Philippians 1:12-30

(Philippians 1:12-30)

But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things 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.  Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:  The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:  But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.  What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.  For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.  For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. 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;  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. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;  Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

The apostle Paul said to the "Philippians who will mourn their life of imprisonment," rather his rejoicing brought joy in the gospel, and he was pleased. The demonstrators here refer to the guards guarding the emperor in the court. Protesters were started by Caesar Agusdo in 27 BC, and their influence gradually increased, and by the time Paul wrote the Philippians, the supporters or nominees of the protesters sat in the emperor's place. When Paul was taken to Rome, he was handed over to protesters as a sinner. In Acts 28:17,『And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 』

『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. 』 Since the soldiers alternated each turn, naturally, Paul had the opportunity to testify to the various soldiers of the gospel. Also, through the soldiers, the gospel would have been revealed to others in the court. Thus, even when Paul was taken to Philippi prison, he had the opportunity to share the gospel with the prison guards and other prisoners. Acts 15:25『It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 』

The apostle Paul was never pleased with the "preaching of the changed gospel." Galatians 1:6『I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 』 Even those who preached Christ in speculation and conflict would have given the correct content. The content was correct, but the motivation was not pure. In this way, it can be seen that some who preach the correct Gospel are preaching with a pure heart. God tells us that evildoers' evil deeds can also be used to fulfill God's good purpose. Whatever the motive, Paul was happy when Christ came. The preaching of Christ and the return of the lost spirit is a joy in the earth and joy in heaven, as in Luke 15:7.『I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. 』

『For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 』 The word salvation is all good for salvation. As Romans 8:28 says, it is the God who benefits from being imprisoned.
『And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 』It is intercession and the help of the Holy Spirit that is necessary for all to work together to achieve good. So, in his letter, Paul asked several churches to pray for Paul himself.

『For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 』 Paul's life was by Christ, for Christ, and toward Christ. He met Christ on the road to Damascus and became a new creature in Christ. The intruders of the Gospel changed and became a member of Christ who preached the Gospel. In Romans 14:7-8 『For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.  For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. 』 Paul's values of life were completely changed, and he could regard anything but Christ as harm and regard it as excrement. In the image of Christ, he lived a new life with knowledge.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:1, ``For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 』 In 2 Peter 1:13-14, Peter reads, “Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; "For Paul, dying indicates that he is with the resurrection. In 2 Corinthians 5:2-3『For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:  If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 』 While living in this world, even though the body is on this earth, the spirit of the saint is with God in Christ. However, it is to preach the Gospel that makes it more beneficial to be in this world than the kingdom of God. While in this world, God gave the Saints a mission. He told them to preach the gospel until the end of the world.

『 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me. 』 It is to take for granted to suffer for Christ. Satan is constantly trying to attack. However, the saint must win the battle. The saint is the military of Christ. In 2 Timothy 2:3-4『Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 』 It is God's grace to suffer for Christ. The Saints are not saved by suffering, but they are evidence of God's people. In 2 Thessalonians 1:5 『Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: 』