Key Verse: Philippians 1:27a 

 

“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ,” 

 

The letter to the church at Philippi is one of my favorites in the Bible. It is full of encouragement and reminders of what it looks like to follow Christ. Here at the end of the first chapter, Paul is reminding the Christians at Philippi that there conduct should be worthy of the gospel. What does this mean? It means that we should live in a way that shows that we appreciate the saving power of the gospel of Christ. Our actions should show that we are truly appreciate of the gospel! If we live in sin consistently it shows that in a sense we are taking advantage of the death and resurrection of Christ. It shows we want salvation from hell, but we don’t want to live the life Christ calls us to! We must live worthy! What does it look like to live worthy of gospel? First of all it looks like a submission to Christ and His call on your life! It is choosing to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice to Him each day because of the mercies He has shown you (Romans 12:1). It is then allowing Him to transform the way you think by renewing your mind (Romans 12:2)! Once this happens in your life you will begin to see your thoughts and your actions change. You will begin to think purer thoughts. You will begin to have more Christlike love and forgiveness for others, you will begin to experience more peace and joy in your life, and you will even have a stronger desire to share the gospel on a regular basis! 

 

All of this starts with a true appreciation for the cross and the love of God. If you don’t truly appreciate Christ then you won’t have a desire to live for Him each day. You will constantly be up and down in regards to living free from sin on a regular basis. Your will be led by your emotions, not by the Holy Spirit. Take a few minutes today and ask yourself if you truly appreciate the cross. You can know by examining your life. If you appreciate Jesus, you will live like it!