Rejoice! Again, I Say, Rejoice!

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the book of Philippians, which has profound implications for how believers inside and outside of prison walls respond to things that are effecting everyone in one way or another, and those circumstances that are unique to each individual. 

Paul recognized that he was a servant (1:1) of the one who, for our sakes, became a servant, and endured the painful and shameful death of the cross (2:5-11) so that we might, in Him, after our own participation in His sufferings, also be exalted (3:7-21). This gave Paul great confidence to endure all things for the sake of Christ and His people and even rejoice in adverse circumstances, knowing that everything that happened came to him from the hand of Christ, his faithful master, and was designed for God’s glory and the everlasting joy of the saints, a joy that belongs to believers even in the present. This is why, although Paul wrote Philippians while he was in prison (vv. 1:7, 13, 14, and 17), this epistle is suffused with mentions of joy (1:4, 25, 2:2, 29, 4:1) and rejoicing (1:18 [x2], 2:17, 2:28, 4:10) and exhortations to rejoice (2:18, 3:1, 4:4 [x2], 10). Because Paul belonged to Christ, he could rejoice that as a result of his imprisonment: the gospel was being spread throughout the whole praetorian guard (1:12-13); others, by his example, were being emboldened to proclaim the Word of God without fear (1:14); and Christ was being exalted in his body (Philippians 1:20), for it was through that strength supplied by Christ that Paul was able to endure all affliction, and do so with rejoicing (4:10-14). Paul could also rejoice that while some evil men were preaching Christ with the intent of stirring up more trouble for him, the Gospel of Christ was nevertheless being proclaimed (1:15-18). Paul could even rejoice when faced with the prospect that he may live or die, for he knew that if he lived, he lived for Christ, and would have more opportunity for fruitful service, and if he died, then it would all the more be for his gain, for he would be in the immediate presence of Christ (1:21-26).  

Believers have every reason to be full of joy and ought to rejoice in all things. Everything is part of God’s good plan and is directed to good ends, even those things that are otherwise bad in themselves. Although we don’t know all the reasons for any event, as the servants of Christ we can bear up under such things and even respond to them in joy, knowing that in one way or another they are promoting the glory of God, the extension of His kingdom, and our own eternal good and final enjoyment of Him.