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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; 28 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. 29 For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
Teamwork is a beautiful thing to watch and especially to experience. Nothing like watching your favorite team fighting against stiff opposition, each man doing his part, moving the ball down the field into the end zone. The dictionary defines teamwork as “work done by several associates with each doing a part but all subordinating personal prominence to the efficiency of the whole.” Whether in war, sports, an orchestra, the operating room, or the body of Christ, teamwork is essential, and that’s exactly what Paul is calling us to in this passage, in fact in the next several sections of Philippians.
Paul has given us his personal testimony of how he faced his circumstances. He saw God in his circumstances. He knew God was using his imprisonment for the progress of the gospel. Even when some professing believers were fighting against him to add to his suffering, he knew God was in control. He knew that by the prayers of God’s people and the Spirit, God would sustain and deliver him. He wanted one thing: to magnify Christ in his life, whether in life or by death. As we saw last week, he was convinced God wasn’t finished with him in this world. God had more ministry for him to do.
TEAMWORK FOR THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.
Now in verses 27-30, Paul leans forward, looks us in the eyes, and says, “Okay, enough about me. Let’s talk about you.” Verse 27 begins with “Only conduct yourselves….” Paul’s chief concern is for the Philippians and us at Evansville Bible Church to be all God wants us to be, and a big chunk of that is to function as a team, spiritual teamwork. This is Paul’s concern all the way into Philippians 2. In Philippians 1:27 he says stand together and strive together. He’s talking about teamwork. In Philippians 2:2 he calls us to think the same thing, have the same love, be united in spirit, with one purpose. Then in 2:3 he says we are to be humble, esteeming others as more important than ourselves with the mind of Christ (v.5) just like Christ humbled himself (v.8).
We are called to a godly, humble teamwork. It is spiritual teamwork as we function worthy of the gospel of Christ, for the glory of God. The church is a group of people, the body of Christ, with different parts, gifts, all unified under one Head, Jesus Christ, all functioning together to glorify our Head and fulfill His purpose in this world of proclaiming the gospel. That requires teamwork, unity, humility, as Paul says in Ephesians 4:3, “being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
CITIZENS OF A HIGHER KINGDOM.
Philippians 1:27a, Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…
This is fascinating. The phrase “conduct yourselves” speaks of citizenship. It’s our word “political” which comes from the Greek word “polis” or city. Philippi was a Roman colony and a Roman citizen living in Philippi conducted himself as a Roman citizen. He had responsibilities and privileges. A good citizen gladly showed his loyalty to Rome. This was his life. Paul is using this identity of citizenship and applying it to the believers. We are citizens of a higher, heavenly kingdom, which he’ll get into in Philippians 3:20, “our citizenship is in heaven.” We gained our citizenship through the gospel of Christ. So Paul says conduct yourselves as loyal citizens of heaven worthy of the gospel of Christ. Live in a manner worthy of the gospel, loyal, faithful to Christ. Paul repeatedly exhorts believers to walk worthy of the gospel, of Christ, of our calling. You see it in Ephesians 4:1, Colossians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:12, “walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”
Worthily means appropriately. You are legal citizens of the United States, right? That means you should vote, obey the laws of the land, pay your taxes, and pray for your leaders. You should live worthy of your citizenship. But the United States isn’t God’s kingdom. Through the gospel, that good news that brought you forgiveness of sin and eternal life, you are citizens of a higher kingdom. If you’re familiar with Pilgrim’s Progress, we’re like Christian and Faithful in Vanity Fair. They set Vanity Fair in a hubbub for three reasons: their dress, their talk, and their attitude. “Buy, buy, buy!” the merchants cried out. What did they do? They stuck their fingers in their ears and prayed, “Turn my eyes away from beholding vanity!” Another merchant asked, “What will you buy?” “We buy the truth.” That’s us in this world! We’re not of this world. God saved us out of the world. We are citizens of heaven, so Paul says, “Live like it.”
Now in verses 27 Paul gives us three ways to conduct ourselves as citizens of heaven, functioning as a spiritual team: stand together, strive together, and suffer together. Remember those three orders from our commander: stand together, strive together, suffer together.
STAND FIRM TOGETHER FOR THE GOSPEL.
