The Gospel-Shaped Life: Our Rule of Life

OUR RULE OF LIFE  

An Exposition of Philippians 1:27a

By Pastor Brian Wilbur

Date:   April 8, 2018

Series: Philippians: Gospel Partnership on Mission in the World

Note:   Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All    rights reserved.

INTRODUCTION

After devoting the previous two Lord’s Days to the celebration of Holy Week, we now return to our journey through Paul’s letter to the Philippians. In recent sermons from our Philippians’ sermon series, we reflected on Philippians 1:12-26. We observed that the apostle Paul demonstrates a particular concern for progress or growth. Paul is eager to see the mission of the gospel advance to more people in more places (Philippians 1:12-18a). Paul is also eager to see himself and his fellow Christians growing in the gospel (Philippians 1:18b-26; see also Philippians 3:12-15). All of us who trust in the Lord ought to be experiencing continual “progress and joy in the faith” (Philippians 1:25) or, to put it another way, we should be experiencing ongoing growth and gladness in the gospel.

As we move forward into the next section, which runs from Philippians 1:27 to Philippians 2:30, we find that Paul gives specific instructions about how Christians ought to conduct their lives as a church community. Here we learn what it means to live in the gospel.

The first part of verse 27 is thematic for the whole section, and it will be profitable for us this morning to plant ourselves in these thirteen English words: thirteen words, that is, in the English Standard and New International versions, twelve words in the King James Version, and – get this – only seven words in the original Greek. Not many words, but they ‘pack a punch’!

THE SCRIPTURAL TEXT

Let me go ahead and read this small but foundational piece of instruction. Holy Scripture says:

“²⁷ Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ….”

(Philippians 1:27a)

A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PASSAGE

Before probing the depth of this instruction, let me first set forth a brief overview of this passage, which contains four basic building blocks.

The first building block is the word only. This word seems to highlight the singular significance of the instruction to follow. While it is true that our Christian responsibilities may be unpacked with reference to dozens of specific instructions, occasionally there is an instruction that is so comprehensive that it covers all the rest. So here: “Only” do this one thing, but notice that this one thing is no small thing. For this one thing sets forth a standard by which you are to conduct your entire life. Only live as a gospel-cherishing Christian. Only follow Jesus at all times. “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

The second building block is the phrase let your manner of life. This phrase refers to the way in which you conduct your life. This necessarily entails the priorities and principles that shape your conduct, but the emphasis here is on your actual practice. What is your behavior and conduct? How do you live your everyday life?

The third building block is the phrase be worthy of. This phrase is a critical link between what comes before (“your manner of life”) and what comes after (“the gospel of Christ”). Christ’s gospel is the standard by which we are to conduct our entire life. The idea here is that our “manner of life” needs to be aligned with and conformed to the proper standard.

The fourth building block, then, is the phrase the gospel of Christ. Christ’s gospel is the ultimate standard for our character and conduct. Paul is setting forth a principle of great depth here.

Notice that Paul doesn’t say, Let your manner of life be worthy of the commands of God. Obedience is not optional, of course. We must obey the Lord. Indeed, our Lord taught us that if we truly love Him then we will demonstrate that love by obeying Him (John 14:15, 21-24). “[God’s] commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3) to those who have been born again by the Spirit of God. Nevertheless, our ultimate standard is not the good and perfect law of God, but the good and perfect gospel of God.

Notice also that Paul doesn’t say, Let your manner of life be worthy of the character of God. It is perfectly true and biblical to say that we believers ought to mature in God-like or Christ-like character. But there is a certain abstraction to speaking about God’s character qualities such as wisdom, righteousness, love, or grace. Beware of taking an isolated word, infusing it with your preferred meaning, and calling it good enough. It is far better to recognize that God’s character qualities move from the theoretical to the tangible through God’s actions (i.e., His mighty deeds!). Actions are character qualities made visible. And what is “the gospel of Christ” but the ultimate divine action? The gospel is the ultimate demonstration of God’s wisdom, God’s righteousness, God’s love, and God’s grace.

Thus Paul directs our attention to God’s redemptive action in Christ and tells us that this redemptive action is to be the ultimate standard for our conduct as Christians. Our life as God’s people ought to be shaped by the tangible demonstration of God’s character in the life, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus. “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

YOUR MANNER OF LIFE IS AN EXCEEDINGLY IMPORTANT MATTER

With this overview in mind, let’s zoom in on a few different aspects of this instruction. To begin with, it needs to be clearly understood that “your manner of life” is an exceedingly important matter. I want to help us appreciate this exceedingly important matter from a few different angles.

