God is working in us?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 11 Apr 2021 00:44:38 +0000

Question:

In Philippians 2:12, we are told to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. But verse 13 says “for it is God worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” I have never, to my knowledge, heard verse 13 quoted before. It seems most stop at verse 12. When I read verse 13, I was unsure of what it meant to verse 12. Why would we need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling when God is working in us according to verse 13?

Thanks.

Answer:

After talking about the fact that Jesus has been given all authority by the Father, Paul states:

"So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:12-13).

It is God's purpose to save mankind and His plan was to do so through Jesus (Ephesians 1:7-12). God's purpose was established from eternity. "This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him" (Philippians 3:11-12). However, this does not mean that God did not plan for men to have a role in their salvation. One requirement God has of men is to fear and obey Him. "The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person" (Ecclesiastes 12:13). It is by the fear of God that we reach life. "The fear of the LORD leads to life, so that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil" (Proverbs 19:23). Thus, Paul states that we must always obey God with fear and trembling because we understand that there will be no excuses when we appear before the judgment seat of Christ. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men" (II Corinthians 5:10-11).

My efforts can never earn salvation for me, but if I do not obey God, I can keep myself from being saved. The works required of me are not of my own devising, but they are the works God prepared and demands of me. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10). God has prepared works in advance that He expects of us to do -- not works that earn salvation, but good works that serve the will of God.

God, through His teachings, shapes us to be instruments of His purpose.

"In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures" (James 1:18).

"Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen" (Hebrews 13:20-21).

Paul states that it is not just outward obedience but an alignment of our will with the will of God. We obey because we desire to please our Lord and King.

Do You Enjoy Being a Christian (Philippians 1)

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 16 Aug 2020 23:30:14 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Do-You-Enjoy-Being-a-Christian-Philippians-1.mp3

by Raymond Warfel