2  The Elements  of Joy  (Philippians 1:3–8)

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. 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. 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. For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. (1:3–8)

A popular test for depression rates people on a scale of one to ten. The higher the score, the more severe the depression. If the apostle Paul had taken such a test, he doubtless would have scored a zero, because his joy was complete and irrepressible. Like the writer of Psalms 42 and 43, he knew how to overcome depression, anxiety, and worry (cf. Pss. 42:5,11; 43:5).

Yet Paul’s circumstances at the time he wrote this letter were dire. He was imprisoned in Rome, possibly facing execution. As it turned out, he was released from this imprisonment, but he was not certain that would be the case when he wrote Philippians. He was under house arrest (Acts 28:23, 30), chained to a Roman soldier (Acts 28:16) to prevent any possibility of escape. Paul languished there, unable to do the work he loved, while others, taking advantage of his situation, preached the gospel out of contention and strife (1:15–17). Nevertheless, his heart overflowed with joy (1:18). If anything, those horrendous circumstances made Paul’s joy all the greater, because he trusted the sovereign purpose of his Lord and turned even more to Him for strength and comfort.

True joy is an unwavering constant in a Spirit-filled life (cf. Rom. 14:17), not a transient emotional feeling that comes and goes depending on circumstances. Because Paul was constantly near to God, he was constantly joyful. He experienced the inexpressible peace (4:7) and contentment (4:11) provided by the Holy Spirit deep within his heart and soul because he had a conscience that was clear of offense against God (Acts 23:1; 24:16; 2 Cor. 1:12; 2 Tim. 1:3).

The Philippian church was not perfect. But in contrast to most of the other churches with which Paul was associated, they had no major moral or spiritual problems. He urged them, “Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (1:27). A few verses later he exhorted the Philippians, “Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (2:2–4). Later he commanded them to “do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world” (2:14–15). In chapter 4 he urged Euodia and Syntyche, who obviously had an unresolved point of contention, “to live in harmony in the Lord” (v. 2), and he encouraged the entire church to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (v. 6). But those admonitions are more a form of encouragement than a rebuke.

As Paul thought about this beloved congregation to whom he was writing, his joy overflowed. He was not thinking so much about his own circumstances as about their faithfulness (1:3–5), not so much about his own afflictions as about their love (2:1–2), not so much about his own physical suffering as about their spiritual steadfastness (2:12–16). He was thinking about their selfless generosity in sending him financial support (4:14–16). He was thinking about their “progress and joy in the faith” (1:25), about his “beloved brethren whom [he longed] to see, [his] joy and crown” (4:1). He could therefore say with utter sincerity, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you” (1:3).

In 1:3–8 the apostle gives five specific elements of his Spirit-engendered joy as it related to other believers. He focuses on the joys of recollection (v. 3), of intercession (v. 4), of participation (v. 5), of anticipation (v. 6), and of affection (vv. 7–8).

THE JOY OF RECOLLECTION

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, (1:3)

Thank is from euchariste, from which the English word “Eucharist,” a name often used of the Lord’s Supper, derives. In that ordinance believers give thanks to God in remembrance of Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice on the cross. In this instance Paul gives thanks for his spiritual brothers and sisters in Philippi who, over the years, had brought him such abundant blessing and joy.

The phrase my God reflects Paul’s deep intimacy and communion with the Lord, to whom he belonged and whom he served (Acts 27:23). His thankfulness for the Philippians was to God, emphasizing both that the Lord is the ultimate source of all joy and that it was the Philippians’ relationship to Him through Christ that caused Paul to thank . . . God. Paul expressed similar thanksgivings for the believers in Corinth (1 Cor. 1:4), in Colossae (Col. 1:3), and in Thessalonica (1 Thess. 1:2; cf. 2:13), and for his beloved coworkers Timothy (2 Tim. 1:3) and Philemon (Philem. 4).

Paul’s remembrance of the Philippians began with his second missionary journey, when the apostle first came to Philippi. He was specifically directed by the Holy Spirit to go to Macedonia (the province in which Philippi was located) rather than Bithynia, as he and Silas had intended (Acts 16:7–10). On the Sabbath they went outside the city to the riverside, where they expected to find Jewish worshipers. (Evidently there were not enough Jewish men in Philippi to form a synagogue.) The only ones present were a group of women at prayer. One of the women, Lydia, was “a worshiper of God,” that is, a Gentile proselyte to Judaism. The Lord opened her heart to Christ. When she heard the gospel, she was baptized with her newly believing household, and she prevailed on Paul and those with him to be her guests (Acts 16:13–15). Lydia and her household were the first Christian converts in Europe and became the nucleus of that continent’s first church. The generosity and hospitality they exhibited characterized that congregation for years to come.

