A Work in Progress Bible Commentary
By: Chip Crush

PHILIPPIANS
CHAPTER 1

1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers[1] and deacons:
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

3I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. 8God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.

We’re looking at verses 1-11 of chapter 1, in which Paul introduces himself and Timothy and greets the people of the church at Philippi. Seven times Paul mentions Jesus Christ in these 11 verses. Needless to say, Paul is passionate about Jesus, and he knows that the Philippians share that passion. Paul talks about his prayer life and his passion for the Philippians. And the clear picture is one of connection. Let’s take a look.

  1. V1-2 – Paul and Timothy are writing this epistle from prison (house-arrest?) in Rome for Epaphroditus to take back to Philippi. Paul acknowledges that they are servants of Jesus (literally slaves). This is the highest title a Christian can have – a servant of Jesus Christ. And amazingly, we all have that title if our faith is genuine, is we truly are Christians, followers of Jesus; because to follow Jesus is to serve. And to serve Jesus is to love others. Paul and Timothy certainly did – even from prison. We see their love in this letter, in the third verse and repeatedly from there. Can you call yourself a servant of Christ Jesus?

    The letter is directed “to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi.” We need here to notice that “saints” is a description not of some super-Christian to the exclusion of the lay people but of every true believer fellowshipping together in the city. The Bible tells us that we who are in Christ, we who have the Spirit of God dwelling within, are saints of God. We are saints and priests. We are set apart and holy. We can draw near to God, and He draws near to us. Despite our sin, we are clean and pure – the spotless bride of the risen Lord Jesus. And it’s not because we’ve done anything worthy of that distinction. It’s because we are found in Christ. He alone is worthy of glory and praise. He alone makes us righteous. And we can only be called saints as we are found in Him, as He dwells in us. Can you call yourself a saint? How does it feel?

    Vincent Cheung says, “In contrast [to saints], all non-Christians are as dogs and pigs, and stupid beasts (Psalm 32:9, 49:20; Matthew 7:6, 15:26; Philippians 3:2; Titus 1:12; Revelation 22:15). Many professing Christians would be horrified by such a characterization of all non-Christians, but this is only because the non-Christians themselves have influenced the Christians into thinking too well of the non-Christians. Nowadays, professing Christians tend to think that non-Christians may be bad, but not too bad, and some are probably very good people. If you think this way, then you are probably not a Christian yourself, since it shows that you do not understand even a basic premise of the gospel, that all men are depraved, and that they cannot escape hellfire unless God sovereignly saves them.” What do you think of his assessment?

    Paul also makes special mention in this greeting of the overseers (elders or bishops or pastors) and deacons. It is suggested that Paul does this on account of their special assistance in organizing the fundraising and compiling the gift that Epaphroditus brought to Paul. These overseers and deacons are not set apart from the saints in this congregation. They are of equal standing; it’s just that they have a certain role that Paul wants to point out. So he mentions them specifically in the greeting.

    Given the likelihood that there were several home fellowships within the church at Philippi, it is suggested that each home group would have the presence of an elder; so there were several elders within the church. The main roles of the elder were to serve by teaching doctrine (theology and apologetics) and providing direction (right worship and orderly living) for the church. These duties are akin to shepherding or gardening. Training and instruction are crucial; protection from negative influences is as well. Eldership (Overseer or bishop) is the highest human authority within church government structure. Yet, the important roles of elders include many practical tasks that require regular attention. Thus deacons, in this context akin to stewards, are appointed to serve and assist the elders in the role of shepherding and gardening the local church (see Acts 6:2). Here Paul has in mind aiding in contributions of generosity.

    Finally, in v2, Paul extends the Philippians a greeting of grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace is God’s unmerited, undeserved favor despite your sin. Grace is not only having your sins wiped away. That’s forgiveness; that’s mercy. But grace is more. Grace is that plus giving you infinite blessings, eternal life. Peace is the end of hostility, as there is no more war against God for the Christian. This grace and peace are for the saints – that’s us – through Jesus Christ alone.

  2. V3-6 – Paul jumps right in to a commending encouragement. He thanks his God every time he remembers the Philippians. Notice that God is his God. As strange as that may sound, it is entirely true. God is our God. He has revealed Himself to us, as believers, and He knows us as intimately as He knows His Son Jesus. As often as Paul remembers the Philippians, he thanks God for them. He is also thanking God for bringing them into mind on a regular basis, in order that he might thank God for them. As we will see, Paul is filled with joy on account of the Philippians, and so it is fitting that he would think of them often and be thankful for them and the times he thinks of them. Paul has a thankful heart Do you? When we pray, we ought to give thanks for the people who bring us joy, as God is responsible for them being with us.

