by Sylvia Dickson
Think about the best gift you ever received. How important is that gift now? I’ve received gifts that were exciting, valuable, beautiful, comforting at the time, that now have lost some of that luster. They were great gifts that were later eclipsed by others or that faded. Now, consider the gift of suffering for Christ and whether we value it or not:
29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
We are guaranteed that living for Christ is not a bed of roses without thorns. We will suffer for the gospel, but we suffer together. The strange thing is that when we suffer for Christ, we will look at it as a blessing! We are given suffering to mark us in our unity with Christ and our struggle against the world (things that war with The Spirit). The “world” hated Christ and it hates us to, because Satan is the ruler of this world—here today, gone tomorrow. But we are here now, so we can expect him to attack us in various ways, but the same conflict: godliness versus evil. So, we are to guard our hearts and minds, bathe in the truth, and arm ourselves with righteousness in Christ. Stay engaged! Don’t be lulled into a stupor that all is well. Stay focused! Know the real deal, Christ, so you can see when the trickster strikes. Be confident that God is able to keep you from falling, holding onto you forever (Jude 24-25). If you do fall, He will restore you .
2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
Paul is laying the foundation for Christian relationships. He points us to Christ for encouragement and comfort. Suffering for Christ in prison, he points out that his joy comes from knowing that the Philippians and other believers are engaged with Christ, him and each other mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. He appeals to us as we are connected to each other and Christ by the Spirit. He points us away from self-centered suffering by reminding us to be loving and sympathetic to each other. As Christ suffered, so we suffer. As Christ found comfort in the Father’s love, so we find comfort. As Christ was one with the Father and the Spirit, so we are one with Christ and each other. As Christ showed love and sympathy for others even in His distress, so do we. �-��