As the Apostle Paul winds down his epistle to the Philippians, he provides for us an opportunity to reflect on the central theme of the epistle. The Apostle writes,

Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (Phil 4:20)

His invoking of the glory of God reminds us of the animating, motivating goal in all life for the Apostle. This is his center of gravity. This is what makes him tick. Whether he was engaged in ministry, that is, spiritually “religious” activity, as we might say, or involved in the ordinary stuff, like so-called “secular activity,” his aim in all was the glory of God (e.g. 1 Cor 10:31).

More specifically, it was the glory of God in the gospel of God that drove him. Every word that the Apostle Paul writes displays the absolute priority that the progress of the gospel held in his outlook, shaping his perspective on every issue to be encountered. This is the dominant theme of Philippians from start to finish.

As he draws to a close he exchanges greetings, as was his pattern in most of his epistles (e.g. Rom 16:3-23; 1 Cor 16:19-21; 2 Cor 13:12,13; Col 4:10-17; 1 Thess 5:26; 2 Thess 3:17; 2 Tim 4:19-21; Titus 3:15; Philemon 23,24).

Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household. (Phil 4:21,22)

He also commends his readers to the grace of God, as was also his pattern in all of his epistles:

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. (Phil 4:23)

Right up to the end he is concerned for the progress of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the establishment of His grace in their hearts, and its progress around the world. This is the Apostle Paul’s priority, and it trumps all other considerations.

This singular focus is all the more remarkable when we remember that, from start to finish, this invaluable epistle, with its memorable verses, its doctrinal depth, and its practical helps, is a direct result of the Apostle’s suffering. Remember, the Apostle Paul is in a Roman jail (1:12-20). He is awaiting possible execution, though he hopes for deliverance (1:19-26; 2:17). He is experiencing extreme deprivation (4:12), and may even be chained to a Roman guard (cf. Eph 6:20). He has been both abandoned and attacked by fellow believers (1:15-18; 4:15). In these circumstances the Philippians alone encouraged the Apostle, particularly in the way of financial support. His imprisonment and their gift, sent by Epaphroditus (1:7ff; 2:25ff; 4:10,14-18), are the occasion of the Apostle’s writing. His specific purpose for writing, as we have seen, is to thank them for their financial support. This epistle, then, arises out of the Apostle’s dire circumstances. It is produced in the content of his suffering. He writes out of considerable emotional stress and material discomfort. Yet he never loses focus. The gospel remains his priority (see especially 1:12). Its progress remains his delight (see especially 1:18).

The predominant lesson of the Philippian epistle is that we should establish the absolute priority of the gospel in our lives as well. Every word that the Apostle Paul writes in his dreary surroundings expresses the central, the overriding concern of his life, that God should be glorified through the progress of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is this theme, the theme of gospel priority, that ties the epistle together, and what he, above all, commends to us.

Assurance (1:1-11)

The priority of the gospel can be seen first in the Apostle’s confidence in the Philippians.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Phil 1:6)

The Apostle Paul says some very encouraging words about assurance. But we notice that his confidence in them is grounded in their commitment to the progress of the gospel. He is thankful to God for the Philippians, for their participation in the gospel (1:3-5). He writes,

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Phil 1:6)

Why does he have this strong confidence about them?

For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. (Phil 1:7)

He is confident of the Philippians salvation because of their “participation” (koinoia, fellowship) and partak(ing) (sugkoinonia, fellowship with) in the gospel ministry. These are code words for their giving. The Philippians sacrificial response to the Apostle’s needs convinced him that God had done a genuine work of grace in the Philippians. It is their relation to the progress of the gospel that grounds his confidence in them. Or, we could say, it was the evidence of the priority of the gospel in their lives that does so. Since God completes what He starts, he was confident of their ongoing faithfulness. The Apostle’s hardships and the Philippians’ kind response resulted in these timeless words for us today. Has God begun a work in you? The question is not, are you mature? or, are you strong? or, are you perfect? The question is not, have you begun a work for God? or, are you serving God? or even, are you obeying God? No, the questions is, has God begun a work in you? Granted, the evidence of God having done so was their support of the Apostle’s gospel ministry in his imprisonment. But this support must be viewed as a pointer to a greater reality, God’s work. Their sacrifice, their perseverance was evidence of conversion: of spiritual rebirth, of the gifts of repentance toward God, and faith in Christ, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. God’s work may not have progressed far. They may have been, and we may be, immature and deeply flawed believers. But if God has begun a work, He will complete it. The evidence of God having done so will be our support of the “defense and confirmation of the gospel,” our embracing of the priority of the gospel. Yet our security is in what God is doing, not what we’re doing. Our assurance is rooted in the grace and faithfulness of God, who completes what He starts.

