Let's Act Like A Team

We are to strive together for the faith of the Gospel.

Philippians 1:27 states,

“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel”

That phrase, “striving together,” is one word in Greek. It comes from the word for athlete, athleo, combined with the prefix, sun, which means with or together. It makes us think of competing on a team - like a football team where everyone has a part to play in harmony with each other. The line has to block and keep out the defenders. The receivers have to run their patterns as called for by the play. And the quarterback counts on it all coming together so he has time to get off that pass. And when it all comes together - touchdown!

But, if people don’t follow the plays as they are called, all you get is chaos and failure. No one knows what the other one is doing, and no one can count on the other players. But if we all play our part, if we strive together, we can do it!

This makes sense. We are supposed to be a team working together in the church. We together work for the common prize. And if we don’t work together, if we don’t demonstrate teamwork. we will never achieve the victory. But when we play like a team, Yes! Victory!

Now, Satan knows that a house divided against itself can’t stand. So one of his most common tactics is to get us fighting with each other, and usually over some of the silliest things. Like on a team, someone wants the glory, so he becomes a ball hog, and the others get resentful so they quit doing their part. Or someone skips practice and breaks training, and he lets the rest of the team down. Many great teams with outstanding athletes never win the championships because each player is out for his own glory while less talented teams that pull together win it all.

No! We must “strive together for the faith of the Gospel.” That’s our game plan! We are to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world as our enemy, the devil and his minions, try to stop us. We are on the offense – they are on the defense. We have the ball and we have a game plan. We just need to execute that plan together as a team joined arm in arm and heart to heart.

But now look at this next verse. Philippians 1:28 says, “And not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.” We could paraphrase that as, “Don’t be alarmed by your opponents. Don’t let them get you shaking in your boots.”

I know that that is common in athletics. When I played high school football on a small class B team. We had one game against a big class A team from the big city, and they had on their team the best running back in the state. He was big and fast and powerful and was setting all kinds of rushing records in the state by simply running over tacklers or dragging three or four of them along with him. If you tackled him, it was going to hurt. You knew you would pay a price. And a lot of the guys on the team were shying away from taking the punishment it would take to bring him down. Now we knew this from the scouting reports the week before we played, and a lot of the team, and I think even the coaches, were literally dreading the game.

This is what Paul is talking about here. Sometimes it hurts to spread the gospel. Look at the bruisings Paul had taken while doing it. And I’m sure this is why so few Christians actually proclaim the Gospel. A lot of people that make attempts at witnessing get bloody noses and black eyes, so they start to shy away from doing it again. But Paul says, “Oh, No! Don’t do it! Don’t let them scare you.” We don’t have to be afraid of them. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. So share the Gospel fearlessly.

Her Children Will Rise Up and Call Her Blessed

This portion of the book of Proverbs begins with a question. Proverbs 31:10 asks: “Who can find a virtuous wife?” And then it tells us how valuable she is: “For her worth is far above rubies.”

May I take the liberty of expanding that like this? “Who can find a virtuous mother, for her worth is far above rubies.” And rubies are even more valuable than diamonds because they are even more rare. So the author is stating that a virtuous wife is the rarest of commodities. A good wife/a good mother – one who demonstrates true, godly virtue - is by far the greatest treasure you can ever have. A virtuous wife is the most precious possession a man can ever have, or can ever find. And a virtuous mother is truly like finding buried treasure. A godly mother is irreplaceable in a child’s life.

Society has long recognized that fact. That is one of the reasons we have this very special day each year called Mother’s Day – a day set aside to honor our mothers. We recognize their infinite worth. So, honor is appropriate. As it is often said, “Give honor where honor is due.” Well, Scripture wholeheartedly agrees. A virtuous wife mother deserves reward.

Proverbs 31: 28-31 lay this all out:

28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.

The first reward mentioned is praise from her kids, “Her children rise up and call her blessed.” Do you know what this tells me? It tells me her children must be all raised up. They are grown-ups now. Mothers of little children don’t receive this praise. Their kids rise up and cry, “What’s for breakfast, Mom? I’m hungry.” And the typical teen; what will they do? They will grunt, and lay in bed as long as you will let them with their heads buried under their pillows.

But adult children? Those who have gone out on their own? They will lavish their mother with praise, at least if she was a virtuous one. “My Mom was so smart. I always look to her for advice. I’m so glad she cared so much for me.” And they will call Mom with questions. “Hey, Mom, my three year old has a fever. What should I do?” Or, “Hey, Mom, remember that special dessert you always made at Christmas? Can you share the recipe?”