Surely in Paul’s remembrance was the young demon-possessed slave girl in Philippi who brought her owners considerable wealth from her fortune-telling. She dogged the apostle and his companions for many days and “kept crying out, saying, ‘These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.’” Becoming “greatly annoyed, [Paul] turned and said to the spirit, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!’ And it came out at that very moment” (Acts 16:16–18). Although Luke does not report it specifically, it seems probable that, like Lydia, she was born again and became a sister in Christ whom Paul now fondly remembered.

Paul also would have remembered the time he spent in jail in Philippi because of the slave girl’s owners, who lost a great source of income and incited the townspeople against him and Silas (Acts 16:19–23). Not only did the Lord give Paul and Silas peace and joy despite their chains and literally put songs in their hearts (Acts 16:25), but He also used their imprisonment to bring the jailer and his household to salvation (Acts 16:26–34). On the way out of the city after being released from prison, Paul and Silas went to Lydia’s house for a last time and were encouraged by the many believers there who came to see them off (Acts 16:40).

Paul must have often remembered that, after he left Macedonia, the Philippian church was the only one that helped him financially (Phil. 4:15–16). Those devoted believers continued their generosity by contributing toward the collection Paul made for the needy believers in Jerusalem (2 Cor. 8:1–5).

Having a genuine desire to remember and focus on the goodness, kindness, and successes of others does not involve denying their weaknesses and shortcomings but rather looking past them. The Holy Spirit prompts believers to appreciate others’ love, generosity, and compassion and to forget the rest (cf. 4:8; 1 Cor. 13:4–7). On the other hand, a person who constantly focuses on the negatives, faults, shortcomings, and slights of others is a person not controlled by the Holy Spirit, and is perhaps an unbeliever. Bitterness, resentment, a critical spirit, holding grudges, and the like are works of the flesh, not of the Spirit.

Much of Paul’s joy was based on the pleasant, loving recollections of believers who, like those in Philippi, were consistently faithful to the Lord, to their fellow believers, and to him.

THE JOY OF INTERCESSION

always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, (1:4)

Another indispensable element of joy for believers is interceding before God on behalf of others. Those who are obedient to the Holy Spirit will delight in the privilege of intercessory prayer. Faithful and sincere intercession is much more than an obligation; it is a joy. Faithful intercessors are more preoccupied with the needs and welfare of others than their own and ask God to pour out His divine blessing on them. An infallible test of godly joy is the degree to which a believer prays more earnestly for the benefit and blessing of others than for his own.

The noun desis (prayer), used twice in this verse, has the basic meaning of a request, entreaty, or supplication and, in the New Testament, is always addressed to God (cf. Luke 1:13; 5:33; Rom. 10:1; 2 Cor. 1:11; Heb. 5:7; James 5:16; 1 Peter 3:12).

As the apostle explains later in this chapter (vv. 12–21), he was at this time experiencing some of the most difficult and painful times of his ministry. Not only was he in prison, but, even more painful to him, he also was being maligned by fellow teachers and preachers who intended “to cause [him] distress in [his] imprisonment” (v. 17). Although he obviously was not unaware of or unconcerned about that unjust and hateful behavior, he was determined not to allow it to diminish his joy. Instead, Paul was grateful “that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice” (v. 18).

Intercessory prayer sometimes involves disappointment and pain. Later in this letter he counseled the Philippians, “Join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things” (3:17–19). Those false believers not only were uncharitable in the extreme but also were shamelessly worldly. They were “enemies of the cross of Christ.” Their false teaching and immoral living seriously threatened the church, and that tragic state of affairs brought pain to the apostle. Paul reminded the church at Corinth that “out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you” (2 Cor. 2:4; cf. 11:29).

But Paul’s prayers for the Philippians were offered with great appreciation, thankfulness, and joy. Neither the unbelieving false teachers, such as those just mentioned, nor squabbling believers, such as Euodia and Syntyche (4:2), could rob Paul of his joyful remembrance of this cherished congregation. After beseeching Clement and an unnamed elder at Philippi to help reconcile those two women, he exults, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (4:3–4).

