Philippians 3:1 (The Same Things Again)

Philippians 3:1

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.

Okay, I'm only going to say this once: "Don't make me repeat myself." That's because people don't like saying the same things twice. They don't like describing their day as the "same old, same old." If someone teaches the same thing multiple times, their students likely say, "We've been over this already." The implication behind these phrases is quite clear: people tend to believe repeating information is a waste of time. If this is what humans tend to think, it's worth asking what God thinks about this. What does the Bible say about repeating information?

God's Word is full of repetition. Right at the start, the Bible says the same thing twice. In Genesis chapter 1 God makes the heavens, the earth and every living thing. In Genesis chapter 2 He does it again, or rather the author redescribes what God has done. The repetition doesn't stop there. Keep reading, and there are family genealogies given more than once, laws about the Sabbath repeated a few times, and multiple psalms about Moses and the Isrealites in the wilderness (Psalm 78, 90, 107 and others). God is an author who highlights the "same old, same old"; a teacher who makes His students say, "We've been over this already." God repeats Himself, yet God is good (Nahum 1:7).

Hearing about God's goodness over and over again is, evidently, a beautiful thing. When the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, he told them to "rejoice in the Lord," and he said it three to four times (Philippians 1:18, 3:1, 4:4,10). Paul knew his audience would look negatively on his repetition. Perhaps, this is why Paul writes, "It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you," (Philippians 3:1). The word for safeguard in this text is ἀσφαλής (asphalés). It commonly refers to an assuredness of fact, such as in Hebrews where it reads, "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure (ἀσφαλής)," (6:19). Paul is saying to the church in Philippi, as well as all churches, it is good to repeat Biblical information. God repeats Himself, and God is good (Psalm 136:1). The repetition of God's Word acts as a safeguard (a maintaining of assuredness) to keep the Church actively rejoicing in the Lord.

With the God who will make all things new (Revelation 21:5), sometimes the best thing He can give is the "same old, same old." Jesus, who is God, "is the same yesterday and today and forever," so why would it ever be a bad thing for Him to repeat Himself? (Hebrews 13:8). The Lord commands all His followers to preach the Word (2 Timothy 4:2) and God isn't writing anymore words in the Bible (Revelation 22:18-19). Because of this, God's followers will naturally repeat themselves, since they are all reading from the same book forever (Matthew 5:18). This repetition, though, is not a waste of time. It should be seen as a safeguard and a beautiful thing. Afterall, God repeats Himself, and God is good (1 Peter 2:3). Hey, did I say this already?

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• Bible Hub: Safeguard/Assuredness