Philippians 1:27 Worthy of the Gospel

Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, [Philippians 1:27 NKJV]

Paul is addressing, not individuals within the church, but the church as a whole. 

The "conduct" he is talking about is a reference to citizenship, and refers to our behavior as citizens of the kingdom of God. He is saying that the church body, as a whole, needs to behave in a way that is fitting for representatives of God's kingdom, and of the gospel.

We are given this concise version of the gospel;

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. [1 Corinthians 15:1-6 NKJV]

What this means for the church is that we should be of one mind and one spirit in in telling the world what Jesus has done for us and them.

Unfortunately, when I look around me, I see that the church does not behave this way. We have divisions between denominations, different doctrines, and different traditions. Even within a single local church, we see fractures occur, and churches split. We have made religion more important than the telling of the gospel.

As an individual within the church, I can't control how the church at large will act. But I can control how I act. We are told, "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." [Romans 12:18 NKJV]

I can live my own life in a manner that is fitting for the kingdom of God; not by my own power, but as I walk in the Spirit of God, His grace gives me that power. If enough individuals live their lives in a manner worthy of the gospel, then perhaps, we can influence the larger church to be worthy. 

Also, we can pray; interceding for the church. Confess the sins of the church as our own, and seek God's healing.

Father, I pray for the church. I confess that we are divided, each with his own spirit, and his own mind. I pray that Your Spirit will move in the church to unite us.  I pray for myself, that You will give me the grace to live in a manner that is worthy of You, and that I may do my part to promote unity in Your Spirit.

Philippians 1:21-26 No Fear of Death

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again. [Philippians 1:21-26 NKJV]

Paul is referring back to his previous statement, "For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ." [Philippians 1:19 NKJV] In his captivity, Paul is facing two possible outcomes; martyrdom or deliverance.

Not only is Paul not afraid to die, he welcomes the prospect of death. This does not make him suicidal, simply free from the fear of death. Although dying is gain, he also sees the advantage of living, which is to continue to produce fruitful labor.

He says, "what I shall choose I cannot tell." There is a chance that this means the Spirit has actually given him the choice; death or life. But it is more likely that he is simply illustrating the his own attitude and desire, confident that the Lord has already made this choice for him. After his release, the Lord gave him another 5 or 6 years of ministry before he was, once again, arrested and beheaded.

We should not fear death because the fear of death is bondage; 

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. [Hebrews 2:14-15 NKJV]

Some people embrace death as a final option. In their despair, despondency and hopelessness, they view death as their only release from pain. This is not faith, and it is not the attitude that Paul demonstrated. 

Our attitude toward death should be a hopeful anticipation based on faith. We are not seeking to be released from this life, but have a glorious expectation of being present with Christ.

Paul told us, "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord." [2 Corinthians 5:8 NKJV] To be absent from the body is to be present with Christ. There is no "soul-sleep", while we wait for the resurrection. There is no purgatory where we suffer to pay for our sins while waiting to enter heaven. Jesus paid for our sins in full, and welcomes us into His presence. Those who die in Christ die in righteousness because He has made us righteous.

While we are eager to be with Jesus, we should not do anything to hasten our death, whether by our will or carelessness. As Paul said, "But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor."

If you are alive on earth, then the Lord has work for you to do. It may not be as grand as Paul's; planting churches and helping to establish the Christian church. You may only be called to touch one life. A single act of kindness from you may make all the difference to someone else. You may never know how God has used you in this life; until you stand before Him, and hear Him say, "Well done."

Lord, I thank you for the promise of eternal life in Your presence. I pray for the grace to redeem the time that I have left here on earth, that I may be able to produce good fruit for Your Kingdom. 

Philippians 1:19-20 Not Ashamed

For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. [Philippians 1:19-20 NKJV]

Paul is referring to deliverance from his imprisonment in Rome, and his confidence that he will be set free. This isn't a baseless hope, as in, "I hope i'm set free." Rather, it is based on the knowledge that he is being prayed for, and that the Holy Spirit will supply the means of his deliverance.