Like Paul, believers who possess God-given joy do not focus on themselves, even in the midst of pain or difficult circumstances. They are rather concerned about their fellow believers’ pain, difficult circumstances, hardships, failures, and sorrows, and they earnestly intercede for them. They joyfully pray for God to bless their fellow believers in every way, above all for their spiritual welfare. Later in this letter Paul expresses this personal trait in an admonition: “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (2:4).

It seems that throughout most of the history of the church only a minority of Christians have known the true, full joy that God gives to His obedient children. Lack of joy reveals itself in three ways: in negative thoughts and talk about others, in a lack of concern for their welfare, and in the failure to intercede on their behalf. Joyless believers are self-centered, selfish, proud, and often vengeful, and their self-centeredness inevitably manifests itself in prayerlessness.

THE JOY OF PARTICIPATION

in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. (1:5)

A third element of God-given joy is participation. Koinnia (participation) is commonly rendered “fellowship,” or “communion,” and has the root meaning of sharing something in common. It is used in several places of sharing possessions or money. Using the verb form, Paul declares that faithful believers should practice “contributing to the needs of the saints” (Rom. 12:13); and later in the letter he uses the noun form in speaking of “a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem” (Rom. 15:26; cf. 2 Cor. 8:4, where koinnia is rendered “participation”; 9:13). In 1 Timothy 6:18 the adjectival form is rendered “ready to share,” and in Hebrews 13:16 the noun is translated “sharing.”

In the broadest sense, Paul rejoiced that the Philippians were saved and thus partners with him in the spread of the gospel. That participation included their generous financial support of him. Later in this letter he reminded them: “You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs” (4:15–16).

By far the most important thing all believers share is their spiritual oneness, their participation in the gospel of Jesus Christ. “God is faithful,” Paul explained, “through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor. 1:9). Fellowship includes cooperation in the preaching of the good news of salvation to those who have never heard it, so that the spiritual fellowship might be enlarged and bring still greater glory to God (cf. 2 Cor. 4:15). In this context the phrase in the gospel refers to the whole enterprise of gospel ministry, especially that of evangelism. So Paul here commends the Philippians for their faithful and enduring partnership with him in this supreme endeavor.

Paul’s beautiful benediction in 2 Corinthians perhaps best summarizes the full depth and breadth of Christian koinnia: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship [koinnia] of the Holy Spirit, be with you all” (2 Cor. 13:14). The justifying grace of the Son, the electing love of the Father, and the sanctifying fellowship of the Holy Spirit are inextricably coalesced in the partnership of the saints, a vast spiritual brotherhood that includes every person who has saving faith in Jesus Christ. Such fellowship was a great source of joy for Paul, as it is for all Christians who find strength, encouragement, support, comfort, and help through their fellowship with other believers.

In his commentary on Philippians, the noted commentator William Hendriksen lists eight aspects, or types, of Christian koinnia (see New Testament Commentary: Exposition of Philippians [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1962], 51–53). His list is not meant to be comprehensive, and the eight aspects are not necessarily in order of importance. They are grace, faith, prayer and thanksgiving, love, service, contributing to the needs of others, separation from the world, and spiritual warfare. It is obvious that they overlap in varying degrees.

First and foremost is the fellowship of grace. This is not a natural, man-made fellowship but one sovereignly designed and effected by God through His Holy Spirit. “For by grace you have been saved through faith,” Paul declared; “and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8; cf. Acts 15:11; Rom. 4:5). All believers have been graciously chosen by God for salvation. Apart from His having chosen them, they could not have chosen Him. In John 6:44 Jesus declared, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.” To the Romans Paul wrote, “For those whom [God] foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified” (Rom. 8:29–30; cf. John 15:16).

Those whom God chooses for salvation are made one with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as well as each other. Speaking of Himself, Jesus prayed to the Father, “Even as You gave Him [the Son] authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:2–3). Paul summarized that truth in these words: “The one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him” (1 Cor. 6:17).

Second is the fellowship of faith. On the human level, it is faith alone that brings sinners to salvation. Paul and Silas told the jailer in Philippi, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31; cf. Rom. 10:9–10). Yet, as noted above, even human faith has a divine origin: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8).

