A Gift of Grace -- Suffering for Christ -- 11/8/09

Sunday, November 8, 2009

A GIFT OF GRACE – SUFFERING FOR CHRIST
Phil. 1:27-30

This morning I brought a present with me. It’s a little bit unusual. I expect it to appear here shortly. (A couple of the guys bring in a huge box that is gift wrapped). I usually get young people to volunteer, but this morning I need an adult. Would anyone like to have this gift? (Wait for a volunteer). Okay, ______, come on up here. You will need to go into the box to find out what the gift is. (Open the door in the back and usher him in. Then close the door and peel off the wrapping paper. Slits have been cut in the box to make it look like a jail cell.) I used a lot of wrapping paper on this gift, but I was afraid no one would want it, if it wasn’t presented as a gift. I would leave you in the box, but I’m afraid it would be distracting; come on out and go back to your seat. We’ll talk more about this gift a little bit later.

This morning we come to the last section of chapter 1. In verses 12-26, Paul has dealt openly and honestly with his imprisonment. The amazing thing is the joy that Paul possessed, even though he was in prison. He rejoiced that the gospel was being advanced and that Christ was being preached, even if some of the preaching was out of bad motives. Though he wasn’t sure whether he would be released from prison or not, the uncertainty didn’t take away from that wonderful joy he knew. His earnest expectation and hope was that Christ would be magnified in Him. And it didn’t matter whether that came through his life or his death, because for Paul, to live was Christ and to die was gain. Though he longed to depart and be with Christ, he also realized that there was a great need for him to remain on earth and continue to serve the Lord Jesus. Somehow he sensed from the Lord that he would indeed remain for some time and even be reunited again with the Philippians to whom he wrote.

In this last section, verses 27-30, Paul ceases to talk about his own situation and turns the spotlight on his readers. Let’s go ahead and read it in Phil. 1:27-30…
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 28. And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. 29. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; 30. Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

We begin with the command that dominates this section…

I. Live Lives Worthy of the Gospel

Notice how this command is linked with what Paul has been saying about his own ministry. Let’s go back and read 1:24-26…
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. 25. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; 26. That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

Paul believes that he will come to them again and that will be an occasion of great rejoicing for the Philippians. Now in 27 he says, “But whether I come and see you or not, live lives worthy of the gospel.” Paul recognizes the fact and tells them that ultimately the important thing is not whether or not he comes and sees them, but how they live their lives. Notice the word “only.” This is really the only thing that matters – that you live in a way that is worthy of the gospel.

The King James puts it like this: “Let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel.” That is a bit cumbersome for most of us to get hold of. The literal translation of the word rendered “becometh” is “in a worthy manner.” This word is translated “worthy” again and again in the New Testament (this is the adverb built upon the adjective).

But what about those words, “Let your conversation”? “Conversation” meant something different in 1611 than it does now. Paul is not talking about words. And this isn’t even the word that is usually translated “conversation” in the King James. The Greek word is politeuw (politeuo). Can you hear the root of our term “politics” in that word? A form of this same word is used in Phil. 3:20, where Paul says, “For our conversation is in heaven.” No, it doesn’t mean our politics are in heaven. It means our citizenship is in heaven. Here in 1:27 Paul is literally talking about living as good citizens, but he isn’t talking about our citizenship in this world.

It is no accident that Paul used this kind of language. Philippi was a Roman colony. That means basically that Philippi was a little Rome, though it was 800 miles away. Those who lived in Philippi took their position very seriously and were proud of the fact that they were a Roman colony. They spoke the Latin language of Rome and dressed like the Romans and addressed their leaders with Latin names and titles. As a result of this fierce pride in being a Roman colony, they were careful about the way they lived. The good of the city and the people of the city were very important to them. They must live in a way that was worthy of a Roman citizen.

Paul uses that imagery to speak of a much greater citizenship. He commanded the Philippian believers to live lives that were befitting of citizens of God’s kingdom. Specifically, he tells them to live in a manner worthy of the gospel. As we have seen, Paul has already spoken a great deal about sharing the gospel of Christ. They had seen him do it when he was in Philippi, and that is what he had taught them to do. But it wasn’t enough to proclaim the gospel, they must also live it. If they preached Christ but did not live lives worthy of the gospel, their message would fall on deaf ears.

Let’s bring it up to date. We proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. We tell people that through Christ we can be forgiven and delivered from the domination of sin. But then if they see us live lives (even moral lives) that are pretty much like the world around us, they are not going to have much use for our gospel. They can’t gauge whether we are forgiven or not, but they can see that we don’t appear to have much deliverance from sin’s power. On the contrary, we must live lives that are consistent with the gospel we preach. We must live as citizens of heaven, that people may view us as a bit out of this world. Basically, we must live as Jesus lived. And that is the good news – we can. That is why the early Christians in Antioch were called Christians, because they had a remarkable resemblance to Christ Himself. With life and lip we must live as citizens of heaven.