    As v4-5 tell us, one of the main reasons Paul is joyful is that the Philippians have made it easy for him to be joyful and thankful to God. A question for us is this: Are you the kind of person who makes it easy for others to thank God for you and be joyful in you in their prayers? Paul is thankful and joyful that the Philippians have been partners with him in the gospel, or in the cause of the gospel, since he first established the church there in Philippi. Perhaps the jailer and his household were still there. Perhaps Lydia and her family were worshipping there. Perhaps that slave girl who was cured of demon-possession was there. Of course Paul was joyful when thinking of them. Their partnership (koinonia) with Paul was certainly prayerful and likely described by financial generosity (we’ll talk more about the details of their generosity when we come to chapter 4). Not a description of friendly social gatherings (Paul and the typical Philippians had nothing in common socially), as the word is often used today in Christian circles, and not intending a mutual interest in the benefits of a common faith (though Paul and the Philippians, as brothers and sisters in Christ, shared in all of the gospel benefits), koinonia speaks rather of an intentional group effort to accomplish something objective, usually with financial investments required. It’s a term associated with business and commercial interests, but Paul uses it in describing their efforts in spreading the gospel. It’s this commonality in love for and work toward the spread of the gospel that produces this joyful and thankful fellowship. And the profit that arises from this venture is eternal and infinite in value; that’s why the bond they shared was so strong.

    Now, the Philippians’ effort in this venture with Paul confirms to him that their conversion and growth in Christ is indeed genuine. Therefore, Paul is confident that, since God really did work their justification and has clearly begun a work of sanctification in them, He will certainly see it through to completion. So Paul says that he prays with joy for two reasons. First, the Philippians have partnered with him in the gospel, and second, he is sure that God will finish what He started. Those who sincerely profess to put the gospel first, and follow through with financial and practical assistance to legitimate and competent ministries (James 2:26), can therefore gain a measure of assurance that they have indeed been chosen by God for salvation, and that what God has started, He will also bring to completion (v6).

    Now generosity doesn’t prove someone to be a genuine believer. A person can give faithfully to the Mormon church and be far from God. In fact, giving to the wrong cause or even with a wrong motive reveals a person to be battling against God, as He is revealed in Scripture. All giving ought to be done cheerfully and for the glory of God. If giving is done out of obligation, or with hopes of meriting blessing, it is for naught. And sadly, many Christians can be described as freeloaders, enjoying the fellowship of the Christian Church all the while failing to contribute appropriately to her mission. Paul tells the Corinthians to be more like the Philippians in their giving beyond what they were able to give as they decided to partner with Paul in “defending and confirming the gospel,” as we see in v7.

    But before we go there, quickly look at v6 again and notice this: God is at work in your salvation from beginning to end. Salvation is God’s work from start to finish. Paul is confident that God began a good work in the Philippians. God initiates our salvation. We were dead in sin and trespasses, but God made us alive in Christ. And Paul is not just saying that God began that work and then left the rest up to us; he is saying that this salvation is all of grace. It’s not finished yet. But we aren’t the ones carrying it on to completion. God will carry it on. That’s what Paul says. So don’t be discouraged when you sin. Learn from your sin. Don’t give in to it. Fight it, because God is carrying you on. The verse says that God will do it, so we can be assured that salvation is certain for those who have had this new life granted to them in Christ. Paul is confident. And furthermore, it will be completed. Isn’t that amazing! Our salvation, which began with regeneration, spiritual resurrection from the dead, when God made us who were dead in sin alive in Christ Jesus, will be completed. And it will be completed when Jesus returns. In that day, God’s work of salvation will be completed. From beginning to end, salvation is the work of God. Now Paul is not saying that there is nothing that you have to do. He’s not saying that faith is not important. He’s not saying that your living is not important. He’s not saying that your actions are not important. But he is emphasizing the initiative of God’s grace in your salvation from beginning to end. And it’s a reason for thankfulness and joy.

    Calvin says of this sixth verse, “God does not forsake the work which His own hands have begun, as the Prophets bears witness, (Psalm 138:8; Isaiah 64:8) we are the work of His hands; therefore He will complete what He has begun in us. When I say that we are the work of His hands, I do not refer to mere creation, but to the calling by which we are adopted into the number of His sons. For it is a token to us of our election, that the Lord has called us effectually to Himself by His Spirit.”

  3. V7-8 – Paul says that his feelings are right about the Philippians, because they are in his heart. You see, in Paul’s conversion to faith in Christ, he was confronted by the sovereign grace of God. He was blinded by the light of Jesus Christ and stopped dead in his tracks; he was humbled and raised to new life serving the Lord. And the Philippians shared in this experience. Lydia had her heart opened by God to receive Paul’s message. The Philippians shared the common bonds of conversion to faith. And we do as well. Deep down in our hearts, we know that if the Lord hadn’t come to us, we’d never have come to him. There’s no room for pride in salvation. And that humility forms an amazing bond between believers in Christ.

    In explaining his joy at the thought of them, Paul is commending the Philippians for supporting his ministry as one that is competent and courageous in doing theology and apologetics. Now, the words translated “defending” and “confirming,” necessarily imply intellectual activity. Faithful partnership in the gospel refers to giving financial and practical assistance to a ministry that is committed to the biblical and rational defense of the Christian faith. It is worth being generous to and making sacrifices for such a ministry. And whether done to the public or in the courts of law, the Philippians are right to support Paul.

