And I know that this will turn out to my salvation.

I. CONSIDER THE APOSTLE'S CONCERN FOR HIS OWN SALVATION. He does not refer here to his release from captivity, but to the salvation of his soul.

1. Salvation has several significations in Scripture. It sometimes means conversion, sometimes sanctification, sometimes glorification, - that is, some one or other of three different parts of it; or it signifies all three together. In the first sense it is a past act and complete; in the second, it is a present experience and progressive; in the third, a blessed expectation. The apostle does not use the word here in the first, but in the second and third senses.

2. We are not to suppose that he had any doubt concerning his salvation, but merely that he sought that spiritual growth and that enlargement of spiritual labors that would determine the degree of his blessedness hereafter.

II. HIS SALVATION WAS TO BE PROMOTED BY SANCTIFIED TRIALS. He refers here evidently to the perplexities and troubles by which ungentle and unloving brethren had tried "to raise up affliction to his bonds."

1. Affliction has no naturally sanctifying tendency. It embitters, it hardens, it deadens the soul.

2. It is affliction sanctified by a loving Father that deepens and purifies spiritual experience. (Hebrews 12:7-11.) There are two means suggested towards this end.

(1) Intercessory prayer. "This shall turn out to my salvation through your prayer;" for even a great apostle was dependent upon the intercession of the humble disciples of Philippi.

(2) The supply of the Spirit. "And the abundant supply of the Spirit of Christ." This supply, as the answer to their prayers, would minister to him joy, peace, holiness, strength, patience, and zeal. It is the Spirit proceeding from Christ, sent by Christ, who, taking the things of Christ, shows them unto us, and so establishes our safety.

III. THIS SALVATION IS IDENTIFIED WITH HIS SUCCESSFUL PROMOTION OF THE GOSPEL. "According to my earnest desire and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but as always, so now also with all boldness, Christ shall be magnified in my body whether by life or by death."

1. The supply of the Spirit justified his desire and hope that he would boldly proclaim Christ. He was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 1:12).

2. It would ensure the glorification of Christ in his body, by his labors if he lived, by his edifying patience and peace if he died.

IV. HIS CONVICTION OF THIS PACT. "I know that this will turn out to my salvation." He knew it:

1. From his knowledge of the discipline of the covenant.

2. From his knowledge of God's promises.

3. From his own past experiences of God's dealings with himself. - T.C.

I. PAUL HAD AS EXPECTATION.

1. This seems natural if we regard his character and temper.(1) He was a warm-hearted man, an intellectual man, a man, moreover, whose natural gifts had not been cramped but had a healthy development, and who had healthy cravings. While he did not think more highly of himself than he ought, neither did he think more meanly.(2) He was a born leader, not fitted for service so much as for rule: finding few or none with dignity enough to compel his homage. A man of ambition, with a splendid secular career before him.

2. When Jesus spoke to him Paul found a Master, and at once a new object of expectation and hope was found.

II. THE EXPECTATION WAS THAT CHRIST WOULD BE MAGNIFIED IN HIM.

1. Notice the change of self-estimate. Had Paul joined some secular cause he would have regarded himself as conferring a favour: but when he joined the Church he only congratulated himself on finding mercy. This self-abnegation was because he found Christ all in all.

2. He expected that Christ would be magnified in his body: it seems more natural for us to think his spirit. But the body is the manifestation of the spirit. In the spirit Christ is felt, in the body He is seen. If the life is degraded Christ is not in the spirit.

3. He expected that Christ would be magnified in his body irrespective of time or circumstance, life or death. Christ's grace is sufficient for this.

III. OF THIS EXPECTATION HE WAS NOT ASHAMED BUT ENTERTAINED IT BOLDLY.

1. Some Christians feel ashamed of a bold, vigorous magnification of Christ. "What will the world say?"

2. Some Christians feel afraid to magnify Christ. "What will the world do?"

(A. J. Bamford, B. A.)

I. "EXPECTATION" AND "HOPE" ARE WORDS WHICH CONNECT THE HEART WITH THE FUTURE.

II. NO POWER CAN SO LIGHT UP THE FUTURE AND THROW OVER IT THE HUES OF IMMORTAL BEAUTY AS CHILDLIKE TRUST IN GOD.

III. THE UNEXPECTANT AND HOPELESS MAN IS LIVING ONLY HALF A LIFE; but he who is living on false hopes and expectations is wasting life.

IV. IT IS RIGHT THAT THE BODY SHOULD BE TURNED TO MORAL ACCOUNT. Christ purchased the whole man. The passions are not to have their own wild way. The blood is not to be the master of the man.

V. THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING READY FOR LIFE OR DEATH.

(J. Parker, D. D.)

