“WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST!”

Philippians 1:27-30                       (ESV)

“27 Only let your manner of life be “WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one Spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from GOD.

29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of CHRIST you should NOT ONLY believe in HIM but also SUFFER FOR HIS SAKE,

30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.”

To live and act as though we are on easy street, living without a care in the world, could give the appearance that we are comfortable with our earthly surroundings?  However, IF WE ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE US, WE KNOW THAT JESUS HAS ALREADY DEFEATED satan and the battle is HIS, not ours!  War is seldom pretty (especially Spiritual Warfare!) and we fool ourselves if we assume that everything will be easy once we become Believers.  Therefore, we should be striving to allow our lives to be led by the HOLY SPIRIT, not our reasonings and emotions.  

1 Corinthians 3:16 says “Do you not know that you are GOD’s temple and that GOD's SPIRIT dwells in you”?  The HOLY SPIRIT dwells within us, so why do I challenge HIS leadership from time to time?  Shouldn’t I yield to HIS guidance and direction when making decisions for my life?  It seems that I am so easily moved by what “this world” will think about my life?  I should not be nearly as consumed with the filth displayed by “this world”, rather I should be bothered by the filth being displayed by me, a follower of CHRIST!  

The Apostle Paul wrote “Only let your manner of life be “WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST,” not so we can brag about how good we are, but because it is an honor to be used by our CREATOR for HIS Glory!  Imagine if you will, the CREATOR of the universes “called” me out of the darkness into HIS marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9)!!  Although I’m not “WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST”, HE STILL CHOSE ME!!!