Grown up children can now view their mothers from the perspective of being parents themselves. As a result, they gain a new perspective. They understand the sacrifice and commitment it took from Dear Old Mom, and they can rise in the morning and express their new-found appreciation to Mom. How often do adult children call her in the morning to just check in and chat for awhile? Or they begin patterning their own parenting after Mom’s example? Imitation is the highest form of flattery, they say.

Do you see? While the kids are little, that is when it’s all work. When they are raised, that is when the reward comes, not only from the kids, but from the kid’s father too. So, as the verse continues, a virtuous wife also gets praise from her husband. Proverbs 31:28 says, “Her husband also, and he praises her.” Praise means more than just telling her, even though that is part of it, but it means telling everyone else too. It means bragging about what a good wife and mother we are married to. Just like we praise God together, and we express our praise to Him, and we tell each other how great our God is, we, to a lesser degree, let everyone know how much we appreciate our wives. Many of you do that very well – I’ve heard you.

And, truly this is where the blessing of motherhood comes in. This is what makes the toil of all those years of raising the kids worthwhile - the changing of diapers, the cleaning up puke, and rushing them in for stiches. And as they get older, there is the worry of watching them make choices and choose relationships that can affect them for life. Yes, it is worth-while.

Ruth Benedict, one of the first women to attain recognition as a major social scientist, one who truly has it made, according to the modern, feminist view of life, candidly writes this:

“To me, it seems a very terrible thing to be a woman. There is one crown which perhaps is worth it all – a great love, a quiet home, and children. [Her childless marriage to Stanley Benedict ended in divorce] We all know that is all that is worthwhile, and we must peg away, showing off our wares on the market if we have money, or manufacturing careers for ourselves if we haven’t. We have not the motive to prepare ourselves for a ‘lifework’ of teaching, of social work – we know that we would lay it down with hallelujah in the height of our success, to make a home for the right man. And all the time in the background of our consciousness rings the warning that perhaps the right man will never come. A great love is given to very few. Perhaps this makeshift time-filler of a job is our lifework after all.”

Don’t you feel sorry for her? She has achieved everything the world says is important, but she is unhappy and unfulfilled. Even while she pursues her high level career, she pines to be a wife and mother. She longs to be all those things that God has programmed her for.

But the truth is, that dream of a great love, and a quiet home, and children - that can be a reality because that was God’s plan from the beginning. And a woman who experiences that, with the expected blessing from her children, and the praise of her husband is the most fulfilled woman there can be.

But, the one way that she can achieve that status in life is by being a virtuous woman. We have always told our daughters this. If you want to find a good, godly husband, you have to become a good, godly woman. Those are the kind of women that godly men will look for to marry. The tramp wearing the attire of a harlot may catch their eye, but she isn’t the type a godly young man wants to marry. He wants to marry a virtuous young woman.

But, back to the point: in encouraging mothers, there is no other higher calling in all of life. Being a wife and mother is why you were created. The Satanically influenced world may down-play that calling, but God upholds that calling. And husbands and children (at least adult children) appreciate you for doing it well. And it should you bring you blessing and praise – your “children [will] rise up and call you blessed.”

The world has downgraded motherhood for years - down-grading it to second class status behind careerism - but God hasn’t. God still means what he said in 1st Timothy 5:14 where He said through Paul, “I desire that the younger [women] marry, bear children, manage the house.”

Or, we can read in Titus 2:3-5 which says that the older women are to teach the younger women “to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers.”

Motherhood - It is so important. It is true that “the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world” It is the home that shapes the thinking of the next generation. And it shapes the morals and values that will rule in our kid’s lives. That is how important the role of Mom is. Hillary was wrong when she said that “It takes a village to raise a child.” No! It takes a family. It takes a mother and a father – they are critical - which is why Satan attacks the home so much.

First, the father was taken out of the home by the Industrial Revolution. No longer does he work out of the home as a farmer or a craftsman, but now he works down the road at a factory for some big company. And now, as feminism and materialism gain sway, the mother is expected to join him at the factory so she can be “more fulfilled” than the dreary soul who just takes care of a home and kids and so she can help maintain their luxurious standard of living. Fortunately, the real fulfillment comes at home (God built that into the woman). The real fulfillment doesn’t come from a career.

Elizabeth Elliot commented on this, writing:

“Any nine-to-five job, no matter how routine, monotonous, or boring, is elevated by the feminists to higher status than being a wife and mother, as though the wife and mother’s work were more demeaning, more boring, less creative and exciting, or allowed less latitude for one’s imagination than being a lawyer or fitting parts on an assembly line. (Granted, feminists nearly always pit the prestige jobs rather than assembly-line jobs against housework, ignoring the fact that few of the women they would like to ‘liberate’ would end up in prestige jobs.) I’m afraid it’s a case of the grass being greener on the other side of the fence. How many of them have had a fair chance to compare?”

