Vol 02 - Php_1:1-7

Php 1:1-7 "Not all the blood of beasts, On Jewish altars slain, Can give my guilty conscience peace, Or wash away my stain."

"What things were gain to me, I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss.... and dung," etc. He himself rejoiced in Christ; and his joy in the Philippians was their fellowship in that.’ And now, how sweet is that fellowship souls find in the gospel. Our communion is not in sentiments and views, because, on this point, or on that, we see eye to eye, but as the redeemed of the Lord, as those who can unite to sing, " Thou wart slain, and halt redeemed us to God by Thy blood." So whatever mars the gospel, will disturb fellowship. "What communion hath light with darkness?" Harassed as the Apostle had been by trials and failures, his heart found its joy in turning to the Philippians; and it was because of their abiding fellowship in the gospel. This led to that earnest contention for the faith which characterized them. " Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye are all partakers with me of grace." That soul that knows most fully the value of the gospel of Jesus Christ, whose only rest is under the shelter of the cross, will be the last to dishonor His precious name; the first to maintain His glory. It was not in the power of persecution to turn away the Philippians from the gospel, to rob their hearts of the joy they had therein. The feeling the Apostle had- "None of these things move me" - was responded to by them. Was he ready not to be bound only, but to die for the name of the Lord Jesus?-so were they. ’Tis wonderful to see what sympathy this happy company had in all the Apostle was engaged in-their full reception of his gospel at the first, their continuance therein, their service to him in communicating to his wants while bearing that gospel to others, proving the value they set on it, and the love they had to him as the Lord’s messenger, and lastly, as the prisoner of the Lord. They realized that it was given to them in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake. The day is coming which will try every man’s religion of what sort it is. Indeed, the trial has set in; and only those will stand witnesses for God, and witnesses for Christ, who, by His own blessed Spirit, have had their hearts opened to receive Christ, and are " kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation." "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in heavenly places."