I. Every bad man is an injury to creation. God may, it is true, overrule this for the general good. If an unholy man has been of any service he has been made so in spite of himself; he never designed it or desired it. If he has, like a lighthouse, served as a warning to others, that is God's work. Every good man is useful and aims to be. But how is a good man to be useful.

I. BY MAGNIFYING CHRIST.

1. Christ is the most splendid object in existence.(1) He is highly thought of in heaven. There He is seen as He is.(2) He is highly thought of in hell. The destruction of the lost comes from His presence and glory.(3) But while heaven and hell in different ways acknowledge the greatness of Christ there are men on earth who entertain the lowest thoughts of Him, although it was on earth that He displayed His love. But there is a rapidly increasing number who count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Him.

2. While speaking of magnifying Christ it is proper to be reminded that there are some who do all they can to diminish Him.(1) Such are they who deny him.(2) But there are some who injure Christ though they deny Him not. They lessen Him as to the Divine dignity of His person, the magnitude of His work, the merits of His sacrifice.(3) There are those who magnify themselves under the pretence of magnifying Christ.

3. But while some dishonour Christ there are others who magnify Him. How?(1) Not by making Christ appear greater than He is — that is impossible. The highest created mind has never set conceived that He is so great as He is.(2) Not by a thoughtless chiming upon His name or by the use of a few phraseologies; but —(3) By receiving in the letter the truths respecting His incarnation, teaching, death, etc., and the spirit of those truths which give brightness to the intellect, love of righteousness to the heart, vigour and grace to the character, and bind the soul to the Infinite.

4. It was thus that Paul magnified Christ. Not only was the Christian system as a whole confirmed in Him, but its distinguishing doctrines.(1) That God is willing to pardon the chief of sinners.(2) That the power of God can make the greatest sinner ask for mercy.(3) That by the grace of God the greatest sinner may find mercy and be transformed into the greatest saint, apostle, missionary.

II. IN ORDER TO MAGNIFY CHRIST ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF OUR LIFE MUST BE SUBSERVIENT TO THAT END.

1. Our active services.

2. Our afflictions.

3. Our life and conduct.

4. Our death.

(Caleb Morris.)

I. HOW CHRIST IS MAGNIFIED IN THE CHRISTIAN'S LIFE. To magnify is to make great, or to. celebrate existing greatness. In the second sense only can Christ be magnified. Christ is magnified —

1. In the conversion of His people.

2. In their sanctification.

3. In their devoted labours in His cause.

4. In their trials and sufferings.

5. In the abiding results which their services secure.

II. HOW CHRIST IS MAGNIFIED IN THE CHRISTIAN'S DEATH.

1. By raising his soul above the dread which it naturally inspires.

2. By abiding hopes and consolations in his death.

3. Through the influence which his death exerts on those who survive.Conclusion: Our theme ought to lead us —

1. To see the power and glory of the Saviour.

2. The characters to whom only the text applies.

3. The grand aim of the Christian ministry.

4. That the Christian need not be painfully anxious about the events, of life.

(J. Burns, D. D.)

I. HOW IS THIS PRINCIPLE MANIFESTED. As God of course He cannot be made great; only in His mediatorial character. In this He is made great.

1. By God the Father (Philippians 2:10).

2. By the angels. They did so when He was on earth. They do so in heaven.

3. By every individual partaker of His great salvation; by Paul and us.

(1)In our firm belief of His vicarious sacrifice.

(2)In our self humility.

(3)In unshaken confidence.

4. In earnest evangelism.

5. In hopeful death.

II. IN WHAT DOES ITS EXCELLENCY APPEAR.

1. This is all men's moral obligation.

2. The God greatest moral excellence.

3. The only right principle of action.

4. Because always honours it.

(N. M. Harry.)

Found only here and in Romans 8:19. It means the waiting with the head raised, and the eye fixed on that point of the horizon from which the expected object is to come. What a plastic representation! An artist might make a statue of hope out of this Greek term.

(J. Hutchison, D. D.)

Christians, Paul, Philippians, Timotheus, TimothyPhilippiAlways, Anything, Ashamed, Belief, Body, Boldness, Christ, Courage, Death, Disappointed, Eager, Earnest, Either, Exalted, Expect, Expectation, Fear, Feel, Freedom, Fulfilment, Full, Glorified, Glory, Honored, Hope, Magnified, Measure, Nothing, Perfect, Reason, Shame, Speech, Strong, Sufficient, Whether1. Paul testifies his thankfulness to God, and his love toward the Philippians,
9. daily praying for their increase in grace;
12. he shows what good the faith of Christ had received by his troubles at Rome;
21. and how ready he is to glorify Christ either by his life or death;
27. exhorting them to unity;
28. and to fortitude in persecution.

