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General Outlines of the Epistle to the Philippians

The Duties of Believers 
1. To Christ: let Christ be magnified in our body, whether by life or by death (Phil. 1:20)
2. To the gospel: stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together (Phil. 1:27)
3. To brothers: be in lowliness for the interests of others (Phil. 2:1-4)
4. To oneself: work out the salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12)
 
The Benefit in Christ
1. Be the saints (Phil. 1:1;
2. Have Consolation (Phil. 2:1);
3. Have hope (Phil. 2:19);
4. Trust in conversation (Phil. 2:24);
5. Rejoice (Phil. 3:3);
6. Be called to obtain the prize (Phil. 3:14);
7. Stand fast (Phil. 4:1);
8. Be of the same mind (Phil. 4:2);
9. Rejoice always (Phil. 4:4);
10. Have the peace of God (Phil. 4:7);
11. Rejoice greatly (Phil. 4:10);
12. Be strengthened to do all things (Phil. 4:13);
13. All one’s need is supplied (Phil. 4:19);
 
The Relation of Believers with Christ
1. His Position ---- “in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:1; 4:21);
2. His desire ---- “be with Christ” forever (Phil. 1:23);
3. His ministry ---- “for the work of Christ” (Phil. 2:30);
4. His view ---- “the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:8);
5. His goal ---- “gain Christ” (Phil. 3:8); “lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me” (Phil. 3:12); “for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14);
6. His hope ---- “wait for the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20);
7. His state of mind ---- “rejoice in the Lord” (Phil. 3:1; 4:4, 10 the original);
 
The Fellowship that Believers Shall Have
1. Have “fellowship” (koinonia) in the gospel (Phil. 1:5);
2. Have “fellowship” in Spirit (koinonia) (Phil. 2:1);
3. The “fellowship” (koinonia) of Christ’s suffering (Phil. 3:10);
4. The “fellowship” (koinonia) in the need of the Lord’s works (Phil. 4:15);
 
Reasons Worthy of Joy for Believers
1. For the fellowship of the church in the gospel (Phil. 1); 
2. For Christ is preached (Phil. 1:18);
3. For one’s deliverance (Phil. 1:18-19);
4. For the oneness of the church (Phil. 2:1-2);
5. Die for the Lord (Phil. 2:17);
6. For the purpose of seeing the brother one cares for (Phil. 2:28);
7. For the fruit of one’s works (Phil. 4:1); 
8. For living in the Lord only (Phil. 3:1; 4:4);
9. For thinking of the care of the church for oneself (Phil. 4:10);
 
The Relation of the Day of Christ with Believers
1. It is the day until which God will complete the good work in us (Phil. 1:6);
2. It is the day on which we shall give an account concerning our conversation (Phil. 1:10);
3. It is the day on which we shall give an account concerning our service (Phil. 2:16);
4. It is the day on which our body shall be transformed (Phil. 3:21);
5. It is the day that becomes a motive for us today (Phil. 4:5);
 
The Working of God in Believers
1. God makes us have fellowship in the gospel (Phil. 1:5-6);
2. God gives us help in tribulation (Phil. 1:19);
3. God works in us to will and to do for His good pleasure (Phil. 2:13);
4. God gives us peace and guards our hearts and minds (Phil. 1:5-6);
 
The Life Which Believers Should Have Together
1. Be partakers of grace (Phil. 1:7);
2. Be of the same mind (Phil. 1:5; 2:1-2);
3. Rejoice with others (Phil. 2:17-18);
4. Be fellow soldiers (Phil. 2:25);
5. Be fellow workers (Phil. 2:25);
6. Have the fellowship of His sufferings (Phil. 3:10; 4:14);
7. Join in following the example of the apostle (Phil. 3:17);
8. Labored with the apostle (Phil. 4:3; 2:22);
9. Companion in the Lord (Phil. 4:3);
 
