Philippians 1:29

For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; FOR - the double favour bestowed on you is a proof that this is an evident token from God of your salvation; 'Because,' etc. IT IS GIVEN - `as a favour' [ echaristhe (G2169)] or 'gift of grace.' Faith is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8), not worked in the soul by the will of man, but by the Holy Spirit (John 1:12). BELIEVE ON HIM. 'To believe Him' would merely mean to believe He speaks the truth. 'To believe on Him' [ eis (G1519)...

29._To believe_. He wisely conjoins faith with the cross by an inseparable connection, that the Philippians may know that they have been called to the faith of Christ on this condition — that they endure persecutions on his account, as though he had said that their adoption can no more be separated from the cross, than Christ can be torn asunder from himself. Here Paul clearly testifies, that faith, as well as constancy in enduring persecutions, (91) is an unmerited gift of God. And certainly the knowledge of God is a wisdom that is too high for our attaining it by our own acuteness, and our weakness shews itself in daily instances in our own experience, when God withdraws his hand for a little while. That he may intimate the more distinctly that both are unmerited, he says expressly — for Christ’s sake, or at least that they are given to us on the ground of Christ’s grace; by which he e...

27-30 Those who profess the gospel of Christ, should live as becomes those who believe gospel truths, submit to gospel laws, and depend upon gospel promises. The original word "conversation" denotes the conduct of citizens who seek the credit, safety, peace, and prosperity of their city. There is that in the faith of the gospel, which is worth striving for; there is much opposition, and there is need of striving. A man may sleep and go to hell; but he who would go to heaven, must look about him and be diligent. There may be oneness of heart and affection among Christians, where there is diversity of judgment about many things. Faith is God's gift on the behalf of Christ; the ability and disposition to believe are from God. And if we suffer reproach and loss for Christ, we are to reckon them a gift, and prize them accordingly. Yet salvation must not be ascribed to bodily afflictions, as...

Verse 29. _UNTO YOU IT IS GIVEN IN THE BEHALF OF CHRIST_] Ὑμιν εχαρισθη· _To you it is graciously given_; it is no small _privilege_ that God has so far honoured you as to permit you to suffer on Christ's account. It is only his most faithful servants that he thus honours. Be not therefore terrified by your enemies; they can do nothing to you which God will not turn to your eternal advantage. We learn from this that it is as great a privilege to _suffer_ for Christ as to _believe_ on him; and the _former_ in certain cases (as far as the _latter_ in all cases) becomes the means of salvation to them who are thus exercised....

FOR UNTO YOU - Unto you as Christians. This favor is granted unto you in your present circumstances. IT IS GIVEN - God concedes to you this privilege or advantage. IN THE BEHALF OF CHRIST - In the cause of Christ, or with a view to honor Christ. Or, these things are brought on you in consequence of your being Christians. NOT ONLY TO BELIEVE ON HIM - It is represented here as a privilege to be permitted to believe on Christ. It is so: (1) It is an honor to a man to believe one who ought to be believed, to trust one who ought to be trusted, to love one who ought to be loved. (2) It is a privilege to believe on Christ, because it is by such faith that out sins are forgiven; that we become reconciled to God, and have the hope of heaven....

EXPOSITION PHILIPPIANS 1:1 PAUL AND TIMOTHEUS. St. Paul does not assume his official title in writing to the Macedonian Churches, Philippi and Thessalonica; it is used in all his other Epistles, except the short letter to Philemon. His relations to the Philippians and Thessalonians were those of the deepest personal affection; there was no need of a formal introduction, especially in an Epistle which has so little of an official character as this to the Philippians. He joins the name of Timothy with his own, as in 2 Corinthians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and Philemon. Thus Timothy is associated with St. Paul in every Epistle in which another name is found except 1 Corinthians, where Sosthenes only is mentioned; this shows the intimate affection that bound St. Paul to his "own son in the faith." There was a special reason f

FOR UNTO YOU IT IS GIVEN IN THE BEHALF OF CHRIST,.... For the sake of his Gospel, for the good of his interest, and the glory of his name. The Alexandrian copy reads, "to us it is given", c. NOT ONLY TO BELIEVE IN HIM for faith in Christ, which is not merely believing that he is the Christ, and all that is said of him, or all that he himself says, but is a seeing of the Son, a going to him, receiving, embracing, leaning, relying, and living upon him, as God's salvation, is a pure gift of grace; it is not in nature, nor in every man, and in whom it is, it is not of themselves, it is the gift of God; the first implantation of it, all its acts and exercise, its increase, and the performance of it at last with power, are all owing to the grace of God; and this is only given to the elect, for it is a distinguishing gift; it is given to them, and them alone, and, therefore called the faith of...

Philippians 1:12. _But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the thing, which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; and many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear._ Notice the beautiful self-forgetfulness of the apostle Paul. So long as the, gospel could be more widely published, he did not mind where he was, or what he suffered. He was able to witness for Christ among the Praetorian guards, who had the charge of the prison where he was confined, and who also, in their turn, were on duty in Caesar's palace; so Paul says that, through his being in bonds there, the particulars concerning his imprisonment were talked about even in the imperial palace, and by that means the gosp

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. CHRIST, THE CONTROLLING PRINCIPLE OF THE BELIEVER'S LIFE CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The introduction (Philippians 1:1)_ 2. The fellowship in the gospel (Philippians 1:3) 3. The apostle's prayer (Philippians 1:9) 4. Paul's victory (Philippians 1:12) 5. Paul's life and confidence (Philippians 1:21) 6. Exhortation to walk worthy of the gospel (Philippians 1:27

PHP_1:27-30. ENCOURAGEMENTS. The Philippians also are enduring persecution. Whether he is able to _come_ to them again or can only hear of them, Paul trusts that they will live worthily and be united in their faithful efforts, in nothing terrified by their opponents....