No, the job of being a mother is far more important than putting parts together on an assembly line. Creating children and raising them to be productive adults is far and away more challenging and fulfilling.

The simple fact is, much of the problem with the disintegration of our culture can be traced to the disintegration of the family. It is a simple fact that children need a stable home environment, and a mother is pivotal to building one. As Proverbs 14:1 says: “The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands.”

The woman who does build her home deserves the praise of her husband and children. “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” Praise God for a woman who dedicates her life to serving her husband and her children - to building them a stable home environment.

This is important to the emotional health of our kids. In “Emotional Intelligence,” written by Daniel Goleman, the following findings were reported from brain stem studies: Children from unstable environments function in their thinking near the base of the brain stem – the area given over to non-thinking, reflexive processes, so that leaves only two psychological responses - either fight or flight, neither of which is very socially productive.

But, once their lives were stabilized, their brain function climbed to higher levels where thinking and learning can take place. Often, a kid’s failing academic performance can be turned around just by giving them a stable home environment. Do you see how critical this is for a child? Can you see how a mother’s presence and influence can effect that? Which is why any child who has that kind of mother should “rise up and call her blessed.”

The second insight from the study was this: stability came when the child connected with an adult who cares - who loves them with an unconditional love. Doesn’t that describe a mother? Can you imagine anybody being surprised by that? Can you imagine anyone thinking this is some kind of new revelation or something? This has been Scriptural truth from creation.

But that’s the good news: Children don’t need to go through life alone, since God gave them a mother and a father. The same God who gave them their psychological peculiarities also gave them you. God gave them parents to love and care for them. God gave them you to provide them the stable environment they need to thrive. And just because many parents have abdicated that responsibility doesn’t mean you will. And when you don’t, you deserve praise. Her “children [shall] rise up and call her blessed.” Because, Mom, your presence and love, your time and affection, go far further than designer jeans and sneakers with the right logo, and further than any amount of expensive playthings like bikes or skateboards or skiing trips.

The greatest poverty a child can ever experience is not the poverty of material things, but it is the poverty of Mom and Dad’s affection. A kid may have a life of material affluence, but be living with a great deficit of affection. So many kids in school are in trouble, not because the schools lack computers or electives, but because students lack a mooring at home. They’ve never had the stability of Mom and Dad’s time and example. They aren’t rooted anywhere, with nothing solid in their lives to cling to. And that breeds hopelessness, gloom and doom; and they are ripe for depression. Who knows what can happen then. Columbine style shootings have become all too common.

Praise God for a mother who works to build a stable home. She deserves the praise of her husband and children, and we must give it to her. Her “children [will] rise up and call her blessed.”

Children can’t raise themselves, you know. It takes effort, and lots of time, Mom and Dad, and you must be willing to provide that. Just think of a garden. A gardener must carefully prepare the soil. He must plant the good seed, and he must continually pull out the noxious weeds. Kids need the same effort. You must constantly put in the good, training them in Scripture and morality - teaching them to love God and serve Him. But it also means dealing with the weeds in their life – the sins that can poison their lives and choke out the good seed. Like weeds, if you don’t pull the sins out, they will over-grow the entire garden and destroy that life.

Nobody ever knowingly plants weed seeds in their own garden. They just kind of happen, all by themselves. The wind blows in the weed seeds, but our kids are indwelt with sin as fallen, sinful creatures. Their desire to sin comes from Adam, and it was passed down to them through you. Like the bumper sticker reads: “Don’t lead me into temptation. I’ll find it myself.” And they will, because it is as close as their own hearts. They need a Mom and a Dad to weed their lives of sin, so the good character can grow. If a Mom does that, she deserves praise. A child who grows up without a life ruined by sin should “rise up and call her blessed” every morning.

The home also needs to be a place that provides direction in life. Our children don’t understand the world, or know which way to go. They don’t know how to navigate the shoals or avoid the pitfalls. They haven’t a clue what their interests are, or what career path to take, or what kind of friends to pick. But, you, Mom and Dad, you know your kids. You know their hearts. You know their strengths and weaknesses. And you can guide them – they need your guidance.

Without guidance, a boat will float aimlessly whichever way the wind will take them. Without a map, a hiker will wander aimlessly around in circles. And your kids will wander through life aimlessly as well without you to guide them.

