Have you ever been ridiculed or even rejected for being a Christian? You can begin to understand then the difficulties the Philippians were going through when they received this letter from Paul. They were going through some hard times for their faith and Paul wanted to speak to them about their hardship. Now we saw in verses 12-26 Paul focuses on the preaching of Christ and re-assuring the Philippians that the gospel was advancing and that Christ will be exalted in his own life – or death. When we arrive to verses 27 – 30, we see Paul begin to talk about the persecution the Philippians were going through. He wanted them to know something about their situation, and, he wanted to know something about their situation.
First he wants them to know that their suffering is not an accident. Paul says in verse 29 that God has granted for the Philippians not only to believe in Jesus Christ, but, He has granted them the privilege to suffer for Jesus Christ’s sake as well. The Philippians may have thought that the hardship they were going through for their faith was because they were doing something wrong – like God was punishing them. But Paul tells them it is not a punishment, but a privilege. It is not because of their failure, but, because of God’s favor.
Now the notion that suffering can be a privilege may be completely foreign to you and me, but it is not foreign at all in the Bible. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and yet, it was God’s purpose to crush him and to make him suffer according to the book of Isaiah. And according to Hebrews Jesus was made perfect through suffering. The apostles in Acts 5 rejoiced when they were beaten by the religious leaders for their preaching of the gospel. It says there that, “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” They didn’t wonder why they had suffered; they celebrated it as the favor of God on them. They were allowed to suffer like their Lord did.
Paul too was a man who knew what it was to suffer for the gospel. In Acts 9 God says, “This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” God’s plan for Paul was to carry his name to the Gentiles and God’s plan was for Paul to suffer - for his name. And suffer he did. Paul describes his suffering in his second letter to the Corinthians:
I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
When the name of God is carried to the unbelieving world there will be suffering for those who carry it. What happened to Jesus, the apostles and Paul was not only by permission from God, but it was the plan of God. And Paul wants the Philippians to know that the persecution they were undergoing was part of the plan of God for them as well. God didn’t abandon them and leave them to the lion’s den. He wasn’t punishing them. God granted them the extra privilege to suffer for Jesus Christ’s sake. As a matter of fact, we can see it as the good work in them being carried on to completion by God until the day of Christ as Paul says earlier in verse 6.
Secondly, Paul wants to know something about their situation. He wants to know that their conduct in their situation is worthy of the gospel of Christ. In verse 27 he says, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know…”
The phrase “conduct yourselves” literally in the Greek says, “behave as citizens”. This word was used to describe a citizen who behaves according to the customs and laws of the state in which he lives. With this, Paul was using the Philippians status as Roman citizens to speak of their citizenship in heaven. Philippi you will remember is a Roman colony. It was considered the same as the soil in Rome even though Philippi was 800 miles away. To be in Philippi was to be in Rome – the clothing, the language, the money, the culture and entertainment, the food, the laws, the privileges all were completely Roman. It was a little piece of Rome far away from Rome that was completely surrounded by non-Roman Barbarians.
As the Philippians enjoyed their citizenship as Romans, Paul used the concept of citizenship to remind them that they hold a higher citizenship with more privileges and more standing – a citizenship in heaven. Just as Roman citizens in a Roman colony that is far away from the true Rome were to conduct themselves as if in Rome, so too believers are heavenly citizens who are living in a heavenly colony and are to conduct themselves as if they are from heaven.
It is much like the way a parent wants their child to behave in a way that makes them proud. Lord willing, when Evan comes along, he may hit homeruns and get A’s, and clean his room etc. When he does those things whose child will he be? Mine. If, however, he throws a baseball threw someone’s window, or makes a huge mess or gets a detention in school, then who’s child will he be? Ours. But as parents, we will want him to behave himself in a way that represents the Smith name in good light. His citizenship is that he’s a Smith.
As believers we have a name too. Christian. It represents the One by whom we are named after. Christ. Our conduct should be worthy of the name we’ve been privileged to be called by.
