Philippians / 1

  • Abounding Love

    Philippians 1:9–11

    Only by faith do we lay hold of Christ’s righteousness, which alone gets us into heaven. Yet we can also get additional rewards in heaven if we serve God faithfully. These rewards, however, are still grounded in faith because ...Read More

  • A Cause to Glory in Christ Jesus

    Philippians 1:25–26

    In saving us from sin, death, and His holy wrath, our God has placed us in a community that, according to His sovereign determination, needs our gifts and talents. To refuse to serve the body of Christ is tantamount to ...Read More

  • A Life Worthy of the Gospel

    Philippians 1:27

    We can by no means overestimate our need of the Christian community for our own faithfulness to our Savior in this world. All of the greatest leaders in church history had the support of fellow believers, and they were thereby ...Read More

  • A Sign of Destruction and Salvation

    Philippians 1:28

    We do not earn our place in heaven through the consistent endurance of persecution and harassment. Rather, such endurance proves that we have the faith that can alone lay hold of the benefits of salvation, for “the one who endures ...Read More

  • Belief and Suffering

    Philippians 1:29–30

    If we are surprised when persecution comes, then we will find it more difficult to endure it and experience the grace of God in our suffering. Yet as we remember that both belief and suffering are granted to us by ...Read More

  • Paul’s Chief End

    Philippians 1:18b–20

    One evidence that we are truly in Christ is that we make His glory, and therefore the glory of the triune God, our chief end in life. As we pursue His glory and seek to lovingly obey Him in all ...Read More

  • Paul’s Confidence in the Gospel

    Philippians 1:18a

    Paul had such confidence in the gospel because he knew it belonged to God and is far greater than any one person’s ministry. When we understand this truth, we are free from bondage to the latest fads that seek ...Read More

  • Paul’s Gratitude for the Philippians

    Philippians 1:3–5

    God does not save us to be lone ranger Christians, but He expects us to partner with other believers in order to send forth the gospel. There are a multitude of ways in which we can support our churches, parachurch ...Read More

  • Paul’s Love for the Philippians

    Philippians 1:7–8

    In many ways, it is easier to pray or to give to various churches and ministries instead of doing both. How often do we pray for other believers and gospel defenders without responding to their need for financial support? How ...Read More

  • Regeneration Is Permanent

    Philippians 1:6

    The permanency of our regeneration is something we must not take for granted. Knowing that we have been born again should motivate us to live out this truth by heeding the many warnings in Scripture against unbelief (Heb. 6:1 ...Read More

  • Servants of the Lord

    Philippians 1:1

    That we are all servants of the same Lord and master forbids us from ever thinking that certain people or deeds are beneath us. It also means that whatever we do, we must do it unto the Lord with our ...Read More

  • Servants of the Lord

    Philippians 1:1–2

    Scripture places a high premium on our love for other believers. Simply put, loving other Christians and treating them with respect is not optional. If we do not treat them well and love them, then we do not know God ...Read More

  • Sitting on a Suitcase

    Philippians 1:18b–26

    When a believer dies, it is natural for the friends and family of the deceased to feel a profound sense of loss. But the deceased, if a Christian, feels no pain since he is ushered immediately into the presence of ...Read More

  • The Advance of the Gospel

    Philippians 1:12–13

    Our suffering for the sake of Jesus is actually an occasion for great joy, not for the pain in itself but because it is at our weakest points that God decides to show Himself the strongest. As we consider those ...Read More

  • The Christian’s Conflicting Desires

    Philippians 1:21–24

    One commentator has wondered what it would mean for the church if we really acted on the reality that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” What if we more consistently conducted ourselves as if true life meant ...Read More