The apostle Paul begins his letter to the Philippian church with gratitude to God for them. He identifies them with the Holy Spirit by calling them "holy ones" in Christ Jesus. This singular identification among every Christian unites us all to be set apart for God's purposes. In effect, all Christians are united by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As a result of this unity, Paul was specifically thankful for their participation in the Gospel. His appreciation was naturally filled with joy. Our joy should blossom in the same way as Paul’s did namely, from a Gospel centered unity in the church that leads to every member's participation.