Philippians 1:27-30
“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the
gospel of Christ…”
In the first 26 verses of Philippians, Paul does
an excellent job describing the importance of the gospel, and how it must come
first in our lives. But Paul is never one for teaching truth without application,
and this passage begins to outline our response to how we should live in light
of the gospel. “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ…”
So what are the characteristics of gospel living?
One, we should be consistent, we should live the same whether our pastors and
mentors are around us or not. Two, we should be unified with other believers,
standing firm in one mind and one spirit. Three we should be fearless about the
gospel. And four, we should always seek to promote and share the gospel. All
four of these characteristics are important… If we do not live consistently or
are not unified in our commitment to the gospel and each other, we come across
as hypocrites when we share Christ. If we are fearful then we look as if we do
not really believe in the gospel. And if we do not actively promote the gospel
and contend for the gospel, then how will others hear the good news?
But the key to embodying these characteristics and
having a manner of life worthy of the gospel is found in verse 29: “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.” Suffering is the key to gospel living. We
are called to suffer as followers of Jesus Christ. Without suffering we cannot
reflect how Christ suffered for us. We cannot reflect the gospel. And this is
not circumstantial suffering, where we take on some discomfort in a given
situation to honor Christ, although we are called to that from time to time.
This suffering is like that of Christ: the complete and total surrender of
ourselves. D.A. Carson says it well:
“Recall what Jesus tells his disciples in Mark 8, ‘If
anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and
follow me’ (Mark 8:34). This language, too, is shocking. To first-century ears,
it does not mean that we must all learn to put up with a wart or a
disappointment or an obstreperous mother-in-law or an impending mathematics
exam: ‘We all have our crosses to bear!’ No, to first-century ears this means
you must take the cross-member on your beaten shoulders and stagger to the
place of crucifixion and there be executed in blistering agony and shame. To
take up your cross means you have passed all point of possible reprieve, all
point of hope that you will once again be able to pursue your own interests;
you are on your way to death, a dishonorable death at that. So for Jesus’
disciples to take up their cross, even to take up their cross daily (Luke 9:23), is to say, in
spectacularly metaphorical terms, that they are to come to the end of
themselves—no matter how costly that death—in order to follow Jesus. This lies
at the heart of all Christian discipleship. Every time and every place that we
refuse to acknowledge that this is so, we sin against Christ and need to
confess the sin and return to basics. We are to take up our cross daily.” –D.A. Carson, Basics for Believers: An
Exposition of Philippians
1. In what ways do you need to come to an end of
yourself? What are the areas of your life where you are pursuing your own
interests above God?
2. Many of the things that we pursue are good,
honorable things. Why is the pursuit of those good things above God damaging to
our relationship with God and to our gospel witness?
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