Isolated in his Roman imprisonment, we can well imagine that Paul's thoughts would

continually travel to the various groups of God's children his faithful ministry had been

the means of founding.  At least the Roman Praetorian guard could not chain his

thoughts, nor the Word of God! (II Tim. 2: 8, 9). Neither could they stop his Christian

witness, as the rest of the chapter clearly testifies, for there was still abundant fruit, even

though he was chained to a Roman soldier night and day. Every time he thought of the

Philippian church he felt extremely grateful to God for them, not only because in their

practical love for him they had sent him a gift, but also because they had shared in the

work and witness of the gospel from the first day of the founding of their assembly by the

Apostle. Thus they were constantly in his prayers with joy in his heart.

Although this is an epistle of suffering, testing, and sacrifice (1: 29, 30; 2: 17; 3: 7, 8),

yet paradoxically it is the epistle of joy and rejoicing (1: 4, 18; 2: 16, 17, 18, 28; 3: 1;

4: 4, 10). This only goes to show that the believer need not be unduly affected by his

environment. Trying though it may be, by the grace and strength of God he can rise

above it and become "more than conqueror" (Rom. 8: 37). Joy is one of the fruits of

the Spirit (Gal. 5: 22), and this is not something that fluctuates from day to day as it does

not depend upon anything external, but is an abiding possession given by the Spirit of

God and centres around all the spiritual wealth that exists in Christ. Later on in this

epistle Paul is going to reveal how he could be independent of all circumstances

(Philippians 4: 11-13). A careful consideration of the occurrences of the word `joy' will

throw a flood of light upon this most attractive grace which advertises the Christian faith

so well. Long-faced Christianity does not win new adherents! On the other hand, it is

not the empty flippancy of the unbelieving world, which is so often mistaken for it.

The Philippian believers had shown the genuineness of their faith by their obedience

to the truth and their constant labour to make the gospel known, which was a good deal

more than the empty profession of words only. Paul was assured that this was an abiding

work:

Whatever God begins He finishes or perfects, and this is the final answer to those who

say one can be saved today and lost tomorrow. Moreover we must remember that there

are three tenses in salvation and redemption. We have been saved from the penalty of

sin. We are now being saved from its power. In resurrection, when our hope is realized

and we have the redemption of the body (Rom. 8: 23-25), we shall be saved from its

very presence, for we shall be presented "holy and blameless (Eph. 5: 27).

This very fact shows that God will complete the work of salvation which He began. If

this is not so, then Christ has died in vain. The two verbs `begin' and `finish' come

together again in Gal. 3: 3, "Are ye so foolish? having begun (enarchomai) in the

Spirit, are ye now made perfect (epiteleo) by the flesh?" Can the old sinful nature

complete what the Holy Spirit, in the new nature given to the believer, has commenced?

To ask the question is to answer it. In Philippians the completion will be realized in "the

day of Jesus Christ", or "the day of Christ" (Phil. 1: 10; 2: 16). In his last letter he just