The Importance of the Practical Christian Life

First, we simply need to recognize that how you live is important. Sometimes Christians are tempted to minimize the importance of the practical Christian life. This temptation comes to us in statements like ‘the only thing that matters is believing the right things’ or ‘all that really matters is getting saved so that you go to heaven when you die’ or ‘it is quite enough to give up Sunday mornings for God and to pepper the rest of the week with a few prayers’ or ‘what really matters is my ministry’. Each temptation represents a distortion or imbalance that results in dismissing the practical everyday Christian life as unimportant. But Scripture is clear that the practical Christian life is very important in God’s sight.

In Galatians 5 Paul says that the only thing that “counts for anything” is “faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). In other words, what matters is being established in sound faith and then expressing that sound faith through sincere love. When? All the time. Where? Wherever we go. A true and lively faith is a living and working faith: faith produces works of love in all of our relationships and responsibilities. In this vein, both Paul and Peter devote portions of their letters to telling us how our faith is meant to get worked out in our congregational life, in our family life, and in our economic, social, and political life. When someone claims to have faith but has no fruit to show for it, the proper biblical response is to recognize that the most likely explanation of the lack of fruit is the lack of saving faith. For faith without works is dead (see James 2:14-26), and an unfruitful life is the sign of an unredeemed heart (see Matthew 12:33-37, Luke 6:43-45). Brothers and sisters, “your manner of life” is an exceedingly important matter.

The Responsibility to Live as a Citizen of God’s Kingdom

Second, as a Christian it is your privilege and responsibility to lead a distinctly Christian manner of life. There is more to this phrase “your manner of life” than meets the eye. There is a particular texture to it that is not apparent in many of our English translations. But the New Living Translation does capture it and puts it this way: “Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ” (Philippians 1:27a NLT). The reason the New Living Translation included “you must live as citizens of heaven” is because the Greek word translated in the ESV as “manner of life” carries the meaning of “to live as a citizen.”[1] A variation of this same word occurs in Philippians 3:20 where Paul tells us that “our citizenship is in heaven.” In Ephesians 2:19 Paul tells us that we Gentiles who have believed in Jesus are “fellow citizens with God’s people.”

Now at this point you might ask, ‘Why does this matter? How does the concept of citizenship enrich our understanding of Philippians 1:27?’ Well, those are fair questions. One reason why the concept of citizenship may not strike us as particularly important is because our country doesn’t seem to place a high value on citizenship anymore. I have been told that there was a day when our public schools taught a class called ‘Civics’. The helpful online resource known as Wikipedia describes ‘Civics’ this way:

“Civics is the study of the theoretical, political and practical aspects of citizenship, as well as its rights and duties; the duties of citizens to each other as members of a political body and to the government.”[2]

Our present inattention to ‘Civics’ is an indication of the height from which we have fallen as a society. We Americans no longer see ourselves as members of the body politic with corresponding duties to one another and to our town, state, and country. Instead, we see ourselves largely as stand-alone individuals who have the right to pursue our own version of personal happiness. I would submit that the average American citizen has very little sense of the great privileges and responsibilities that citizenship represents. And why would we expect any different when the virtue of ‘Civics’ is no longer taught?

Now, to be clear, it is not my purpose to correct American indifference to ‘Civics’. I am only saying that our indifference to ‘Civics’ is one reason why the concept of citizenship doesn’t weigh heavily on our hearts and minds. However, it is my purpose to teach what might be called ‘Christian Civics’, that is, how we as Christians ought to live as citizens of God’s kingdom. In fact, ‘Christian Civics’ would be an apt summary for this extended section of Philippians 1:27–2:30.

In any case, unlike 21^st century America, in the ancient city of Philippi the concept of citizenship was particularly important. Philippi was a Greek city for a few hundred years but then became a Roman colony in 42bc. In Acts 16 Luke specifically refers to Philippi as “a Roman colony” (Acts 16:12). Philippi was a miniature Rome in terms of its architecture and culture. As a Roman colony, Philippi was largely settled by retiring Roman soldiers. In those days Rome would gift its retiring soldiers with an allotment of land for their faithful service to the empire, and a good number of military retirees made Philippi their home. Relatively speaking, there was a high percentage of Roman citizens in Philippi. Of the fifty-million inhabitants of the Roman Empire, only 14 percent or around seven-million were citizens. By contrast, 40 percent of the inhabitants of Philippi were Roman citizens.[3] And citizenship mattered! While the highest ranks of society were only available to the wealthy elite, it was nevertheless a matter of honor to carry the status of citizenship.[4] G. Walter Hansen writes, “Since [Philippi] was a Roman colony, the citizens of Philippi enjoyed all the privileges and rights of Roman citizens: they were exempt from taxes and governed under Roman law….”[5] Roman law afforded citizens a measure of “protection”[6] and the right of due process.

