“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)

The Philippian church was made up of people from different backgrounds and there was one thing that brought them together, the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Acts 16 Luke tells us that there was a wealthy Asian woman named Lydia, a poor slave girl and a jailer with his family. They became spiritually connected as family and committed themselves to meet on a regular basis. The gospel tears down walls that divide and unites people for a purpose greater than themselves, namely the glory of God. Paul founded this church and was nourishing them with revelation and instruction from God. His first exhortation in his epistle to them is to live in a manner worthy of the gospel. They had been forgiven, freed and brought into fellowship with God by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were once without hope isolated from the life of God found in relationship with Him. Paul exhorted them to live a life worthy of the gospel, standing firm in one spirit and one mind, striving for the faith of the gospel. He then describes what that looks like in the rest of the epistle. The diversity at the church of Philippi was much like what we have at City Church International in Dallas, Texas. We have people who are different in various ways yet we are united together as a family. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ that unites us together. This is our common ground on which we meet.

Paul begins his exhortations to the Philippians after praying for them and giving them his perspective on his own circumstances. He starts off saying “let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ”. Your life should reflect the reality of being forgiven, free and in fellowship with God, because of all he has done for you and your receiving of that grace. Two things that Paul mentions in this verse that reflect living in a manner worthy of the gospel are; standing firmly united and striving together for the faith of the gospel. Are you living in a manner worthy of the gospel?