A child without direction is ungrounded, undisciplined, and has no purpose. He will be pushed around by the winds of peer pressure looking for something, anything to pin his life on and give him meaning. Can’t you be their compass, Mom and Dad?

When you see a kid walking through the mall with his pink spiked hair and bad attitude, and he looks like he fell face first into an open tackle box, and he listens to music that isn’t, and he deliberately, repeatedly does anything and everything to offend your morals, just maybe he is crying out loudly to his parents to please love me enough - enough to set and enforce some boundaries and provide me some direction. He could be asking, “Do you love me enough to stop my self-destruction?” A Mom and a Dad who do deserve his praise. When the battle is over, someday he will “rise up and call [you] blessed.”

The sin they wallow in seems fun at the time, but it never gives them any satisfaction. But you can lead them to the real source of fulfillment and satisfaction – Jesus Christ.

And you be an example to them. They can hear the truth, sit in all kinds of religious classes, but if they never see you living out your faith – actually practicing what you preach - they will wonder why they should. Why follow some religious system that has no practical effect on a life? And how do they know? Because it hasn’t made any difference in your life, Dad and Mom. The road we travel effects the road our children travel except they will go further down that road than you do. Make sure the path you are taking is the one you want your child to take. Praise God for a Mother who realizes that more of life’s lessons are caught than taught. She deserves our praise. Her children should “rise up and call her blessed.”

One last thing, and definitely the most critical: lead your child to the feet of Jesus. Diligently teach him the gospel and pray daily for his salvation. This is so critical because your child’s spirit will exist somewhere forever, either in heaven or in hell.

As R.L. Dabney observed, “Under God’s providence, when a man and a woman conceive a child, they have kindled a spark that can never be put out” Don’t you want them experiencing the blessings of God in His eternal presence rather than experiencing the curse of eternal torment and punishment? There is no peaceful oblivion awaiting the products of our failed parenting. So do the best you possibly can – your kids are more important than anything - and trust God to do the rest, because salvation is of God. We can work on the outside of a child, manipulating their environment and controlling their behavior, but only God can work on their hearts. But He can work a lot easier if we control the exterior.

But that’s why God gave them parents. God’s program is for parents to train up godly offspring. And it usually works. Most of our kids should grow up to be obedient and faithful to God. The oddity should be for a Christian couple to raise a dope addict or an atheist. So have confidence that God will work. and let Him work – just do your part.

We don’t have to be frantically pressuring our kids to make a decision for Christ. Most any adult can get a child to “become a Christian, pray the sinner’s prayer, or whatever.” They can do that by either scaring him with hell or playing on his desire to please. But salvation isn’t about an event as much as about a relationship. It isn’t about praying a prayer, or walking an aisle, or raising a hand. That kind of event can too often be just emotion, and it can too often inoculate your child from catching the real thing. Salvation, real salvation, is a living relationship with a living Lord. It’s a life of genuine repentance and obedient faith. So do your best to lead them to the feet of Jesus and trust God to save him because only He can.

Many kids who grow up in a Christian home may never have a time when they don’t believe. So don’t look so much for an event, but look for evidence of salvation in your child’s life – a changed heart, a changed character, a love for God, etc. A man doesn’t need to know exactly when the sun came up to know if it is up or not, and you should be able to tell what is in your child’s heart. Know them well enough to be able to tell.

Well, Mom, whether or not your child becomes the person you hoped he would be or not, they will appreciate the love and the time you invest in them, and they may express it. As the verse says, your “children [will] rise up and call [you] blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” God always provides a reward for doing well. But, if not from your kids, Jesus Himself will someday say to you, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” And isn’t His praise and thanks worth even more? You’ll get it from Him providing you are a woman who fears and serves the Lord.

As Proverbs 31:30 says: “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.” It doesn’t say, “might be,” but “shall be praised.” You have God’s promise on that. It won’t come from your little kids, and probably not even from your teenagers, but it sure might come from your adult children who recognize the love and time you have invested in them over the years. And it certainly ought to come from your husband if he’s worth anything.

Then Proverbs 31:31 closes with this line: “Give her of the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates.” That is a command to the rest of us. A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised and appreciated. This should be part of the reward for the labor she does with her hands. One fruit her diligent hands and hard work should produce is praise from us. And we should let her good works be known wherever people gather. Shout from the housetops what a great Mom you have.

Today is Mother’s Day. Today is the day we have set aside to honor our mothers. But it shouldn’t be just one day, but a life-long habit. We must praise and honor our mothers for the time and effort they have poured into our lives.

