What does it mean to conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel (Philippians 1:27)?

But he turns to their practical conduct. Joy in the Lord's manifest goodness was one thing; but this should be carried into the details of everyday life. Their manner of life was to be worthy of 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." How important a part of worthy conduct is the steadfast unity of saints in standing for the grace of Christ in the face of opposition. This demands the submerging of merely selfish interests, consideration of others, forbearance and longsuffering. Moreover, it should be practised as fully and diligently when the apostle was absent as when he was present. This is a searching word for our consciences.

Whether Paul is absent or present with the saints, he desires that their conduct may be worthy of the gospel of Christ. He does not think of their conduct in relation to himself — that it might be worthy of Paul — but in relation to Christ. Hence he desires that they may stand fast in one spirit, with one soul, striving together for the faith of the gospel.

Only he desires that their conversation should be as it became the gospel of Christ. It was not merely their calling in Christ, their being Christians, that was before him, but a walk as it became the gospel of Christ. It is not at all as the objects of the gospel, but as having fellowship with it, their hearts bound up and identified with all the trials and difficulties that the gospel was sustaining in its course throughout the world. "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ." Thus fervour of desire for others is the happy index of this whenever coupled with adequate knowledge of ourselves. But how can this be unless the heart is perfectly at ease as to itself? "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ." Let me press this, because alas! there is no small tendency whenever people know the gospel well, if this be all, to settle down, thinking they have nothing more to do with the matter. It was not so with the Philippians. They had so much the more to do because Christ had done all for their souls. They were coupled with the gospel in all its conflict and progress. It was not because of their own personal interest, though this was great and fresh, but they loved that it should go forth. They identified themselves, therefore, with all who were declaring it throughout the world. Hence he desired that their conversation should be as became such zeal; "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; 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."

Verse 27. 'Only let your conversation be as it becomes the Gospel of Christ,' etc. He had said enough of his own position, his anxieties, and his hopes. Addressing himself now more directly to the main object of his Epistle, which is the confirmation of his brethren's faith, and their further edification in Christ, he makes their actual state, as already acknowledged, the basis of his remaining exhortation. They had proved their sincere love of the truth by their fellowship with Paul in the defence of the Gospel; his sole anxiety on their account is lest there should be by any means a cooling of that love, and a corresponding slackening of their zeal. He would have them, therefore, in the first place, realise thoroughly their true position in this world as confessors of the name of Christ. So his word is: 'only,' or 'chiefly, do you regulate your conduct in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ.'5 Whether present and delighting his eyes by the spectacle of their godly order, or cheered at a distance by their good report, he cared only that there should be found among them, in a ready and steadfast exercise, oneness of spirit, oneness of soul,6 and an equally energetic and constant readiness to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.

Though it is a new subject, yet the word "Only", with which Verse 27 begins, links it up with what goes before. "Only", whatever happens, — the one thing that really matters, — whether present or absent from you, — "only" behave worthily of the Gospel of Christ. The literal meaning of the word translated "behave" is: "live-as-citizens", though it is not wrong to translate it, "behave", or, "conduct yourselves." We must, however, remember that Philippi was a Roman Colony, and its citizens were Roman citizens: it has been spoken of as "a colony of Rome." And the citizens were very proud of this privilege, and sought to walk worthy of it. I think the apostle had this in mind as he wrote: and in Chapter 3:20, he uses the same word, but as a noun: "Your citizenship is in Heaven:" You are a "colony of Heaven." The Philippian saints would readily understand the Apostle's meaning. They would know that he was not exhorting them to live worthily as citizens of Rome, or Philippi: but as citizens of Heaven.

We are to conduct ourselves worthily, it does not say of human principles, but "of the glad tidings of the Christ;" and, as said elsewhere, "of the Lord unto all well-pleasing."

The apostle then speaks of their "boasting" (v. 26 New Trans.) as a consequence of this deliverance, for all was working for their encouragement. But while that would be so, he exhorts them to continue to conduct themselves as supporting the testimony. The word "conversation" (v. 27) is the same as that used in Philippians 3-"For our conversation is in heaven". Here he says that their conversation should be of a heavenly character, the manifestation of that of which we often sing, "Called from above, and heavenly men by birth". Boasting in the apostle on the one hand, but in their own lives also confirming the gospel.

The word "conversation" in the English language of A.D. 1611, when the authorised version of the Bible was translated, meant much more than it does nowadays. It was descriptive of the whole manner of life, while the word translated "honest" would be literally rendered "beautiful." So in spite of persecution it is incumbent on God's people to show forth the excellencies of the One who has called them out of the realm of darkness into the sphere of marvellous light, viz., the Kingdom of the Son of God's love. Then their whole manner of life will be beautiful amongst those who are still strangers to God's grace and will be a powerful advertisement for the gospel.

Only there was one great desire which he had as regards them, and that equally whether he was absent from them or present with them, that they should conduct themselves in a way that was worthy of the Gospel. Not only were they to stand fast; they were to "stand fast in one spirit." Not merely to strive for the faith of the Gospel, but to do so "with one mind," and "together."

Here is an apostolic injunction which may well strike very deeply and acutely into our hearts. It goes a long way to explain the lack of power manifested in connection with the Gospel, whether as regards its progress amongst the unsaved or as regards the stability of those who are saved. Standing fast, you notice, comes before the striving. And the word translated striving is one from which we derive our word, athletics. It would seem therefore to indicate not so much a striving by word or argument in order to maintain the truth of the Gospel, as striving in the shape of actual labour on the Gospel's behalf.

(Vv. 27-30). In the meantime he desires that their conduct might be such as becomes the gospel of Christ — a searching word for us all, for we have the flesh in us, and, but for the grace of God, it can lead us into conduct not only beneath that becoming to a Christian, but far below the conduct of a decent man of the world, as indeed was the case with some who were preaching Christ even of envy and strife.

That these saints might walk becomingly, he desires that they might be found standing fast against every adversary. To stand fast, the saints must be of one spirit so that with one soul they may strive together for "the faith" of the gospel. The great effort of Satan is to rob the saints of the truth. To "stand fast" in striving together for the faith may entail suffering. But let us not be terrified into thinking that any suffering we might be called to pass through is the destruction of all our hopes. In reality, if suffering for Christ's sake, it will turn to our salvation from all the wiles of the enemy by which he would seek to turn us away from "the faith of the gospel." Let us ever view sufferings for Christ's sake as an honour given to those who believe on Him. Of such conflict and suffering the Apostle was an example, as they had already seen when he was with them at Philippi, and of which they were again hearing. Samuel Rutherford, in his day, when, like the Apostle, he was imprisoned for Christ's sake, esteemed it a privilege, for he could say, "Christ's cause even with the cross is better than the king's crown. Suffering for Christ is my garland."