Proclamation of the Gospel (1:12-26)

Nowhere is the priority of the gospel clearer than in this section. It is very difficult to subordinate our interests to those of the kingdom of God. Our needs, interests, and desires tend to assert themselves and overwhelm what ought to be the greater priority. We would understand if the Apostle was consumed with self-pity, or with anger, or was disillusioned. But he’s not. His suffering provides the occasion for affirming the priority of the progress of the gospel. Here’s what the Apostle says,

Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, (Phil 1:12)

His “circumstances”? Imprisonment and isolation. But he can see that they have resulted in “the greater progress of the gospel.” His circumstances, imprisonment and the threat of execution, were secondary.

In addition, the Apostle Paul was being attacked by fellow preachers because of his imprisonment. He identifies their warped motives: selfish ambition and upsetting the Apostle (1:17). They preached out of “envy and strife” (1:15). Yet the Apostle dismisses their attacks. He says,

What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice. (Phil 1:18)

Everything in his life is subordinated to the proclamation of Christ. If that means imprisonment, it’s okay. Even if it means death, it’s okay. For the Apostle Paul,

to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Phil 1:21)

“To live is Christ,” he says. Christ is his life. Christ is the source of life (Jn 6:35; 11:25; 14:6). Christ is the purpose of life. In other words, the advance of the gospel of Jesus Christ is his sole ambition. His outlook is, whatever role God assigns to him, it’s okay. If imprisonment serves the cause of Christ, so be it. If the attacks of other believers serve the cause of Christ, so be it. If death serves the cause of Christ, so be it. This I believe is how we are to view all our circumstances. If God should ordain my sickness; if God should ordain my bodily injury; if God should ordain poverty; if God should ordain the loss of a loved one, so be it. If God wants me to serve him on the mission field or at home, in the ministry or in a secular vocation, as married or single, in life or death, then so be it. Thy will be done. Even death is “very much better” than life because it means more of Christ, who is our life. This was the bridge I had to cross as a young 14-year-old boy, and which we all must face. Is our chief end the glory of God in the gospel? If it is, then we will be content with whatever He ordains for us. The Apostle models for us a life in which the progress of the gospel is our priority.

Humility (1:27–2:30)

As the Apostle Paul contemplates his departure from this world, it becomes the occasion for the most beautiful reflection on the incarnation found in the New Testament. He is concerned for the long-term viability of the Philippian church. He is soon to be “poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of (their) faith” (2:17). He is concerned for the future well-being and fruitfulness of the Philippian church once he has departed this world. The gospel, its continuation and progress, is his priority. He doesn’t want to have “run in vain nor toil(ed) in vain” (2:16). He doesn’t want to lose his labor by the church disintegrating through heresy and division. So he first urges unity. They are to stand firm “in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (1:27; cf. 2:14ff).

Second, he urges humility. He roots unity in humility. He urges the Philippians to remain faithful, to “do all things without grumbling and complaining,” to be “blameless and innocent,” and to “hold fast the word of life” (2:14-16). Do not underestimate the value of humility if that blessed unity is ever to be achieved. So urgent is the Apostle Paul that he appeals to the example of Christ, writing with poetic beauty of the mystery of the incarnation.

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Phil 2:5-8)

Jesus provides the model “attitude” which is to become our own. Reflecting on His outlook will transform our own. Though pre-existent in the “form” (morphe) of God, that is, having the distinctive qualities that make God to be God, he did not cling to the powers and prerogatives of deity. He “emptied Himself,” not by taking anything away, but by adding to His true divinity true humanity. He took the “form” (morphe) of a bond servant and was “made in the likeness of men.” This humbling incarnation culminated in the ultimate act of humiliation, His obedient death on the cross. This pattern of humility is to be our governing outlook, or attitude. Christ’s humility is to be the model for our own behavior. If the whole church of us will be governed by this humble, self-sacrificing outlook, then the church will be a powerful engine for gospel change. Then the church will be a mighty weapon in the hand of God. Then we will be united (2:2), humble (2:3), selfless (2:4), and self-sacrificing, even as were the Apostle Paul’s companions, Timothy (2:21,22) and Epaphroditus (2:25,30). This Christ-like humility will preserve the unity, and, therefore, the viability, usefulness, and fruitfulness of the church that the dying Apostle seeks as he passes from the scene.

