Philippians 1:27-30 (NIV)
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
Paul’s “whatever happens” refers principally to his own situation. Whether he lives and is freed, whether he lives and continues to be imprisoned, or even if he dies, he wants to rest secure in the knowledge that the faith of the Philippians has not been negatively affected by his own status, but that they will continue on in growing God’s Kingdom.
But in addition to that, Paul’s “whatever happens” also includes the things that could happen to the Philippians themselves. The Philippians were continuing to experience opposition and even persecution from those opposed to the gospel. Paul wanted to reassure them that persecution was the natural lot of Christians (John 16:33), and that in their persecutions they would be blessed (Matthew 5:10-12).
Paul points out here that the perseverance of the Saints under opposition, mistreatment, and out-and-out persecution is actually a miracle, a divine sign that God is with them, supporting them, strengthening them, and empowering them. Conversely, it is also a sign to unbelievers that God is against them and, unless they repent, they will be destroyed, and that without remedy. That is why so many persecutors, when faced with the supernatural perseverance of God’s people, tend to double down and increase their efforts to turn them away from God, or destroy them in the process. They cannot accept that their failure points to their own destruction.
Paul assures the Philippians that, just as he had been their partners in the work of the Kingdom and in their growth and maturity, so now he was their partner in suffering. His identification with them, real not manufactured, was designed to assure them of mutual prayer support and the encouragement that comes from it. As they are praying for Paul, so he is praying for them.
Father, we in America do not at present have much in the way of persecution. But that status is not guaranteed for the future. It is good to know from Your word and from Jesus own lips that he has overcome the world on our behalf, and that the prayers of our brothers and sisters in Christ will be powerful on our behalf if we ever need them. In this time of relative quiet, help those of us who are not being persecuted to lift up our brothers and sisters who are facing hardships because of their love for Jesus and their commitment to his gospel, so that we can be building our own faith and our own spiritual strength in preparation for a future time when we may need it. Amen.