Settle the Matter by Dr Nathaniel Omilani

Philippians 4: 2-3

_𝐈 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐮𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐭𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨, 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰, 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.

Here in the scripture, Paul writes about two women who had misunderstandings, and everyone in the Church at Philip knew about their disagreement. These people were born again, and they are even co-labourers with Paul, this implies that such may be inevitable in the church and among brethren. They are not strangers to the teaching of Paul, yet they were not in talking terms at the time Paul was writing. It is convenient to infer that these men and women are not 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧, and 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐡.

In our time, 𝐄𝐮𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐭𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐞, may stand for a member who left the ministry in anger because they are not pleased with the Pastor. It may be a daughter-in-law and mother-in-law, a spiritual mentor and mentee, and many more. It is simply two people who had experienced contention that affected their relationship. This issue is with us today as it was then. It is in every denomination, assembly, fellowship, family, and gathering. I learnt of some brethren, who wanted to go to their pastor to handle some church issues, and one of them said let us record him secretly.

 

We can learn three lessons from how Paul handled the matter.

1. Paul did not reference the matter that caused the disagreement. We don’t know whether the cause of the contention is civil, doctrinal, or domestic. Unlike Paul, we want to read/learn/hear about what happened, so we can logically analyse who is wrong or right. That is not important.
2. Paul told the brethren to mediate without judgment. X and Y have a matter in your church/fellowship/office. Paul called on those whose names are already in the Book of Life to mediate so these two women would be at peace with one another.
3. Paul referred to the Book of Life in that verse. I assume this is not accidental. He is showing the readers, that having names in the book of life and continuing the fight are contradictory.

He desired the fight to end, and the women would find their names in the Book of Life. Remember, Paul said they have worked hard with me. If anyone works hard for the gospel and the person dies in this type of mess, he/she will miss heaven.

𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘗𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵

1. If you have any disagreement with anyone, talk to God to help you resolve it. Tell the Lord to heal your bitterness and anger.
2. Make a move of peace after the prayers. After such prayers, there will be a release. Do not trivialize prayers before making the move.
3. If you know brethren/in-laws/friends/couples/denominations with such issues, pray on their behalf. Present it to God instead of taking sides. Some people take sides and even attempt to impose their sides on others to continue with it.

….And I ask you, true partner, help these women

Help with prayers and mediation. Don’t make it a gist; rather, make it a concern. It is wrong for you to make it an example during a talk/sermon for the sake of showing spiritual superiority.