John Calvin Commentary Philippians 1:29

"because to you it hath been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer in his behalf:" — Philippians 1:29 (ASV)

To believe. He wisely connects faith with the cross by an inseparable connection, so that the Philippians may know that they have been called to the faith of Christ on this condition — that they endure persecutions on his account. It is as though he had said that their adoption can no more be separated from the cross than Christ can be torn apart from himself.

Here Paul clearly testifies that faith, as well as constancy in enduring persecutions, is an unmerited gift of God. And certainly, the knowledge of God is a wisdom too high for us to attain by our own acuteness, and our weakness shows itself in daily instances in our experience when God withdraws his hand for a little while. To indicate more clearly that both are unmerited, he says expressly — for Christ’s sake, or at least that they are given to us on the basis of Christ’s grace, by which he excludes every idea of merit.

This passage also conflicts with the doctrine of the Schoolmen, in maintaining that gifts of grace subsequently conferred are rewards of our merit, on the basis of our having made a right use of those previously bestowed. I do not deny, indeed, that God rewards the right use of his gifts of grace by bestowing grace more abundantly upon us, provided that you do not place merit, as they do, in opposition to his unmerited liberality and the merit of Christ.