Paul couldn’t guarantee that he would be able to stay with them very long. He wasn’t even positive that he would be able to come and see them, but that didn’t matter. The key was not their relationship to Paul, but the lives they lived before a watching world. And so it is with us. These instructions are not addressed to the leaders of the church, but to the church itself. You… you who are in Christ, live lives worthy of the gospel.

II. Are There Any Specifics for Us?

That is a wonderful command and extremely important, but does Paul give us any specific marks to aim at? Indeed he does. Let’s look at three of them in the rest of verse 27…

1. Standing firm

Whether he came to see them or didn’t come to see them, he wanted to hear “that ye stand fast.” Most translations render it “stand firm,” and that is certainly the idea here. Militarily, it was used of a soldier who refused to move from his post. He was commanded to stand firm, and that is what he did. This speaks of a refusal to compromise.

We must stand firm in both our doctrine and our behavior. Both are vitally important. Don’t be deceived into thinking it only matters how we live, but not what we believe. Ultimately, what we truly believe will determine how we live. On the other hand, it isn’t enough to just believe the right things. We are commanded to be doers of the Word, and not hearers only (James 1:22).

2. (Dwelling) in Unity

Notice what he says, “That whether I come and see you or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind…” This is one of a number of passages where Paul emphasizes the importance of unity in the Philippian church. Because Paul mentions it so often, some believe that unity was a major problem in the Philippian church. I’m still chewing on that; I’m not sure I agree.

Whether unity was a particular problem in the Philippian church or not, Paul stressed that it is extremely important. He doesn’t just say that he wants to hear that they are standing firm, but that they are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind. Every translation I checked agreed that Paul is talking about the human spirit, rather than the Holy Spirit. While it is true that all we who are believers have been baptized with one Spirit into one body, here he seems to speak of a common attitude among the members of the body of Christ. I don’t see much value in trying to make a hard and fast distinction between “spirit” and “mind” in this verse. Paul is simply emphasizing the importance of unity in the church by using both terms.

Of course, this concept of unity is a vital part of the new covenant. Jesus prayed that we all might be one, that the world may believe that He is Jesus was sent from the Father (John 17:21). In Ephesians 4 Paul says that diligently seeking to guard the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace is a part of walking worthy of our calling (Eph. 4:1-3). Indeed, a lack of unity will demonstrate that we are not living lives worthy of the gospel.

3. Contending for the Faith

We might ask, “But how do we guard the unity that the Spirit of God has given us?” How do we stand firm in one spirit with one mind? Please hear me. We do not guard our unity by seeking unity. If unity becomes our goal, we have lost the battle. Real unity is achieved (or maintained in our case) among people who are fighting for the same goal. Notice what Paul says: “that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” This oneness he speaks of is for the purpose of contending for the faith of the gospel.

It is very easy to illustrate this truth. Consider a group of soldiers on the battlefield. These soldiers may have very little in common. As a matter of fact, one soldier doesn’t really like one particular fellow-soldier because of his loose morals. Nevertheless, when they are on the battlefield, they function as one. They respect one another as soldiers and they obey the commander. Why? Because they are fighting for something bigger than themselves. Their own safety and the safety of others depends upon them working together as a team.

This term “striving together” in the KJV is the translation of a single term. I much prefer “contending together” to “striving together.” The actual term is the word from which we get “athlete.” Paul moves from the picture of the soldier who stands firm at his post to the athlete who is contending together with others for a great cause. It is the picture of an athletic team which works together for a common goal. This team may not look like much off the field and may appear to be scattered, but on the field those team members work like a well oiled machine. They are competing to win and they must work together.

This contending for the faith of gospel is spoken of in Jude 3, "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." The word translated “earnestly contend” here in Jude 3 is not the same word that is used in Phil. 1:27, but it is another very graphic term. I don’t want to bore you with needless details, but I believe these two words will help us see the importance of contending for the faith. This is the word from which we get our words “agony” and “agonize.” This is the same word that we will see used down in Phil. 1:30 (“conflict”). It speaks of entering a contest, of contending in the games. This is the way Paul uses it in I Cor. 9:25, where he tells us that every man who competes in the games (agonizes) exercises self-control. It is to struggle with difficulty, to fight. Contending for the faith will not be an easy thing. With one mind we are to contend for the faith of the gospel.

