Philippians 1:30

“having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me”

“Having the same”: “Your battle is my own battle” (Knox). “We are in this fight together” (Tay). “Take your part in the same struggle that you have seen me engage in” (Gspd). Suffering becomes more bearable when we get our minds off ourselves and realize that many Christians are enduring the same things (1 Peter 5:9). Paul and the Philippians stood together in their defense of the gospel and they also stood shoulder to shoulder in suffering, united against. common foe. “Conflict”: The word means contention,. fight, “related to our word agony. to be under. great strain” (Jackson p. 39). “Which ye saw in me”: When Paul had been among them, he had been beaten and thrown in jail (Acts 16:1).

“And now hear to be in me”: Besides hearing about all his other sufferings (2 Corinthians 11:22 ff); they had heard that Paul took such an uncompromising stand for the truth that he was willing to face the emperor to give an account of his preaching. That's how much confidence he had in the faith he professed.

“These Philippians, in their present sufferings, can have the encouragement and comfort of knowing that they have. part with the heroic old athlete in the glorious conflict he is waging for Christ and his gospel. In that conflict they all can be victorious” (Erdman p. 74). Believing and suffering go together (2 Timothy 3:12). Like the Philippians, we must choose to follow Christ, despite the cost. All faithful Christians today join in enduring all things for the sake of the gospel. “There is. tale of. veteran French soldier who came in. desperate situation upon. young recruit trembling with fear. ‘Come, son,' said the veteran, ‘and you and. will do something fine for France'. So Paul says to the Philippians, 'For you and for me the battle is one; let us do something fine for Christ'” (Barclay pp. 30-31). Paul did not expect the impossible of other Christians. He only required them to do what he had already done.