Third is the fellowship of prayer and thanksgiving. Nothing binds believers more closely together than worshiping God in corporate praise and thanksgiving. Christians are “always [to be] giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father” (Eph. 5:20); and “whatever [they] do in word or deed, [they should] do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Col. 3:17). They are to “rejoice always; pray without ceasing; [and] in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for [them] in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:16–18).

Fourth is the fellowship of love, the supreme virtue that encompasses all other virtues. It is more important than speaking in tongues, prophecy, theological knowledge, faith, sacrificial generosity, and even martyrdom (1 Cor. 13:1–3). Paul went on to declare that “love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. . . . The greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:4–8, 13). The apostle John taught that love is the definitive mark of Christian fellowship: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:7–8).

Fifth is the fellowship of contributing to the needs of others. “While we have opportunity,” Paul admonished, “let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Gal. 6:10). Even under the old covenant, believers were commanded: “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it” (Prov. 3:27).

Sixth is the fellowship of promoting the gospel, already mentioned above. That is done through preaching, teaching, witnessing, and supporting those whom the Lord has specially called to those ministries. This fellowship is clearly a fulfillment of Jesus’ Great Commission: “Make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you” (Matt. 28:19–20).

Seventh is the fellowship of separation from the world. In His discourse in the Upper Room shortly before His arrest, Jesus told the remaining eleven disciples, “You are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world” (John 15:19). A negative but extremely important part of fellowship is keeping “oneself unstained by the world” (James 1:27), which has never been more difficult than in our own age. John exhorts believers, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. [And] if anyone [does love] the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world” (1 John 2:15–16).

Eighth is the fellowship of spiritual warfare. In many ways this is an extension of the previous aspect. When a believer is truly separated from the world, he will come under attack from the world. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own,” Jesus explained; “but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:19–20). In this great spiritual struggle “the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh,” because the conflict is not of the flesh, “but [they are] divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses” (2 Cor. 10:4). In that warfare, believers are fellow soldiers (2 Tim. 2:3).

A Christian who willingly forsakes fellowship with other believers will inevitably be without genuine, Spirit-given joy. It is impossible to live faithfully or happily apart from fellow believers in Christ. But the believer who regularly is in the company of fellow saints, fulfilling the responsibilities that such fellowship requires and provides, will just as inevitably be filled with divine joy. To be in the company of those who are joint heirs with Christ, people who love, care for, understand, pray for and with each other, who minister and fight the good fight together, is to be assured of abundant and abiding joy.

That is the joy Paul expressed here in regard to the Philippian believers. They had faithfully served with him in their church, proclaimed the gospel with him, worshiped and prayed with him, and defended the faith with him. They had abundantly shared their material resources with him over and over again. They had tirelessly and selflessly been in partnership with him from the first day until now, over a period of several years.

THE JOY OF ANTICIPATION

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. (1:6)

A fourth element of joy is anticipation. Nothing can encourage a Christian so much as the knowledge that, despite life’s uncertainties and difficulties, and no matter how many spiritual defeats there may be long the way, one day he will be made perfect.

Confident translates peith, which here means to be persuaded of and have confidence in. Paul’s confidence was much more than human hope; it was the absolute confidence that comes from knowing and believing God’s promise that He [God] who began a good work in him will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Salvation is wholly God’s work, and for that reason its completion is as certain as if it were already accomplished.

Began is from enarchomai, a compound verb meaning “to begin in.” It is used only twice in the New Testament, both times in reference to salvation. Paul rebuked certain believers in the Galatian churches who believed that they could finish in their own power what God had divinely begun in their lives solely by the power of His Holy Spirit. “Are you so foolish?” he asked rhetorically. “Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Gal. 3:3). In the present text the apostle, in effect, responds to that same question, assuring the Philippians that their salvation is solely a gracious work of God. God requires faith for salvation, but faith is not a meritorious work. Salvation is by the power of God in response to faith; and, as already noted, faith itself is God’s work, divinely initiated and divinely accomplished (Eph. 2:8–9). Although Lydia, the first convert in what would become the church at Philippi, believed the gospel of Christ, Luke made it clear that “the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul” (Acts 16:14).

