Manner....
Philip. 1:27-30 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel [28] without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. [29] For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, [30] since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
It is one of Paul’s big themes throughout all his writings – how you live your life, as individuals and as communities of faith matters: people will judge Jesus by how you and the group of believers you are a member of behave. And a quick check of what happens in the media and in public debate today will confirm Paul’s thesis. People judge Jesus on what they see in us. So it is important, now as then, to live lives which truly reflect Jesus, not just some pale or corrupted copy.
So what does it mean to live a life worthy of the Gospel? Well here are some suggestions….
Your Life. Make sure that the choices you make in life are consistent with the message of the Gospel. Jesus said be forgiving, so do not bear grudges. Jesus said seek justice and mercy, so get involved in social action. Jesus said live lives which are not corrupted by sinfulness, so aim to be holy and transformed like him. Remember that wherever you go, you are the hands and feet of the Gospel. Your actions count.
Your Message. Remember that Jesus gave his life so that others could be saved, and rose from the dead to announce that victory. Remember that your life and actions should announce that message. Remember that Jesus came to bring reconciliation between man and God, so live lives which bring reconciliation. Remember that Jesus came to love others, so bring grace. Preach truth, live grace.
Our Communities. It’s not just individuals who are judged by others, but our Churches too. We need to be united, not divided; we need to be places where our lives and message are seen to work out, not to contradict. They need to be places where we love each other – because this is how others will see that we truly follow God. We need to be of one Spirit.
By our choices and actions we can live lives which honour the Gospel, or we can drag the Cross through the mud….
It is one of Paul’s big themes throughout all his writings – how you live your life, as individuals and as communities of faith matters: people will judge Jesus by how you and the group of believers you are a member of behave. And a quick check of what happens in the media and in public debate today will confirm Paul’s thesis. People judge Jesus on what they see in us. So it is important, now as then, to live lives which truly reflect Jesus, not just some pale or corrupted copy.
So what does it mean to live a life worthy of the Gospel? Well here are some suggestions….
Your Life. Make sure that the choices you make in life are consistent with the message of the Gospel. Jesus said be forgiving, so do not bear grudges. Jesus said seek justice and mercy, so get involved in social action. Jesus said live lives which are not corrupted by sinfulness, so aim to be holy and transformed like him. Remember that wherever you go, you are the hands and feet of the Gospel. Your actions count.
Your Message. Remember that Jesus gave his life so that others could be saved, and rose from the dead to announce that victory. Remember that your life and actions should announce that message. Remember that Jesus came to bring reconciliation between man and God, so live lives which bring reconciliation. Remember that Jesus came to love others, so bring grace. Preach truth, live grace.
Our Communities. It’s not just individuals who are judged by others, but our Churches too. We need to be united, not divided; we need to be places where our lives and message are seen to work out, not to contradict. They need to be places where we love each other – because this is how others will see that we truly follow God. We need to be of one Spirit.
By our choices and actions we can live lives which honour the Gospel, or we can drag the Cross through the mud….
posted by Gordon at
8:01 am
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