Laying A Gospel Foundation {Philippians Background & Context + 1:1-11}featured

For those studying Philippians with us this summer: Below is a recap from our time together on Monday. If you did not have a chance to complete Week 1, I encourage you to read the introduction in a good study Bible and the notes below to catch up on some background and context before we dig in. Your homework this week is to work through the inductive process with Phil. 1:12-30. Do as much as you can!

For those using this material to study Philippians on their own: The content posted here is meant to fall under the Commentary stage of study, meaning you have completed the Week 1 homework.

I’m using D.A. Carson’s exposition of Philippians to help me prepare the weekly teaching on our passage. What follows is more or a less a transcript of Monday’s teaching. As the audio becomes available, I will add it to this post.

Background & Context

We’ve learned this week that Paul is in prison writing to a church he founded nearly ten years earlier. These are people that he loves dearly–we can see that in the language he uses throughout this letter. His tone is marked by joy, thankfulness, affection. He calls them his beloved, his joy and his crown. Paul is deeply invested in their growth and flourishing. So while he writes to thank them and to update them, more than anything he writes to encourage them. He knows that they will be facing increasing opposition to their faith and their way of life. He knows that in the face of persecution, they could be tempted to withdraw. He knows that false teachers are trying to infiltrate the church. That selfishness and disunity threaten to undermine this healthy community’s commitment to the gospel and to each other. So he writes to encourage them to press on.

In what ways can we relate to the Philippian church?

We live in a different time and place than the recipients of this letter, but there are many similarities between ancient Roman culture and ours:

Like modern Western culture, the Roman Empire had begun to decay. Like ours, it was prepared to use religion for political ends but unwilling to be tamed by it–settling slowly into cultured self indulgence, proud of the diversity in the Empire and straining to keep it together by the demand for unhesitating loyalty to the Emperor. Pluralism of several kinds made it unpopular to say there is only one way of salvation…That was Paul’s world when he wrote to the Philippians. (Carson)

We, too, live in an increasingly post-Christian culture. We, too, see the influence of self-indulgence making its way into the church. Comfort and security overshadow generosity and self-sacrifice. And our pluralistic society makes the claim that the only absolute truth is that there is no absolute truth.

I recently heard a description of the Millennial worldview summed up with these 3 statements: I am my own truth; I am most important; I am unfulfilled. This is the context in which we live. We are facing increasing opposition to our faith and to our way of life. We, too, need the encouragement and the challenge to press on–to live as citizens of heaven.

This book is incredibly relevant to where we find ourselves in history. And it shouldn’t surprise us, because we are in the same part of history as the Philippians. Christ has come and accomplished redemption with his sinless life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection. The mystery of the gospel foretold by the prophets is now revealed. It has already been fulfilled. But we are not yet restored. We too await a Savior. We long for the day when all will be made new. Like the Philippians, we live in the tension of the already and the not yet. And Paul is instructing us as, he did them, how to live while we wait.

In what ways can we relate to Paul?

Let’s first mention how we can’t relate to Paul. We are not Apostles. We did not stand before the risen Christ and receive a specific commission. We are not writing Scripture. We are not planting churches or installing elders. There are many ways in which we cannot relate to Paul and instead, we receive this letter as God’s authoritative Word spoken by His Spirit through His servant Paul to us. We are recipients and we are meant to respond in joyful obedience.

But when I read Paul’s language as he talks about actual people–the Philippian church, its leadership, Timothy, Epaphroditus, Euodia, Synteche–I am struck by his humanity. These are his friends. The people with whom and to whom he ministered were not simply business partners. They were not just his “church friends.” He has a personal stake in their growth and well-being and believed they felt the same about his. What a picture of life and ministry. As we study and apply Philippians, we are meant to receive Paul’s instruction but also to learn from his life. He says in 3:17, “Join in imitating me.”

Philippians 1:1-11

In these first 11 verses, Paul wants his readers to lay a foundation of the gospel in all of life. He does this by looking at three areas:

1. The Gospel is the foundation of our identity. (v. 1-2)
2. The Gospel is the foundation of our relationships with believers. (v. 3-8)
3. The Gospel is the foundation of our growth. (v. 9-11)

The gospel is the foundation of our identity.