The Mind in Christ
1. The Mind Full of Positiveness:
1) The mind of thanksgiving (Phil. 1:3-4); 
2) The mind of purpose (Phil. 1:5, 11);
3) The mind of assurance (Phil. 1:6-7);
4) The mind of love (Phil. 1:8-11);
5) The mind of hope (Phil. 1:12-21);
6) The mind of optimism (Phil. 1:22-26);
7) The mind of boldness (Phil. 1:27-30);
2. The Mind Full of Gentleness:
1) The mind of oneness (Phil. 2:1-2);
2) The mind of humbleness (Phil. 2:2-4);
3) The mind of being united with the Lord (Phil. 2:5-11);
4) The mind of obedience (Phil. 2:12-16);
5) The mind of joy (Phil. 2:17-18);
6) The mind of working with the same mind (Phil. 2:19-30);
3. The Mind Full of Wisdom:
1) The mind of relying in the Lord (Phil. 3:1);
2) The mind of bewaring of relying on the flesh (Phil. 3:2-6); 
3) The mind of wise knowledge (Phil. 3:7-14); 
4) The mind of discernment (Phil. 3:15-19); 
5) The mind of waiting for the Lord (Phil. 3:20-21); 
4. The Mind Full of Glory:
1) The mind of standing firm (Phil. 4:1-3); 
2) The mind of joy and peace (Phil. 4:3-7); 
3) The mind of goodness (Phil. 4:8-9); 
4) The mind of being content (Phil. 4:10-13); 
5) The mind of supplying the gift (Phil. 4:14-19); 
6) The mind of glorifying God (Phil. 4:20-23); 
 
Rejoice More in Life
1. The Foundation of a Joyful Life (Phil. 1:1-2):
1) Confirm that faith is the status of life;
2) Confirm that Christ is the motive of life;
3) Confirm that being responsible is the attitude of life; 
2. Rejoice in “the Maturation” (Phil. 1:3-8):
1) Be always grateful to God;
2) Know how to appreciate the advantages of others;
3) Be filled with hope and assurance toward the future;
4) Have right principles in conversation;
3. Rejoice in “the Growth of Life” (Phil. 1:12-20):
1) Love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment;
2) Approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense;
3) Be filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ;
4. Rejoice in “the Hope” (Phil. 1:1-12-20):
1) Be confident and more bold to speak the word, though being in prison;
2) whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached
3) according to Paul’s earnest expectation and hope that in nothing he shall be ashamed;
4) Christ will be magnified, whether by life or by death
5. Rejoice in “the Service” (Phil. 1:21-30):
1) Live in the flesh for the profit of others;
2) Testify the gospel of Christ by life;
3) Strive together for the faith of the gospel in one spirit, with one mind
4) Suffer for the Lord’s sake and have the same conflict;
6. Rejoice in “the Spiritual Fellowship” (Phil. 2:1-4):
1) Love in Christ and in spirit;
2) Have the same mind and thought;
3) Nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit
4) in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself
5) Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
7. Rejoice in “Letting the Mind of Christ in us” (Phil. 2:5-11):
1) The mind of emptying oneself and humbleness;
2) Become obedient to the point of death;
3) The mind of glorifying God the Father;
8. Rejoice in “Manifesting God” (Phil. 2:12-18):
1) Obey the working of God;
2) Be became obedient to the point of death;
3) Hold fast the word of life;
4) Rejoice together; 
9. Rejoice in “Working with the Same Mind” (Phil. 2:19-30):
1) Seek things of Jesus Christ with the same mind;
2) Be fellow workers in the gospel;
3) Care for the conditions of the church and one another;
10. Rejoice in “Knowing Christ” (Phil. 3:1-8a):
1) Know the difference between the reliance on the Lord and the flesh;
2) Know the difference between the positions of the past and the present;
3) Know the difference between the values of all things and Christ;
11. Rejoice in “Seeking Christ” (Phil. 3:8b-16):
1) Hold fast the goal of the pursuit;
2) Not have attained, but press on;
3) Press on according to the revelation of God and one’s personal degree;
12. Rejoice in “Right Imitation” (Phil. 3:17-21):
1) Follow the right example;
2) Avoid the wrong persons;
3) Wait for the Lord, the Savior; 
13. Rejoice in “Peace” (Phil. 4:1-7):
1) Be of the same mind with others;
2) Be anxious of nothing;
3) let your requests be made known to God by prayers;
14. Rejoice in “the Meditation on Good” (Phil. 4:8-9):
1) One shall have “positive” meditation;
2) One shall put what is received into practice.
15. Rejoice in “Being Content” (Phil. 4:10-13):
1) I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content;
2) Everywhere and in all things I have learned ---- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
16. Rejoice in “the Fellowship of the Gift” (Phil. 4:14-23):
1) Supply the need of the Lord’s service;
2) seek the fruit that abounds to your account;
3) Receive the full supply of God so that all the need is supplied;
4) Glory unto God; grace and peace to men;
 
Christ is All of the Life of Christians
1) Christ is the principle of the life of Christians (Phil. 1:12-30).
2) Christ is the model of the life of Christians (Phil. 5-11).
3) Christ is the goal of the life of Christians (Phil. 7-16).
4) Christ is the strength of the life of Christians (Phil. 4-13).

── Caleb Huang《Christian Digest Bible Commentary Series》

Translated by Mary Zhou