Live in Harmony with the Gospel

Paul uses the word 'gospel' 8 times in his letter to the Philippian church. The Christian life is not grounded in family expectations or heritage (though a gospel family heritage is of great value), nor even the external benefits gained from maintaining a moral/ethical lifestyle. Rather, it is grounded and sustained by understanding, loving and valuing the gospel of Christ. The gospel is such good news, it sometimes can seem too good to be true, but it's true! It declares the story of Jesus coming to do for sinners what they could never do for themselves. It speaks of the Son of God taking on human flesh and living a life of perfect righteousness. He died on the Cross as a substitute, paying the penalty for sin to God the Father, offering Himself as a perfect sacrifice in the place of others. It heralds His resurrection from the dead, vindicating all His claims as Lord, Savior and Son of God. The gospel is not for good people but sinners, law-breakers. It is not a band-aid given to those who just need a little help; it speaks of a gracious and glorious rescue for utterly corrupt, rebellious, ungrateful human beings. It celebrates rich benefits that come to sinners; these benefits are free (to us) and yet very costly (to Christ). Furthermore, it is not a message that is to be preached to one people group or a select social class. Rather, it is relevant for every nation on the planet. In it, Jesus welcomes the broken and contrite, promising that whoever comes to Him will be received.

The instruction of Philippians 1:27 is that those who have embraced the gospel are to live in a way that is suitable and fitting with the gospel. He does not mean that we are to live in a way that we become worthy of the gospel. That would be stating a contradiction! No one is worthy of God's immeasurable kindness and love as revealed in the gospel. It does mean to walk worthily, in a worthy manner. By way of example: invitations to certain social events often include what is worthy or suitable attire for the occasion. One occasion may be formal and another business casual. Jogging clothes would not be fitting at at a wedding, and a tuxedo would be out of place at a backyard barbecue. Christian, let your life—thoughts, desires, words, actions—be fitting with the gospel.

We see then, that the gospel is not just a message to be intellectually understood and affirmed—though that is essential—but it is to mold and shape one's heart, attitude and conduct. There are many ways this is to be applied; let's note a few specifics.

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” was Paul's affirmation in 1 Timothy 1:15. The gospel manifests that Jesus died for the ungodly, the undeserving. The Cross, in many ways, was an ugly and wretched scene. For three hours, the earth was shrouded in darkness while God's wrath was poured out on Jesus. Wrath for what? The sins of His people. You see, the Cross was ugly because our sins are so despicable. It was our sins that necessitated such a display of righteous judgment. The Scriptures liken sin to a loathsome disease, to death, to filth, to appalling rebellion. Therefore, those who have been saved thru the deep, sacrificial love of Jesus have absolutely nothing (in and of themselves) to boast in and be proud about. Our salvation has not come about because we were highly motivated, especially diligent or morally superior. We didn't grade out ahead of the crowd. There is no merit badge or moral achievement or family or religious connection that gained us right standing with God. Rather, we have been saved from our corruption and rebellion through nothing less than the free, undeserved gift of God. In light of this, the gospel should shape a deep humility within our hearts.

Whatever progress we make in the kingdom of God is traced ultimately back to the Cross. Whatever spiritual gifts or specific callings God gives us are connected to Jesus. Our boast is in Him, not self. This humility should appear in our relationships with others. While we hate the sins of a world filled with unbelievers and we oppose God's enemies, a sinful haughtiness should not be our attitude towards them. Rather, a thankful humility that we have been delivered from the same condition and a compassionate prayer for God's salvation to be extended to them are more fitting with the gospel. Humility should mark our relationships within the church. An attitude of humbly serving one another, patiently bearing with imperfections and petty offenses or annoyances are in harmony with the gospel. The more we are living in harmony with the gospel, the more our heartbeat will be, “Not unto us, O LORD,  not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth's sake” (Psalm 115:1).

Husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Jesus declared that His followers would be marked by their love for one another. The martyr Stephen (following Jesus' example) even lovingly prayed for God to forgive those who were stoning him to death! The Apostle John, noting the great love of God in sending Jesus to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins, then exhorted, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (I John 4:10-11). Just as it would be utterly inappropriate to wear gym clothes to black-tie dinner, it is utterly inappropriate for those who have been so loved by God to not walk in love towards others.

Love is self-giving and self-sacrificing for the true good of others. Meditating on the deep love of Christ helps us learn to grow in putting away our self-absorption and seeking to serve and bless. Delighting in His love motivates and enables us to lovingly forgive those who wrong us and to war against grudges and bitterness that creeps subtly into our hearts. Remembering that He gave Himself for us stirs us up to be more interested in giving and blessing than taking and receiving.

Seeing that Jesus' love moved Him to do hard and difficult things to bring about our salvation will help us to do hard things to love others. Sometimes, we may have to lovingly confront a fellow believer in their sin. It is uncomfortable, but love helps us push through the discomfort because we are thinking about their true good. Ministering to others is sometimes exhausting, frustrating, demanding and doesn't always feel rewarding. But, gospel-shaped love produces labor that is sometimes pushed the point of exhaustion (1 Thess. 1:3).

“Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

Jesus' aim in carrying our sins on His own body on the Cross was not just to make a difference for us one day in heaven, but to begin making the change in us even now! He died for us that we would no longer live a life devoted to sin and self. He suffered and agonized under wrath so that new desires, new habits, new ways of thinking and living that reflect His character would be produced within us. In view of that, living in harmony with the gospel means a passionate pursuit of putting off sin in our lives and putting on righteousness. Again, when we see the horror of the Cross, we should be repeatedly repulsed by sin. Noting what it cost Jesus to redeem us should lead us to never quit warring against lust or greed or ingratitude in our hearts. Jesus died so that His people would find their satisfaction in Him rather than in sexual immorality or self-indulgence or whatever other inferior pleasures offered in this world.

Living in harmony with the gospel is diligently sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing His word. It is ordering one's life under the authority of Christ as revealed in the Scriptures. It means we affirm the fact that we don't belong to sin, Satan or self but are the blood-bought possession of Jesus! It means we love Him and are delighted in Him.

Believer, what fuels your behavior? Let the gospel of Christ be the fuel that leads you to live like a citizen of heaven all your days here on earth.