Philippians 1:20

     5136   body
     5840   eagerness
     8221   courage, strength from God
     9615   hope, results of

Philippians 1:12-26

     5109   Paul, apostle

Philippians 1:20-21

     9315   resurrection, of believers

Philippians 1:20-23

     9022   death, believers

February 23. "For Me to Live is Christ and to Die is Gain" (Phil. I. 21).
"For me to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Phil. i. 21). The secret of a sound body is a sound heart, and the prayer of the Holy Ghost for us is, that we "may be in health and prosper even as our soul prospers." We find Paul in the Epistles to the Philippians expressing a sublime and holy indifference to the question of life or death. Indeed he is in a real strait, whether he would prefer "to depart and be with Christ," or to remain still in the flesh. The former would indeed be his sweetest …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

December 12. "To Abide in the Flesh is More Needful for You, and Having this Confidence, I Know that I Shall Abide" (Phil. I. 24, 25).
"To abide in the flesh is more needful for you, and having this confidence, I know that I shall abide" (Phil. i. 24, 25). One of the most blessed things about divine healing is that the strength it brings is holy strength, and finds its natural and congenial outflow in holy acts and exercises. Mere natural strength seeks its gratification in natural pleasures and activities, but the strength of Christ leads us to do as Christ would do, and to seek our congenial employment in His holy service. The …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Twenty Second Sunday after Trinity Paul's Thanks and Prayers for Churches.
Text: Philippians 1, 3-11. 3 I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with joy, 5 for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now; 6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ: 7 even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my bonds …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Walking Worthily
'Walk worthy of God.'--1 THESS. ii. 12. Here we have the whole law of Christian conduct in a nutshell. There may be many detailed commandments, but they can all be deduced from this one. We are lifted up above the region of petty prescriptions, and breathe a bracing mountain air. Instead of regulations, very many and very dry, we have a principle which needs thought and sympathy in order to apply it, and is to be carried out by the free action of our own judgments. Now it is to be noticed that there …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Loving Greetings
'Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 2. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3. I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, 4. Always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with joy, 5. For your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now; 6. Being confident of this very thing that He which began a good work …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A Prisoner's Triumph
'Now I would have you know, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the progress of the gospel; 13. So that my bonds became manifest in Christ throughout the whole praetorian guard, and to all the rest; 14. And that most of the brethren in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear. 15. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: 16. The one do it of love, knowing …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A Strait Betwixt Two
'To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 24. Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. 25. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith.'--PHIL. i. 21-25. A preacher may well shrink from such a text. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Citizens of Heaven
'Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 28. And in nothing terrified by your adversaries.'--PHIL. i. 27, 28. We read in the Acts of the Apostles that Philippi was the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a 'colony.' Now, the connection between a Roman colony and Rome was a great deal closer …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A Comprehensive Prayer
'And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment; 10. So that ye may approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ; 11. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.'--PHIL. i. 9-11 (R.V.). What a blessed friendship is that of which the natural language is prayer! We have many ways, thank God, of showing our love and of helping …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Good Man's Life and Death
If you would get a fair estimate of the happiness of any man you must judge him in these two closely connected things, his life and his death. The heathen Solon said, "Call no man happy until he is dead; for you know not what changes may pass upon him in life." We add to that--Call no man happy until he is dead; because the life that is to come, if that be miserable, shall far outweigh the highest life of happiness that hath been enjoyed on earth. To estimate a man's condition we must take it in …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

Paul's Desire to Depart
I hope that the service of this morning may have the effect of leading every one of us to self-examination. I shall endeavor while preaching to search myself, and I pray that each one of you may be led to hear for himself, and I beseech you to put home each pertinent and personal question to your own souls, while in a quiet, but I hope in a forcible manner, I shall endeavor to describe the apostle's feelings in prospect of departure. Three things I shall observe this morning. First of all, the apostle's …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859

7Th Day. Sanctifying Grace.
"He is Faithful that Promised." "He which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."--PHIL. i. 6. Sanctifying Grace. Reader! is the good work begun in thee? Art thou holy? Is sin crucifying? Are thy heart's idols, one by one abolished? Is the world less to thee, and eternity more to thee? Is more of thy Saviour's image impressed on thy character, and thy Saviour's love more enthroned in thy heart? Is "Salvation" to thee more "the one thing needful?" Oh! take heed! …
John Ross Macduff—The Faithful Promiser

Love and Discernment.
"And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all judgment: that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God."--PHIL. i. 9-11. One of the most beautiful elements in the Pauline Epistles is the intimate relation which evidently existed between the Apostle and his converts. This is especially the …
W. H. Griffith Thomas—The Prayers of St. Paul

Of the Desire after Eternal Life, and How Great Blessings are Promised to those who Strive
"My Son, when thou feelest the desire of eternal happiness to be poured into thee from above, and longest to depart from the tabernacle of this body, that thou mayest contemplate My glory without shadow of turning, enlarge thine heart, and take in this holy inspiration with all thy desire. Give most hearty thanks to the Supreme Goodness, who dealeth with thee so graciously, visiteth thee so lovingly, stirreth thee up so fervently, raiseth thee so powerfully, lest thou sink down through thine own …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