Gospel of Grace (3:1-21)

As the Apostle Paul continues to concern himself with the priority of the progress of the gospel, and consequently with the viability of the church after his departure, its survival and fruitfulness into the next generation, he writes next to warn the Philippians of the false prophets, the “dogs” and “evil workers” (3:2) who would undermine the graciousness of the gospel and transform it into a religion of works. He uses this strong language because of his absolute determination to guard the gospel from corruption (1 Tim 1:11; 6:20,21; 2 Tim 1:13,14). If the gospel is to progress, it must be kept pure. The key verses in this section are verses 8 and 9:

More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, (Phil 3:8,9)

As J. M. Boice pointed out, we get the whole book of Romans in verse 9. If it were possible to be saved by works, the Apostle Paul would have been first in line. A “Hebrew of Hebrews,” a Pharisee, a blameless observer of the law (3:4-6). Yet this counts for nothing. All religious accomplishments are as nothing, even “rubbish,” in comparison with the righteousness which comes through faith in Christ. A true believer places “no confidence in the flesh” (4:4). All worldly accomplishments are as nothing as compared with the “surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus (our) Lord.” Our gospel teaches that we cannot make ourselves right with God through good works, and we cannot know God through good works. We can never be good enough, obedient enough, loving enough to compel God to save us or to make Himself known to us. We can never commend ourselves to God on the basis of a “righteousness of our own derived from the law.” The whole incarnation and atonement are incomprehensible apart from a gospel of grace. Christmas and Easter make no sense apart from a gospel of grace. Jesus came because of the impossibility of our own righteousness. Jesus died because of the impossibility of our own righteousness. Because we could get not get right with God on our own, God acted to rescue us from out of our hopeless and helpless condition (Rom 5:8ff). The Christian gospel is utterly of faith and grace. God acts in Jesus Christ to deliver us from death. He saves all who will merely recognize what He has done, repent, and believe. All who do so are considered, reckoned, regarded as righteous on the basis of the imputed righteousness of Christ. These doctrines of grace must be guarded. They are absolutely essential to the survival of the Christian church. There can be no progress of the gospel if it is not the gospel of grace that progresses. It is to preserve this gracious doctrinal foundation of the gospel that the Apostle writes.

Joy, Peace, Contentment (4:1-23)

Finally, the Apostle Paul uses the occasion of the Philippians’ gift to instruct us about joy, peace, and contentment. He knows that a joyless, anxious, unsettled Christianity will not survive the troubles the disciples of Christ will encounter. “Spiritual peace, refreshing consolations, ineffable joys,” said John Owen, are the church’s “principal supports and encouragements in all its sufferings.”1 The church will only endure if believers retain a sense of safety and well-being in the midst of their trials. He teaches us that whatever our situation or circumstances, whatever our needs, in Christ we can “rejoice always” (4:1-5); be “anxious for nothing” and “in everything” have the “peace that passes comprehension” (4:6-9); and “be content in whatever circumstances (we are)” (4:10-12). This is crucial if we are to avoid the temptations brought on by sorrow, anxiety, fear, and discontent. These spiritual afflictions tempt us to doubt God, despair, or even apostasy, the abandoning of the faith. So it is vital that we live out the Christian life with this sense of well-being. How? By the strength that Christ supplies:

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)

How does He strengthen us? As we draw near to God in prayer and as we feast upon His word. The world craves psychological well-being. Our depressed world seeks joy; our anxious and fearful world seeks peace; our restless, dissatisfied, acquisitive, covetous, craving world seeks contentment. It labors to find those things in pills and bottles, in people and things, in sensual encounters, and in an unending string of exciting experiences. What worldlings want is the peace of God without God, and it can’t be done. Joy is “in the Lord” (4:4). Peace is found in the God of peace (4:7,9). Contentment is “through Him who strengthens me” (4:13). Whatever our circumstances, whatever our trials and troubles, whatever our discouragements and deprivations, our God “shall supply all (our) needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (4:19).

We have this great apostolic epistle because of the Apostle’s suffering. The context of suffering provided the black backdrop for the expression of the Apostle’s gospel priority. Philippians provides us with an outstanding example of how God uses our suffering. For us, God may not do good on the scale that he does for the Apostle. He is unlikely to use us to pen timeless and beloved Scripture. But our suffering is not without meaning. It is not without intent. It is not without purpose. God has designed it to advance the cause of His gospel and for our good. As long as we embrace that gospel perspective and establish this gospel priority, our circumstances will serve this eternal gospel cause as well. The key to the whole epistle, and to our whole lives as well, is this: is our priority the progress of the gospel? There can be no higher priority than the glory of God in His gospel. There can be no more powerfully transforming perspective as well.