"Your Walk Talks Louder Than Your Talk Talks

As someone once said, “Your walk talks and your talk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks.” How true that is. Before people will believe your words, they will believe your actions. If your actions are consistent with what you claim to believe, they confirm the truth of it. But if your actions contradict what you claim to believe, they will always believe your actions and laugh at your words.

That’s Biblical, you know. It says in 2nd Corinthians 3:2–3:

You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

Right living is crucial to our witness. This is probably why it is so difficult – why Satan does everything in his power to trip up our lives. But simply living in the flesh, we will struggle with our walk. It really is too easy to drift away from the right Christian path. Unfortunately, living as a Christian is like trying to swim upstream against the current. Our human nature is always trying to pull us back. If we stop swimming, we lose all the ground we gained. The current pulls us back away from right living and back into sin. So it takes constant effort.

But, falling away doesn’t usually happen instantly. Falling back into sin is a gradual thing. As John MacArthur says,

“Falling into sin usually happens in stages. First a believer merely tolerates something he knows is sinful, perhaps criticizing it but taking no strong stand against it. Next, he accommodates it, a little at a time, each time becoming less concerned about its wickedness, until it ceases to become an issue. Next he attempts to legitimize it, by making excuses for it, embracing it as part of a normal lifestyle.”

Do you find yourself on that slide?

Alexander pope expressed it this way in An Essay on Man:

Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,
As to be hated needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace.

Live your life right. Right living is critical. The World is watching. And for the Philippians, so was Paul. Paul was really concerned for their conduct, as I am for yours.

Philippians 1:27 continues:

. . . so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel

Notice that Paul expects their conduct to be right whether he is there with them or whether he stays away. What we do shouldn’t be dependent on other people. We shouldn’t be pulled into sin by peer pressure – we shouldn’t let it drag us down. But we shouldn’t need other believers to have to hang on to us and keep us out of mischief either. We have a free will, and we need to exercise it for good, not evil. We need to take responsibility for our own conduct and make sure it is right.

Paul longed to hear this good news about them: “that [they] stand fast in one spirit.” He wanted to hear that the people in the Philippian church had kept their conduct right. That’s what we want to hear about you too.

In Philippians 1:27, where it says, “Stand fast,” it means to steadfastly hold ones ground. That sounds like Stonewall Jackson, doesn’t it? He was the General who always stood his ground regardless of the danger or the opposition arrayed against him. The single Greek word “stand fast” translates was used of a soldier who holds his position at all cost. We need to hold onto right conduct no matter what - at all personal costs. We must never be willing to compromise on right living.

That’s what Paul longed to hear about them. That’s what any pastor longs to hear about the congregations he leads – that they “stand fast” morally.

But, Paul also threw in the phrase – “in one spirit, with one mind.” This is obviously talking about our unity. Unity in a church is critical to a church. But right conduct leads to unity, if we are all pursuing it.

Paul will address this more in Chapter 2, but as a preview, look at verses 1-2.
Philippians 2:1-2

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Nothing destroys the testimony of a church any quicker than for a church to tear itself apart with conflict. A church split will set a church back at least ten years as people refuse to forgive and hold onto grudges. So many churches are like a pack of dogs constantly snapping and growling at one another over a scrap of meat. They are like the warning Paul gave the Galatians in Galatians 5:15, “But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!”

And the community watches – the world watches – your family watches. If we don’t love each other enough to get along, how can we love them, they think? And our testimony is again destroyed.

But, the best way to keep that unity, as you can see from verse 27, is “striving together for the faith of the Gospel.” This is talking about team work - bout joining arm and arm to accomplish the goals of Christ. Too many congregations strive against each other. They are constantly undermining each other with negative comments and criticism. They are politicking and choosing up sides. That is all of Satan.

But we are to strive together for the faith of the Gospel

Who Will Listen to the Witness of a Hypoccrite?

How you live is important. The Holy Spirit teaches us through Paul’s inspired words to make sure our conduct is worthy of the Gospel. Philippians 1:27 says,

“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

It is significant that Paul places this command in the context of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Preaching the Gospel, remember, was Paul’s passion. It was his call, It was his ministry.

But it’s also supposed to be ours. We are all supposed to share our faith and witness to the Gospel, aren’t we? Paul’s passion should be our passion. I really shouldn’t have to prove this from the Bible should I? Isn’t this something that you already know?

Jesus told us in Acts 1:8:

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; an you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end (or to the uttermost part) of the earth.”

