When Paul wrote to the Philippians, he had been under house arrest for a while. The Philippians worried about his wellbeing, so Paul wrote to reassure them all was well. In this week’s reading, Paul provides two powerful reasons why he earnestly rejoiced despite his dire circumstances.
The gospel was advanced
“I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.”
The Greek word used for advance literally means “advancement by chopping down whatever impedes progress.” Though Paul was in prison, his chains didn’t hinder the furtherance of the gospel. On the contrary, Paul’s imprisonment moved it forward because of his witness.
First, he witnessed to the imperial guard. While under house arrest, Paul was always chained to a guard. The guards, who must have rotated regularly, saw that Paul’s only crime was his allegiance to Christ. News of it traveled, and everyone in the imperial guard knew of Paul’s imprisonment. Paul’s confident and hopeful demeanor despite his struggle, paired with his preaching of the gospel, must have affected the guards. Some of them converted as a result (Phil 4:22).
Second, Paul witnessed to the whole of Rome or “to all the rest.” People came in great numbers to hear him preach, assist him (like Epaphroditus), or both. Some got convinced, others didn’t, but news traveled through Rome that Paul was a prisoner of Christ (Romans 28).
Paul didn’t rejoice of his fame because it increased his street credits. He delighted in the effect it had on others. In non-believers, like the household of Caesar, it led to repentance. And in believers, it increased their confidence in preaching Christ.
When believers in Rome saw Paul’s confidence and boldness in the Lord during his imprisonment, it encouraged them. Their trust in God increased while their fear of persecution decreased. As a result, they preached the Word of God exceedingly and abundantly more. And with a new generation of believers rising and doing God’s work, the gospel advanced further than it would have done without Paul’s imprisonment. Despite his hard work, Paul was just one man, and there was so much he could do. So he rejoiced in seeing how God used his sufferings for His glory and the gospel.
God has always used some saints as an example to inspire and encourage others to be bold in their faith. For instance, the early church fathers who relentlessly fought heresies, the martyrs who chose death over denying Christ, the reformers who fought for the integrity of the gospel, and other heroes of the faith.
We have a living example today in John MacArthur and the elders of Grace Community Church who are standing fast on the truth that Christ, not Caesar is the head of the Church. And by their continuing to meet despite the State’s law, many other churches became more confident in meeting on the Lord’s day.
Christ was proclaimed
“What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.”
The second reason Paul rejoiced during his imprisonment was that Christ was proclaimed. Ministry was Paul’s greatest joy in life. All he cared about was Christ, the people of Christ, and His work for Christ. If these were doing well, nothing could steal his happiness.
Paul began the epistle by calling himself a slave of Christ. He proves the veracity of that statement by his complete devotion to His Master’s work. In biblical times, a slave depended on his master for everything, so it was in a slave’s best interest to advance the master’s business. For Paul, it went beyond duty because Jesus was also His friend, and he loved Him dearly. When we fall in love with someone, we care about what they care about and delight in pleasing them. It was the same for Paul.
Jesus’ heart interest is to redeem sinners for His glory. Therefore, Paul’s devotion was preaching the gospel to the lost.
He didn’t care about his life as much as he cared about sharing the gospel of Christ. Paul was so utterly sold out to the Kingdom that his suffering was of no consequence so long as Christ was preached. It’s like he was saying, “I know I am in a tough spot, but look at what God is doing through it! Look how many people are proclaiming Christ! Who cares about my temporary situation?”
Paul rejoiced even though some preached Christ with wrong motives. They were brothers who genuinely loved Paul and wanted to continue his work while he was in prison, but others did it for selfish ambitions. Perhaps they saw his restrictions as an opportunity to elevate themselves and become the “next Paul.” Or maybe they were jealous of Paul’s position in the church. Whatever the reason, their intentions were selfish; they cared more about making a name for themselves than magnifying Jesus’ name. They even wanted to torment Paul and add to his misery.
But their plan didn’t work because they were doing what makes Paul happiest, preaching Christ.
On the other hand, Paul’s motives were selfless; his life ambition was to proclaim the name of Christ. He never envied his opponents because they were out there preaching while he was in bondage. Nor did he feel rivalry because they might supplant him in ministry. Instead, he just rejoiced they preached the true gospel of Christ. Amazing!
Jesus promised He would build His Church, and the gates of hell would not prevail. Hence, we are never without a reason to have joy if we care about the gospel. If Paul lived today, with the tremendous opportunities of sharing the gospel worldwide thanks to our advanced technology, I am sure he would continuously burst with joy!
Heart Check
The way we behave during our trials can be a stepping stone or stumbling block for others. If we go through hardships with joy, faith, and confidence instead of bitterness, complaints, and anger, we bear a powerful witness to God and honor Christ.
Like Paul, we also ought to be about our Master’s business, above all. The furtherance of the gospel should be a constant source of joy in our lives. The worst miseries and sufferings in this world should never surpass the pleasure of knowing Christ and seeing His work progress.
It’s possible to do ministry with selfish ambitions. It often masquerades in our desire for success and a broad reach. There is nothing wrong with that per se. But we should examine our motives to see if we care more about the progress of the gospel or the progress of the gospel through us.
What are your thoughts on this week’s study? Share in the comments below!
Recommended resources
Joy in spite of troubles – John MacArthur
Joy in spite of detractors–John MacArthur
Next study
Reading
Read and study Philippians 1:18b-26.
Memorization
Philippians 1:19-26 if you are doing the challenge, if not verse 21.
Questions for reflection
- What does the phrase “to live is Christ” means? How does it look like in your life?
- Are you ready to die? What does the Holy Scriptures teach about death?
- If you were to die tomorrow, would you truly see it as gain? Are you confident about where you would go? Why?
- When facing life or death, Paul’s chief concern was to honor Christ. How does treasuring Christ above your own life change your view of life?