    In v8, Paul reveals his deep love for the Philippians; in fact, he says that God would attest to Paul’s longing for them being like that of Christ. Paul just cares for these Christians, as a result of their sharing in the grace of God and the mission to advance the gospel of grace, and he wants them to know it. Do we care for one another like this? We ought to. As we move into v9-11, we see that Paul wants the Philippians to exhibit this kind of love as well. How does that happen? Let’s take a look.

  4. V9-11 – Do you often tell others what it is that you pray for them? Paul tells his audiences frequently what it is that he prays for them. Here we see that Paul prays to God three things. He prays about love, knowledge, and discernment. First, Paul prays that their love would grow. He’s already implied that they are easy to love on accounting of their loving. But he wants their love to abound more and more. This love is not some soupy, sloppy emotional or sexual love. This is Christian love, seen in volitional acts of compassion, serving one another selflessly – all for the glory of God and not for anything in return. Do you love even your spouse that way? It’s hard. And that’s why Paul prays that God would grant it. Apart from God’s bringing us to love this way, it’ll never happen.

    We now understand that Paul is saying God must make this growth in love happen. But how does He bring it about? How does this growth in love happen? If love has to do with the conscious obedience to biblical precepts and commands, then it a prior intellectual knowledge of these precepts and commands is undoubtedly necessary. Accordingly, and secondly, Paul prays that their love will grow “in knowledge and depth of insight” (v9). It might better be translated this way: “I pray that your love may grow by means of knowledge and moral discernment, or because of knowledge and moral discernment.” Anyone who claims to have knowledge but does not manifest love does not have knowledge. Anyone who claims to love but who does not do it in accordance with knowledge does not love as a Christian. For the Apostle Paul, love and knowledge go together. Love increases true knowledge of God and results from true knowledge of God, and true knowledge of God is to accompany and produce Christian love. Furthermore, it’s not enough that you grow in the knowledge of the truth; you need to know how to wield that truth in good judgment and discernment.

    What’s the big deal about this relationship between knowledge and love? Studying Scripture, hearing sermons, reading books, and engaging in theological discussions all have a direct relationship on your growth in love and obedience. Since love is obedience to God’s commands in all your relationships, whether with God or with other people, to have knowledge without love means that you do not obey what you know God requires of you. Love is not superior to knowledge, just as your obedience to God’s commands is not superior to your knowledge of God’s commands, since obedience to God’s commands is not even possible without knowledge of God’s commands. You must first know these commands before you can consciously obey them and deliberately order your life by them. Theology makes love possible. Knowledge without obedience may make you prideful, but knowledge with obedience will build up the Church. On the other hand, there are people who, because they do not have knowledge, have an unbiblical definition of love. And it is precisely by walking in this unbiblical kind of love that they think they are superior to those who have theological knowledge. So there are those who have biblical knowledge but refuse to obey it (that is, to walk in love), and then there are those who think they walk in love, but refuse to develop in biblical knowledge. The first group brings condemnation upon themselves, since they disobey what they know about God’s commands, and the second group has neither knowledge nor love, and is completely in the dark. God disapproves of both kinds of people.

    The contemporary idea of love often amounts to a non-discriminating and nonjudgmental acceptance of lawlessness. However, biblical love refers to the obedience to divine commands in all our relationships, characterized by moral discrimination. Biblical love is judgmental in the sense that it makes moral judgments about people, and then it does something about it (1 Corinthians 5:3-5). By obtaining theological knowledge that makes love possible, and by growing in moral discernment that enables this love to discriminate between right and wrong, or to determine what is best (other translations say, “so that you may approve the things that are excellent”), the believer is preserved “pure and blameless” before God, as v10 says. Making right choices, as a result of knowledge and discernment exercised in love, results in sincerity (purity) and integrity (no hypocrisy or blamelessness), which is behavior that keeps the believer pure and blameless. And don’t forget in all of this, Paul is praying that God would make this happen. We will fail, but it is God, as we’ll read later in Philippians 2:13, “who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.”

    Finally, whereas God saved the believer when he was poor in spirit, he has now become rich in faith, and “filled with the fruit of righteousness” (v11). Paul is praying for the production of fruit in the Christian life: that they would be fruitful Christians; that the result of the Spirit’s work of grace in their heart would be that they would bear fruit—much fruit—for God, through Jesus Christ. Again, all of these blessings come “through Jesus Christ.” Only Christians can be “pure and blameless” before God, not by their own merits and efforts, but through Christ alone. Only Christians can be “filled with the fruit of righteousness,” and this comes through Christ alone. We read in Ephesians 2:10, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

    And this is all, as Paul declares in v11, for or to “the glory and praise of God.” So Paul prays that the Philippians’ love would abound, that their knowledge would grow, that their discernment would increase, that they would choose the excellent things, that they would continue in sincerity and integrity (remain blameless and pure), that they would live in fruitful righteousness through Christ, and that they would deliberately live for the glory of God.

