A Life Worthy of the Gospel of Christ: Reflecting on Philippians 1
What kind of life do you live? How would someone describe your life? Is your life marked by radical transformation by the Gospel? Paul’s life was marked by Gospel-centered transformation. He exemplified what it means to live a life worthy of the Gospel and calls us to live in a similar fashion: a life seasoned with joyful prayer and a focus on the Gospel.
Joyful prayer and thanksgiving
When Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians, he was imprisoned, facing the possibility of execution because of his faith in Jesus. Most of us would likely have some amount of anguish if we were in a similar situation. No one wants to be executed. And yet, Paul wrote the letter with a profound sense of joy and thankfulness that can only come from our perfect Savior as shown in his prayer after his greeting.
In Philippians 1:3, Paul starts his prayer with thanksgiving to God. It is like he thought, “I am imprisoned. I might even die soon. But I am going to remain thankful to God for the believers in Philippi as I write to them.” His suffering, along with the potential for death, did not deter Paul from expressing his sincere thankfulness to God.
Thankfulness is a cornerstone of a healthy and robust prayer life. In Philippians 4:6, Paul writes “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” A prayer without thanksgiving is like a meal without seasoning. It is a necessary component. By being thankful in our prayers, we remember to keep our focus on what God has done for us and for other people, which then also helps keep our pride at bay.
Along with thanksgiving, our prayers should likewise be done with joy. In Philippians 1:4-5, Paul mentions that he makes his prayer with joy because of the partnership in the Gospel with the believers in Philippi. That kind of joy is rooted in God and the Gospel, for Paul expresses his confidence that God will complete the work He has started.
Gospel-centered living
In Philippians 1:12-14, Paul gave two main benefits of his imprisonment. First, the Gospel was advanced, even among the imperial guard, the very people who were imprisoning him. And second, his brothers in Christ are now more confident in the Lord and are more bold to speak the word without fear.
Paul does not mention any specific details of his imprisonment. He does not spend anytime complaining about his condition and lack of freedom. Instead, Paul is eagerly updating the Philippians on the results of his imprisonment, which is the spread of the Gospel.
As an interesting side note, the imperial guards mentioned in the passage were not just run-of-the-mill soldiers. They were a group of 9,000 elite, hand-picked soldiers that were tasked with guarding Caesar. They even deposed and promoted Ceasars. While it is unknown how many of Caesar’s imperial guards were actually converted, we do learn in Philippians 4:22 that members of Caesar’s household came to a saving faith. Paul’s suffering was not in vain.
Paul’s success in spreading the Gospel is a source of encouragement for other believers. If you have ever done any sort of evangelism, you probably know that it can be intimidating, especially if you are a shy introvert like me. Not everyone is called to be like an evangelist or a missionary, but every believer has a responsibility to be ready to give a defense for the hope that we have (1 Peter 3:15) and to be an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). If an unbeliever were to ask you about your faith, what would you say? Would you feel confident about sharing the Gospel?
When we learn of the success of another believer being able to successfully share the Gospel with others, it can help us be more confident when we ourselves share the Gospel. If Paul could be an effective witness for Christ despite his imprisonment, and if the message of the Gospel can have a tangible impact on even a very elite group of soldiers in Rome, then surely we can also have success in spreading the Gospel.
In Philippians 1:20-21, we really see just how transformed Paul is by the Gospel. Whether he lives or dies, he desires that Christ will be honored in his body. If he were to live, then that would mean more time to share Christ's love with the lost. And if he were to die, that would mean spending eternity in heaven with Jesus. Christ was at the forefront of his thoughts regardless of whether he would live or die.
A few verses later in Philippians 1:27, Paul challenges us to live a life worthy of the Gospel of Christ. His own life was marked by radical transformation by Jesus, and he desires to see others live in such a way that seeks to spread the Gospel to other people no matter how bad someone’s circumstances might be. Personal comfort took a back seat for the Gospel.
Paul summarized his Gospel-centered mentality in 1 Corinthians 2:2 when he wrote that he desired to know nothing among others except Christ crucified. What a transformation in Paul’s life! To go from someone who was the top of his culture and killing Christians, to become someone who would embrace suffering to the point of death if it meant advancing the Gospel and seeing sinners saved.
If we want to live a life worthy of the Gospel of Christ, if we want to see sinners saved, then we need to let our own lives be so completely transformed by Jesus like how Paul’s life was transformed. Most of us will not face the kind of persecution that Paul faced, but all of us can live in such a way that would draw attention to the saving work of Christ.