Joel M Bradshaw

27Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28and not frightened in anything by your opponents.–Philippians 1

Paul was in prison and unable to do anything but write to the church at Philippi. But evidently he was allowed to have visitors who would bring him news of how the churches that he planted were doing. As Paul’s legal situation ran its course, he didn’t know whether he would be able to visit them again or not. So what kind of news would he hear back from them?

Let’s walk through these two verses:

WORTHY. I journey will people who don’t feel worthy of the Gospel. They recognize what Jesus accomplished and are humbled and broken by the life each of them has lived. The fact is that nobody deserves grace. It ceases to be grace if I am owed it or deserve it in any way. The Gospel message is that I am a sinner and have no answer, remedy, or hope of my situation. I have earned eternal separation from God. But in my place Jesus bore the wrath due to my sin. On the cross he died the death I deserved. Because of Jesus I now stand justified before God. Jesus bore my shame and I no longer have to. And in faith I trust in the person and work of Jesus on my behalf. That is the only way my salvation is possible. My only hope resides with Jesus and not within me. The fact remains that though I am not worthy, God chose to save me. I can rest in that fact.

LIFE. Paul commanded them to do three things. First, they were to stand firm as one. These Christians may have had many things that were not in common. But the Jesus they had in common was more important than the things they did not. Each of them could recite a Gospel story like I did above and that united them. Second, they were to stand firm with a united mind. Paul expected them to agree upon the most important things and to march forward together. Finally, in their unity they were to not be afraid. Christians lived then in a Roman world that had not yet accepted their faith. They faced persecution and hardship. When you are unified together as a team, the focus is shifted from the enemies to the goal set before them.

Can you recite a Gospel story like I did above? That is the only way any of us is saved. My hope was never found if I remained on the Joel path. I have to focus on living a life worthy of the Gospel every day.–JMB