    How do we respond? First of all, we ought to live such good lives among the pagans, that though they accuse us of doing wrong, they may see our good deeds, which God works in and through us, and glorify God on the day He visits us. And these good lives ought to make it easy for our fellow Christians to pray joyfully with thanksgiving to God every time they think of us. Secondly, we ought to look at our fellow Christians in the lives that they lead and be filled with joy and thanksgiving over the work that God is doing in and through them for His glory. And third and finally, we ought to be prayer warriors. We ought to think of our brothers and sisters in Christ, scattered all over the world, doing the work of God for the glory of God, and we ought to lift them up in prayer, joyfully thanking God for magnifying His name and His kingdom through them. Where do you find your joy? Is it fleeting, as in the accumulation of new material possessions? Or is it lasting, as in the glory of God being made manifest throughout the world in the advancement of the gospel by His people as He works in and through them – even us!

Paul's Chains Advance the Gospel

12Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 13As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[2] and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
15It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.[3] 18But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
19Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.[4] 20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.
27Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel 28without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved--and that by God. 29For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, 30since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

We’re looking at verses 12-30 of chapter 1, in which Paul begins to explain his purpose in writing this letter. He explains his imprisonment and why he rejoices in his suffering. In v12-20, Paul points to three things: God’s providence, the promotion of the gospel, and the purpose of life, and he does so as sort of a missionary report. He’s telling the Philippians about his circumstance, because they, as his financial supporters, want to know what their funds are accomplishing for the gospel. V21 is arguably the climax of the entire letter: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Paul wrestles with the purpose of life and how Christ should be exalted in life and death. V27 onward begins the main body of the letter, and we see Paul exhort the Philippians to live rightly, by the grace of God, in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let’s take a look.

  1. V12-14 – Paul has just explained what he prays and why he prays regarding the Philippians. But he knows that they have a concern on their hearts. And so he turns immediately to address that concern. They knew that Paul was imprisoned. He was unable to plant churches; he was unable to travel throughout the region preaching the gospel in the synagogues and to the Gentiles. So the Philippians were concerned. They’re also concerned for Paul’s life. He is in very real danger of being executed; that was the punishment for criminals who brought their case before Caesar and failed to convince him of their innocence.

    Paul explains to the Philippians that their fears are unfounded; his imprisonment isn’t going to result in the hindering of the gospel, nor his imminent death, but in fact, by God’s glorious sovereign providence, the gospel is going to spread all the more, despite and even on account of his circumstances. The circumstances looked bad; Paul was chained. But the gospel was not! In v13, Paul hints that he has had opportunity to share the gospel with every Roman soldier in Nero’s palace who has crossed his path. The Philippians saw the situation as Paul being chained to the Roman guards. But Paul saw the situation as the Roman guards being chained to him. It was a great opportunity! We often see our problems as just that, problems. But Paul sees problems, understanding God’s providence, as opportunities to serve and glorify God – to advance the gospel. During Paul’s imprisonment, the whole palace guard, and everyone else, the verse says, has come to see Paul’s commitment to Christ by hearing the gospel. How many times do you think he told the story of his conversion? Luke recorded it three separate times in Acts. But I bet Paul shared that story thousands of times. It’s the providence of God. Do you have a story to tell? Can your problems be seen as opportunities to advance the gospel?

    Then in v14, Paul explains additionally that his imprisonment has encouraged most of the brothers in the Lord to fearlessly speak the gospel. When someone suffers on account of the gospel, believers are strengthened in their faith. Suffering for Christ should be expected when we genuinely believe and live for Him. Has a tragedy ever encouraged you to talk about God to other people? When 9-11 happened, many people were emboldened to talk about where God was in all of that. When a family member gets cancer, perhaps in your knowledge of God’s providence you are strengthened to declare that God is still in control. And it’s really more than that. It’s Romans 8:28 – “God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” Paul wrote and understood that. God has a purpose in apparent tragedies. We’ll read at the end of this chapter (v29) that God not only grants us faith in Jesus Christ but that He also grants us suffering for Him. God purposes everything; we may not understand how it all works together for good, but we trust that it does.

    Paul has his focus set on a higher level. It’s not about “me” for the Apostle Paul. It’s about Christ and His work. Whenever we experience hardship, pain and suffering, tragedy, or whatever, we ought to try thinking of the bigger picture. What’s good in this? How can I glorify God in the midst of my experience?

  2. V15-18a – Paul steps aside, as he often does, when making an argument. He pauses to explain that the attitude of the Philippians ought to be one of rejoicing over his situation. The Philippians, who supported Paul financially and prayerfully, wanted to see him succeed with the preaching of the gospel. But they noticed that while he was imprisoned, other preachers were taking advantage of his absence by preaching the gospel in his place. The Philippians were a bit jealous for Paul. They probably pointed out to Paul, by way of a message from Epaphroditus, that these others preachers weren’t always preaching the gospel out of pure motive. Some were, and some weren’t. But the ones who weren’t may have even been trying to build a name for themselves, to boost their own reputations at the expense of Paul, and perhaps, even to gain financially. Paul explains that the Philippians ought not to be jealous for him.

    The important thing in all of this is that the gospel gets preached. Is it right to support only Baptist missionaries? Should we who are Baptists tremble at the thought of a Presbyterian missionary entering a region where we are already at work? Of course not! We rejoice that the gospel is preached, because we know that the gospel cannot be stopped from accomplishing its purpose. Paul doesn’t care who gets the credit for winning a soul to Christ; he knows that winning souls is God’s doing, so he rejoices in this reality. The Philippians should do the same.