Later in the present epistle, Paul emphasized that “to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,” and “it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 1:29; 2:13). “As many as received Him [Christ],” John declared, “to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12). When “the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God” through the witness of Peter, “those who were circumcised took issue with him,” believing that the gospel was only for Jews or Jewish converts. But after they heard Peter’s report, “they quieted down and glorified God, saying, ‘Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life’” (Acts 11:1–2, 18). “In the exercise of His will,” James wrote, “He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures” (James 1:18).

As noted earlier, salvation is solely by God’s grace. God “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him” (Eph. 1:4). God chose all believers before time, long before they could possibly choose Him; and apart from His choice of them, they could not choose Him (John 6:44). It has always been true, in every age and circumstance, that only “as many as had been appointed to eternal life [have] believed” (Acts 13:48). Paul clearly expressed that truth in Romans 5:8–10:

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Later in that epistle Paul gave a parallel to Philippians 1:6, noting that “those whom [God] foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified” (Rom. 8:29–30). All the chosen will be glorified. God will finish what He has begun.

Every aspect of salvation is by God’s sovereign will and choice. Paul wrote to the Ephesians that:

God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Eph. 2:4–8; cf. Titus 3:4–6; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:2–3)

It is the Lord who begins the work of salvation, and it is the Lord, through His Holy Spirit, who will perfect it. To the Galatians Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Gal. 2:20). Epitele (to perfect) is a compound, formed by the preposition epi and the verb tele (“to complete”) to give the intensified meaning of “fully completed.” Paul was absolutely certain that God will fully complete His work of salvation in the Philippians. There is no possibility of failure or of partial fulfillment.

The eschatological expression the day of Christ Jesus does not refer to what both the Old and New Testaments prophesy as the final Day of the Lord, the time of God’s judgment on the sinful world. The Day of the Lord is described by Paul in 1 Thessalonians:

For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief. (5:2–4; for more information on the Day of the Lord, see Isa. 13:6–22; Joel 1:15; 2:11; Acts 2:20; 2 Thess. 1:10, “that day”; 2 Peter 3:10, and Revelation 1–11, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary [Chicago: Moody, 1999], 199–201)

Also an eschatological expression, the day of Christ Jesus, on the other hand, clearly refers to the time when believers will be glorified, when their salvation will be completed and made perfect (1 Cor. 3:10–15; 2 Cor. 5:10). It is the same as “the day of Christ” that Paul mentions several times later in Philippians, the day for which Christians should be prepared by living sincerely and blamelessly (1:10) and by “holding fast the word of life” (2:16). In his first letter to the Corinthian church, the apostle called it “the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:8), and in his second letter to them he called it “the day of our Lord Jesus” (2 Cor. 1:14). In each instance, the personal names Jesus or Christ are given (rather than Lord), and in each instance the reference is to the time when believers will fully share the Lord’s perfect righteousness, when “Christ is formed in [them]” (Gal. 4:19), and “[they] also will be revealed with Him in glory” (Col. 3:4).

Believers are “predestined to become conformed to the image of [God’s] Son” (Rom. 8:29), because “just as [they] have borne the image of the earthy, [they] will also bear the image of the heavenly, . . . [and] in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, . . . [they] will be changed. . . . For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:49,52–53). “We know that when [Christ] appears,” John wrote, “we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is” (1 John 3:2). Peter wrote: “When the Chief Shepherd appears, [we] will receive the unfading crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:4). Although a believer living in unrepentant sin may be delivered temporarily to Satan for discipline, “his spirit [will] be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. 5:5). The day of Christ Jesus is the time of perfection and glorification, when the glorious manifestation of the children of God will finally come (Rom. 8:18–19,23).

When God saves, He saves completely and eternally. In promissory covenant terms, to be justified is to be sanctified and glorified. There is no such thing as experiencing one of those aspects of salvation without the other two. Each is an integral and necessary part of the whole continuum of salvation. For God to begin salvation in a person’s life is an irrevocable guarantee of His completing it. As William Hendriksen has observed, “God . . . is not like men. Men conduct experiments, but God carries out a plan. God never does anything by halves” (Philippians, 55).