My town of Orrington, Maine, of course, is at the end of the earth. So my congregation is included. We are expected to be witnesses to Christ here in Orrington. But wherever you live is pretty close to the end of the earth too, at least compared to Jerusalem.

But the effect of your witness is tied directly to your conduct. I mean, for people to believe your witness, you have to not only believe it yourself, but you have to live it. If not, well, there is a word for those who don’t. That word is “hypocrite.” It’s claiming to believe one thing, but living as though you don’t. And if you don’t live it as though you believe it, how can you ever expect those whom you witness to to believe it? You can’t! Because the Gospel is intended to not just save us, but to transform us into the image of Jesus Christ.

What will the world think if it hasn’t done that in you? What will that do to your witness? Certainly, anyone who believes the Gospel will, more and more, have a conduct that emulates Christ. That is what makes our message believable.

John MacArthur writes:

“The world can hardly be expected to embrace a faith whose proponents so little emulate its standards of holiness and fail to manifest the transforming power of Christ.”

As John MacArthur also writes:

“The church’s greatest testimony before the world is spiritual integrity. When Christians live below the standards of Biblical morality and reverence for their Lord, they compromise the full Biblical truth concerning the character, plan and will of God. By so doing, they seriously weaken the credibility of the Gospel.”

How true that is. I know that most Christians probably never rob a bank or rape or kill anyone, and most Christian men don’t look at porn, or drink and drive and sit in bars. But what does the world think if we constantly argue with one another? Or gossip about one another? Or act like we can’t stand each other? Especially since Jesus established love as the test of our faith in John 13:35, which says, “By this.” By what? The previous verse, John 13:34, which says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

Love is the test. Therefore, John 13:35 can say, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

And what if we live constantly worrying about everything as if Jesus can’t be trusted to control things, or He doesn’t know best what to allow in our lives. Or what if we make our priorities all about acquiring the things of this world, and we become greedy, or power mad, or lazy? You pick the area of your life that would be appropriate as an example that fits you. But if we live that way, what happens to our testimony?

The moral is: We need to live out our faith in every area because the world is watching. And unfortunately, they judge your Jesus by your conduct. To not live a consistent Christian life will destroy your testimony

On the other hand, there is no greater testimony to the truth of your witness than a consistent lifestyle - one that shows you firmly believe what you preach - that you believe it so much you live it out.

As Warren Wiersbe says,

“The most important weapon against the enemy is not a stirring sermon or a powerful book; it is the consistent life of a believer.”

There is an anonymous poem that goes like this:

“You are writing a gospel a chapter each day,
By the deeds that you do, and the words that you say.
Men read what you write, whether faithful or true;
Just what is the Gospel according to you?”

Let Your Conuct Be Worthy of a Citizen of Heaven

I want to move on to another verse in the book of Philippians. Philippians 1:27 says,

“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

This verse begins with the word, “only.” It was used in Greek, just like it is used today in English – for emphasis. It emphasizes that this is the most important thing – If you don’t do anything else, do this. What is it? “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

A mother might tell her kids as they head out to play, “Have fun, only make sure you play safe.” Or she might tell a son heading off to school, “Have a great day at school only remember to study hard.” The word emphasizes what’s most important to do.

And in this case, it refers back to what was just written. In light of what I have just written, Paul writes, this is what is really critical. This only is what you ought to do.

And what is it? It is to make sure your “conduct” is right. If you’ve got an Old King James, the word is translated as “conversation,” but this really is our walk, not our talk. It is our “conduct,” making sure what we do lines up with what we say. And what should our conduct be? Our conduct should be “worthy of the Gospel of Christ.” In light of the context, this is the critical thing.

So what is the context? Last time, we finished looking at an internal debate between Paul and himself. If you remember, he was thinking about his future. He was under house arrest awaiting a verdict. He might live, or he might die. He might be exonerated and given his freedom, or he might be executed. And if you remember, the basic truth for him, as found in Philippians 1:21 was, “For to me, to live is Christ, to die is gain.” And so he really would have preferred to die and go to heaven which he said was far better. Philippians 1:23 shows his inner turmoil, “For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.”

But that isn’t what he concluded he should do. Duty demanded that he stay on earth, living on in his physical body so that he could minister to people. That is found in Philippians 1:24-25:

“Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith.”

For us, the conclusion should be the same. Yes, it is better to die and go to heaven. To begin to experience that eternal bliss and fellowship with our Lord and Savior now would be infinitely better. But we have a job to do here. God has given us each a ministry and a spiritual gift. And until He calls us home, he expects us to keep on keeping on. In other words, to live out the first part of Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ.”