    It’s also important to note here that it was indeed the one-and-only gospel that was being preached here. If it were a false gospel, Paul would take issue. But the genuine gospel, that Jesus saves sinners, was being preached, and so the motive, while important from an individual perspective, is not Paul’s concern here. Paul explains that wrong motives are not reason for concern. Wrong theology, however, would be.

  3. V18b-20 – Paul moves on to explain how it is that he can rejoice in these trying circumstances. Paul seems to indicate that the prayers of the Philippians and the help of the Holy Spirit will deliver him from prison. The prayers and the Spirit’s help are not synonymous. Calvin says that the prayers are the means by which God ordains the stirring of the Spirit, who is the efficient cause of any deliverance Paul might experience.

    Some commentators suggest that Paul is confident that he will be released. But since he clarifies in v20 that whatever happens, whether he lives or dies, Christ will be exalted in and by and through his life or death, other commentators believe that Paul is most likely referring to his ultimate vindication, especially before Christ, so that he “will in no way be ashamed,” and that “Christ will be exalted,” whether “by life or by death.” Notice what Paul’s mission in life is. He says, “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted [the key word, “magnified” – shown to be great and glorious] in my body, whether by life or by death.” So Paul is saying that his hope and passion is that what he does will always be worship. In life and death his mission is to magnify Christ – to show that Christ is magnificent, to exalt Christ, and demonstrate that He is great.

    Let’s break down v20 a little bit. Paul eagerly expects and hopes that he will be filled with courage rather than be ashamed. Paul has knowledge of God’s faithfulness to His promises. And Paul understands that God will advance the gospel. Thus Paul expects and hopes to be granted courage to face whatever comes his way. He begins the letter to the Romans by saying, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” Here he shows that the grace of God through the Holy Spirit’s help stirred by the prayers of the saints in Philippi is what grants him this courage and keeps him unashamed. The result is, as always – again by the grace of God (Romans 5:1-11) – Christ will be exalted no matter what circumstances befall the Apostle Paul.

    Despite – even on account of – the struggles Paul and the Philippians are facing, Paul has occasion to consider his life’s purpose. Have you ever considered life’s purpose? Apart from God, there is none. What is the purpose of your life? Why do you exist? The Westminster Catechism explains our purpose this way: The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Our purpose is to glorify God and to enjoy Him, or intimately relate to Him. We understand that. But how do we do that? The rest of this chapter tells us.

  4. V21-26 – V21 describes the inner experience that exalts Christ and is the essence of worship. We see this in two ways: First, take “death” in v20 and “die” in v21 and look at them together. Paul eagerly expects and hopes that Christ will be exalted in his body by his death; for to him, to die is gain. Christ will be exalted in dying, if dying is gain. The inner experience that magnifies Christ in dying is to experience death as gain. Why is that? V23 shows why dying is gain for Paul (and for you if you are a Christian). Death takes us into more intimacy with Christ. To die is gain because death is to be absent from the body and at home with the Lord. Question 37 of The Westminster Catechism asks: “What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?” Four answers are given: First, the souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness. Second, they immediately pass into glory. Third, their bodies are still united in Christ. And fourth, being still united in Christ, their bodies rest in their graves until the resurrection. Do you love Jesus so much that to lose everything in order to be with Him would be gain? Experiencing Christ as gain in your dying magnifies Christ. It is the essence of worship in the hour of death. means that we can now say that the inner essence of worship is cherishing Christ as gain - indeed as more gain than all that life can offer - family, career, retirement, fame, food, friends. The essence of worship is experiencing Christ as gain. Or to use words that we love to use around here: it is savoring Christ, treasuring Christ, being satisfied with Christ. This is the inner essence of worship. Because, Paul says, experiencing Christ as gain in death is the way he is exalted in death.

    Second, take “life” in v20 and “live” in v21 and look at them together. Paul eagerly expects and hopes that Christ will be exalted in his body by his life; for to him, to live is Christ. Christ will be exalted in life, if living is Christ. The inner experience that magnifies Christ in living is to experience life as Christ. Why is that? V22 and v24-26 shows why living is Christ for Paul. It includes fruitful labor (for the advancement of the gospel). It includes the edification of God’s people through fellowship and preaching and teaching, through courageous unity, as we’ll see. And it includes progress and overflowing joy in the faith. Philippians 3:8 adds to our understanding of how life is Christ. Paul says there, “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ.” So Paul’s point is that life and death, for a Christian, are acts of worship – they exalt Christ, and magnify Him and reveal and express His greatness – when they come from an inner experience of treasuring Christ as gain. Christ is praised in death by being prized above life. And Christ is most glorified in life when we are most satisfied in Him even before death.

    Hamlet ponders this same issue that Paul struggles with: “To be or not to be – that is the question. Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them. To die, to sleep – no more, and by a sleep to say we end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to. ‘Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep – perchance to dream. Aye, there’s the rub, for in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil must give us pause. There’s the respect that makes calamity of so long life.” In other words, what if death is worse than life? What if there are things waiting for us in death that are just as hard or harder than life? And so he’s wrestling with the question, do I want to live or do I want to die? Paul does the same thing, but his presuppositions are entirely different.