The Lord said of David: “I will not break off My lovingkindness from him, nor deal falsely in My faithfulness” (Ps. 89:33; cf. v. 20). Jesus gives every believer the absolute promise that “all that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. . . . This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day” (John 6:37, 39). Later He reiterated that promise, saying, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27–28). Paul declared, “I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38–39). The apostle wrote to Timothy that “the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, ‘The Lord knows those who are His’” (2 Tim. 2:19; cf. John 10:14). Peter exulted:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3–5; cf. Jude 24)

It is easy for believers to become discouraged when they focus on their problems and imperfections (and those of other believers). Those sins should not be ignored or minimized; but neither should they be allowed to overshadow the marvelous reality of the future perfection of the church and of every individual believer, as God’s Word guarantees so frequently and clearly. Remembering that glorious truth removes the debilitating pressure of doubt and fosters triumphant joy, gratitude, and anticipation. In so doing, it also frees God’s people to live more abundantly and fruitfully.

The nineteenth-century commentator F. B. Meyer wrote,

We go into the artist’s studio and find there unfinished pictures covering large canvases, and suggesting great designs, but which have been left, either because the genius was not competent to complete the work, or because paralysis laid the hand low in death; but as we go into God’s great workshop we find nothing that bears the mark of haste or insufficiency of power to finish, and we are sure that the work which His grace has begun, the arm of His strength will complete. (The Epistle to the Philippians [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1952], 28)

God has no unfinished works. The God who saves is the God who justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies. The God who begins is the God who completes. During His incarnation, the Lord gave this absolute and unambiguous assurance, which is a source of joy to all those who will ever trust in Him: “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37).

THE JOY OF AFFECTION

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. For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. (1:7–8)

In these verses Paul’s rejoicing reaches a crescendo as he presents a fifth element of joy—affection. There can be no greater or more exhilarating joy than that produced by deep, abiding, and genuine affection for others.

Dikaios (right) denotes more than mere appropriateness. It expresses moral and spiritual rightness; not merely that which is expected but that which is required. It was only right before men and before God for Paul to feel this way about the beloved saints in Philippi.

To feel translates a form of phrone, which has the basic meaning of having a particular mental disposition or attitude. It refers to an act of intellect and will and is sometimes translated “to think,” as it is in the King James Version rendering of this verse. Paul uses the verb numerous other times in this epistle: twice in 2:2 (“being of . . . mind,” lit., “be . . . minded”); in 2:5 and 3:15 (“have . . . attitude”); in 3:19 (“set . . . minds”) and 4:2 (“live in harmony,” lit., “think the same”); and twice in 4:10 (“[have] concern,” “were concerned”). In Romans, he uses a form of phrone three times in admonishing believers “not to think more highly of [themselves] than [they] ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith” (Rom. 12:3).

Obviously people love with their minds; love is first of all thought. But in the present passage Paul expands that concept by using the word heart, which includes the idea of feeling. The mind and heart are often synonymous in Scripture. Solomon warned, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life” (Prov. 4:23). The heart is used to trust and believe in God (Prov. 3:5; Jer. 29:13; Luke 24:25; Acts 8:37); to serve, obey, and follow Him (Deut. 11:13; 26:16; 1 Kings 2:4); and to worship and praise Him (Heb. 10:22). It is also a repository for God’s Word (Ps. 119:11). Believers are commanded to have a clean heart (Ps. 51:10), a pure heart (Matt. 5:8), an obedient heart (Ps. 119:36), a worshiping heart (Ps. 57:7), a forgiving heart (Matt. 18:35), and a loving heart (Matt. 22:37; 2 Thess. 3:5).

Paul expressed his affection even for the immature, self-centered, and worldly believers at Corinth. “I do not speak to condemn you,” he told them in his second letter, “for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together” (2 Cor. 7:3). Paul’s affection for his fellow believers, even those who grievously disappointed him, brought him much joy.

It was not hard for the apostle to cherish the beloved Philippian believers in his heart. Because of all they meant to him, he could hardly have thought of them in any other way. Thus, he reminds them that both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. Both apologia (defense) and bebaisis (confirmation) are legal terms. Apologia, the source of the English words “apology” and “apologetics,” refers to a speech given in defense. Bebaisis refers to the positive confirmation of the truth of the gospel. In the present text, these words allude either to the initial phase of the apostle’s imprisonment and trial in Rome, during which he defended the gospel, or in a broader sense to his defense of the faith throughout his ministry. In either case, Paul affirmed that the Philippian church selflessly and sacrificially stood by him to give encouragement, to help alleviate his suffering, and to meet his needs in every way they could. They were his spiritual partners, partakers of grace with him, in the fullest sense.

