Living Out the Gospel
Today's Verse:
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; ~Philippians 1:27
Paul’s life could be summarized as this: he was all about Jesus. In Philippians 1:21 he said, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” The letter to the church at Philippi was written while he was imprisoned. I imagine that he may have been frustrated that he was not out and about preaching the gospel. However, he knew that God’s will was for him to be where he was. As we read Philippians 1, we realize that Paul was encouraging the believers at Philippi to continue the work of advancing the gospel in spite of his circumstances. Paul was exhorting his friends that, in all things, they would become the gospel of Christ.
We become the gospel of Christ in our hearts.
Our heart's desire should be for the gospel to be preached to every creature. There should be such a compassion within us that we can say like Paul that "the love of Christ constraineth us." Sensitivity in our hearts for the preaching of the gospel makes us constantly soul-conscious. We prepare our day with the idea that we will give a gospel tract or have a face-to-face conversation about the gospel. The gospel was so much a part of Paul that he could say, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.”
We become the gospel of Christ in our holiness.
We are to let our conduct be “as it becometh the gospel of Christ.” This means we are careful that our words, actions, and reactions are gospel-conscious. We must safeguard our testimony so that it reflects Christ. We must be mindful to hold forth the Word of life as shining lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse society. A holy lifestyle should make as its object a solid gospel witness. Let us be without rebuke and censure in our testimonies for Christ.
We become the gospel of Christ in our harmony.
The members at Philippi had strife and contention. Paul reminded them that they were not in competition with one another. Perhaps some who were serving the Lord had developed favoritism for the people whom they were serving to the disadvantage of others in the church. We must keep in mind that we are the servants of the Lord to everyone and not to a group that we have a favorite tendency towards. Our goal is to strive together for the faith of the gospel. We must work in harmony and unity for the advancement of the gospel message. Let us preach Christ as contenders for the faith and not in contention in the faith.
We become the gospel of Christ in our harvest.
Let us remember that that “he that winneth souls is wise.” God desires that we go and bring forth fruit and that our fruit remains. The church at Philippi bore much fruit from Paul’s laborers: there was Lydia, the young woman who had once been bothered by demons, the jailer and his family, Euodias, Syntyche, Epaphroditus, the pastors, and the deacons. The joy in spreading the gospel is the harvest of souls that are saved. What does your testimony say about the gospel? Let us make it our earnest desire to become as the gospel of Christ where God has placed us.
Have a gospel-focused God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Esther 1-5