    Paul is wrestling here with the benefits of life and death. He is not considering taking his own life, as some liberal critics of Paul have claimed. He is pondering what choice would be best if he had the choice. He realizes that life and death are in the hands of God, but he is stepping back to see what God might have in store for him. Death leads to the gaining of Christ, and life leads to more labor for Christ. He concludes that there is additional work that he can do for the sake of the gospel and the believers’ edification. We get that from v23-24. And given that alone, we ought to know Paul well enough to figure out which option he would choose. He’s selfless, and so we know he’ll choose to stay. That’s what we get from v25-26. The Apostle Paul is just showing us Jesus. Was it better for Jesus to stay in glory with angels worshiping Him and singing to Him, “Holy, holy, holy!” day and night in the halls of heaven, or to come to earth in our poor flesh and our poor blood to live and die in a fallen world, to be rejected by His own people, to be executed by the religious leaders of His day, to die and be buried? It would have been better for Jesus to stay in heaven, but it was necessary for us that He came, and so in His love, He came. Paul is just drawing the same conclusion. So he decides that if he had to make the choice, he would stay in this life for a time in order to serve the cause of Christ – to the progress and increased joy of the Philippians. (See 2 Corinthians 11:24-27 if you’re unconvinced of the importance of his motivation. He’ll endure hell on earth to see that joy in Christ is experienced.) But, as we’ll see in v27, he doesn’t know what will happen.

    How do we glorify God and enjoy Him forever? How do we worship God? Paul is saying that it is our joy to exalt Christ in our bodies, whether we live or die. We die to self and live for Christ. That’s worship, and that’s Paul’s purpose. Jesus said, “He who loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.” Paul said in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” The bottom line of these verses is that Paul cares relatively little about what happens to him; but he mainly cares about the glory of Christ, the advance of the gospel in the world, and the progress of faith in the believers. The gospel has given us a joy that allows us to be selfless, but also causes us to have a longing for others to participate in that same joy. Paul was selfless; we ought to be selfless too. Jesus was selfless for us; He gave us a greater joy than we could have ever found in our own seeking; He has set us free from our selfishness to enjoy the selfless pursuit of the joy of others in Christ Jesus. That message and that lifestyle is Paul’s obsession. Steven Curtis Chapman wrote the song, “Magnificent Obsession.” See the lyrics below. Chapman wants what Paul had. Paul’s obsession was the gospel. What is yours?

    “Lord, You know how much, I want to know so much, in the way of answers and explanations. I have cried and prayed, and still I seem to stay in the middle of life’s complications. All this pursuing leaves me feeling like I’m chasing down the wind, but now it’s brought me back to You. And I can see again. This is everything I want. This is everything I need. I want this to be my one consuming passion. Everything my heart desires, Lord, I want it all to be for You, Jesus. Be my magnificent obsession. So capture my heart again. Take me to depths I’ve never been, into the riches of Your grace and Your mercy. Return me to the cross, and let me be completely lost in the wonder of the love that You’ve shown me. Cut through these chains that tie me down to so many lesser things. Let all my dreams fall to the ground until this one remains. You are everything I want. You are everything I need. I want You to be my one consuming passion. Everything my heart desires, Lord, I want it all to be for You. I want it all to be for You.”

    Being obsessed with Christ doesn’t mean that Paul forgets everything else. He still thinks about the thorn in his flesh. He still makes tents to earn income for himself. He still cares for other people. He still lives in the world, though he is certainly not of the world. But his motive, the foundation for Paul’s life and everything that happens in Paul’s life, is Jesus Christ. This is what it means to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” And what does it look like when a Christian lives such a life that to live is Christ. Four things are noticeable: First, that Christian is never satisfied with their knowledge of Christ. The hunger for God’s Word is ever present. Second, that Christian is never satisfied to simply know about Christ or even to know Him intimately. There is a drive to be like Him, to be conformed no longer to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of the mind, to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. Third, that Christian desires for others to know Christ and to experience the grace of God in Him. There is a passion for the advancement of the gospel, for Christ to be known as we know Him, throughout the world. Fourth, and finally, that Christian purposes in all things to enjoy Christ, to appreciate Him in every experience of life, including suffering, as we’ll see, to draw comfort from His indwelling presence through the Holy Spirit, and to cherish Him above all things. Think of yourself. Are you a Christian who leads such a life that to live is Christ? Do you exhibit these four evidences of that?

    Finally, this verse is only for believers. It only works for those with genuine saving faith in Jesus Christ. To live is Christ. Unbelievers don’t get that. They want nothing to do with that. To die is gain. Unbelievers may not appear to be concerned with death, but you can bet that it’s their greatest fear. For the believer, to die is gain. There is no need to fear what brings deeper communion with Christ. If to live is Christ, then to die is gain. If to live is not Christ, then to die cannot be gain. Do you see what Paul is saying?

