Philippians 1:28

Philippians 1:28. and in nothing terrified by your adversaries. We are not definitely told who these adversaries were, but as in Philippians 3:2 the apostle gives strong warnings against the Judaizers, and these are the only persons against whom he does speak, we seem justified in concluding that they are the persons here meant. We can see from what took place at Antioch (Acts 15) the kind of terror or scare which such teachers would produce; and that the teaching of the Judaizers was a trouble to the Gentile converts, we can learn also from the words of St. James when giving the decision of the council.

which is for them. The freedom from all alarm on the part of the brethren would be a token or omen of the result for both parties.

an evident token of perdition. When they behold no effects from their assaults, they feel that they have lost all power over you, and this shall be a proof that their cause and themselves with it are to be destroyed. And as the Christian's rest is to be looked for (1 Thessalonians 1:7) when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, so in ‘perdition' is meant that destruction which shall consist in being banished from the presence of the Lord at the day of judgment.

but of your salvation. The spirit of confidence within the heart shows that the trust is known to be rightly placed. So to the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 1:5) St. Paul speaks of their persecutions as a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that they may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which they are suffering.

and that from God. For from Him only can come the boldness which can render you nothing affrighted. So take your sense of courage as God's witness within you that you shall be saved.