This privilege of Roman citizenship was on display when Paul and his team first took the gospel to Philippi. Do you remember? Paul and Silas were publicly beaten and then thrown into prison without a proper trial. As it happened, the magistrates who authorized the beating and imprisonment were acting unlawfully, and the reason they were acting unlawfully is because Paul and Silas were Roman citizens – and as Roman citizens they had the right to due process. If they had not been citizens, then they would have had no such right and they would have been at the mercy of the authorities. But they were Roman citizens, and therefore the magistrates were in the wrong. This is what Luke tells us in Acts 16 as Paul and Silas are just about to be released from jail:

“But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.”

(Acts 16:35-39)

All this to say that citizenship mattered! The apostle Paul, and the magistrates in the city of Philippi, and the Christians who were part of the Philippian congregation would have understood the importance of citizenship. When Paul turns to his brothers and sisters in Philippi and tells them to “let [their] manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ,” he is essentially telling them to live as citizens, worthy of Christ’s gospel. In other words, he is utilizing the concept of citizenship as a helpful way to discuss the practical Christian life. Paul’s point, of course, is not to live well as Roman citizens or, in our case, as American citizens. The Bible does call us to be honorable citizens of our earthly country (e.g., 1 Peter 2:13-17), but that is not the main point here. The main point here is that we ought to live well as citizens of God’s kingdom, as citizens of heaven. We could rephrase the Wikipedia description of ‘Civics’ and get an apt description of ‘Christian Civics’:

Christian Civics is the study of the theological, social and practical aspects of citizenship in God’s kingdom, as well as its rights and duties; the duties of citizens to each other as members of a church body and, most importantly, the duties of kingdom citizens to the High King, our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, what is conveyed to us in the phrase “your manner of life” is enriched we understand the texture of citizenship that informs this instruction. Brothers and sisters, we are citizens in the city of God! South Paris Baptist Church, do you see yourselves this way? Hundreds of years ago the honorable bishop and theologian named Augustine wrote a massive work entitled The City of God. In that book Augustine contrasted two cities. On the one hand, there is the earthly City of Man which is rooted in the love of self and motivated by the glory of self. On the other hand, there is the heavenly City of God which is rooted in the love of God and motivated by the glory of God.

As Christians, what a great privilege and great responsibility is ours, that we belong to God’s eternal city! It is our privilege and responsibility to promote the well-being of God’s city – to proclaim her message, promote her mission, and protect her sons and daughters. Thus later in verse 27 and into verse 28 Paul tells us to “[strive] side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not [be] frightened in anything by [our] opponents.” We are citizens of a city that is opposed – the earthly city opposes the heavenly city – and yet we are citizens of a city that will triumph.

We also have a solemn responsibility to each other – to lock arms as fellow citizens, engage the spiritual battle as a band of brothers and sisters, work together in unison, and show practical care for one another. Thus throughout Philippians 1:27–2:4 Paul instructs us to “[stand] firm in one spirit” (1:27), to “[be] of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (Philippians 2:2), and to “look… to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).

In all this, our most solemn responsibility is to Christ Himself: “the gospel of Christ” is our standard (Philippians 1:27), the mind of Christ is our rule (Philippians 2:5; see also 1 Corinthians 2:16), and the pattern of Christ – the pattern of His obedience-suffering-and-death followed by His resurrection-and-glory – the pattern of Christ is our example (Philippians 2:6-11, 3:10-11).

Brothers and sisters, our calling as Christians is to live well as faithful citizens of God’s kingdom.

