In the book of Galatians the Spirit is for us to take Christ as our life and live Him, and in Ephesians the Spirit is for the Body life. Between these two books, the revelation of Christ as the Spirit may seem complete. However, these books do not give us the secret of how to apply Christ as our life. Therefore, after these books we have Philippians, which reveals the secret of experiencing Christ as our life and everything. Philippians contains not merely doctrinal teachings but the different aspects of the experience of Christ. In Philippians, Christ is the all-inclusive Spirit for our experience. In chapter 1, Christ is our expression, and we magnify Him in any kind of circumstance (vv. 20-21). In chapter 2, Christ is our pattern and example (vv. 5-8). In chapter 3, Christ is our aim and goal, the One whom we pursue and toward whom we press (vv. 7-11). Then in chapter 4, Christ is not only our outward pattern for us to follow but our inward power, empowering us all the time in every circumstance (v. 13). We need to read Philippians with the point of view that Christ is our expression, pattern, aim, and power. In all these matters, the way, the secret, of experiencing Christ is the all-inclusive Spirit.
The experience of Christ in Philippians is mostly in four aspects, related to our circumstances, the unbelievers, the believers, and God. First, we magnify Christ in any kind of circumstance, condition, state, or situation, whether through life or through death. We overcome all the troubles and hardships, and nothing can oppress, depress, suppress, or overcome us. Second, in order to magnify Christ, we need to preach and impart Him to the unbelievers, presenting Him as the good tidings. This is the reason that this book mentions the preaching of the gospel, the good work begun by the Lord in us (1:5-7, 12-14, 18, 27). Third, in order to magnify Christ, we must fellowship with the believers. This is more glorious. We present Christ and impart Him to the unbelievers, and we also serve Him to the believers, fellowshipping the glorious Christ with one another. In this way the experience of Christ is related both to the unbelievers and the believers. Fourth, we magnify Christ by serving and worshipping by the Spirit of God (3:3).
At the time he wrote this Epistle, the apostle Paul was inprison where he suffered much. Because the Philippian believers were concerned for the apostle and because the church in Philippi had been raised up by Paul, they had fellowship with him in his affliction (4:14). The Philippians also had fellowship and cooperation in the spreading, the advance, of the gospel. In addition, Paul spoke of “fellowship of spirit” (2:1). Paul needed fellowship in prison, and the Philippians also needed fellowship in spirit. As the children of God, all the believers need fellowship with one another. Moreover, we also need to worship God in a proper way. Therefore, in order to experience Christ, we must magnify Christ in every kind of circumstance, present Christ to the unbelievers, fellowship Christ with the believers, and worship God in Christ and with Christ.
Verse 19 of chapter 1 says, “For I know that for me this will turn out to salvation through your petition and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” In the whole Bible only this verse speaks of the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Whatever happened to Paul turned out to his salvation. It was not a damage or a loss to him but a salvationbecause of the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. By this supply Paul could magnify Christ in any kind of situation and under any kind of circumstance. Verses 20 and 21 continue, “According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I will be put to shame, but with all boldness, as always, even now Christ will be magnified in my body, whether through life or through death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Paul was put to shame in nothing because whether through life or through death Christ was magnified in his body through the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. To him, everything was glorious, whether to live or to die. It is only by the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ that to live is Christ and to die is gain.