Against the mockery of his opponents, Paul asserted to his brothers and sisters in the Philippian church that his chains were not only not a hindrance for the Gospel, but were in fact serving to advance the Gospel.
In our last post on this passage, we noted that one way in which our chains serve to advance the Gospel: They exalt Christ. The imperial guard was apparently rocked by the Gospel, which they heard from the mouth of Paul and reinforced by his willingness to suffer for the Gospel. In our weakness, God's strength in magnified. Let us not be a den of self-righteous hypocrites who direct eyes to our own filthy rags! May we be willing to suffer the shackles of sin and suffering--following our Savior in His humilitation--that His glory might be made known.
Our chains accomplish another purpose: They give courage. Due to Paul's chains, other believers were emboldened to declare the Gospel without fear (v14). It is one thing to cling to the Gospel when it doesn't cost very much. But what about when it does? You may be scared of that very thought. So was Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor who opposed Hitler and fearlessly proclaimed the Gospel in the darkest days of the Reich. He worried about how he would respond to suffering and the possibility of death. Yet, when that day came, it was said by a German guard that he had never seen somebody so submissive to the will of God.
The chains of believers flesh out for other believers the sufficiency of God's grace. What are these present sufferings compared to the eternal glory set forth in Jesus Christ (Rom. 8)? In Paul, the Philippian church (and others) saw that the Gospel we proclaim is the Gospel that sustains us against everything the world can throw at us (and we can throw at ourselves). If Paul, facing death, can still be absorbed with the overwhelming desire to see Christ proclaimed, then God can surely sustain us as well. In the present day, when we learn of believers holding fast to Christ as they are being executed for His sake in Tanzania, Columbia, the Sudan, Nigeria, most all of southern Asia, and elsewhere--we know that we too can be given the strength of His Spirit if that day comes to us as well.
The reality is, we are all bound by chains. There is not a one of us that shares the Gospel from a point of sinlessness. Should that truth be convicting? Absolutely! Should it be paralyzing? Never! Even as Paul considers the malicious men who preach the Gospel while mocking him, he rejoices. He doesn't care about the motivation as much as he cares about the message: Christ is Savior and Lord (vv15-18).
The message is more important than the messenger of his motives. This truth flies in the face of modern trends to devalue doctrine as inconsequential, but elevate a person's piety as if it is all that matters. A struggling sinner in the pew who clearly shares the Gospel is of infinitely more value the greatest religious figure in the world's eyes, if that figure so happens to diminish the truth, beauty, and power of the Gospel in any respect. Does this mean that our lives and good works don't matter? Not at all. But our goal is to show forth the life and saving work of Christ beyond all things.
Brothers and sisters, take courage in your chains. Christ Jesus bore the chains, the whip, the nails, the cross--even your sin. The Gospel is that Jesus Christ did this for the worst of sinners, like you and me. Let us refocus our lives--not on being good people, but entrusting ourselves, our growth, and our perseverence to our Good Shepherd. Chains restrain the sinner; They proclaim the Gospel.
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