The word gospel literally means “good news” and occurs 93 times in the Bible, exclusively in the New Testament. The gospel is, broadly speaking, the whole of Scripture; more narrowly, the gospel is the good news concerning Christ and the way of salvation.
Philippians 1:5: “…because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”
- Grammatical Usage: “partnership” or in the Greek, “koinonia” meaning, “contributing, participating, sharing”; “gospel” or “euaggelion” meaning, “good news”.
- Literal Interpretation: “…how we have worked together – contributing, participating and sharing the Gospel from the earliest days until now.”
- Contextual/Comparison: God keeps His Word: God continually uses His Word. Think what the gospel has done for and with those of us who are saved. Because the gospel has done so much for us and with us:
- WE ARE TO SHARE THE GOSPEL
In v. 5 we read of “partnership in the gospel”, or as the KJV has it, “fellowship in the gospel”. This word “fellowship” conveys a joint participation in a common interest and activity – in other words, it speaks of those things which we share in the gospel. Of course, we are to share the gospel with the lost (1 Corinthians 9:16), but the thought here is of “fellowship in the gospel” as, for example, in 2:22 and 4:3, where we get two beautiful illustrations of fellowship in service. Consider the following ways in which we are to share the gospel:
- We are to be thankful for one another. Look at 3. Every time Paul thought of the Philippian Christians, Mr. A., Mrs B., Miss C., (and they surely had plenty of faults and failings!), he thanked God for them. This is true Christian fellowship, or partnership.
- We are to be prayerful for one another ( 4). What a pray-er Paul was! In vv. 9-11 we are told what he prayed for his friends, that they might be:
(1) more loving
(2) more discerning
(3) more spiritual
(4) more sincere
(5) more fruitful
- We are to be loving towards each other. Look at 7, and note the word “heart”, and then read v. 8 followed by John 13:34-35.
- WE ARE TO SAFEGUARD THE GOSPEL
See what Paul says in v. 7: “defending and confirming the gospel” and in v. 16: “the defense of the gospel”; and in v. 27: “contending as one man for the faith of the gospel.”
- When Paul wrote this epistle the gospel had many enemies, and the gospel has many enemies today, therefore we must obey the warning in 2 Timothy 4:3 (and 3:1-8), and the exhortation in Jude 3.
- Let us ever remember that we are living in days of apostasy. Many are preaching “a different gospel” (Galatians 1:6), but we are put in trust with the true gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:4) and we must at all costs be faithful to our trust (1 Timothy 1:11; 6:20).
- Today, all the great truths relating to the Person and Work of our Lord Jesus Christ are questioned, and indeed denied. For instance: (1) His virgin birth (Matthew 1:18-25); (2) His virtuous life (John 8:46); (3) His vicarious death (2 Corinthians 5:21); (4) His victorious resurrection (Romans 1:4); and (5) His visible return (Revelation 1:7).
- The inspiration and the authority of the Bible are questioned, and the destructive forces of liberal theology and of a thousand heresies have invaded our beloved land.
When we are threatened with attack, defense becomes an urgent necessity. Let us rise up and defend the Faith and let us do it fearlessly.
- WE ARE TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL
- 12 tells us this, and the surest way of counteracting error is to spread the Truth! How?
- By preaching it – as we are commanded in Matthew 28:19, and as we see it illustrated in Acts 8:4.
- But look at Philippians 1:12: the gospel is spread by our favorable reaction to the things which “happen” to us, especially the testing things. The best illustration of this is in Acts 16:22-25. Paul and Silas prayed, worshipped, sang “and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Suppose they had groaned, grumbled and growled? The prisoners would still have heard them but what a poor testimony it would have been!
What has “happened” to you lately? Has your reaction advanced or retarded the gospel? We have all the sufficiency of His grace to enable us to “spread” the gospel in every situation and circumstance (2 Corinthians 12:9).
- WE ARE TO SHOW THE GOSPEL
- 27 makes this clear. We are to conduct ourselves, that is behave ourselves, in a manner which is worthy of the gospel (Philippians 2:15). Does our behavior correspond with the gospel? Is our faith working (James 2:17; Titus 2:10)?
The power of being able to share, safeguard, spread and show the gospel is in Philippians 2:13: “For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.”
- Conclusion: Am I willing to let God exercise His will through me?
