Living in the Spirit
September 29, 2023
Scripture Reading: Philippians 1:21-30
For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.
Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well— since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
What does it mean to Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ? I am in a Bible study that this week reviewed the gospels of Matthew and Mark. It was a lot of reading for very busy people! It was worth the read. We often parse things we study, and delving into particulars is important. It is also important to step back and view the whole story as it unfolds to understand how our faith fits into the world in which we live. The gospels record the life of Christ in the real-time of the first century. Jesus was a storyteller, a healer, one who prays, one who knows the Hebrew scriptures, a champion for justice, a respecter of men and women, and a lover of children. The list could be longer, but working to live a life within the framework of this list is a great place to start living our lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
Prayer: Lord, open our eyes to see and respond to opportunities to live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Amen.
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.