But wait a minute. Tell me again what it is for which we are earnestly contending. The faith of the gospel. But what is “the faith of the gospel”? There is no better answer than what we find in Jude 3, where Jude speaks of earnestly contending for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. More literally, it is “the once-for-all-delivered-to-the-saints faith.” It is the truth of the gospel. It is that truth that was given to us by the Lord Jesus and was imparted to us through the apostles in the New Testament. At first, some of you may react against that. You like to think of faith as a simple trust in the Lord. While that is one meaning of “faith,” the term “the faith” here refers to the great truths of the faith. We must be willing to give ourselves in a lifelong fight to preserve the purity of those truths.

But why is it necessary to contend for the faith of the gospel? Are we in danger of losing it? Yes, definitely. To much of religious America the faith of the gospel has already been lost. Paul was aware of the danger in his day. He not only told the Philippians to contend for the faith of the gospel, but he gave them a noble example. At the end of his life, Paul could say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” Paul guarded the faith of the gospel in his day, and we must do the same in our day.

The reason we have trouble seeing the need to contend for the faith is because the attacks on the once-for-all-delivered faith are not direct and obvious. While there are those who are directly proclaiming that the gospel is a myth and that Jesus is of no consequence in real life, that is not what is devastating our religious society. The problem is that so many people have swallowed the lie that what is important is not the great truths of the faith, but how you feel about Jesus. I repeat – that is a lie. So which is more important, to know the truth or to believe in Jesus? The great problem is that we don’t recognize that this is the wrong question. A better question would be: “What Jesus do you believe in?” When the great truths of the faith are obscured, then a false Jesus is preached. And that is exactly what is happening throughout our society. Instead of the reality of the Jesus who is God come in the flesh to rescue sinners who are dead in their trespasses and sins, multitudes are grasping an add-on Jesus who can give them a comfortable life at no cost.

How do we contend for the faith of the gospel? “O how I love your law, it is my meditation all the day” (Ps. 119:97). “I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies as much as in all riches” (Ps. 119:14). “The law of your mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver” (Ps. 119:72). “…The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb” (Ps. 19:9-10). "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night" (Ps. 1:1-2). We contend together for the faith of gospel as each one of us mines the truths of the faith from the Word, which God has given to us at great cost. I use the term “mine” because mining is hard work.

The truths of the gospel do not take hold of us automatically because we have several Bibles in the house and we pick one up once in a while. This is where we have been conformed to the world. The world has slowly convinced us that busyness is a way of life. If busyness keeps us from the Word of God, it is sin for which we must repent. But wasn’t Jesus busy about His Father’s business? Indeed, He was, but what was the Father’s business? Yes, Jesus was a busy man, but did you notice that He didn’t begin His ministry until He was 30. What do you think He was doing with all those years? The answer is in Jesus’ response to the devil in the wilderness, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). While it is true Jesus was busy, He was not too busy to rise a great while before day and depart into a lonely place to be alone with His Father.

III. Your Gift from Christ

That brings us to verses 28-30. Let’s read again Phil. 1:28-30…
And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. 29. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; 30. Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Just as Paul had adversaries, those who opposed him, so did his brothers and sisters in Philippi. Paul encourages them not to be frightened by their opponents. This is very important advice. How could they effectively contend for the faith of the gospel, if they were frightened by their adversaries? And if they didn’t contend for the faith, then they wouldn’t be standing firm and dwelling in unity. And if not, that means they weren’t living lives worthy of the gospel. Fear paralyzes, but God has not given us the spirit of fear.

Turn for just a moment to that passage in II Timothy 1. Let’s read II Tim. 1:7-8, “For God hath not given us a spirit of fear (timidity), but of love, and of power, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.” In other words, “Timothy, don’t be frightened by your adversaries.”

Then Paul gives his fellow-believers in Philippi a little word of encouragement. The fact that they oppose you and the gospel you proclaim is a clear sign of their destruction. At the same time, it is just as much a sign that you have been saved by the power of God. Why do they oppose you? Because you stand for the faith of the gospel. They are opposing God’s truth and therefore God Himself. The fact that you are not frightened by them but continue to stand firm, together contending for the faith of the gospel, should give you assurance that you are being empowered by the living God who has saved you and changed you.

Now think with me for a moment. A life that is worthy of the gospel is a life that is lived in unity with other believers. Together with other believers, that life stands firm in both doctrine and practical living. It is a life that joins brothers and sisters in contending for the faith of the gospel. Even when this life is opposed strongly, it is not frightened or alarmed. Perhaps some of us look at that and we have some doubts. We see that happening in believers in other parts of the world, even as we think today about the persecuted church. But we wonder if we will be able to stand, if and when such affliction comes to us.

