◄ Philippians 1 Devotional Commentary ►
Philippians 1:1
In his introductory comments to the Christians in Philippi, Paul included Timothy in his personal greeting. He considered this teenager as his son-in-the-faith. He was a much younger man than Paul, but in this letter the apostle graciously referred to him 'a fellow bondservant': "Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus," were Paul's opening words.
Both men loved the Lord Jesus, and both had devoted themselves to read more...
Philippians 1:3
Paul was a man who loved his Saviour. He was filled with joy when others came to a saving faith in Christ and he rejoiced when sinners were transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son. This letter to the Philippians was one of six epistles that Paul penned while imprisoned in jail, but his joy in the Lord could not be diminished by his many incarcerations, and this servant of God would not allow self-pity to mar his joy.
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Philippians 1:5
Paul was commissioned to take the glorious gospel of grace to the Gentiles, but his thoughts, prayers, and supplications often turned joyfully toward the Body of believing saints. His heart rejoiced knowing they were his partners in the gospel of Jesus Christ, from the moment they trusted Him as Saviour.
We are all members of Christ's Body and, like the Philippians Christians, are also partners in the glorious gospel of grace. For read more...
Philippians 1:6
Every man and woman born of the Spirit is being conformed into the image of the lovely Lord Jesus. This sanctification process, starts at rebirth, when we are born of the Spirit, through faith in Christ. It is an ongoing process that will be brought to full completion and beautiful perfection in the day that Christ takes us to be with Himself, at the end of this Church dispensation, "for those who God justifies, He also glorifies."
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Philippians 1:7
Paul had great affection for the Philippian believers, as he did for all those who had trusted Christ according to the gospel of grace. Whether he was imprisoned for his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, travelling on his missionary journeys to far-flung places, or simply employed in his craft of tent-making, Paul's heart was ever open in intercessions and prayer towards his fellow believers.
As believers in Christ, we are all part read more...
Philippians 1:8
The gospel of the grace of God, where Christ was sent from heaven to become our Kinsman-Redeemer and the sin-substitute for mankind, is the adhesive that binds believers together in the perfect bond of unity, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul developed a Christ-like attitude of prayer, praise, and intercessions for all whose lives had been so radically impacted and eternally changed by the good news of the glorious gospel read more...
Philippians 1:9
Paul’s love for the body of Christ was a deep love that reflected the love he had for His Saviour and Lord. He grieved when they were slow of heart to learn, reprimanded them when they fell into sin, corrected them when they were lured into error, rejoiced with them as they grew in grace, and instructed them so they would become increasingly mature in the faith.
Paul’s great desire for the saints at Philippi was that they become rooted and grounded read more...
Philippians 1:10
Despite his imprisonment, Paul delights in the fellowship of the gospel and discovers an inner holy joy that comes from tenderly keeping the saints of God in his loving thoughts and holding them in his heart. But Paul's love for his brothers and sisters in Christ overspills into earnest prayer for them all.
Paul prays that their love for God and their love towards each other might expand and overflow in all knowledge, read more...
Philippians 1:11
The work of salvation changes a sinner into a saint and transfers a person from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son.
Justification (initial salvation or conversion), is the first stage of salvation and a once-for-all work of God Himself in the life of a believer that is permanent and can never be lost.
Sanctification (the process of salvation or Christian living), is the read more...
Philippians 1:12
No matter what circumstances we find ourselves to be in and however problematic, distressing, or frightening our situation may become, we may be sure that every day that passes can be used by God for good, and every happening in our lives is an opportunity for the greater progress of the gospel.
On his first visit to these believers at Philippi, Paul was flung into jail, but his midnight songs of rejoicing resulted in the read more...
Philippians 1:13
Paul had to endure many severe hardships and unjust imprisonments in his service to Christ, but we discover that his response to the difficulties and injustices that stalked his life display a deep understanding of God's greater plan for his life. Paul had such a godly joy in his heart that he knew his own hardships would be used for the glory of God and to forward the good news of the gospel of grace to a lost and dying world.
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Philippians 1:14
God uses the most absurd equipment and seemingly inappropriate circumstances as the catalyst to spread the gospel of Christ in the most unexpected places.
Just as He used David's sling, Gideon's pots, Balaam's donkey, and the staff of Moses, God used the chains that bound Paul and his imprisonment in Rome as the most effective tool to spread the good news of the death and Resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ to many Roman read more...
Philippians 1:15
Paul had been called as Christ's apostle to the Gentiles and appointed by the Father to be entrusted with the hidden mysteries of the Church and much Church-age doctrine, which is so vital for our spiritual growth today.
Paul was wonderfully used of the Lord to write a significant portion of the New Testament Scriptures and yet throughout his ministry, we discover many individual critics of Paul, and various groups who were openly read more...
Philippians 1:16
Paul's dedication in proclaiming the gospel of God and his deep love for the Christians at Philippi, is very evident in the opening verses of his epistle. Although writing to them from prison, Paul wanted to reassure these believers that despite his incarceration in a Roman jail, the gospel of God was continuing to be spread abroad. Paul's letter was to encourage them to stand strong in the faith - even in the midst of great trouble and strife.
