Section 9
Him, but also to suffer on His behalf." The Greek word translated "in" means into. The use of this word here implies the organic union the believer has with Christ through believing in Him. To believe in Christ is to have our being merged into His that the two may be organically one. To suffer on behalf of Christ, after receiving Him and being made one with Him through believing, is to participate in, to have the fellowship of, His sufferings (Phil. 3:10), that we may experience and enjoy Him in His sufferings. This is to live Him and magnify Him in a situation that rejects and opposes Him.
In Philippians 1:30 Paul concludes, "Having the same struggle which you saw in me and now hear to be in me." Paul was a pattern set up by God's grace for His New Testament economy (1 Tim. 1:14-16). The New Testament believers should experience and enjoy Christ by living and magnifying Him as Paul did in his sufferings for Christ, that they may be partakers with him of grace.
PAUL'S ENJOYMENT OF GRACE
In Philippians 1:7 Paul tells the Philippians that they "are all partakers with me of grace." Par takers of grace are those who share and enjoy