Paul called on God as his witness to attest to his heartfelt longing for the Philippians with the affection of Christ Jesus. He wanted them to have no reservations about how fully and genuinely he loved them. Affection translates splagchnon, which literally refers to internal organs, specifically the bowels, or intestines. It is used in that physical sense only once in the New Testament, in reference to Judas’s suicide (Acts 1:18). Elsewhere it is used figuratively to describe selfless, compassionate love. In Zacharias’s prophecy it is rendered “tender mercy” (Luke 1:78); and in Colossians 3:12; Philemon 7, 12, 20; and 1 John 3:17, it is translated “heart(s).” In 2 Corinthians 6:12 and 7:15 and in Philippians 2:1, as in the present text, it is rendered “affection(s).” The Hebrew equivalent is used in a similar way—to describe feelings of sympathy (Isa. 16:11; 63:15; Jer. 31:20), of deep anguish or despair (Lam. 1:20; 2:11), and of marital love (Song 5:4).

All of the believers at Philippi, with no exceptions, were the objects of Paul’s great affection, an affection so deep and pervasive as to reflect that of Christ Jesus Himself. It was enhanced and enriched by their warm and compassionate care for him that touched him so deeply. It was, in fact, a supernatural affection, instilled by the Lord both in his heart and theirs. It was no less than “the love of God [that had] been poured out within [their] hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 5:5). Paul wrote of this God-given love to the Thessalonians: “Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another” (1 Thess. 4:9).

What robs believers of biblical joy? First, and by far the most important, is false salvation. The church has always included those whose faith is not genuine (cf. Matt. 13:24–30, 36–43; James 2:14–26). Because they do not possess the indwelling Holy Spirit, such false professors cannot possess biblical joy (Gal. 5:22). They may attend churches where God’s Word is taught, and they may fellowship with genuine believers. Yet because they do not know the Lord, they cannot experience His joy. If they laugh, it is, sadly, “the laughter of the fool, [which] is futility” (Eccl. 7:6). For that reason Paul gives the somber warning: “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” (2 Cor. 13:5).

A second factor that hinders joy is the influence of Satan and his demons. “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert,” Peter cautioned. “Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). In many ways, including false teachers, the devil attempts to deceive believers. Although he cannot rob them of salvation, he can, and often does, rob them of joy (as does their sin; cf. Ps. 51:12).

A third factor that robs believers of joy is an inadequate understanding of God’s sovereignty. For believers to fret and worry over their circumstances and to fear what the future may hold is tantamount to doubting God’s sovereignty, as well as His power and love. God has promised that He will cause “all things to work together for good to those who love [Him], to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). The incarnate Lord Jesus Christ promised, “I give eternal life to [My sheep], and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28–29). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus commanded believers not to be anxious about anything (Matt. 6:25–34; cf. Phil. 4:6). And in perhaps the most beloved and cherished promise of all, He said, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1–3). For believers, God’s sovereignty is the over-arching and all-encompassing reality that keeps everything in perspective. It is because of His divine sovereignty that, with utter confidence, believers can “cast [their] burden upon the Lord and [know that] He will sustain [them, because] He will never allow the righteous to be shaken” (Ps. 55:22).

When that reality is ignored or forgotten, joy will be lost. For example, when the prophet Habakkuk forgot that great truth, he cried out in despair,

How long, O Lord, will I call for help, and You will not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save. Why do You make me see iniquity, and cause me to look on wickedness? Yes, destruction and violence are before me; strife exists and contention arises. Therefore the law is ignored and justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice comes out perverted. (Hab. 1:2–4)

But by the time he reached the end of his message, his perspective had radically changed. Having come to his spiritual senses, he declared that, “though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation” (Hab. 3:17–18).

A fourth negative element that steals joy is prayerlessness. Believers who fail to pray inevitably lose sight of God’s sovereignty and His love and care for us. Such believers either give up hope, as Habakkuk did for a while, or else seek help from other sources. There are times when it is appropriate to call on the leaders of the church for help (James 5:14–16). But that can never take the place of a believer’s own prayers, as Paul makes clear later in this letter: “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (4:6).

