Phil. 1:27. Only let your manner of life be worthy of the Gospel of Christ,
I only require this of you: that you make progress in virtue. He lives worthy of the Gospel who has denied himself, taken up the cross, and followed Christ.
Phil. 1:27. so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear about you,
He says this not because he changed his desire and as if he no longer intends to come to them. But if, he says, by some chance I did not come, then I can even while absent rejoice in your life according to the Gospel. Therefore do not lose heart if I do not come, but be vigilant, since I will certainly find out how you conduct yourselves.
Phil. 1:27. Only that you stand in one spirit, striving together with one soul for the faith of the Gospel,
That is, in one and the same gift of like-mindedness. For only in this way do the like-minded have, as it were, one soul, that is, when one spirit lives in them. "Striving together with one accord for the faith," that is, helping one another in the struggle for the faith.
Phil. 1:28. and are in nothing frightened by your adversaries:
I do not say, he writes, simply: do not waver, but also do not be frightened, that is, do not be troubled by anything, even if they threaten you with danger, or frighten you with death; for they can do nothing, only threaten — so weak are they.
Phil. 1:28. This is for them a sign of perdition, but for you – of salvation.
When they see that all their countless machinations are unable to frighten you, will they not consider this a clear proof that their cause will perish, while yours will remain firm and indestructible, and at the same time salvific.
Phil. 1:28. And this is from God,
Phil. 1:29. Because unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.
Calling suffering for Christ a gift, Paul gives the Philippians two following instructions: first, that they should not be ashamed and should not lose heart during sufferings; second, that they should not be proud, because all this, he says, is from God. He also calls virtue a gift. He says this not because he does not acknowledge free will, but in order to teach them to think of themselves humbly; because without God we can do nothing. Perhaps this gift is greater than the gift of raising the dead, because there I am a debtor, but here I have Christ as my debtor. O wonder! He grants me a gift and through this very thing remains in my debt.
Phil. 1:30. Having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear about in me.
He shows that they are fighting for the same cause and enduring the same things as he; and this testifies to their great virtue. You, he says, have in me an example, because you know that I endured sufferings before your eyes, when, indeed, I was punished and thrown into prison; you even now hear about this.