Our Manner of Life is a Life Together

The third thing I want to say about this exceedingly important matter of our “manner of life” is that the truly Christian manner of life is a life together. Paul’s point in verse 27 – and in the verses that follow – is strongly relational and communal. The idea is not that each one of us would live well in an individualized and isolated fashion, but that all of us would live well together as members of the Christian community, as citizens of God’s kingdom. The issue here isn’t whether we are physically together or physically apart at any particular moment. It isn’t like we put Philippians 1:27–2:4 into practice when we are physically together and forget about it when we are apart. Instead we must understand the profound reality that we are a church family and we are called to journey together as a spiritual household and we ought to function as a close-knit community of believers, at all times. At all times and in all places, our eyes are fixed upon the same Lord Jesus Christ. At all times and in all places, we are cherishing His words and cultivating our walk with Him and prioritizing His kingdom agenda. At all times and in all places, we are seeking to represent Him and extend to others the knowledge of His glory. At all times and places, we are mindful of each other, praying for each other, and reaching out to each other. Thus we are spiritually together and spiritually side by side, even when we are separated by physical distance. But if we are spiritually together, then as often as we are able, we will actually connect with each other, call each other, encourage each other, help each other, support each other, and gather together. Biblically speaking, being the church is not something you ‘turn on’ or ‘turn off’. For Christians, being the church is how you go through all of life. Do you understand? O Philippians, O members of South Paris Baptist Church,

“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…. 

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”

(Philippians 1:27, 2:1-3)

This exceedingly important matter of our Christian citizenship involves a heart that is wide open to our brothers and sisters and a way of life that is intertwined with our fellow Christians. The normal Christian life is a life together: we love one another face to face in gospel fellowship, and we serve with one another side by side in gospel mission.

WORTHY OF CHRIST’S GOSPEL

In all this – in the practical Christian life, in the privileges and responsibilities of citizenship in God’s kingdom, and in this fundamentally communal and relational “manner of life” – in all this, we are to be and do only that which is “worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Christ’s gospel is our ultimate standard and rule of life. Lord-willing, in subsequent sermons I will have the opportunity to show how Paul anchors his forthcoming instruction with references to the gospel, and also to highlight the specific gospel-worthy attitudes and actions that Paul sets forth in Philippians 1:27–2:30. For now, though, I just want us to appreciate this simple but profound concept.

When Paul tells us to “let [our] manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ,” he means that the way that we live should correspond to the truth of the gospel. Sometimes Christians mistakenly think that the only purpose of the gospel is to bring us forgiveness and peace with God. Praise God that the gospel does indeed deliver blood-bought forgiveness to everyone who believes! Our redemption and reconciliation with God is the glorious foundational purpose of the gospel message. But we sometimes neglect the biblical truth that God has ordained another wonderful purpose for the gospel as well, namely, to show us how to live and to shape our character and conduct. Do you think of grace as your teacher? Paul did! He wrote to Titus,

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:11-14)

God’s grace is our trainer! God’s grace trains us to live well as faithful citizens of God’s kingdom. Over and over again, the New Testament sets forth the gospel of grace as the motivator and model of good conduct.

In the gospel, Christ stoops low and washes the feet of His disciples. Then He says, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14) Have you experienced Christ humbly washing your dirty feet or serving you in any number of ten thousand other ways? If you have, then you know that humbly serving others is worthy of Christ’s gospel.   

In the gospel, Christ displays unparalleled kindness by sacrificing Himself so that our sins could be atoned for and forgiven. Then the apostle Paul writes, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32) Have you experienced Christ taking away your sins and clothing you with His righteousness? If you have, then you know that forgiving each other is worthy of Christ’s gospel. And if we forgive each other those major faults that are rightly called sins, how much more should we forbear with each other over those minor faults that are not sins at all but are really only petty annoyances? Let it go! Patient forbearance is worthy of Christ’s gospel.

In the gospel, Christ lovingly lays down His life in order to meet our most pressing need. Then the apostle John writes, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” (1 John 3:16) Have you been moved in the depths of your heart by the sacrificial love of Christ? If you have, then you know that sacrificial devotion to one another is worthy of Christ’s gospel.

In the gospel, Christ welcomes all kinds of people from diverse backgrounds into His family. The religious and non-religious, the social elites and the social nobodies, the refined and the rough around the edges, the blue collar and the white collar, whites and blacks and Hispanics – everyone who turns away from sin and treasures the gospel is welcomed by Christ into the everlasting kingdom. “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, [put on] compassion, [put on] kindness…. put on love….” (Colossians 3:11-12, 14) Have you truly understood that Christ has welcomed you, not because you were from the better side of town, but simply because He has sovereignly chosen to love you? If you have understood this, then you know that compassion, kindness, and love for all our Christian brothers and sisters, and not only for our preferred sub-group, is worthy of Christ’s gospel. And when we encounter those who are immature in their faith, the Scriptural directive is clear: “welcome [the one who is weak in faith]” (Romans 14:1) and “bear with the failings of the weak” (Romans 15:1). Why? Because of the gospel: “welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” (Romans 15:7) Welcoming one another with joy, without playing favorites and without any air of superiority, is worthy of Christ’s gospel.