Paul greets the church as “saints in Christ Jesus.” He anchors their identity in Christ. The dictionary defines a saint as “a person acknowledged as holy.” How can that be true of them? “There is no one who is righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10). They can be called saints because of the Gospel.

We can define the Gospel using Paul’s greeting: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Apart from Christ, we are children of wrath and we are enemies of God. But, “Now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He himself is our peace” (Eph. 2:13-14). Because of Christ, we have received grace and peace from God. Now we can be called saints and we can come to God as our Father. This is our new identity.

We don’t often feel like saints, but that is irrelevant. Paul is addressing them by their true identity despite any feelings to the contrary. This is an objective truth. When we believe the Gospel, it becomes the anchor for our identity. Now, in Christ, we are declared holy and righteous based upon the merits of Christ.

The dictionary also defines “saint” as one who is “regarded as being in heaven after death.” Only saints are citizens of heaven. If we are to live as citizens of heaven, we must rightly view our identities anchored in the Gospel. We are united to Christ. We are saints in Christ Jesus.

How do you view yourself in relation to Christ?
What would change if you embraced this identity in Christ as true for you?

The gospel is the foundation of our relationship with believers.

Paul thanks the church because of their partnership in the Gospel. Carson says that the word translated “partnership” is more accurately “fellowship.” In the first century, he says, the word had commercial overtones. He writes, “If John and Harry buy a boat and start a fishing business, they have entered into a fellowship, a partnership.” Forgive the nerdy reference, but think about Lord of the Rings. Nine people form the Fellowship of the Ring. They enter into an agreement with each other with a shared mission. This is the heart of true fellowship: “Self-sacrificing conformity to a shared vision.”

Carson writes, “Christian fellowship, then, is self-sacrificing conformity to the gospel. There may be overtones of warmth and intimacy, but the heart of the matter is this shared vision of what is of transcendent importance, a vision that calls forth our commitment.”

Paul gives thanks with joy for this church because they have fellowship in the gospel with Him from the beginning until now. It’s crucial to note what this looked like. It wasn’t just a matter of believing the same things as Carson writes: “From the moment of their conversion, these brothers and sisters rolled up their sleeves and got involved in the advance of the gospel. They continued their witness in Philippi, they persevered in their prayers for Paul, they sent money to support him in his ministry–all testifying to their shared vision of the importance and priority of the gospel.”

He goes on to offer examples of what this looks like:

In our conversations we ought regularly to be sharing in the gospel; that is, delighting in God, sharing with one another what we have been learning from His Word, joining in prayer for the advance of the gospel (not least in the lives of those to whom we have been bearing witness), encouraging one another in obedience and maturing discipleship, bearing one another’s burdens, and growing in self-sacrificial love for one another for Christ’s sake.

Is this what our Christian community looks like? Is the gospel the foundation of our relationships with believers?

Beyond our local congregations, how might this gospel foundation affect the way we engage with our brothers and sisters around the world?

This week, I was at The Gospel Coalition’s women’s conference and there was this panel on the persecuted church around the world. The panel was discussing how to care for and support Christians who are being persecuted. Karen Ellis said, “Advocating for the persecuted church is not activism, it’s family business.” In our Western, individualized context I wonder, do we have this kind of investment in each other? Do we really see ourselves as part of a body with many members? Members with whom we may share nothing else but a common faith in Jesus Christ. Can we experience Paul’s affection for those people? Will it move us to prayer? To financial support? To action?

The gospel is the foundation of our growth.

We see our first glimpse of this in verse 6. Paul sees the Philippians’ fellowship in the Gospel as evidence of God’s work in them. He writes, “I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (emphasis mine). What grace that God would take wretched sinners and make them his beloved children. But our rebirth is only the beginning of His work in us. There begins the process we call sanctification–the process of God making us more and more like Christ, preparing us for that day when we will see Him face to face. It’s not that we move past the gospel; the gospel fuels the whole process. From beginning to end, it’s grace.

