Philippians 1:1
Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Paul joins Timothy with himself as servants of Jesus Christ, united in harmony, Christian fellowship, and tender union of heart toward the newly converted believers at Philippi. He addresses all the believers there as saints in Christ Jesus, together with their bishops and deacons. He greets them with grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, expressing gratitude for their conversion and interested, joyful prayer for them.
To be called saints in Christ Jesus means to belong to Christ as a community and to be subjects and citizens of the kingdom of heaven. Being called saints does not mean they are already perfect in character or beyond danger of falling; they are men and women striving against temptation, whose standing as saints is in Christ while they still need to grow and overcome. As saints they are called to stand firm in the faith and guard against strife, vain glory, selfishness, and dishonesty.
They are called to live in good works and Christlike character in a way that honors the gospel. The greeting sets the pattern for ministers to show the same tender, grateful, joyful spirit toward churches newly come to the faith, and for churches so to live that ministers can make request to God for them with joy.