| Conduct Worthy of the Gospel |
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| Written by Tim Stephens |
| Tuesday, 06 April 2010 11:20 |
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Philippians 1:27-30 "Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents — which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me." What does conduct worthy of the gospel of Christ look like? Notice that unity and striving together for the faith, even under persecution, is worthy conduct. Striving together for the faith of the gospel has the idea of uniting in battle to defend Christ and Him crucified against opponents. Part of conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel is to proclaim the gospel and defend it! And to unite with those who do the same. Paul continues the same thought into the second chapter: Philippians 2:2-5 "by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus" He continues to exhort them to be obedient, without grumbling or disputing (vs 14), being blameless, innocent, and above reproach to shine as lights in the world (vs 15). How is this accomplished? It is the work of God, as Paul states in Philippians 2:13 "for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." Do you proclaim and defend the gospel of Christ? Is there evidence of these attributes in your life? Or in other words, is there evidence of God at work in your life? Tags: |




2010