📖 Passage

Philippians 1:1–11 Read Philippians 1:1–11 (NKJV)

🧠 Context & Background

Paul wrote Philippians from prison around AD 61. Unlike letters correcting error, this one radiates joy and thanksgiving. The Philippians had supported Paul financially and prayerfully since his second missionary journey. This section highlights Paul’s pastoral heart: humility in greeting, thanksgiving for the Philippians’ gospel partnership, and prayer for their growth in holiness and love.

🌿 Key Themes

• Servanthood and Sainthood — Believers are simultaneously Christ’s servants and holy saints.
• Gospel Partnership — True fellowship is more than friendship; it’s shared mission in Christ.
• Assurance of God’s Work — God who begins salvation will complete it in His people.
• Abounding Love — Christian love must be informed by knowledge and discernment.
• Fruit of Righteousness — Growth in holiness flows from union with Christ, not self-effort.

📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary

Philippians 1:1–2 — Servants & Saints

“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

• Servants (δοῦλοι) — Paul models humility, calling himself a servant rather than an apostle.
• Saints in Christ — Believers’ identity is rooted in Christ, not performance.
• Church Order — Overseers and deacons show organized leadership even in early churches.
• Grace and Peace — A blessing that flows from the Father through the Son.

Philippians 1:3–6 — Thanksgiving & Assurance

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you… being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

• Thanksgiving for Partnership — Paul rejoices at the Philippians’ fellowship in gospel mission.
• Joy in Prayer — Prayer is joyful because it celebrates God’s work in others.
• Assurance — God finishes what He starts; salvation is secure in Christ’s hands.

Philippians 1:7–8 — Affection of Christ

“I have you in my heart… you all are partakers with me of grace… For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.”

• Shared Grace — Both Paul’s chains and their support are evidence of gospel partnership.
• Affection of Christ — Paul’s love is not mere human sentiment, but Christ’s love flowing through him.

Philippians 1:9–11 — Prayer for Abounding Love

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment…”

• Love with Knowledge — Christian love is not blind, but discerning and rooted in truth.
• Discernment — Growth enables believers to approve what is excellent.
• Fruit of Righteousness — Produced by Christ in us, leading to God’s glory.
• Goal of Holiness — To be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.

🔍 Trusted Insight

“Assurance rests not in our strength but in God’s faithfulness. Paul’s confidence in the Philippians is not because of their performance but because the God who began the work will finish it.” — R.C. Sproul (paraphrased)

This assures believers that sanctification is God’s ongoing work, completed in glory.

Summary: Paul gives thanks for the Philippians, assures them of God’s faithfulness, and prays for their love and holiness in Christ.

🧩 Review Questions

💡 Click a question to open the chatbot and explore the answer. Tap the chat bubble again to close it.

1. What does Paul mean when he says that God will bring to completion the good work He began (Philippians 1:6)?
2. How does Paul’s prayer for abounding love (Philippians 1:9–10) challenge today’s view of love as mere tolerance?
3. What does it mean to share in partnership in the gospel (Philippians 1:5), and why is this important for the church today?
4. How does Paul’s focus on the day of Christ (Philippians 1:10) shape our priorities as believers?
5. What does Paul mean by being filled with the fruit of righteousness (Philippians 1:11), and how does this connect to God’s glory?

🔍 Definitions

• Gospel Partnership (κοινωνία) — Shared participation in the mission of Christ.
• Assurance — Confidence that God completes the salvation He begins.
• Discernment (αἴσθησις) — Spiritual perception that distinguishes truth from error.
• Fruit of Righteousness — Evidence of union with Christ shown in holy living.

🌍 Worldview & Common Objections

• “I can save myself through good works or spirituality.”

  • Current worldview: Many people believe morality, kindness, or spiritual discipline earns God’s approval. Culture often equates being “a good person” with being acceptable to God.

  • Biblical response: Paul emphasizes in Philippians 1:6 that salvation is God’s work from start to finish. It is Christ who begins, sustains, and completes the believer’s faith. Salvation is not self-made but grace-driven (Ephesians 2:8–9).

• “Love is just tolerance—accept everyone as they are.”

  • Current worldview: Love is redefined as unconditional acceptance, without discernment or judgment. To challenge someone’s lifestyle is seen as unloving.

  • Biblical response: Paul prays in Philippians 1:9 that love may “abound… with knowledge and all discernment.” Real love seeks what is excellent and leads to holiness. Love without truth is sentimentality; truth without love is harshness. True biblical love balances both (1 Corinthians 13:6, “Love rejoices with the truth”).

• “Faith is private and personal—it’s just between me and God.”

  • Current worldview: Individualism shapes how people view religion: faith is a personal preference, like a hobby, with no need for community involvement.
  • Biblical response: Paul rejoices in the Philippians’ “partnership in the gospel” (Philippians 1:5). Christianity is inherently communal. The church is a body, each part working together (1 Corinthians 12:12–27). Faith lived in isolation misses the gospel’s design: fellowship, accountability, and mission.

• “As long as I’m happy, that’s what matters.”

  • Current worldview: The pursuit of personal happiness is seen as life’s ultimate goal. Many choose relationships, careers, or lifestyles based only on self-fulfillment.
  • Biblical response: Paul prays not for the Philippians’ happiness but their holiness and fruit of righteousness (Philippians 1:10–11). The Christian’s goal is the glory of God, not self-centered pleasure. Joy comes from living in Christ, not chasing temporary satisfaction (John 15:11).

• “Truth is relative—what’s true for you may not be true for me.”

  • Current worldview: Postmodern culture denies absolute truth, especially in matters of faith and morality.
  • Biblical response: Paul anchors assurance in the “day of Christ” (Philippians 1:6, 10). God’s promises are unchanging, and His truth is universal. Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Truth is not subjective; it is embodied in Christ Himself.

🙋 Application Questions

1. Where do you need to embrace the humility of being a servant of Christ?
2. Who in your life has been a partner in the gospel, and how can you thank God for them?
3. How does the assurance of Philippians 1:6 bring comfort in your struggles?
4. What steps can you take to make your love abound in both knowledge and discernment?

🔤 Greek Keywords

• δοῦλος (doulos) — servant/slave
• ἅγιος (hagios) — saint, holy one
• κοινωνία (koinonia) — fellowship, partnership
• αἴσθησις (aisthesis) — discernment, perception
• δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosynē) — righteousness

📚 Cross References

• Acts 16:13–34 — Founding of the Philippian church.
• Romans 8:29–30 — God’s work from predestination to glorification.
• 1 Corinthians 1:8–9 — God will sustain believers to the end.
• Colossians 1:9–10 — Prayer for knowledge, wisdom, and fruitfulness.
• John 15:4–5 — Bearing fruit by abiding in Christ.

📦 Next Study

Next Study → Philippians 1:12–26 – Christ Preached in Chains