A fifth cause of joylessness is the emotional low that frequently follows a spiritual high. Elijah defeated and killed all the pagan prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:38–40) on Mount Carmel. But when Queen Jezebel threatened his life, Elijah became “afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and . . . came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers’” (1 Kings 19:3–4). Although neither their highs nor their lows have been that radical or dramatic, most believers have experienced similar kinds of spiritual success and letdown. Such times are surprising and bewildering, and can rob unwary believers of their joy.

A sixth way believers lose their joy is by focusing on circumstances. Despite the abundant blessings all believers have in the Lord, many become dissatisfied with their circumstances. They are unhappy with their physical or mental capacities, their appearance, the opportunities that come their way, or with the countless other things they do not have but think that they deserve. Jesus promised: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27). Paul kept that promise constantly in mind, and his attitude toward ephemeral, non-eternal things was therefore unequivocal: “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need” (4:11–12).

A seventh negative element that robs believers of joy is ingratitude. Few things are more repugnant than ingratitude. Paul commanded that prayers and supplications to God be made with thanksgiving (4:6). In 1 Thessalonians he exhorted, “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:18). Rebellious sinners are indicted and sentenced to divine judgment because of their ingratitude (Rom. 1:18–21).

An eighth cause of lack of joy is forgetfulness. Forgetting the Lord is not a mark of innocence but of faithlessness and sin. David reminded himself and all believers: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits” (Ps. 103:2). The spiritual disharmony that causes division in churches is not incited by new converts but by those who have left their first love. The Lord warned the orthodox, hardworking, and persevering believers in Ephesus: “I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent” (Rev. 2:4–5).

A ninth factor in loss of joy is living by uncontrolled feelings, living by the flesh instead of by the Spirit. In his book Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones writes,

I suggest that the main trouble in this whole matter of spiritual depression is this, that we allow our self to talk to us instead of talking to our self. . . . Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself rather than talking to yourself? . . . The main art in the matter of spiritual living is to know how to handle yourself.” ([Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1965], 20–21)

But proper talking to oneself does not include self-centeredness and morbid self-analysis, two of the worst plagues of much modern psychology. Contrary to what the world continually touts, self-centeredness is the surest source of dissatisfaction and discontentment. Neither does talking properly to one’s self involve some sort of “positive confession” that supposedly creates reality. That is foolish. Talking to oneself about God, His Word, and His will is the issue.

A tenth and final reason for lack of joy is unwillingness to accept forgiveness. On the surface, that attitude can appear to reflect humility, but it is the furthest thing from that. It is, in fact, an insult to God’s righteous character and the clear teaching of His Word. Our Lord made it plain that, “If [believers] forgive others for their transgressions, [their] heavenly Father will also forgive [them]. But if [they] do not forgive others, then [their] Father will not forgive [their] transgressions” (Matt. 6:14–15). David declared that, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has [the Lord] removed our transgressions from us” (Ps. 103:12), and John wrote that, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9; cf. 2:12). That basic truth alone is abundant reason for the believer never to be joyless.

From a somewhat reverse perspective, Scripture also teaches the amazing and humbling truth that faithful and obedient believers not only receive joy from God but also have the ability to give joy to God. It is beyond comprehension that our infinite, holy, and almighty God should rejoice in His children; but His Word teaches that He does.

God rejoices when unbelievers repent and turn from their sin to Him. Jesus said, “I tell you that . . . there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7; cf. v. 10). “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God” (Heb. 11:5).

God rejoices in the prayers and worship of His children and in their righteous behavior. “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight. . . . The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord, but the blameless in their walk are His delight” (Prov. 15:8; 11:20). Before “the entire assembly” of Israel, David confessed: “Since I know, O my God, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness, I, in the integrity of my heart, have willingly offered all these things; so now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here, make their offerings willingly to You” (1 Chron. 29:1,17). Despite his many sins and failures, because David’s heart was right, he brought joy to the Lord. In fact, God called him “a man after His own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14). In the parable of the talents, Christ promised that those who live faithfully for Him will one day share in His own divine joy: “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master’” (Matt. 25:21; cf. v. 23).

All of this leads to the inescapable conclusion that the fellowship of God’s people should be a fellowship of joy. The non-Christian’s joy must come from the outside; the Christian’s comes from within. Despite the inevitable sorrows, disappointments, and pain of life, believers can always be joyful. Biblical joy is not based on circumstances, because it is the gift of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22).