Living a Life Worthy of the Gospel

In a recent article on SI.com, Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson says he's worthy of a first round pick in the upcoming NFL draft. He says "My natural ability to throw the ball has always been my signature. But it’s also my ability to move around a little bit and buy myself some time to make throws other guys wouldn’t make because I’m tough and will hang in there a little longer, and I can make throws while I’m being pressured" (http://nflspinzone.com/2013/02/20/nfl-draft-2013-arkansas-qb-tyler-wilson-says-he-is-a-first-round-pick/). Tyler Wilson is using the word worthy in regard to his athletic performance on the football field, but did you know there is something that matters much more than sports of which we can be considered worthy?
Paul talks about living a life worthy of the gospel in Phil. 1:27-30. Our text reads: "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, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have."
As we examine this text at the conclusion of the first chapter of Philippians, let us consider what Paul says about living a life worthy of the gospel. It is my aim with this lesson to have us evaluate our lives as Christians in order to see if our current life measures up as being worthy of the gospel.
First, a gospel worthy life includes standing firm in one spirit.
As I notice what Paul is saying here, it seems there is a twofold emphasis on unwavering perseverance and unified spirit. The phrase used in the text where Paul says "standing firm" (27) entails perseverance. We've all heard the phrase "keep on keeping on." The Christian life is one of perseverance. It's not a sprint, but it is a marathon. When Paul tells them to stand firm "in one spirit" he is talking about their unity. It does not appear that this is the same thing as the unity of the Spirit in Ephesians chapter four because there is an absence of an article "the" before it , so it seems this is simply talking about the human spirit (Jackson 61).
Perseverance and unity are two big themes in the New Testament. Paul says later in this letter "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:14). There is an idea of perseverance portrayed by Paul in this statement. In this life we keep going until our lives are taken from us or Jesus comes back, whichever comes first.
In the movie Rocky III, Clubber Lang punished Rocky in their first fight. When they had their rematch later in the movie, Rocky allowed his opponent to repeatedly give him blows, but this was on purpose. Rocky was trying to wear Clubber Lang out, and by doing this Rocky was able to persevere through the fight and take the victory. We are in a constant fight against our enemy, the Devil. We need to understand that it takes perseverance to withstand all of his tactics. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, it says "...he departed from him until an opportune time" (Lk. 4:13). Satan did not stop with these temptations of Christ, and he does not stop with us either. We have to do what it takes to persevere through all the temptations that Satan throws our way. We can live a life worthy of the gospel when we stand firm in one spirit both by an unwavering perseverance and unified spirit.
Second, a gospel worthy life will have us striving side by side.
The phrase translated as "striving side by side" is also used in another form as "to engage in an athletic contest" (Fee 166). Paul is saying that the Philippians are participating together in the Christian life. Another way this phrase is used is in the sense of contending along with others (Vine 634). We are told in the New Testament that we as Christians are to contend for something special. When Jude wrote his letter he changed directions from talking about the common salvation to an appeal "...to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). Whether you are striving or contending for the faith, this is not something you can do passively. This is an active word that requires Christians to be proactive in their faith each and every day.
Not only does this denote an active faith, but it also requires us to partner with our fellow Christians as we do this. Christianity is not an isolated lifestyle. I've never figured out why monks feel like they are doing what God wants them to do by traveling far away to an isolated monastery where they don't have any contact with the outside world. How can they be striving together for the faith of the gospel when they are where they can't share their faith with others? Jesus sent his disciples out two by two ahead of him to towns where he would eventually travel (Lk. 10:1). It is a great thing when Christians can strive for the faith side by side, partnering together to share the good news.
In Philippi there did seem to be the problem of two women who had labored side by side in the gospel with Paul and others, their names being Euodia and Synteche (Phil. 4:2-3). Whatever disagreements they had needed to be resolved so they could go back to striving side by side for the faith of the gospel. The church is made up of people so there will always be problems in the church until the Lord comes back. However, we need to make sure that we don't let things get in the way of our efforts together in the Lord. If things are left unresolved this can lead to a refusal for some people to work together. How can we strive side by side when we can't stand to be next to each other? If we want to live a life worthy of the gospel we will make sure we are striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.
Third, a gospel worthy life means we must be suffering for his sake.
It was clear that the first century church did not diminish because of persecution, but rather it dispersed. While persecution was meant to suppress the church, it actually progressed the church. If you actually look at church growth in the first century, it progressed the most during persecution. Not only did the church progress during persecution, we also see such a godly perspective during it all. After the apostles were beaten and charged not to speak in the name of Jesus they were "...rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name" (Acts 5:41). Not only were the apostles suffering for his sake, but they were looking at their suffering as an evidence that God considered them worthy. Jesus had already given his apostles instructions before he left that they would be persecuted. He said "'...If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you...'" (Jn. 15:20).
Paul told the Philippians not to be frightened by what their opponents might try to do to them, and by doing this it would be a sign of their opponents' destruction but of their own salvation (28). Christians can be confident in the midst of suffering at the hands of their opponents because they know what their ultimate destiny is in contrast with the destiny of those who are opposed to God. The eternal fire has been prepared for the devil and his angels, and those who follow them will wind up there also (Mt. 25:41). An eternal home in Heaven with the Lord is waiting for those who follow Him (Mt. 25:34).
He told the Philippians "For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake" (29). Paul told Timothy "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Tim. 3:12). Granted that persecution here in the United States of America does not take the same form as what would have happened to Christians in the first century. Followers of Christ were told not to speak in the name of Christ, beaten, mocked, flogged, crucified, beheaded, burned at the stake, fed to wild beasts, etc. However, if we live a Christian life as expected of us we will still experience family conflicts, emotional and verbal persecution and other things that won't necessarily bring bodily harm or physical suffering on us. There are other places in the world where people are still suffering persecution in a physical sense which we do not experience here. Even if we don't experience that here, are you willing to suffer for his sake? If we want to live a life worthy of the gospel we will be willing to suffer for his sake.
In the movie Wayne's World there is a scene where the two main characters are invited by a rock star to spend some time with him, but they reply by bowing down to him repeating the phrase "we're not worthy, we're not worthy!" We know even today that we were unworthy of the sacrifice that God made on our behalf by sending his Son to die for us on the cross. Paul says "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person - though perhaps for a good person one might dare even to die - but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:6-8). Though we were not worthy, we are called to live our lives worthy of the gospel by standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel and suffering for his sake.