This is what Paul prays for the Philippians, and as he prays he sets out a process. First he prays that their love would abound more and more. Could it be intentional that there is no object listed here? The reality is, love for God and love for each other are intertwined. Growing in love for God must be reflected in love for other believers. So Paul prays that their love would abound more and more, but it’s not just sentimental mushy love, it’s love with knowledge and all discernment.

What does that mean? Paul has in mind knowledge of God, of His Word and His ways. There are two things to note here:

1. Knowledge and love are connected. Knowledge of God and His Word serves as an incentive to love Him and to love others. As we know God more fully, we love Him more deeply. And as we grow in love for God, we grow in love for our neighbor. When we realize the depths of the grace we have received, we respond with loving gratitude towards our good and gracious Father. And when we realize the depths of the grace we have received, we cannot help but extend that grace to others.
   
2. Knowledge is a crucial element in the process of sanctification. Jen Wilkin summarizes it like this: right thinking leads to right desires which leads to right behavior. Paul is praying for their growth and he knows that if they are to grow in holiness, they must grow in knowledge.

Beyond just knowledge, Paul adds, “and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent…” This is similar to what Paul writes in chapter 4:8: “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” As we grow in knowledge, we grow in our ability to discern the true from false; the good from evil. We grow in knowledge and discernment and therefore are able to know what those things are which are pure, lovely, commendable, excellent.

We live in the “not yet.” That means that there is a great need for discernment. We have lies and temptations flying at us from all directions, and knowledge is our weapon until we make it to the end. God’s Word is our sword and if we want to be equipped for battle, we have to know what it says.

Paul writes that the goal of all of this is that we would be “pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” Do you notice the parallel language to verse 6? Paul is praying that the Philippians would grow in holiness, but he’s already declared that it’s God who has started this work in them and will complete it. Sanctification–the process of making us more and more like Christ–is God’s work.

But Paul will go on in this letter and tell the Philippians to do the work. In chapter 2 he says, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you…” This is a theme we will see throughout this letter, and it’s one of those biblical truths we hold in tension. We do the work, but all the while it is actually God at work in us. Paul is praying for the Philippians to grow in holiness and he will call them to live lives worthy of their heavenly citizenship, but all the while he’s reassuring them that ultimately it’s God’s work. He will do it.

We see this in 1:6 and also right here in his prayer: he prays that they will be “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.” The Gospel is the foundation of our growth. We are united to Christ by faith and His righteousness in us begins to bear fruit. As we believe the Gospel, our love abounds more and more; we grow in knowledge and all discernment; we are able to approve what is excellent, and while we will not achieve perfection on this side of heaven, one day–at the day of Christ–we will be pure and blameless, the full fruit of Christ’s righteousness manifested in us.

And all of this that Paul prays is to the glory and praise of God. Our ultimate aim in all of life is to glorify God. Is this our ultimate aim? Do we want to grow in love and knowledge and discernment so that we can make much of God? Or do we hope to make much of ourselves? Do we want to be holy to please God, or to be known for our holiness?

Paul is praying that we would live our lives in such a way that God would be glorified, and this happens as we see the gospel as the foundation for our growth. When the gospel is the foundation, then even our progress is grace. We can’t look at any of our supposed Christian accomplishments and take credit because we know that it is only because of God’s work in us. This should give us great hope and also great humility.

Are we striving for holiness? If not, why? Have we forgotten what we’ve been rescued from? Have we forgotten our identity as saints?

Are we hoping in God’s work in us, or in our own efforts? If it’s all on us, we are bound to give up. But if it’s all on God, we can trust that He is not surprised by our failures and He has not forsaken us. He will finish what He started.

And finally, what is the content of our prayers, for ourselves and for others? This is Paul’s prayer from prison. Are we praying for comfort and security, or for gospel-fueled growth despite our circumstances?

As we continue in Philippians, Paul will get more specific about what a life built upon this foundation looks like, calling us to live as citizens of heaven.