Is the gospel nourishing your heart and mind? Is the gospel shaping your life together as God’s people? None of us have been perfected yet, but all of us are called to make progress in a way of life that befits the gospel. 

In 2012 my Dad and I attended The Gospel Coalition’s New England Regional Conference in Boston. Pastor Timothy Keller gave one of the addresses on the theme of ‘The Gospel-Shaped Life.’ I have often recalled a powerful illustration that he gave during that message. Keller had planted Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, and a woman had recently begun attending the worship services there. After one of the services, Keller spoke with the woman and found out why she had started attending. Here is Keller’s written version of what the woman told him:

"She worked for a company in Manhattan, and not long after starting there she made a big mistake that she thought would cost her the job, but her boss went to his superior and took complete responsibility for what she had done. As a result, he lost some of his reputation and ability to maneuver within the organization. She was amazed at what he had done and went to thank him. She told him that she had often seen supervisors take credit for what she had accomplished, but she had never seen a supervisor take the blame for something she had done wrong. She wanted to know what made him different. He was very modest and deflected her questions, but she was insistent. Finally, he told her, “I am a Christian. That means among other things that God accepts me because Jesus Christ took the blame for things that I have done wrong. He did that on the cross. That is why I have the desire and sometimes the ability to take the blame for others.” She stared at him for a moment and asked, “Where do you go to church?”"[7]

Brothers and sisters, “[taking] the blame for others” is exceedingly and gloriously “worthy of the gospel of Christ”!

Let us pray.

ENDNOTES

[1] See notes on politeuomai at http://biblehub.com/greek/4176.htm.

[2] Available online at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civics.

[3] Hellerman, Joseph H. Embracing Shared Ministry: Power and Status in the Early Church and Why It Matters Today. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2013: p. 32.

[4] Hellerman, Joseph H. Embracing Shared Ministry: Power and Status in the Early Church and Why It Matters Today. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2013: p. 26-33.

[5] Hansen, G. Walter. The Letter to the Philippians (Pillar New Testament Commentary). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009: p. 2.

[6] Hansen, G. Walter. The Letter to the Philippians (Pillar New Testament Commentary). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009: p. 94.

[7] I heard Pastor Tim Keller share this story in a message entitled “The Gospel-Shaped Life” at TGC’s New England Regional Conference in Boston in 2012. The video of this message is available online through The Gospel Coalition’s Vimeo page at https://vimeo.com/gospelcoalition (search for “The Gospel-Shaped Life”). However, I drew upon and quoted from Keller’s written version of this story. The above quote is quoted in Bethany Jenkins’ article entitled “4 Ways Christian Can Stand Out at Work” (May 8, 2017), which is available online at https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/4-ways-christians-can-stand-out-at-work/. The quote actually comes from Timothy Keller, Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work. New York: Penguin Books, 2012: p. 218-219. I was able to view the above quotation, plus the immediate surrounding context, in Keller’s book through Google Books.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

NOTE: My inclusion of a bibliography reflects my interaction with other teachers in the preparation of my sermon. While the main part of my preparation involves my direct interaction with the biblical text, I find it helpful to invite other “discussion partners” into my preparation process. My mention of these teachers (writers, speakers, etc.) does not imply any particular level of agreement with them, nor does it constitute an endorsement of their work. That said, I am appreciative of those – past and present – who are seeking to faithfully teach God’s Word, and I am happy to benefit from their labor.

Boice, James Montgomery. Philippians: An Expositional Commentary. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2000.

Brisco, Thomas V. Holman Bible Atlas. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998.

Calvin, John. Calvin’s Bible Commentaries: Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians. Translated by John King. Forgotten Books: 2007 (orig. 16^th century).

Currid, John D. and David P. Barrett. ESV Bible Atlas. Wheaton: Crossway, 2010.

Hansen, G. Walter. The Letter to the Philippians (Pillar New Testament Commentary). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009.

Hellerman, Joseph H. Embracing Shared Ministry: Power and Status in the Early Church and Why It Matters Today. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2013. 

Silva, Moisés. Philippians: Second Edition (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005.

NOTE: I also utilized Bible Hub, available online at biblehub.com, for information related to the Greek word rendered “manner of life” (meaning ‘to live as a citizen’) in Philippians 1:27.