In 1:14 Paul goes on to say, “And most of the brothers being confident in the Lord in my bonds are more exceedingly daring to speak the word of God without fear.” Far from being a discouragement, Paul’s imprisonment was an encouragement, an encouragement to the brothers to speak the word of God without fear. I expect that instead of discouraging us the opposition today will encourage us to speak the word of God with boldness. May all the saints be stirred up to speak God’s word.
Paul’s suffering for the gospel also strengthened the brothers to suffer for Christ (1:28-30). In 1:28 he charges us not to be frightened in anything by the opposers. He says that this would be proof to them of destruction, but of our salvation. Destruction here refers to the destruction of all the opposers are and do, whereas salvation denotes the salvation of all we are and do. Paul’s strong example of suffering for Christ strengthened the brothers and made them willing to suffer for Him in carrying out God’s economy on earth.
In 1:29 Paul says, “Because to you it has been given on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer on His behalf.” The Greek word translated in means “into.” The use of this word here implies the organic union the believer has with Christ through believing in Him. To believe in Christ is to have our being merged into His that the two may be organically one. To suffer on behalf of Christ, after receiving Him and being made one with Him through believing, is to participate in, to have the fellowship of, His sufferings (3:10), that we may experience and enjoy Him in His sufferings. This is to live Him and magnify Him in a situation that rejects and opposes Him.
In 1:30 Paul concludes, “Having the same struggle which you saw in me and now hear to be in me.” Paul was a pattern set up by God’s grace for His New Testament economy (1 Tim. 1:14-16). The New Testament believers should experience and enjoy Christ by living and magnifying Him as Paul did in his sufferings for Christ, that they may be partakers with him of grace.
In 1:7 Paul tells the Philippians that they “are all partakers with me of grace.” Partakers of grace are those who share and enjoy the processed Triune God as grace. The apostle was such a one in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, and the saints at Philippi were joint-partakers with him in this grace. By grace Paul endured all the sufferings for the gospel. Participating in this enjoyment of grace with Paul for the furtherance of the gospel, the Philippian believers were one with Paul both in his suffering and in the enjoyment of grace.
In 1:8 Paul went on to say, “For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the inward parts of Christ Jesus.” This verse indicates that Paul experienced the inward parts of Christ. The Greek word rendered inward parts means “bowels.” It signifies inward affection, then tender mercy and sympathy. Paul was one with Christ even in His bowels, the tender inward parts, in longing after the saints.
Verses 7 and 8 belong together and should not be separated. Notice that verse 8 begins with the conjunction for. This indicates that grace is related to the inward parts of Christ. Paul partook of grace, for he longed after all the saints in the inward parts of Christ. To enjoy Christ is to be one in Christ’s inward parts. This refers not only to enjoyment, but also to living Christ. To live Christ is to abide in His inward parts and there to enjoy Him as grace.
Elsewhere in this chapter Paul speaks of magnifying Christ and living Christ. Experientially, to magnify Christ and to live Christ require that we remain in the inward parts of Christ. In simple words, this is to abide in Him. If we would be those in Christ, we must be in His inward parts. We need to be in His tender heart and delicate feelings. If we abide here, we shall enjoy Christ as grace and experience Him in a very practical way. As we experience Christ and enjoy Him as our grace, we shall be sustained in suffering for the gospel by caring for the accomplishment of God’s economy on earth today.