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An Admonition to Constancy and True Unity. Php_1:27-30
v. 27. Only let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ, that, whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel,
v. 28. and in nothing terrified by your adversaries; which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
v. 29. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
v. 30. having the same conflict which ye saw in me and now hear to be in me.
The apostle here adds a warning limitation to his exultant promise: Only comport yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ, in order that, whether I come to see you or am absent, I hear in regard to you that you stand firmly in one spirit, with one soul battling together through the faith of the Gospel. The Philippian Christians should meanwhile, until his release and his arrival in their midst, lead such a life as would be worthy of the Gospel of Christ, as would in no way bring shame and disgrace upon the message of salvation. In the apostle's absence as well as in his presence he expects the Christians of Philippi to show the behavior that conforms with their Christian duty. They are citizens of a kingdom whose palace and throne are above, and this citizenship imposes certain obligations. When he comes, he wants to find them, above all, standing together firmly in one spirit. And if his absence from them should continue for a longer space of time than he now anticipates, he expects the same care from them. They should perform the duties of their spiritual citizenship. They should show firmness, constancy, in the midst of the temptations and hatred of the heathen. By virtue of their having embraced Christianity, they were looked upon by their neighbors as aliens, as followers after strange gods, and they were hated accordingly. But they should and could be constant in the Spirit that gives them strength at all times. With one soul they should thus battle in the faith of the Gospel, their most sacred and precious possession. That is the spirit which is needed in our days also, the feeling of solidarity, the consciousness of being one with all believers in Christ, especially with those of the pure Word and Sacraments, the spirit which makes for true unity and union and stands firmly against all attacks for the faith once delivered to the saints.
If the Christians do this, then the opposite possibility is excluded from the start: And not terrified in anything by the adversaries, which is to them a showing of perdition, but to you of salvation, and this from God. Not in a single point of their faith, not in a single principle upheld by the Bible, should the Christians be overcome by terror and thus give way. Though the adversaries are strong and full of guile, they cannot and should not be able to strike terror into the hearts of the Christians. And the fact that the believers battle so valiantly and are not terrified is to their adversaries a token, an indication, of perdition, indicating that the victory must finally be on the side of the Christians. The latter, a poor small crew, standing up valiantly against a world of unbelievers without the sign of a tremor, is a token of their eventual victory over their many enemies. They will receive salvation in the fullest and deepest sense, the last great healing, the final glory. And all this from God. He alone is the Author and Finisher of our salvation. The token which the Christians have on their side in the battle is one which was placed and ordered by God Himself as a surety for their victory.
The manner in which confidence, undaunted courage, is to the Christians an evidence of the appointed victory, is shown in the last words: For to you is given for Christ's sake not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him, having the same battle of the kind you see in me and now hear in me. It is a privilege, a grace, a gift which is given to the Christians, to stand up for Jesus, to stand on His side, to fight His battles, to endure His suffering. So one takes this gift of himself, of his own reason and strength. Such an open avowal of Christ is an expression of faith. In this faith Christians become confessors, receive strength to suffer all manner of persecution and enmity on the part of the world. They all go through the same experiences as the apostle himself. Through these apparently unpleasant and evil things God intends to strengthen the faith of His children. And if faith and the ability to endure suffering is granted by God, He will grant also the last great boon, eternal salvation. The apostle, therefore, reminds the Philippians that they are not alone in their difficulties, in their battles. He had stood up against the enemies of his faith, he had endured sufferings for the sake of the Gospel. The greater the hero of Christ, the more severe the battle. Let all Christians stand up firmly and cheerfully unite to bear the brunt and burden of all the attacks of their enemies for the sake of Christ, and this fact will redound to their final glorification, to the attaining of the salvation which God has reserved for them.
Summary
After the opening address and salutation, the apostle describes his personal attitude toward his readers, includes a prayer for their further growth in knowledge, shows that his present circumstances have tended to the furtherance rather than to the hindrance of the Gospel, adding an urgent admonition to constancy and true unity.