Your Partnership in the Gospel
Php 1:3-5 I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now
Far from the concept of a clergy/laity division in which congregations are viewed as nothing much more than stupid sheep to be nothing more than lectured to and shorn, Paul view those he ministered to as partners in the gospel with himself. I expect those to whom I am writing to be partners in the gospel and not mere readers. And this should be the expectation and hope of all who are involved in Christian ministry, that all in the Christian community would together be partners in the gospel, actively involved in the ministry of the propagation of the gospel in some manner. And such activities should not be viewed jealously as competition, but rather welcomed as cooperation on a global scale.
However, realize that Paul is not thanking them for their partnership. He is thanking God. And this is characteristic of many of Paul's prayers of thanksgiving. If Christians are behaving as they should, it is God who should get the praise. For as we will learn in the next chapter, "it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Php 2:13 Therefore let us make sure to give credit to whom credit is due - namely to God be the glory, great things he has done.
Php 1:3-5 I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now
Far from the concept of a clergy/laity division in which congregations are viewed as nothing much more than stupid sheep to be nothing more than lectured to and shorn, Paul view those he ministered to as partners in the gospel with himself. I expect those to whom I am writing to be partners in the gospel and not mere readers. And this should be the expectation and hope of all who are involved in Christian ministry, that all in the Christian community would together be partners in the gospel, actively involved in the ministry of the propagation of the gospel in some manner. And such activities should not be viewed jealously as competition, but rather welcomed as cooperation on a global scale.
However, realize that Paul is not thanking them for their partnership. He is thanking God. And this is characteristic of many of Paul's prayers of thanksgiving. If Christians are behaving as they should, it is God who should get the praise. For as we will learn in the next chapter, "it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Php 2:13 Therefore let us make sure to give credit to whom credit is due - namely to God be the glory, great things he has done.
