Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ.
Philippians 1:27
The “Hmar tribe” of northeast India was once known as a tribe of fierce headhunters, infamous for their brutal slayings. But in 1910, Welsh missionary Watkin Roberts sent the Gospel of John to a Hmar chief. The chief invited Roberts to come and explain the Scriptures, and within two generations the entire Hmar tribe was evangelized.[1] The gospel changes things, and drastically transforms people from their present cultural identity to citizens of the Kingdom of Christ our Lord.
The Gospel changes people and cultures, and the power of the Gospel was the obvious point of encouragement for many of Paul’s writings, including Philippians 1:27, “whatever happens, conduct yourselves worthy of Gospel.” The phrase, conduct yourselves,derives from a term that actually expresses, “one who lives as a community member,” and gives the imagery of both privilege and responsibility because of one’s particular citizenship. Because this is the only place in Paul’s writings where he uses this term, there is an intended meaning unique to the setting of the Philippian Christians.
Philippi, although a Macedonian settlement, was brought under Roman rule in 168 B.C. As a Roman colony in Paul’s day, Philippi enjoyed the status of ius Italicum, a phrase that gave the people in Philippi the status of Roman citizenship as if Philippi were a city in Italy. The privileges involved freedom from Hellenistic rule and taxation. So, most every citizen of Philippi understood the privilege and honor of their legal identity as Rome.
Into this sociopolitical identity Paul spoke (wrote) this political term: politeuesthe, meaning “conduct yourselves as a citizen.” And this term suggested the following spiritual applications for the Philippian Christians.
True Citizenship. Paul seemed to indicate to the Philippian congregation, “I know you are proud of your Roman citizenship, but what matters is that you are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.” In Philippians 3:20, Paul actually wrote, “our citizenship is in Heaven.” When he told the believers in Philippi to conduct themselves according to the Gospel of Christ, he essential said, live as citizens of the Gospel of Christ – citizens of the kingdom established by the Gospel.
Privilege and Responsibility. This citizenship in the Kingdom of Christ involved for the Philippians, and for you and me today, both privilege and responsibility. The citizen who lives worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ always lives rooted in Christ – trusting in Him, hoping in Him, and clinging to the teachings received from Him by faith. This genuinely defines “a life that pertains to and is revealed in the Gospel.”[2] In essence, the congregation in Philippi was Christ’s colony both in the spiritual blessings of the Gospel and in the spiritual duties to live out the gospel. They had a gospel (kingdom) citizenship.
Unshaken. Paul wrote this message from imprisonment, and obviously the hope of the message was not connected with Paul’s presence with the church at Philippi, nor any element of His leadership. The hope was in the gospel identity of the Philippian Christians. And the same is for any follower of Christ. “Whatever happens” in the opening of verse 27 firmly reminded the congregants in Philippi to live according to their kingdom citizenship and not the present condition of their status in Philippi. And we are not to live according to our present status as residents in this world. All things in this world, regardless of where we live, can be shaken and made uncertain. But, in Christ and according to His Gospel, “we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28). So although residents of this world, followers of Jesus are better identified as citizens of an unshakable kingdom – the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
With Paul’s encouragement taken to heart, conducting yourself in a manner worthy of the Gospel emphasizes your place in the Kingdom of Christ over your present location and circumstance. This truth should change how each follower of Jesus thinks, speaks, feels, acts, or responds. So today, live as a citizen of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Blessings.
READ
Read Philippians 2:1-18 and refocus upon Jesus and the impact He has on how we live.
[1] “Quick Takes—The Headhunter’s Children,” Today’s Christian (Jan/Feb 2005), p. 8
[2] William Hendriksen, Commentary on Philippians, 85.