The word “worthy” in the Greek will help us to understand this a little further. It is the word, “axios”, and it means having the same weight as another thing. It can refer to a set of scales that balance by having the same amount of weight on both sides. Paul was saying to the Philippians that their conduct on one side should have the same weight as the character of Christ on the other side. The Church’s reputation should match – or balance - that of Christ. Again here is the concept that to see the character of the Church is to see the character of Jesus Christ. We are to live up to the reputation of Christ in our Church life as the only way to live worthily of the gospel. “Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”
First he wants them to know that their suffering is not an accident. Paul says in verse 29 that God has granted for the Philippians not only to believe in Jesus Christ, but, He has granted them the privilege to suffer for Jesus Christ’s sake as well. The Philippians may have thought that the hardship they were going through for their faith was because they were doing something wrong – like God was punishing them. But Paul tells them it is not a punishment, but a privilege. It is not because of their failure, but, because of God’s favor.
Now the notion that suffering can be a privilege may be completely foreign to you and me, but it is not foreign at all in the Bible. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and yet, it was God’s purpose to crush him and to make him suffer according to the book of Isaiah. And according to Hebrews Jesus was made perfect through suffering. The apostles in Acts 5 rejoiced when they were beaten by the religious leaders for their preaching of the gospel. It says there that, “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” They didn’t wonder why they had suffered; they celebrated it as the favor of God on them. They were allowed to suffer like their Lord did.
Paul too was a man who knew what it was to suffer for the gospel. In Acts 9 God says, “This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” God’s plan for Paul was to carry his name to the Gentiles and God’s plan was for Paul to suffer - for his name. And suffer he did. Paul describes his suffering in his second letter to the Corinthians:
I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
When the name of God is carried to the unbelieving world there will be suffering for those who carry it. What happened to Jesus, the apostles and Paul was not only by permission from God, but it was the plan of God. And Paul wants the Philippians to know that the persecution they were undergoing was part of the plan of God for them as well. God didn’t abandon them and leave them to the lion’s den. He wasn’t punishing them. God granted them the extra privilege to suffer for Jesus Christ’s sake. As a matter of fact, we can see it as the good work in them being carried on to completion by God until the day of Christ as Paul says earlier in verse 6.
Secondly, Paul wants to know something about their situation. He wants to know that their conduct in their situation is worthy of the gospel of Christ. In verse 27 he says, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know…”
The phrase “conduct yourselves” literally in the Greek says, “behave as citizens”. This word was used to describe a citizen who behaves according to the customs and laws of the state in which he lives. With this, Paul was using the Philippians status as Roman citizens to speak of their citizenship in heaven. Philippi you will remember is a Roman colony. It was considered the same as the soil in Rome even though Philippi was 800 miles away. To be in Philippi was to be in Rome – the clothing, the language, the money, the culture and entertainment, the food, the laws, the privileges all were completely Roman. It was a little piece of Rome far away from Rome that was completely surrounded by non-Roman Barbarians.
As the Philippians enjoyed their citizenship as Romans, Paul used the concept of citizenship to remind them that they hold a higher citizenship with more privileges and more standing – a citizenship in heaven. Just as Roman citizens in a Roman colony that is far away from the true Rome were to conduct themselves as if in Rome, so too believers are heavenly citizens who are living in a heavenly colony and are to conduct themselves as if they are from heaven.
It is much like the way a parent wants their child to behave in a way that makes them proud. Lord willing, when Evan comes along, he may hit homeruns and get A’s, and clean his room etc. When he does those things whose child will he be? Mine. If, however, he throws a baseball threw someone’s window, or makes a huge mess or gets a detention in school, then who’s child will he be? Ours. But as parents, we will want him to behave himself in a way that represents the Smith name in good light. His citizenship is that he’s a Smith.
As believers we have a name too. Christian. It represents the One by whom we are named after. Christ. Our conduct should be worthy of the name we’ve been privileged to be called by.
The word “worthy” in the Greek will help us to understand this a little further. It is the word, “axios”, and it means having the same weight as another thing. It can refer to a set of scales that balance by having the same amount of weight on both sides. Paul was saying to the Philippians that their conduct on one side should have the same weight as the character of Christ on the other side. The Church’s reputation should match – or balance - that of Christ. Again here is the concept that to see the character of the Church is to see the character of Jesus Christ. We are to live up to the reputation of Christ in our Church life as the only way to live worthily of the gospel. “Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”
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