  5. V27-28 – Paul issues his first command here, exhorting the Philippians to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel. Christianity is a way of living, not just a way of thinking or believing. But the order is very crucial. First comes knowing the gospel and then comes living the gospel. You can’t live what you don’t know. And we know the gospel: Out of love, God gave Jesus to endure the just and deserved punishment for the sins of every sinner who believes in Him, in order that the believer will not suffer the penalty of his own sin, but will instead be shown mercy through Jesus’ righteousness granted to the believer by grace through faith. Knowing this gospel as truth, understanding its application to us, we can ask three questions:

    First, what does it mean to conduct ourselves in a matter worthy of the gospel? Some translations have the verb “walk,” or “live,” instead. One translation says, “Continue to exercise your citizenship in a manner worthy of the gospel.” In other words, as a result of knowing the gospel, as a result of understanding that you are not who you used to be – thanks to the gospel applied to your life through faith in Jesus Christ – continuously strive to pursue the gospel, live for the gospel to be known, and make every effort to see it worked out in all aspects of your life and in the lives of others.

    This is a life-long expedition, and Paul makes clear in v27 that the motivation for living this way is not his potential visit to see whether they are living rightly. Instead the motivation to live in a manner worthy of the gospel ought to come from the fact that we are citizens of God’s heavenly kingdom. One translation has v27 as this: “Behave as citizens of heaven, in a manner worthy of the gospel.” Paul is saying the kingdom of God is within you; let it shine before one another and before the watching world. Your new citizenship in God’s kingdom has brought you phenomenal privileges – and corresponding responsibilities. As citizens of heaven, we ought to live differently than citizens of earth. And this lifestyle is meant to be both pervasive and permanent. The gospel life shouldn’t be something that comes and goes; and it shouldn’t be something that affects only part of our lives. Living worthy of the gospel means first that “to live is Christ” – so Jesus becomes the center of our life and affects every part of it. Living worthy of the gospel means second that “to die is gain” – our opponents’ last weapon (death), along with our fear, is removed.

    Second, what does it look like to live a life worthy of the gospel? Living this way is living in unity. We who have received the grace of God unto salvation are now part of one body – even the Body of Christ. But this unity is not generic. People can unite for all kinds of reasons. People united in the building of the Tower of Babel. That was a bad cause for unity. Paul wants unity for the gospel. The unity based on the gospel is a unity that stands firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel. Any unity that disregards theology is superficial and meaningless. But with a fearless and courageous unity founded on the gospel (be of one mind and one passion), we have a deep and meaningful, fearless unity that brings honor and glory to Christ. The view here is that Jesus Christ is worthy of, or deserves, the worship of every person throughout the world today. Jesus deserves the authentic praise of every person here, every person in your neighborhood, every person in every business and every school. It’s this type of motive that Paul is speaking of when he commands the Philippians to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel, to fearlessly and courageously contend as one man for the faith of the gospel. It’s a joy to obey God.

    Third, how can we obtain this unity that shows we are living in a manner worthy of the gospel? Paul answers this question in detail beginning in chapter 2 (Gospel humility creates unity in a local congregation). But unity does not just happen, as Paul reveals in v28. Paul declares ultimately that there are two kinds of unity – that for the gospel, and that opposed to it. The latter leads to destruction, but the former leads to salvation. When unbeliever oppose you because they reject the gospel of the grace of Christ, that is a sign of their ultimate destruction, and because you are clinging to the one hope that sinful men and women have – the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ – it’s also a sign of your salvation. And lest we somehow conclude that our unity for the gospel in any way merits this salvation, Paul adds that our salvation is by God. And to add an answer to that third question asked above (How can we obtain this unity…), I would argue that our unity comes from God. Consider Jesus’ prayer for the unity of believers in John 17. He asks God to grant unity, so unity, along with salvation, comes from God. God not only justifies, but He also sanctifies, those who, by grace, have faith in Jesus Christ.

    It’s interesting that unity against the gospel actually merits destruction. But unity for the gospel doesn’t merit salvation. Christ’s work on our behalf merits salvation for us, and God’s grace bestows that salvation on us through the channel of faith. And this faith is not a mere intellectual assent to certain facts. Rather, genuine saving faith is life changing – life changing enough to bring about this fearless unity for the advancement of the gospel, this sense of purpose, that Paul is talking about here. That’s where Paul goes with v 29-30.

  6. V29-30 – Paul is saying to the Philippians, “You are facing, and you will continue to face, great conflict and opposition because you’re Christians. Don’t be frightened or discouraged because of that. Don’t feel threatened by that, because you’ve been given the gift of faith and the gift of suffering, and you’re going through the same thing that I’m going through for the advancement of the gospel, according to the purpose of God.” Those are hard words to hear, “the gift of suffering.” And we’ll talk about them in a minute.

