Paul Exhorts the Philippian Believers to be Fearless
for Christ Sake and Declare the True Gospel despite any Suffering Part 2
Philippians
1:29-30 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe
on Him, but also to suffer for His sake; Having the same conflict which ye saw
in me, and now hear to be in me. KJVThese final two verses of the beginning of Paul’s letter to these Philippian believers I would dare say that many Christians have not ever even seen this in their Bibles. I confess that having grown up in the Church my whole life, I never read as a child or young adult or even an older adult these words written by Paul, perhaps it was that I did at some time read it, but discarded it or that I never truly paid attention to what he declared to these believers in Philippi. However, this morning I want to (with the Holy Spirit’s help of course) try to get an understanding of exactly what this Apostle was telling these fellow believers who were beloved by Paul (Philippians 1:8) and the loving affection was certainly returned to Paul from them. Paul declares to them these very striking words, “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Philippians 1:29). Certainly this must be one of those spoken of miss-prints, miss-interpretations, or miss-understandings from Paul when writing these words to these beloved believers. How could Paul think, imagine, or literally say to these men, women, boys, and girls who belonged to such a loving, merciful, and caring Savior as our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ. Surely our Lord Jesus (Holy Spirit) could not have inspired these words that Paul has put to ink on parchment (a superior paper resembling sheepskin, used to write on in Paul’s day).
First, let us look at the English phrase Paul begins this sentence with “it is given” or “it was given” (at the very moment you were saved or forgiven eternally) translated by one Greek word charizomai which is derived from the Greek word charis and charis means grace that is a divine influence upon the heart or inner man. Therefore, charizomai is grace that is divine influence upon the heart or inner man granted as a favor, that is, gratuitously, in kindness. Consider that our Precious, Loving, and Merciful Lord Jesus Christ has given to every true believer “in Him” out of His kindness the grace gift to first be able to believe on Him unto eternal salvation as this same Apostle Paul writes with these words to the Ephesian believers (Amplified version), “For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment {and} made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Note: “‘To believe Him,’ would merely mean to believe He speaks the truth. ‘To believe on Him,’ is to believe in, and trust through, Him to obtain eternal salvation.” JFB Commentary; Listen to the words written by the Apostle John in the Gospel of John (Amplified version), “But to as many as did receive {and} welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name--Who owe their birth neither to blood nor to the will of the flesh [that of physical impulse] nor to the will of man [that of a natural father], but to God. [They are born of God!]” (John 1:12-13).
Therefore, just as the grace God gives for a sinner to believe on Christ, in the same manner He gives grace “to suffer for Christ sake” and the English phrase “to suffer” is translated by the Greek words pascho, patho, pentho apparently a primary verb (the third form used only in certain tenses for it); to experience a sensation or impression (usually painful): - feel, passion, suffer, vex. In other words, Christ and His Gospel is opposed in this world by the devil and since the devil cannot do any of his evil bidding without an instrument, he uses men and women to carry out his evil plots, plans, and purposes to stop the truth of the Gospel from being proclaimed, therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ gives to us the favor or the grace gift of enduring suffering from those who oppose our determined declaration to give out the Word of God without making it fit anyone’s false beliefs about salvation and going to heaven. This gift of suffering is not for any suffering but only for the sake of Christ and the suffering that certainly comes when you stand for Him, the truth of the Word of God, and the truth of the Gospel of Grace that declares no one will go to heaven except they go through our Lord Jesus Christ as He Himself declared emphatically without waver with these words, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” (John 14:6). Suffering in this life is every man’s reward (saved and lost) for Adam’s original sin as Job put it with these words, “Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble.” (Job 14:1). However, there is a big difference when we believers exercise our gift of grace to suffer for Christ sake, for then we send up rewards waiting on us in heaven (even the greatest reward of seeing a sinner saved through your proclamation of the true Gospel) as our Lord Jesus emphasized with these words, “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10).
The Apostle Peter reminds us of our grace gift to suffer for Christ sake with these words, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the Gospel of God? Now ‘If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?’ Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” (1 Peter 4:13-19). Paul then reminds these Philippian believers of what they themselves witnessed of his treatment in their city of Philippi when he says, “Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.” (Philippians 1:30). It is all documented for us by the Holy Spirit through Dr. Luke in (Acts 16:11-40). Paul was very harshly and brutally treated by the unconverted in Philippi as he declared to the Thessalonians with these words, “But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the Gospel of God in much conflict.” (1 Thessalonians 2:2), yet he did not let his mistreatment discourage, distract, or detour him from fulfilling God’s will for him he kept fighting for the Gospel, kept the true faith of the Gospel, and finished his course for the Gospel of Christ until he went to heaven, which is exactly what he is encouraging these Philippian believers to do and we believers today as he did for Brother Timothy with these words, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12).
‘Having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me; that is, suffering in the same manner as you saw and now hear of me that I suffer.’ It is not simply the suffering, but the cause, and not only the cause, but the spirit, which makes the martyr. A man may suffer in a bad cause, and then he suffers justly; or in a good cause, but with a wrong mind, and then his sufferings lose their value.” Matthew Henry
“To you it is graciously given; it is no small privilege that God has so far honored you as to permit you to suffer on Christ’s account. It is only His most faithful servants that He thus honors. Be not therefore terrified by your enemies; they can do nothing to you which God will not turn to your eternal advantage. We learn from this that it is as great a privilege to suffer for Christ as to believe on Him; and the former in certain cases (as far as the latter in all cases) becomes the means of salvation to them who are thus exercised.” Adam Clarke
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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