In fact, Paul was released shortly after writing this letter, and was able to travel and preach the gospel for another 5 or 6 years before being imprisoned in Rome again. In this first imprisonment, he knew that he would be released and expressed that confidence. In his second imprisonment, he knew that he would soon be martyred, and said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." [2 Timothy 4:7 NKJV]

Through it all, Paul's earnest expectation was that nothing he did, whether in life or in the manner of his death, would bring shame to himself or the Lord Jesus Christ.

Like Paul, we should live our lives with the expectation and hope that we will not be ashamed.

I think it is important to note his wording. He did not say, "According to my determination that in nothing I shall be ashamed." He said, "

It is not by the strength of our will or determination that we live for Christ, but by the power of His Spirit. As he says, "for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." [Philippians 2:13 NKJV]

Living without shame does not mean that you never make a mistake. In speaking of perfection, Paul admitted that he had not arrived; "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 3:13-14 NKJV]

It means drawing close to God; walking in the Spirit. You choose the Spirit of God rather than the flesh. When you do, the Spirit of God lives through you, and the world sees His righteousness in your life. In this way, He is magnified in your body; not by your effort, but by His grace.

Lord, I pray for grace to live in the Spirit, and to walk with You. I pray that, by Your grace, my life will bring glory to You, and that I will not bring shame to Your name. Please magnify Yourself in me. 

Philippians 1:15-18 Motives

Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. [Philippians 1:15-18 NKJV]

It is not our place to judge the motives of another, even if they appear obvious to us. We see the outward behavior, but only God sees the heart.

I confess that I have been guilty of this; accusing certain preachers of greed or selfish ambition.

Let us keep in mind, though, that there is nothing in this passage that indicates that we should tolerate false teaching. Paul was adamantly opposed to anyone who would pervert the gospel in any way. Regarding those who preached the necessity of circumcision he said, "I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves." [Galatians 5:12 NASB]

He also said, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed." [Galatians 1:8 NKJV]

In today's passage, he is not speaking of those who spread a false teaching, but those who, for false motives, preach the truth.

There could be any number of reasons for a person to enter the ministry. I have heard people of the world ignorantly claim that all preachers are rich. They have seen a few high profile preachers on TV and don't understand that most preachers in this country have to work another full-time job to support their ministry. They enter the ministry so that they can fleece the flock.

Some enter ministry because it's the "family business". Dad and Granddad preached, so they feel obligated to follow in their footsteps; not because they have any sense of calling, but because of tradition.

For some, it's a matter of social prestige. They get great titles; The Reverend Soandso. And if they are ambitious, they can work up the ranks to be a Bishop, or even an Archbishop or a Cardinal.

It's easy for us to see the signs of greed and ambition, but we have to resist the temptation to judge their motives based on their behavior. (I am speaking to myself.)

Don't judge a ministry based purely on the personality of the minister. Listen to his message to see if it conforms to the Word of God. A greedy preacher can still preach the truth.

I'm not saying that we should support that type of ministry, but we should be glad that he is preaching Christ.

The problem I have seen with some of these ministries is that they start by preaching the gospel of Christ. As time goes on, they place more emphasis on money, and eventually, Christ is not preached at all - only their prosperity message.

As I see it, this comes down to our responsibilities versus God's responsibilities. We are to judge the content and fruit of a ministry. If the truth is being preached, and souls are being won for the kingdom of God, then we can rejoice. 

If what we see is a perverted gospel that denies the Christ of the Bible, then we are to condemn - not the preacher - but the message being preached.

God's responsibility is to judge his motives, and either reward or discipline according to His own wisdom. And who knows, perhaps the Lord will even purify their motivations.

Lord, please forgive my judgmentalism. I thank You that Your word is being preached, and that you can use even insincere people to speak the truth. 

