Philippians 1:3-11 Series

Philippians 1:3-11

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

It is important for us to understand the context of this letter Paul is writing to the Philippian church, that is that Paul is imprisoned when he is writing this letter, imprisoned for the gospel. It is not the only time he was imprisoned and not the last time he would be imprisoned for the gospel.

As Paul begins this letter to the Philippians in verses three through five, there is no doubt due to the amount of time available to him he is thinking about his life for Christ and the journey so far.

The church in Philippi was a church Paul himself had started around 50 AD which is twenty years after Jesus' death on the cross. Because Paul had started this church it held great sentimental value to him, much more than normal.

In verse five Paul mentions the partnership in the gospel that this church had with him. This can be taken a few ways and all are most definitely accurate.

First in a general sense both Paul and this church being Christian both have a responsibility in sharing the gospel as does every single church and every single Christian today. It is a partnership or a covenant with God.

We have been saved by no doing of ourselves but fully of God through His mercy, grace and purpose thus why we are commanded to share the gospel as a willing servant.

Also, there is no doubt that this church is continually praying for Paul in his journeys to share the gospel to the world.

Lastly, there is financial aid the church is giving Paul during his journey but most likely not for himself or at least he is not using much for himself but rather he is using it most likely for others in need and in the hope of starting other churches.

In 1 Corinthians 9 Paul talks at length about how those who share the gospel should be provided for as the workers of Christ and that it is their biblical right but that he takes nothing because he feels it would deprive him of being able to say I have taken nothing.

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Assurity, Paul has assurity that God who began a good work in them will see it to completion. Is this talking about the good works God has planned for them? Yes! Is Paul talking about their salvation? Paul is more specifically here talking about the assurity of their salvation and the completion of that salvation. Glorification is the outcome for every true believer.

It is unfortunate that some Christians teach that there is no assurity in salvation. Not having assurity is the same as not having hope in salvation they go hand in hand. As we did not save ourselves we also then cannot un-save ourselves being salvation is fully in the hands of God and the work of Christ.

7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

It isn't easy to think of imprisonment as something connected to grace but we should think of every situation good or bad as grace.

It is in every situation that we find ourselves that is an opportunity to share Christ. Matter of fact, there isn't any situation we could find ourselves in that sharing Christ isn't appropriate if done with mercy, grace and love.