Beloved,
My destiny for this day, that the Lord has given me, became evident to me early this morning. While going threw the mail bag [email inbox] and coming to the Thomas Nelson KJV verse of the day from HarperCollins Christian Publishing. It showed Philippians 1:29. When I read it, out of context, a red flag went up that I had to study out. Did Paul just say that believing on Christ is given, literally? In the Theological discipline of Soteriology exists a chasm betwixt Calvinists and Wesleyan–Arminianism. Among other things, Sovereign Choice vs Free Will. My position from the Whole Council of Scripture, as has been made known to me through years of Bible study is there is a Holy Tension.
“Very often folks are afraid of the tension in Scripture between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. That is probably because our finite minds cannot fully grasp how both can be true. But God’s mind is not finite — He sees the end from the beginning and everything in between. And so we can be assured that even when we can’t figure out how two seemingly contrary things can both be true, God can. Rather than trying to figure out the secret things of God, we should allow the not-so secret things to have an impact on the way in which we live our lives.” — Devaney, Phil: A Holy Tension
First let’s look at the whole phrase, “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.” (vv. 29-30, KJV – Philippians 1, Bible Hub)
For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not onlyto believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me. (vv. 29-30, NAS95 – Philippians 1, Bible Hub)
For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. (vv. 29-30, ESV – Philippians 1, Bible Hub)
For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. (v. 29, NLT – Bible Hub)
ὅτι ὑμῖν ἐχαρίσθη τὸ ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ οὐ μόνον τὸ εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεύεινἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ πάσχειν (v. 29, TR – Bible Hub)
it is given: ἐχαρίσθη charizomai – Strong’s G5483 [occurs 580 times in 551 verses] to grant as a favor that is gratuitously in kindness pardon or rescue – LIT: it has been granted
behalf: ὑπὲρ hyper – Strong’s G5228 [occurs 13 times in 13 verses] for the sake of
of Christ: Χριστοῦ christos – Strong’s G5547 [occurs 90 times in 86 verses] anointed that is the Messiah an epithet of Jesus
to believe: πιστεύειν pisteuō – Strong’s G4100 [occurs 2 times in 2 verses] to have faith (in upon or with respect to a person or thing) that is credit; by implication to entrust (especially one´ s spiritual well being to Christ)
Philippians 1:29 Context
27Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 28And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. 29For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; 30Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me. ( Bible.org 1 ) ( Bible.org 2 ) ( Bible.org 3 ) ( Faithlife )
Philippians 1: ( Biblia ) ( Bible Hub ) ( NET Bible )( BLB )
Philippians: ( Bible Hub ) ( Bible.org ) ( NET Bible ) ( TTB w JVM ) ( Constable ) ( DBOTB )
Sorry, ran out of day, to be continued
Blessings,
Dave the Bible student
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