    First, notice the other words I mentioned, “The gift of faith.” Paul says that it has been granted to you to believe on Jesus. Faith is a command. This is the command of God: to believe on the One He has sent. Faith is a necessity for salvation. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Whoever believes will be saved, but whoever does not believe is condemned already. Faith is an offer. Come to Me all you who are weary and heavy-burdened, and I will give you rest. But faith is impossible for natural man. How can anyone be saved? With men this is impossible, but for God, nothing is impossible. We must be born again in order to believe. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. Ad so, as Paul declares here, faith is a gift. We are saved by grace through faith, and this, not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, lest anyone should boast. Let me ask you, “Has it been granted to you to believe the gospel?” If it has not, then perhaps you feel a sense of urgency. Perhaps you want to join the in-crowd in this room. Then I repeat Jesus’ words from Revelation 3:20: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.” Just invite Jesus into your heart. If faith in Jesus Christ has been granted to you, then you know the joy of His salvation. You have blessed assurance, deep dependence, and a certain responsibility.

    Let’s go back to “the gift of suffering.” Are we suffering for Christ’s sake? Are we ready to suffer for Christ’s sake? Do we pray for the literally tens of millions of Christians around the world who are now suffering for Christ’s sake? How do you respond to suffering in this world?

    Many Christians say, “If you really trust in Christ, you won’t suffer. God wants you to be happy, healthy, and wealthy. He doesn’t want you to endure sufferings; He wants your whole life to be blessed with bliss. Therefore, if you are experiencing suffering, it is because you do not have enough faith.” This teaching is prominent, and it confuses Christians as to what to do or think or say about suffering. If when we suffer, we think that God does not want us to suffer, then we might start thinking that God has no control. That would be bad. So we need to see suffering as Paul saw suffering, as God sees suffering. See 2 Corinthians 11:24-27. Paul endured suffering not because he lacked faith, but precisely because he had it. His suffering served God’s purpose to advance the gospel. In some small way, perhaps our suffering does the same.

    Christian unity, unity for the gospel, brings suffering, most often in the form of persecution from unbelievers. Certainly there is other suffering involved in this, but Paul is pointing to persecution. The Bible teaches that there is more than one kind of suffering; knowing that protects us from erroneous interpretations of our suffering. Here are six categories (not all types) of suffering: (1) justice – when people get what they deserve (punishment or wrath that leads to destruction); (2) discipline – serves a different purpose (corrective) than punishment or wrath; (3) fellowship – when you suffer because a loved one is suffering; (4) witness – sometimes suffering serves to advance the gospel and show God’s glory (like the blind man in John 9, like Job, or like Hosea); (5) substitution – the kind Jesus endured on our behalf; (6) discipleship – suffering for Christ’s sake, as when the Christian has the privilege of enduring the rejection and trials and persecution because of loyalty to Christ (this is what Paul means here in v29).

    I’ve heard it said, “The afflictions of this life are designed by God to wean us from the affections of this life.” This world is not our home. That we live in such a way so that others might notice that we believe the gospel serves as evidence that God is at work in our lives. That we would unite around the true gospel message and even deny our self-interests, thereby enduring some form of suffering, to promote it is a sign that God has chosen us for salvation and changed us for service. In other words, when we unite for the gospel, we are by definition laying aside selfish motives. We are dying to self, that Christ might be exalted in us. As Paul declares, it has been granted, graciously by God, to the saints in Philippi, as well as to every believer worldwide, to believe on Christ Jesus. But not only that! It has also been granted to believers to suffer for Him. The Philippians, as we read in v30, were going through the same struggles that Paul faced. These struggles will continue until the day of death. Yet, Paul presses on for Christ, and we must do the same. Let me close with a John Piper quote:

    “In choosing to follow Christ in the way He directs, we choose all that this path includes under His sovereign providence. Thus, all suffering that comes in the path of obedience is suffering with Christ and for Christ. Whether it’s cancer or conflict, all experiences of suffering in the path of Christian obedience, whether it’s from persecution or sickness or accident, have this in common: they all threaten our faith in the goodness of God, and they tempt us to leave the path of obedience. Therefore, every triumph of faith and all perseverance and obedience are testimonies to the goodness of God and the preciousness of Christ, whether the enemy is sickness, Satan, sin, or sabotage. Not only that, the suffering of sickness and the suffering of persecution have this in common: They are both intended by Satan for the destruction of our faith, and they’re governed by God for the purifying of our faith. Suffering for persecution and sickness are often indistinguishable. Suppose that the Apostle Paul had gotten pneumonia from all his work and exposure. Would that pneumonia have been persecution? Would it have been suffering for the sake of Christ? Paul didn’t make a distinction between being beaten by rods and having a cold while traveling between towns. For him all the suffering that befell him while serving Christ was a part of the cost of discipleship. When a missionary’s child gets sick, that’s a part of the missionary’s faithfulness. But if any parent is walking in the path of obedience to God’s calling, it is the same price. What turns sufferings into sufferings with and for Christ is not how intentional our enemies are, but how faithful we are. If we are Christ’s, then what befalls us is for His glory and for our good, whether it is caused by enzymes or enemies. When we speak of the purposes of suffering, we mean both persecution and the accidents and sicknesses that befall us in any path of faith.”

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 Traditionally bishops
  2. 1:13 Or whole palace
  3. 1:16,17 Some late manuscripts have verses 16 and 17 in reverse order.
  4. 1:19 Or salvation

Bible text from Gospelcom.net.  Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

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