This epistle sets before us the beauty of Christian experience.
The world's policy is to be polite, pay your bills, do good when you can and be friends with those of your own class in society. This is all for self-esteem; there is nothing in it for God because there is not a new nature.
With a new nature there is love even when the love is not returned. Divine love, which every believer has in his heart, spends without the thought of receiving again.
Doctrine is not the main point in this letter, although all of Paul's letters contain some. We learn here the resources that are opened to us in this life, and the motive that governs us.
In the letter we have the Christian life in its highest and most perfect expression, as Christ in His life is set before us giving the normal condition under the power of the Spirit.
The occasion for this letter was probably the gift of fellowship that Paul had received from the Philippian saints at the time that he was in the prison. We see how much truth and encouragement there can be in a letter of thanks for a gift.
Oh, how the fruits of the new nature flow out when the soul is under duress! How much Christ is seen in the sickness and trial of the saints, and here especially with Paul in prison. Some of the most beautiful, deep, spiritual hymns were written by saints when under deep trial.
At that time there were elders and deacons who had been appointed, but soon they would be gone and so would the apostles.
Common affection of Christians one for another is the pervading spirit of this letter.
The saints at Philippi carried on the work of the gospel which Paul was unable to do while in prison. There were various ways in which it was carried out, but Paul rejoiced in that it was carried on regardless of methods used.
There had always been the spirit of succor for the apostle in his labors. Now this immediate care draws forth the apostle's heart to them in a special way. The fruit seen as the result of their labors gave witness to the apostle of their state of soul. They labored in the gospel. God who had begun a good work in their souls would fulfill it until the day of Jesus Christ.
The apostle desired that their work should not be guided only by service and love, but also by godly wisdom and understanding.
Salvation is viewed not from our sins here, but as a result to be obtained at the end of the journey. Being victorious over every difficulty is called salvation here.
The apostle being absent, the assembly had to maintain the conflict. They were cast upon God for grace and strength.
Although Paul was in prison, God's power rose above that of the enemy, so that all circumstances worked for the furtherance of the gospel. The gospel was made known in the palace, even as Paul was told upon his conversion that he would stand before kings. The saints would be more apt to testify before men without fear because of the apostle's imprisonment.
There were false brethren and jealous Christians who preached, but Paul rejoiced, no matter how the gospel was preached. The apostle rejoiced even though God had laid him aside. All this turned to his salvation, not the salvation of his soul (that was already accomplished at the cross of Christ), but his mission in life was completed by the saints' preaching in his stead.
We must remember that this letter was written shortly before the apostle was slain by Nero. Paul was not cast down but gloried in the work he had shared which would continue by the Lord among the saints at Philippi.
Paul lived for Christ; for him to die was gain because he would be with Christ. He thought only of the need of the Philippian saints, the need for their souls, that they might grow in grace. He decided the question of his own future; it was for one assembly that he would remain for a short time. It was God, not Nero, who made the decision of Paul's life or death. He felt that the assembly needed him for their building up, and he desired that the assembly be what it should be for Christ, that their conduct should be worthy of Christ. Is our conduct worthy of Christ?
Paul desired that the assembly might have constancy and firmness in unity of heart and mind among themselves, being fearless of the enemy in their conflict.
Only the presence of the Holy Spirit can keep the saints together acting in unison. It was given to them, by grace, to suffer for Christ as well as to believe on His name.