The Death of the Righteous
'For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.' Phil 1:1I. Paul was a great admirer of Christ. He desired to know nothing but Christ, and him crucified. I Cor 2:2. No medicine like the blood of Christ; and in the text, For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.' I. For to me to live is Christ. We must understand Paul of a spiritual life. For to me to live is Christ, i.e.' Christ is my life; so Gregory of Nyssa; or thus, my life is made up of Christ. As a wicked man's life is made up of sin, …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

A Believer's Privilege at Death
'For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.' Phil 1:1I. Hope is a Christian's anchor, which he casts within the veil. Rejoicing in hope.' Rom 12:12. A Christian's hope is not in this life, but he hash hope in his death.' Prov 14:42. The best of a saint's comfort begins when his life ends; but the wicked have all their heaven here. Woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.' Luke 6:64. You may make your acquittance, and write Received in full payment.' Son, remember that …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

For There were Even in the Apostles' Times Some who Preached the Truth Not...
16. For there were even in the Apostles' times some who preached the truth not in truth, that is, not with truthful mind: of whom the Apostle saith that they preached Christ not chastely, but of envy and strife. And on this account even at that time some were tolerated while preaching truth not with a chaste mind: yet not any have been praised as preaching falsehood with a chaste mind. Lastly, he saith of those, "Whether in pretence or in truth Christ be preached:" [2404] but in no wise would he …
St. Augustine—Against Lying

The Master's Hand
Heinrich Suso Phil. i. 21 "To me to live is Christ," and yet the days Are days of toiling men; We rise at morn, and tread the beaten ways, And lay us down again. How is it that this base, unsightly life Can yet be Christ alone? Our common need, and weariness, and strife, While common days wear on? Then saw I how before a Master wise A shapeless stone was set; He said, "Therein a form of beauty lies Though none behold it yet." "When all beside it shall be hewn away, That glorious shape shall stand, …
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

Therefore if Haply, which Whether it Can Take Place...
16. Therefore if haply, (which whether it can take place, I know not; and rather think it cannot take place; but yet, if haply), having taken unto himself a concubine for a time, a man shall have sought sons only from this same intercourse; neither thus is that union to be preferred to the marriage even of those women, who do this, that is matter of pardon. [1981] For we must consider what belongs to marriage, not what belongs to such women as marry and use marriage with less moderation than they …
St. Augustine—On the Good of Marriage

Concerning Lowliness of Mind.
HOMILY. Against those who improperly use the apostolic declaration which says, "Whether in pretence, or in sincerity, Christ is preached:" (Phil. i. 18), and about humbleness of mind. Introduction. There is an allusion at the beginning of this Homily to some remarks recently made on the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. These occur in Chrysostom's fifth Homily against the Anomoeans, one of a set of Homilies which, from internal evidence, may be assigned to the close of the year 386, or beginning …
St. Chrysostom—On the Priesthood

Second Day. God's Provision for Holiness.
To those that are made holy in Christ Jesus, called to be holy.'--1 Cor. i. 2. 'To all the holy ones in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi. Salute every holy one in Christ Jesus.'[1]--Phil. i. 1, iv. 21. HOLY! IN CHRIST! In these two expressions we have perhaps the most wonderful words of all the Bible. HOLY! the word of unfathomable meaning, which the Seraphs utter with veiled faces. HOLY! the word in which all God's perfections centre, and of which His glory is but the streaming forth. …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Effects of Messiah's Appearance
The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped: Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing. H ow beautiful and magnificent is the imagery, by which the Prophet, in this chapter, represents the effects of MESSIAH'S appearance! The scene, proposed to our view, is a barren and desolate wilderness. But when He, who in the beginning said, Let there be light, and there was light, condescends to visit this wilderness, the face of nature is …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

Divine Support and Protection
[What shall we say then to these things?] If God be for us, who can be against us? T he passions of joy or grief, of admiration or gratitude, are moderate when we are able to find words which fully describe their emotions. When they rise very high, language is too faint to express them; and the person is either lost in silence, or feels something which, after his most laboured efforts, is too big for utterance. We may often observe the Apostle Paul under this difficulty, when attempting to excite …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Greeks Seek Jesus. He Foretells that He Shall Draw all Men unto Him.
(in the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, a.d. 30.) ^D John XII. 20-50. ^d 20 Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast [The language indicates that they were Greek converts to Judaism, such as were called proselytes of the gate. It is also noted that as Gentiles came from the east at the beginning of Jesus' life, so they also came from the west at the close of his ministry]: 21 these therefore came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee [See p. 111. They were possibly …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

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