Paul EXHORTS the believer as to "CONVERSATION (CITIZENSHIP
BEHAVIOR)" that should be "WORTHILY of the GOSPEL of CHRIST" (Philippians 1:27)
The GOSPEL declares that the believer's "CONVERSATION
(CITIZENSHIP)" is in HEAVEN (Philippians 3:20)
Therefore, the believer's WALK (Ephesians 4:1-2)
should REFLECT the believer's POSITION (Ephesians 1:3), i.e. WHERE God sees the believer - SEATED "TOGETHER in HEAVENLY
places WITH CHRIST" (Ephesians 2:6)
Paul always expressed the DESIRE to KNOW the "AFFAIRS
(THINGS CONCERNING)" the SAINTS (Philippians 1:27)
Paul's SPECIFIC CONCERN for the Philippians was that he
wanted to "HEAR ... that ye STAND FAST in ONE SPIRIT, with ONE MIND striving TOGETHER for the FAITH of the
GOSPEL" (Philippians 1:27)
TWO FAITHFUL COLABOURERS with Paul (Philippians 4:3)
were PARTICULARLY in NEED of being "of the SAME MIND in the Lord" (Philippians 4:2), so that the WHOLE CHURCH TOGETHER would be able to "STAND FAST
in the Lord" (Philippians 4:1)
Paul plans to dispatch TIMOTHY to Philippi - one who is
UNIQUELY LIKE-MINDED to Paul with a PROVEN TRACK RECORD - so that he may "KNOW of your STATE" as well
as "CARE for your STATE" (Philippians 2:19-22)
Paul DESIRED to KNOW BOTH of their STEADFASTNESS concerning
their FAITH as well as their ORDER in the SHARING of it (Colossians 2:5), i.e. that they were "TRUTHING IN LOVE" (Ephesians 4:15)
Paul CAUTIONED the Philippians to be "in NOTHING
TERRIFIED by your adversaries" (Philippians 1:28)
The Greek word rendered "TERRIFIED" has the
idea of being "AFFRIGHTED" in the sense of being "STARTLED" by that which is CONCEALED or HIDDEN,
i.e. to be SHOCKED by the UNEXPECTED
Quite to the CONTRARY, Paul declares that OPPOSITION is
to be EXPECTED - for it is to their adversaries "a TOKEN (SIGN) of PERDITION (DESTRUCTION), BUT to YOU of
SALVATION" (Philippians 1:28)
Paul EXHORTS the Philippians that it "IS GIVEN (WAS
GRANTED)" to them "NOT ONLY to BELIEVE on Him, BUT ALSO to SUFFER for His sake" (Philippians 1:29)
- for "ALL that will LIVE GODLY in Christ, shall SUFFER PERSECUTION" (II Timothy 3:12)
PERSECUTION is to be EXPECTED, because in "this PRESENT
EVIL world (age)" (Galatians 1:4) - the DISPENSATION (RULE) of God is GRACE (Ephesians 3:2)
PERSECUTION is to be EXPECTED, because in "this PRESENT
EVIL world (age)" (Galatians 1:4) - God is at PEACE with the world and NOT IMPUTING (JUDGING) SIN and
is, therefore, sendimg forth His AMBASSADORS with "the WORD of RECONCILIATION" (II Corinthians 5:19-21
cf.Ephesians 2:14-17), i.e. His AMBASSADORS are commissioned to have "their FEET SHOD
with the PREPARATION of the GOSPEL of PEACE" (Ephesians 6:15)
PERSECUTION is to be EXPECTED, because in "this PRESENT
EVIL world (age)" (Galatians 1:4) - God's AMBASSADORS are His FORMER ENEMIES (Colossians 1:21)
SENT TO to THOSE STILL GOVERNED BY "the SPIRIT that NOW WORKETH in the CHILDREN of DISOBEDIENCE" (Ephesians 2:2)
and, thus, STILL "are by nature the CHILDREN of WRATH" (Ephesians 2:3)
Therefore, while God's FAITHFUL AMBASSADORS SUFFER TRIBULATION
NOW (II Thessalonians 1:4-5) - they will "REST" LATER when God will "RECOMPENSE
TRIBULATION" to their adversaries (II Thessalonians 1:6-8):
Paul was THANKFUL to God for the Philippians' CONTINUOUS
"FELLOWSHIP in the GOSPEL" (Philippians 1:3,5), which made them also FELLOW PARTAKERS of the "SAME CONFLICT"
(Philippians 1:30), i.e. "being SET for the DEFENSE of the GOSPEL" (Philippians 1:17)
They were "NOT ASHAMED of the Lord's TESTIMONY nor
of His PRISONER, but were PARTAKERS of the AFFLICTIONS of the GOSPEL according to the POWER of GOD" (II Timothy 1:8)
- the EVIDENCE being their CONSISTENT SACRIFICIAL GIVING (II Corinthians 8:1-5 cf.Philippians 4:14-18)
Paul's APPEAL to the Philippians for having "ONENESS
of SPIRIT" (Philippians 1:27) in the face of their SHARED "CONFLICT" (Philippians 1:30)
concerning "the DEFENCE of the GOSPEL" (Philippians 1:17) is the basis for his DOUBLE FELLOWSHIP PLEA (Philippians 2:1)
Their STANDING concerning their SHARED "CONSOLATION
in CHRIST" should be reflected in their EXPERIENCING TOGETHER the "COMFORT of LOVE" (Philippians 2:1 cf.I Thessalonians 2:11)
The Greek word "paraklesis" ("CONSOLATION")
formed by the prefix "para" ("BESIDE") and the root "kaleo" ("TO CALL")
- literally means "TO CALL ALONGSIDE", i.e. to AID via ENCOURAGEMENT as in "EXHORTATION" (Romans 12:8 cf.I Corinthians 14:3)
Their STANDING concerning their "FELLOWSHIP of the
SPIRIT" should be reflected in their EXPERIENCING TOGETHER of "BOWELS and MERCIES" (Philippians 2:1)
"BOWELS", i.e. "INWARD AFECTIONS"
(II Corinthians 7:15) - convey the apostle's DEPTH OF FEELING for the Philippians emanating
FROM THE SAVIOR (Philippians 1:8)
Thus, Paul URGED the Philippians to "FULFILL ye my
JOY, that ye be LIKEMINDED, having the SAME LOVE, being of ONE ACCORD, of ONE MIND" (Philippians 2:2)
This will be ONLY POSSIBLE through "LOWLINESS OF
MIND" (Philippians 2:3) - IF they are MINDFUL that their "HOLY CALLING" is "ACCORDING
TO His own purpose and GRACE" (II Timothy 1:9 cf.Ephesians 4:1-2)
This MINDSET is expressed by "ESTEEMING (VALUING)"
OTHERS BEFORE SELF, i.e. "LOOKING" TO the things of OTHERS and NOT TO the things of ONE'S SELF (Philippians 2:4),
i.e. HAVING "the MIND of CHRIST" (Philippians 2:5 cf.II Corinthians 8:9)