But then the question comes up, if I remain on planet earth living in this body, what does it mean, “To live is Christ?” How then, are we to live? These next few verses give us the answer.

So, what does the Holy Spirit teach us through Paul’s inspired words?
Philippians 1:27:

“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

That’s a long verse, but the point is obvious. Right living is critical. And it is a theme that spreads throughout both the New and Old Testament. That word for “conduct” comes from the Greek word, “politeuomai.” Not that you need to remember the word, but did you see the English word, “politics,” come through?

I know in English, we understand that the word “politics” is a compound with “poly” meaning many, and a “tic” is a blood sucking insect. So “politics” means many bloodsucking insects.

But in Greek, the root word, “polis,” that this is built on is the word for “city.” So this idea of “conduct” involves being a good citizen of our city.

But if you are a believer, where is your citizenship? It is in heaven. Philippians 3:20 assures us, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

When Paul tells you: “Only let your conduct be worthy,” he’s telling you that if you are citizen of heaven, you ought to act like it. There is a certain standard of conduct that is expected of you. And the fact that he adds that this conduct should be “worthy of the gospel of Christ,” just confirms this conclusion since it is your faith in the Gospel – the power of God unto salvation – that makes you citizens of heaven.

Roman society, like Greek society before it, was very community conscious. The individual was subordinate to the state, and the person’s strength and energy were to be used to advance the interest of the state first. More than self-interest, the interest of the community came first. They had a great sense of duty and honor. Giving your life for your country was the highest ideal.

Now certainly we applaud our military for their willingness to give their lives for this country. They deserve our thanks and our praise, and we are grateful for the sacrifice they make on our behalf. They exhibit this kind of self-less conduct that shows country is more important than even their lives.

But, as a believer, you have dual citizenship. You are a citizen of this country, and you ought to act like a good citizen. But your real loyalty is to Christ. Your first devotion is to the one who saved you because your real citizenship is in heaven. So above all, you must make sure your conduct is appropriate for that country – for heaven - even though you still live on planet earth.

But even thinking about Roman or Greek society, a good citizen would not do anything that would bring disrepute upon their country. They would be careful to always be seen as a responsible and honorable citizen, or they might be removed from the list of citizens.

Now, obviously, we aren’t worried about losing our salvation if we don’t measure up. Thank God, that Jesus doesn’t work that way. We are secure in Him. Jesus said in John 6:39,

“This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.”

Then, Jesus told His Father, in John 17:12,

“Those whom You gave Me, I have kept, and none of them is lost, except the son of perdition (Judas), that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.”

But, none-the-less, we still should be concerned that we not bring dishonor on our city – heaven - by improper conduct. If a Roman citizen would be concerned about dishonoring Rome. and we should be concerned about dishonoring the United States, how much more should we be concerned about dishonoring Christ?

The Presence of Jesus Makes Heaven Heavenly

People have a hard time understanding why dying would be better than living? To them, Paul’s statement in Philippians 1:21 that “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain,” makes absolutely no sense. “That’s ridiculous,” they say. But it absolutely is not ridiculous, it is Scriptural truth.

Anyone who has watched a loved one die a long, painful death knows that this life is filed with trials and tribulations. For that suffering person, if they are a believer, heaven is infinitely better. And Paul’s life was filled with suffering and persecution.

But Paul’s statement is not only true for the suffering, but even for those on top of the world; even for those at the pinnacle of success and good health. Because heaven is far better than the best this world can offer.

For a believer, the best part of heaven will be Jesus. It will be to dwell in His presence, and to serve Him out of love and gratitude.

Saints who die in the Tribulations will experience that. Revelation 7:15-17 records:

15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. 16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

That’s the truth we need to take from this. What God has waiting for us in heaven is far better than anything this earth has to offer. And the moment we die, we are there – with Christ. Amen! And Amen! We will bask in the glory of God and enjoy Him forever. As Psalm 16:11 says: “In Thy presence is fullness of joy.”

Did you notice?
In Revelation 7:15, it said: “He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.” That’s the best part of heaven. We will be forever with the Lord. It’s not the streets of gold we long for, but the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is Jesus that makes heaven heavenly.

As it says in 1st John 3:2:

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

Or 1st Corinthians 13:12:

“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.”

But this also teaches us something else: That concept of “soul sleep” taught by the Jehovah Witnesses or the Advent denominations is totally erroneous, just like the concept of purgatory taught by the Roman Catholic Church. It’s bunk! And if they’d just read the Bible they would see this. To “depart” this life, for a believer, is to “be with Christ.” That’s what is “far better.” It’s not to die and rot in the ground unconsciously waiting for some undetermined day in the future. How could that be better? But to be instantly with the Lord, Yes, that’s better.

