Philippians Study

This is part of a study I am doing with a younger accountability partner on the Rebelution. Hope you all enjoy! Please feel free to answer my questions to her, add to my thoughts, or tell me that I have something wrong... I am interested to hear what others think.

Here are my thoughts on five of the verses in Philippians 1.

Verse 6

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

This is a wonderful promise, isn't it? He will complete that good work in us. Even when things aren't' going so well, we can know that He will finish what He's begun. Have you felt that in your own life?

Verse 20

according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.

This relates to not wasting your life. That's how we should use our lives-- by magnifying Christ--isn't it? We need to pray for this kind of boldness so that Christ will be magnified in our lives. We have nothing to be ashamed of in Jesus Christ. We can live with boldness and confidence.

Verse 21

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

So either way, it is good if you are in Christ! That's pretty amazing! If we live-- we have Christ and we can do His work and grow closer to Him. Ad if we die-- we'll be with Him! How awesome is that?

Verse 27

Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,

"Let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ". What do you think that means? What kind of conduct is worthy of the gospel?

Verse 29

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

"It has been granted to you... also to suffer for His sake." Granted? That sounds like it is a privilege to suffer for Him-- as though He is allowing us to suffer for Him. That's an interesting thought. We are allowed to suffer for Him. Just like we're granted to believe in Him. What do you think? Am I thinking about this right?