Philippians 1:27

“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ: that, whether. come and see you and be absent,. may hear of your state, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the gospel”

“Only”: “Whatever happens to me personally...in any event be sure to conduct yourselves as believers” (Hendriksen p. 80). What. wonderful thought! Paul does not believe in making "bargains with God", that is, "God, if you do this for me…then. will serve you the rest of my life." Regardless of whether Paul comes or not, the same obligation is upon the Philippians. Serve God acceptably. “Your manner of life”: Ultimately the only life that we have control over is our own. Many commentators make the point that the above phrase "manner of life", means to live as. citizen. No matter where the Christian lives, he or she is to behave as. citizen of the kingdom of God. This means that the Christian is not impressed with human opinion in the realm of morals, ethics, right and wrong or spiritual truth. Citizenship has certain obligations. “To live worthily of the gospel, then, also means that the Christian lives as. good citizen of this new state, governing his actions by the laws of this righteousness, peace, faith, hope, love, mutuality, interdependence, good deeds, service to one another, worship of the living God, and so on” (Hawthorne p. 56). “Be worthy of the gospel of Christ”: Ephesians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; Colossians 1:10. “Means to conduct it in harmony with the responsibilities which that gospel imposes” (Hendriksen p. 81).

What is involved in walking worthily?

“Whether. come and see you or be absent”: This refers to. consistent level of faithfulness that is not dependent upon Paul's personal presence. “That ye stand fast”: Ephesians 6:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:15. “The world is full of Christians on the retreat, who, when things grow difficult, play down their Christianity” (Barclay p. 30).

Such "standing fast" requires among other things, no compromise with error, an unwillingness to allow temptations and trial to move one away from God. Never compromise with your conviction that God is good and always has your best interest in mind. “In one spirit”: That is, in one mind.

“Show that it is of extreme importance for Christians to coexist in community, work together in harmony, resist the common enemy with common intention” (Hawthorne p. 56). God expects unity among His people. “They are bound together in one spirit like. band of brothers. Let the world quarrel; Christians must be one” (Barclay p. 30). The danger of mutual discord is pointed out in such passages as 1 Corinthians 11:17 and Galatians 5:15.

“With one soul”: “With one mind” (KJV). “And that with one purpose” (Wms). “Indicating that unity must be emotional as well as intellectual” (Jackson p. 38). Compare with Acts 4:32. “Striving”: The word here means to wrestle in company with, to seek jointly and strive together for. “The term suggests contending jointly for. prize” (Jackson p. 38). “Striving together” (Robertson p. 441). “Like fellow athletes they should stand shoulder to shoulder. defending and advancing that faith in Christ which the gospel teaches” (Erdman p. 72). “For the faith of the gospel”: Faith here is used in the objective sense, as in reference to the contents of the gospel message (Ephesians 4:5; Judges 1:3).

“This apostolic admonition flies directly in the face of the modern notion that, due to personality factors and cultural presuppositions, it is impossible for men to achieve religious unity. ‘The faith of one's choice' is not. biblical option” (Jackson pp. 37-38). Every Christian is expected to join in this struggle. Becoming. Christian means that one has just volunteered to defend the faith, that is to defend God's viewpoint and not your own. The modern idea that there is enough room in the church for. diversity of views and do not harmonize with the Bible flies in the face of this Scripture. All Christians are obligated to stand united behind the faith.