A New Way Of Living

"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, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me. Philippians 1:27-30 NKJV

Paul admonishes the saints in Philippi, the first city he preached the gospel in Europe, that their conduct shall be worthy of the gospel of Christ. What does it mean? Well, Paul tells here that they may stand fast in one Spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. There is only one Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God. All genuine Christians are standing on the same ground and foundation which Christ Jesus has laid on the cross. That means, in every Christian's heart, Jesus Christ is living within by means of the Spirit. So, we are sharing one life of Jesus Christ in the Spirit. There is no other ground for Christians to live than that.

Why did Paul write this? It’s because there were quarrels among the saints in the church of Philippi (Philippians 4:2,3). He reminded them of a fact that they are standing on the same root of faith in Jesus Christ. They should not quarrel each other, but strive together for the faith of the gospel which is from God. In the epistle to the Ephesians Paul tells that we’re not fighting against flesh and blood but against the principalities of this age, the prince of the world and darkness, the devil. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12 NKJV)

So, we are the soldiers of Christ (2 Timothy 2:3). Yes, we fight the good fight, but not against the people in the faith, fellow Christians. What we wrestle against is the devil, the master and father of lie, the murderer and his wiles. Satan is the enemy, not people. No matter how much we’re different each other, we’re friends and brothers in Jesus Christ the Lord. Jesus said this truth, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” (Matthew 12:30 NKJV) Are you gathering or scattering?

Now, what is the devil’s tactic? His famous tactic is to terrify us by any means especially through the failures and struggles in the faith. Who has not failed? The moment we fail there is the malevolent devil who attacks us to fear and worry as if we’re the losers. That’s not true. We may fail and will do, but there is a way out, Christ Jesus the Lord. Remember what Paul proclaimed victoriously. “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.” (Romans 8:1 NKJV)

By the way, why do we fear at all? The reason is because we tend to rely on our resources, like our experience, knowledge, career, position, and achievements. They are so-called human pride. Natural man tends to believe that he has what it takes. It happens even to Christians. We habitually believe and try to live with what we have. But that’s not the way Christians live from the first day in Jesus Christ. We’re living His life since we’re born again because Christ Jesus indwells within us. Whatever we do is to be done by the Lord Jesus Christ in the Spirit. That’s the secret of new covenant living—total dependence and continual reliance on the Person of Jesus Christ. Yes, we do fail and are stressed and pressured at times. That’s the tests of faith in our midst. Through the tests and disciplines we’re molded and equipped more and more for every good work of Him. So, as Hebrews tells us, we fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2a).  

What happens when we’re not in any way terrified by our adversaries, not because we have what it takes but because we depend on Christ Jesus the Lord? This is to them [the adversaries] a proof of destruction, but to us of salvation, and that from God. The enemies realize the fact that they’re against God Almighty in the midst of true Christians. That’s how we live by faith in Jesus Christ who is everything what it takes. That’s the secret of authentic Christianity. “Everything is coming from God and nothing from me.” The situation that is forcefully terrifying us is dissolved when we completely rely on Christ Jesus in the Spirit.

Why then are there continual sufferings in our lives? Why doesn’t God just get rid of them all at once? He could, but he doesn’t. Paul answers in verse 30, “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.” Just as our Lord Jesus Christ suffered much, so also do His disciples. The faith of the gospel has been granted to us on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake. Paul had gone through the same conflict all the way through his life. He is a model Christian.

Sufferings in our midst are not something for credit when we overcome, but part of our inheritance. We’re called not only to do what He did, but also to be what He is. It’s privilege to participate in the sufferings of Christ for His sake. That’s the faith of the gospel. “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5 NKJV)