Please hear me. Now I want us to come to a key concept that undergirds everything we have talked about this morning. Notice that verse 29 begins with the word “for.” You could translate it “because.” The reason you won’t be frightened by your adversaries and will be able to stand firm and contend for the faith of the gospel with your fellow-believers, thus living a life worthy of the gospel, is THIS… Here it is. This is the attitude that must undergird this kind of life. Verse 29, “Because unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.”

Brothers and sisters, this is the gift. Don’t miss those words “it is given.” This isn’t the normal Greek word for “give.” No, this is the word whose root is “grace.” This is given to you as a gift of grace. God has graciously given you a present. Now let me ask you a question: What kind of gift of grace would be given to a son or daughter by a God as magnificent and holy and gracious and loving as our Lord? Matt. 7:11, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” He even gives good gifts, when we don’t ask! James 1:17, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

So what is the gift? “Not only to believe on him…” Let’s stop right there. Before he unveils the gift, Paul reminds us of another gift of grace that we have been given. We were gifted to believe on Him. “For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). We didn’t just decide to believe on Jesus Christ; it was a gift of grace from God Himself.

Suppose it is your birthday and a loved one has presented you with a beautifully wrapped gift. When you open it, you discover that there are two gifts. You thought it was one gift, but it is two. So it is with Christ. It is not only a gift of grace to believe on Him, but it is also a gift of grace to suffer for His sake. Suffering for Christ is a gift of grace from our loving God. Until we understand this truth and embrace it, how can we stand firm and earnestly contend together for the gospel, while we are opposed by our adversaries? Until we see suffering for Christ as a gift, we will fight against it. Picture yourself standing in the presence of your Lord. He is handing you a gift, but you keep pushing it away. “Lord, I want you, but I don’t want this gift that you are giving me.”

Do you see how important this truth is? This is why from time to time I warn you against false teachers, many of whom preach on various religious TV networks. They are telling you that God wants you to have plenty and be happy and comfortable, but when have they told you that suffering for Christ is a gift of grace that you must embrace with your whole heart?

When we see suffering for Christ as a gift of grace, we will not be frightened by our adversaries. Instead, their opposition will only confirm that we do indeed belong to the Lord. Things are playing out just as the Lord told us in His Word. We are contending for the faith; they are opposing us; we rejoice that we are able to suffer for His holy name. The Holy Spirit moved Peter to put it this way in 1 Pet 4:12-13, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." Don’t be surprised by fiery trials, but rejoice that you can share in the sufferings of Christ. This is what Paul is talking about in Phil. 3:10, when he says, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death.”

Paul was not asking his brothers and sisters to embrace an attitude that was foreign to him. In verse 30 we see that the apostle calls attention to his own trials. “Having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear to be in me.” “Conflict” is the translation of that word “anonia.” It speaks of the fight that Paul was waging, a fight that brought much suffering and affliction. They saw the opposition to Paul when he was in Philippi years earlier, and now they were hearing about his afflictions in Rome. Paul was asking them to continue joining him in a life of not only trusting Christ, but suffering with Him as well.

Conclusion

You might say, “But I didn’t know about this when I repented and put my faith in Jesus.” Remember what the kingdom of heaven is like. Matt. 13:44, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." Isn’t the treasure you found worth anything and everything? When you came to Christ, didn’t you believe that He was worth everything you would ever have to give up, everything you would have to face in the future? The problem is this: the enemy has gradually and smoothly worn down our resistance and slipped little lies into our thinking, just as he did with Adam and Eve. Gradually, our minds are corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ (II Cor. 11:2-3).

This morning it is my prayer that the Spirit of God would strike a blow for freedom in our individual lives and in the life of this church. It is my prayer that the people of God will embrace the truth of God and receive suffering for Christ as a gift of grace from a loving Father. As the Lord’s representative this morning, I am asking you to do just that. I am pleading with you to consciously receive this gift of grace from your Lord.

Perhaps some of you feel a bit betrayed by your Lord, kind of like the situation with my little gift at the start of the service. You kind of feel like this suffering for Christ is something you didn’t bargain for. Look at it this way. When Fred stepped into that box, into that prison cell, who stepped in there with him? When a Christian steps into the cell of suffering, who goes with him? The rest of the world was shut out. That world that tempts him and sometimes overcomes him is shut out, and he is shut in with Christ. If we do not see that, it is because we have set up our own goals, goals which have more to do with comfort and temporary happiness than with living a life worthy of the gospel. Do you see? If suffering for Christ appears to you as a great burden that is unfair, it is because you have been deceived. You have lost sight of the goal – living a life worthy of the gospel. You have forgotten what your true treasure is, the Lord Jesus Christ.

As we bow in prayer, would you receive this suffering for Christ as a gift of grace? Don’t think you can avoid the choice. How can you reject the gift without rejecting the giver?

Silent Prayer