On Being Partners Together in the Gospel
Hey partners, lets do it. What do you mean by “partnership”? And what is “it” that we are to be doing? As we hear the Philippian letter “partnership” is heard at the beginning (1:5, 1:7) and ending (4:14, 4:15) of Paul’s very personal communique from a Roman prison cell to the congregation (all the saints) in a very Roman city. What did partnership mean then and there and what does it mean here and now?
It means a long-time relationship, from the first days until now (1:5b); the beginning of the gospel in Macedonia (4:15ff). Such a partnership is not easily dissolved.
Partnerships often involve a business venture and money. Since the giving and receiving of money is evident (4:15) perhaps the partnership is purely a business matter. Yes. money is there, but much more. See this same partnership word for the monies being collected by Gentile churches for the Jewish saints in Jerusalem (Rom. 15:26; 2 Cor. 9:13). It is a unity matter of the Gospel in diverse ethnic and cultural settings.
It is a partnership in the defense and confirmation of the gospel (1:7); striving side by side for the faith of the Gospel (1:27ff). Partnership in the Gospel is a fighting matter. Beware of western genre of comrades who strap on their guns and walk side by side to kill the enemy or be killed. Beware also of the conflict jargon of our day. Paul points to Christ as the model (2:5-10) for the defense and striving side by side for the faith of the Gospel.
Some may ask where we get this partner idea. My Bible (KJV) says “fellowship.” Right on, the word is koinonia = to share together, to have in common. The word connotes friendship then and now. Friendship is there. Philippians is often called a FRIENDSHIP letter. Look at all the persons Paul names in the letter. But partnership in the gospel in more than having a nice group of friends with whom we can worship and eat. It is a fellowship or friendship that is unto the advance of the Gospel (1:12).
Partnership is ethical. It is living a manner of life worthy of the gospel (1:27). This partnership word is heard in 3:10 where Paul’s manner of life is in sharp contrast to those enemies of the cross whose god is their belly and whose mind is on earthly things (3:17-19).
To complete this partnership idea in Philippians we should recognize that it is a partnership of grace (1:7) the most prominent word in this letter, and it is a partnership in the Spirit (2:1). Wow, what a partnership! By God’s grace and the working of his Spirit, let’s do it.
—Tom Yoakum