1/29/2019

Philippians l:29-30

²⁹ For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

³⁰ engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

A first question to understanding Scripture is, "can it be understood to apply to those to whom it is written?” The context and verse 30 give a yes answer to this question.

The suffering in Verse 29 applies immediately and primarily to those who received Paul’s letter. It is only after we do this that we can apply it in general to those who believe in Him. We do not know to what exact extent the Christians in Philippi suffered. The quality of suffering differs, this we do know. And that there are different kinds of suffering we know also.

But that there is future trib­ulation which the church will or will not suffer is strange in the face of what Paul has written in this text. This about which he writes may be as bad as suffering can be. We do not know.

What we do know is this suffering is a gift to them. It is a “gift" not only to believe in Him, but to suffer for His sake." Are all God’s gifts good?