Philippians 1:12-14 When Things Go Wrong

But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. [Philippians 1:12-14 NKJV] 

Here's a little background. Philippians was written by Paul while he was under arrest in Rome. Having been taken by the Jews in the temple (they threatened to kill him) Paul was "rescued" by Roman soldiers who put him in chains and led him off (Acts 21). He was taken to Caesarea (on the coast of Israel) where he spent the next two years in local prison (Acts 22-24). Then, having appealed to Caesar, he was taken to Rome, where he stayed for two years (Acts 25-28).

Paul's situation in Rome wasn't as dire as it might have been. Instead of a dungeon and chains, he was able to rent a house. He was under house arrest, with a soldier guarding him. In these circumstances, he was able to receive visitors, and was free to preach the gospel without restraint. As a result, many people heard the gospel and came to Christ, including some of the palace guard, and Caesar's household.

In writing to the Philippians, Paul is letting them know that his imprisonment is working to further the kingdom of God through the preaching of the gospel.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul said, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." [Romans 8:28 NKJV]

The example of Paul's life illustrates that God's idea of good may not always be our idea of good. Consider that Paul was beaten by the Jews and nearly killed. He was arrested; not because he committed a crime, but because he was the victim of mob violence. He waited in prison in Caesarea for two years while his jailer waited for a bribe. His only reason to appeal to Caesar was to avoid being killed by the Jews. On the voyage to Rome, he was shipwrecked, then bitten by a snake. After finally arriving in Rome, he waited two years in captivity before being able to finally make his case and be released.

I think that many of us, if we went through those trials, would feel like we have a target on our back. We may begin to wonder if God has forgotten about us.

But Paul understood that God works all thing out for the furtherance of His kingdom - not for our comfort. I often hear Christians quote the above verse when things go wrong, fully expecting their circumstances to quickly improve. For example, I recently heard a testimonial from a man who had lost a job, then when he immediately got a better job, it was vindication that the promise was true.

But what about the people who don't immediately see improvement. Maybe the better job doesn't come along. They might have to take a pay cut just to find work. When we are taught that "all things working together" means that our circumstances will always improve, it give the wrong impression of God. He is not a genie granting wishes. He does not promise that things will always be easy. Some lose faith in God because He doesn't meet their expectations.

Sometimes in life, things seem to go from bad to worse, just as it did for Paul. The test for us is to continue to trust in God. Even when things are hard, and we don't see a solution for our lives, we have to trust that God is in control, and working all things for the good of His kingdom.

Father, I thank you that you will work all things for good. Forgive my complaining, and open my eyes to see the greater good for your kingdom, even when it doesn't look good for me. 

Philippians 1:9-11 Prayer for the Philippians

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. [Philippians 1:9-11 NKJV]

There are four parts to this prayer.

The first is that love will grow. In praying this, Paul acknowledges that love is already there, but recognizes that there is always room for more love.

He is not calling us to a blind love. The Hallmark Channel is full of stories of people "falling in love". Because of the love, they are blind to the faults of their paramour. Their delusional love leads to tragedy and a broken heart. This is not the kind of love that Paul is praying for us.

A love that is based on knowledge and discernment loves with eyes wide open. It doesn't leave us blind to a person's faults, but it allows us to forgive those faults. Instead of being deceived or taken advantage of, we can be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves." [Matthew 10:16 NKJV]

This is not a sappy sentiment, but the deep, heart-felt love of God, as He loves through us.

The next thing he prays is "that you may approve the things that are excellent." Approve is used in the sense of testing a metal for purity. We keep that which is pure, and discard the waste. This can apply inwardly, to our own sanctification, as well as outwardly, to the teaching that we choose to hear and believe.

He tells us, "Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil." [1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 NKJV]

Then He prays, "that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ." "Sincere" refers to our inward condition, while "without offense" refers to our outward behavior.

When Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, many of the Jews in the city rioted and threatened to kill Paul because they were offended by his teaching and preaching of the gospel. Some time later, while making a defense against his accusers, Paul made this statement, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.” [Acts 25:8 NKJV]

We see by this example that "without offense" doesn't mean that nobody will ever be offended. The fact is that if you live a devoted Christian life and talk about Jesus, the world will be offended, because they are offended by Christ. To say that you have not offended means that you have acted sincerely in obedience to the will of God.

At the time of his arrest, Paul was in the temple performing a Jewish ritual. We know from his letters that Paul didn't live under the Law, didn't keep the Sabbath, and didn't feel the need to perform temple rituals. He did so to keep peace the Jewish believers who still practiced the Law.

It is not hypocrisy to change your behavior based on the company you keep, if your motives are sincere, and the gospel is not compromised. Paul said,

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. [1 Corinthians 9:19-22 NKJV]

We are free from the constraints of Law, but - out of love - we should live our lives so that we do not offend. "It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak." [Romans 14:21 NKJV]

Finally, he prayed that we would be "filled with the fruits of righteousness." This is not speaking of righteousness as a fruit of the Spirit, but that our righteousness will bear fruit. Paul said, "Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame." [1 Corinthians 15:34 NKJV]

John has this to say about righteousness, "In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother." [1 John 3:10 NKJV]

Righteousness is the condition which is acceptable to God. It is not a state which we can achieve, but is granted to us by God's grace. We are made righteous by the blood of Christ. 

Having been made righteous in God's sight, we are then urged to live righteously - that is, without sin. This is possible, as Paul said, "that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." [Romans 8:4 NKJV]

The righteous life is lived, not by trying to live righteously, but by drawing closer to God, and keeping your mind on Him.

Let's make this prayer of Paul's our own. We can pray it over our own lives, as well as interceding for the church.

Lord, I pray that you will make this prayer a part of my life. Give me the grace to draw ever closer to You, that I may know true righteousness, that I may grow in Your grace, and that I may bear fruit as You give the increase. 

Philippians 1:3-8 Thankful for Fellowship

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. [Philippians 1:3-8 NKJV]

Paul's prayer for the saints begins with an expression of gratitude the their fellowship in the gospel. This is more than just being thankful for their support, but also for their company and friendship.

We should never take for granted the love and friendship we find within the body of Christ. It's too easy to get our eyes on the wrong things. Church politics can cause some to be ambitious, stepping over others to claw their way into a position of authority. Others see church as a networking opportunity; a chance to enlarge their sphere of influence and grow a business. Others are caught up in doctrine and ritual, judging others who don't measure up to their own high standards.

The word "church" is translated from the Greek word "ekklesia", which literally means "a gathering". That's exactly what the church should be; a gathering of people who share a love of Jesus, and of each other, free from the restrictions of religion. No one has authority over another because we are all equally under the authority of Jesus.

Paul expresses his confidence that Jesus will complete the good work that He began in the saints.

There are reminders throughout the New Testament that our salvation is by the grace of God;

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. [Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV]

And, 

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. [Galatians 2:16 NKJV]

 And not just our salvation, but our sanctification is also by the grace of God, and not of works;

This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? [Galatians 3:2-3 NKJV]

And,

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. [Romans 8:1-4 NKJV]

So we see that Jesus began the good work in us when He called us to salvation. It is by grace through faith in Him that we are saved. He continues to work in us as He calls us to a life of holiness, but just as He didn't expect us to save ourselves, neither does He expect us to make ourselves holy. Sanctification is the work that He continues to do for us.

It will do us well to recognize role that other believers play in our lives as they encourage us to keep our minds on Christ, draw closer to the Lord, and grow in holiness.

Father, I thank you for the saints that You have placed in my life, and for the encouragement and joy that comes from these relationships. Thank You that You will complete the work in each of us by Your grace.