Philippians 1:27b, 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;
We are living in enemy territory with pressure to give up or give in, but Paul says, stand firm for the faith of the gospel. The gospel is what created us spiritually, drew us together, formed us into the body of Christ, and holds us together. We didn’t merit our way into Christ. The gospel message came to you and called you to come to Christ, not by your works, but by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The gospel wouldn’t be good news if it were up to us to save ourselves. It’s good news because it comes from God’s saving grace through His only beloved Son Jesus Christ! Stand firm together, in one mind, for this gospel. The gospel of Christ is our identity in this world. It doesn’t matter what your ethnicity is or what your social status is. Take your position and don’t move. Luther declared, “Here I stand” as he defended the gospel of Christ.
Exactly what is this gospel for which we standing firm? The gospel is a message that tells the truth about this world and life and especially about humans. We are sinful. We are born under the wrath of God. We are blind to our condition. We think we are okay, at least better than other people. But God comes to us with the good news. We don’t come to God; He comes to us through the gospel. He shines the light of the gospel into our hearts, opens our eyes, gives us ears to hear, and we see our desperate condition. We are not fairly good with a little bad. We are rebels in God’s kingdom and guilty before our Creator.
But the gospel also tells us God is a God of mercy, grace, love, kindness, and He is ready to forgive all our sins, with this one huge condition – that we receive His Son as our Lord and Savior. John 1:12, “As many as received Him, to them He gives the right to become the sons of God, to those who call on his name.” We bow our hearts to Him and place our confidence, trust, faith in Him alone. He suffered every drop of God’s wrath that we deserved in His body when He died on that Roman cross. He promises He will forgive every sin we’ve ever committed. “He’ll remember our sins no more.” Christ’s righteousness is imputed or placed to our account. He declares us righteous in Christ. That’s justification by faith alone. Not by our works. He sees us in Christ. He promises to give us eternal life, to receive us to Himself, and provide all the grace and power we need to live for Him in this world, no matter what we face.
That’s the gospel of Christ, the faith of the gospel for which Paul says in verse 27, “Stand firm in one spirit and strive or fight together with one mind or purpose for the faith of the Gospel.” That’s our message for this world. Stand firm in it. Don’t forget it. Don’t reject it. Don’t revert back to the world. Stand firm. Don’t surrender it. Hold the line! Never give up! Never give in! Never surrender! Never retreat! Keep on standing firm! Paul repeatedly exhorts us to stand firm in his epistles. “Be on the alert; stand firm in the faith” (1 Cor. 16:13). “Now we really live if you stand firm in the faith” (1 Thessalonians 3:8). Don’t cave under the world’s pressure and become wishy washy Marvin Milquetoast or Jello for Jesus. Paul again encourages us in 2 Thessalonians 2:15, “So then, stand firm and hold to the traditions,” which are all that Paul had taught them. STAND FIRM TOGETHER FOR THE GOSPEL!
STRIVE TOGETHER FOR THE GOSPEL.
Philippians 1:27b, 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;
Verse 27 says “With one mind striving together for the gospel.” One mind means committed to the same objective, serving the master together as a team. Striving together means working together as a team of athletes. That’s literally what the original word means. There is nothing passive about the Christian life. You’re on God’s team. Give it your all. Like Jesus said to those three disciples in the Garden, “Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour?” What had they done? They fell asleep! That’s what the world wants to do to us – put us to sleep spiritually. We’ve got to remember we’re in a fight with a real enemy who trades in real spiritual poison and fiery darts. He wants to render us ineffective. So, man your position. Stay on the alert, stand firm, and strive together for the gospel. Spiritual teamwork. Each one of us striving together, carrying out our specific calling for the faith of the gospel, the glorious good news of Christ.
Think of all the forces and practices of our culture that are aggressively anti-Christian. Whether secular godless thinking, fake science, mocking, “you don’t really believe that do you?” Or it may be trying to derail the church with all the woke mumbo jumbo, attacks on God-given gender, attacks on the doctrine of justification by faith alone, attacks on the Bible in general. If you are going to stand for Christ, you will face opposition. We’re going to be loving and kind, but remember Jesus said, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.” Remember what they did to Jesus as soon as he confessed to Caiaphas and the apostate rulers that He indeed was the Christ. What did they do? They spit on Him, punched him, slapped him, and mocked him. Later they beat him over the head with sticks. Keep that picture in your mind. Their actions reveal the unregenerate heart at enmity with God. Never forget, either, that your heart was once like that. Did you ever use Christ’s name as a curse word?