Don’t you remember what Jesus said to the thief on the cross? In Luke 23:39-43, we read:

39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Jesus couldn’t say that if the man had to stay in some kind of state of suspended animation for thousands of years awaiting a day of resurrection to consciousness as these groups erroneously teach. No, to die is to be instantly in the presence of the Lord – Praise God!

Paul teaches the same thing in 2nd Corinthians 5:8: “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” You are either in your body and alive on earth, or you are absent from your body and present with the lord in heaven. There’s nothing in between.

We can give you all kinds of other Scriptural evidence for this from all through the Bible. This is not in doubt, but well revealed truth. There is no delay. For every believer, the moment you leave this body, you are ushered into God’s presence to forever be with the Lord. So Paul admits departing this life and being with Christ is “far better” than living on in the flesh. And that really is what he longs for. That should be what we long for too.

Nonetheless, Paul concludes that, in his heart, he would prefer to die and be with Christ, “Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you” (Philippians 1:24). Ah, there is a necessity here. Yes, he says, I guess it’s the best for now that I stay on planet earth. If I can continue to live, that is going to be better for you because I can keep on ministering to you. Not better for me, but for you. So I will pray to remain here.

What a great attitude you have, Paul. He is living out Philippians 2:3-4:

3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Paul is willing to postpone heaven, as far superior it is, to stay here on earth if that means he can be of help to these people. And as we’ve said before, that is what he believed God wanted him to do. That was why he was confident that he would be released from his imprisonment. Not that it was his first desire, but he wouldn’t be selfish about this.

So he concludes in Philippians 1:25-26:

25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, 26 that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.

Is this your desire? Is living for Christ and dying gain?

Living? Dying? Which Should I Choose?

As we have been studying through this section of Philippians 1:21-26, specifically the verse which says, “to live is Christ, and to die is gain,” we see Paul caught in a quandary. Ah the dilemma. Paul feels caught between the rock and the hard place with his desires. “Do I choose to live or die?” he asks himself. Both are compelling. But his desires are in just the opposite order we would assume, because to live on in the flesh is necessary for their sakes, yes, but dying is better. And that’s what he would prefer.

Ah, but it’s not just gain, it’s not just a little better, but it is “far better.” What is? To “be with Christ.” It’s not just a little better, like chocolate is better than vanilla - maybe the better option of two pretty close ones - but far and away better, so there is no comparison. Like, who would compare chocolate to mud as an entrée on your dinner table?

As the N.A.S. translates this, it’s “very much better.” This is the highest superlative. You couldn’t say it any more forcefully in Greek. Why? Because to die would allow him to be with Christ instantly, forever, free of all of earth’s troubles, limitations, pain and suffering. It would all be replaced by uninterrupted peace and joy.

Ah, but the downside. His ministry would be over. He would never lead another person to Christ. He would never be able to disciple another person and teach them the truth. He would never plant another Gentile church. All of that is important. That is the ministry God has called him to do. That is God’s will for his life. So, obligation would cause him to want to stay.

I understand this. How easy it would be to simply drop over dead and have all of my troubles be over. And to be with Christ? No more pain or sorrow or conflict. Oh, but I have a job to do. And my job isn’t finished. I am a husband and a father. I need to provide for my family and lead them. I have children to raise yet, and they need me. And I have a ministry to finish. God has called me to preach and teach and pastor this church. And there is a whole lot more Bible I want to teach to you. When you look at it that way, wanting to die and go to heaven seems a little selfish, doesn’t it? Especially if to me, “to live is Christ?”

What about that? Dying is the easy way out. Living is the tough way if it is living for Christ. But we have a job to do. If we didn’t, the choice would be obvious. Heaven is far better - it is all “gain.” That was Paul’s conclusion.

I have had numerous people in the final stages of death beg me to pray that God would simply take them home. Their job was finished on earth, and only heaven could end their suffering. So it was appropriate for them to desire that. But until then, we have an obligation. We have a job to do. So what should we desire?

The best answer is found in a poem by Horatio Bonar:

Thy way, not mine, O Lord,
However dark it be!
Lead me by Thine own hand,
Choose out the path for me.

Smooth let it be or rough,
It will be still the best;
Winding or straight it leads,
Right onward to Thy rest.

I dare not choose my lot;
I would not, if I might;
Choose thou for me, my God;
So shall I walk aright.

Very simply, we let God make the decision, and we gladly give Him that prerogative. But who wouldn’t want to be there in heaven? Only those who make living all about themselves.