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Philippians 1:17
Paul had just explained to the Philippian believers that there were two types of teachers who were giving good instruction about the glorious gospel of grace, but the motives of these two groups were diametrically opposite.
The teachers in the first group were preaching the gospel of Christ Jesus for no better reason than out of envy and read more...
Philippians 1:18
Much within the Church epistles is designed to refute false teachings and a distorted gospel. Not only do we find Paul challenging the manipulation of the good news of Christ by legalists, liberalists, and gnostics alike, but he also identifies others who were jealous of his apostolic calling. They were teaching the true gospel out of jealousy and resentment of God's unique calling upon Paul's life.
Paul could have lost heart read more...
Philippians 1:19
Love is reflected in unity, just as envy and strife are the opposite sides of the same coin. Paul rejoiced to know that the gospel of Christ was being shed abroad (even though some teachers opposed Paul's ministry and taught about Jesus out of envy and strife), for Paul rejoiced that men and women were being saved by grace through faith in Christ.
When the gospel of grace was taught by those that opposed Paul's God-ordained read more...
Philippians 1:20
The earnest desire of Paul's heart was to know Christ more, to live for Him, to die daily to self, and if necessary, to give his life for the precious Saviour he loved so dearly. The deep desire of Paul's inner being was to be his utmost for the glory of Christ Jesus so that others would come to know Him as their Lord and Saviour, as Paul irrevocably surrendered his all to his Lord.
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Philippians 1:21
Paul's had a passionate love for His Saviour. He wanted to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ in every area of life. He wanted the beauty and magnificence of His wonderful Saviour to eclipse all else. He rejoiced when the gospel of Christ was proclaimed, and wanted to demonstrate that suffering for Christ in this life, would bring his Saviour great praise and glory.
Paul's dear desire was to magnify the Lord and enable the brilliance of read more...
Philippians 1:22
It was in the city of Philippi that Paul told the jailer at midnight: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved," and Paul had the joy of seeing this man and all his family place their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. What a joyful memory this must have been for Paul as he wrote his letter to the Philippian Christians, some ten years after that jailor's glorious conversion.
But as Paul wrote his read more...
Philippians 1:23
Paul was a man that loved His Lord with a passion that is rarely seen today, and he simply longed to be with His Saviour, but Paul also had a deep compulsion to tell others about the One Person Who could save and sanctify a lost sinner. Paul had a dilemma. Is it better to live or is it better to die?
Death held no dread for Paul, for he knew that his physical death is simply a gateway into the eternal presence of the glorified read more...
Philippians 1:24
Paul's incarceration in a Roman prison greatly assisted in the spreading of the gospel to many people in Rome, including the praetorian guard. His courage in the face of danger spurred other believers to follow in his footsteps and preach Christ crucified. He was not intimidated by threats, nor was he fearful of what man, or Caesar, could do to him. Paul's intrepid attitude encouraged other believers to share the good news of Christ's sacrificial death and read more...
Philippians 1:25
Paul had been flung into prison for defending the gospel, but rather than having a negative effect on the Church, he rejoiced because his imprisonment accelerated the spread of the gospel. It emboldened certain believers to proclaim the message of Christ fearlessly and even Ceasar's elite, praetorian guard, heard the good news of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, because Paul was in their custody.
Paul was convinced that God would read more...
Philippians 1:27
Paul's love for all the Christians at Philippi is very evident, for he keeps them in his thoughts, in his heart, and in his prayers. Paul's dear desire is that these believers grow strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, and that they know the joy of the Lord Jesus in their heart as an abiding presence. And so, Paul is writing to this little band of believers while being chained up in a Roman prison-cell, to offer encouragement in their Christian life and read more...
Philippians 1:27
In his letter to his brothers and sisters in Philippi, Paul reassures these believers that rather than being a hindrance to the furtherance of the gospel of Christ, his chains of imprisonment were resulting in a significant spreading of the gospel, even to the Roman guards.
The Lord Jesus Christ is Paul's joy and delight, for him to live is Christ while to die is gain. But Paul knew that while there was still life in his body, his read more...
Philippians 1:28
There are many opponents and adversaries that can assail the believer in their walk of faith. Satan is a roaring lion who prowls around seeking whom he may devour, while the tempting treats of this fallen world system are vicious traps with razor-edged barbs, designed to entrap the carnal Christian who is not walking in spirit and truth. However, we should never be alarmed by these tricky stratagems, knowing that Christ has won the victory.
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Philippians 1:29
It was not only Jesus Who explained that the Christian life would entail much suffering but also Peter, James, and the apostle Paul. Suffering for Christ's sake and enduring many trials and tribulations on His account is part of the worthy walk of the normal Christian life, for we have not only been given the wonderful advantages of trusting in Christ for salvation, but also the holy privilege of suffering for Him.
We have been read more...