So why do they hate us? Because we’re citizens of heaven. We represent God and His Son in a world at war with God. We shine light into the darkness. We rub salt into the corruption, speak truth to the lies, promote good against evil, stand for right against wrong. John 3:19, “Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.” They call Christians haters when it is just the opposite. Warning someone of poison or danger ahead isn’t hating. If we don’t affirm the culture’s lies, they resent us and hate us. This is Christianity throughout the centuries.
Warren Wiersbe said, “The Christian life is not a playground but a battlefield.” We’re in a real war with a real enemy who wants to shut Christians up. That’s why we need to be a unified team, a spiritual army to fight the good fight of the faith. With Christ, we tell the truth! It’s a fight and as Martyn Lloyd Jones put it, it is every believer’s fight, not just the preachers or theologians or church leaders. We’re here to advance the gospel. We stand firmly upon the truths of the faith. We strive together to represent Christ and the gospel, living in this world as citizens of another world, all alive in the joy of the faith, seizing opportunities to speak up for Christ, refusing to ever deny Him with our words or lives. STAND FIRM AND STRIVE TOGETHER FOR THE FAITH OF THE GOSPEL!
SUFFER TOGETHER FOR THE GOSPEL.
Philippians 1:28-30, 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. 29 For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
Now Paul says something shocking. He doesn’t say believe in Jesus and your life will be filled with good things, or Jesus will magically solve all your problems, or you’ll have your best life now. True, there’s joy and peace knowing your sins are forgiven and you are heaven bound, but in this world, you will have opposition. Paul says, “Don’t be alarmed or intimidated.” The word for alarmed is used for a frightened horse. Don’t let those who oppose your witness for Christ terrorize or frighten you. Their opposition against Christians just shows their destruction before God, and it also shows your salvation!
And then Paul adds in verse 29, “but also to suffer for His sake. God has given you the grace not only to believe in Christ, but also the gift of suffering for His sake. Peter put it like this in 1 Peter 4:12-13, “Don’t be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you…to the degree you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing.” Suffering is a gift from God. While we don’t invite persecution and pray for those enduring persecution, we need a biblical mindset about suffering. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “We do not know what may be awaiting us, but we know this for certain – and to me it is wonderful – man can only destroy my body, my soul is beyond his reach….” They can pour forth their venom, their sarcasm, and their scorn. They may ruin your life and your career, but they cannot injure you in what is vital and eternal. Every martyr for Christ through the centuries knows that.
Warren and Donna Pett were Wisconsin dairy farmers who got excited to serve the Lord. They helped in youth ministry by working with sixth and seventh graders in their church. They were In their 40s when they sold their farm and headed to Africa as missionaries, first to Kenya, then to Uganda. One evening in March 2004 as they were leading a devotional time with students and staff of the ministry where they served, seven armed masked men came looking for money. They called for Warren and Donna Pett to come out and immediately opened fire, killing both of them, as well as a student who tried to warn them. Before leaving for Africa Warren wrote, “Donna and I do not necessarily know the road ahead, but we take comfort in knowing the One who is in control of the road.”
Jesus said, “Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life.” We are so thankful for the freedoms we have in our country. They’re not burning us at the stake, cutting off our ears or tongues, but some are loudly opposing God’s moral standards. However, we are not to be frightened when the world comes against you. You may be mocked, canceled, fired, or your family may reject you for your Christian testimony. Remember Paul’s words in verse 30 – God has granted us not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for His sake.
Church, we’re citizens of heaven. We’re God’s spiritual team on earth. We’re here to represent our Lord and Savior and take the gospel to this lost world. We need to walk in a way that honors and magnifies Christ, a worthy walk. We need to stand firm and strive for the faith. And we need to be willing to suffer for our Lord if God calls us to suffer. And we do it as a team for the faith of the gospel. And remember, God will give us the grace we need to stand, strive, and suffer.