Worthy of the Gospel

Are You Living Worthy of the Gospel?

Paul exhorts the Philippians to live their lives worthy of the gospel.

“Only 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,” —Philippians 1:27 ESV

I had the great opportunity to preach on this passage this past Sunday. I love Paul’s pastoral heart. His concern the church in Philippi.
The book of Philippians is part of Paul’s prison epistles. He was concerned for the churches that he started. So he encouraged them to stay strong in their faith and to walk in a way that honors God.

We Strive, but in His Grace

I like the thought of living worthy of the gospel. On the one hand, we know that we can’t live in such a way without the gospel deeply penetrating and permeating our lives. We strive, but in his grace.
Jonathan Edwards said, “The secret of the Christian life is to let the reality of the gospel filter into the nooks and crannies of your life, in your reasoning as well as in your experience.”
We are not worthy of the gospel in and of ourselves, and Paul’s not trying to say that we should be. Rather he is stressing now that you have received the gospel of Christ, keep moving forward in his strength. Don’t settle for a mediocre Christian life. Grow in the rich soil of his grace.
I pray this will be true of those in the churches we are working with on the border. I also pray that it will true for you.
In His Grip, Dave
DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org