Are You Worthy of the Gospel

In writing to the Philippians, the apostle Paul encouraged them to live up to the proper standard. “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” (Phil. 1:27.) Paul said it didn’t make any difference whether he was there or not. He wanted them to always live up to standard of the gospel.

Living “worthy of the gospel of Christ” is a high standard indeed. In order to appreciate the loftiness of this standard, we must first appreciate what the gospel is. Again Paul defines it for us. “Now I would remind you brethren of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you - unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:4.) Paul goes on to point out in the next several verses that there were many eyewitnesses to Jesus after he raised from the dead. Their faith was not based on some fairy tale but upon eyewitness testimony.

The word “gospel” means “good news.” In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, we learn that the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are at the heart of the gospel and constitute the good news of salvation. Notice how Paul told them they were being saved by the gospel. Jesus died as the sacrifice for our sins that by his blood we might be redeemed (1 Peter 1:18-19.) His blood washes our sins away (Eph. 1:7.) Like any dead person, Jesus was buried in a tomb but unlike any other dead person, Jesus raised from the dead. Jesus had raised others from the dead, but this time he was the one dead and raised. Thus he broke death’s power of fear and bondage (Heb. 2:14-15) and now offers all the redeemed the hope of eternal life (Titus 1:2; Romans 8:24.) Salvation and eternal life are based on the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection. We couldn’t do it ourselves but he did it for us. Now that’s good news!

The Lord made salvation possible but obedience is required on our part. “Though he were a son, he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him” (Heb. 5:8-9.) Faith is required (Heb. 11:6) as is repentance (Luke 13:3.) Baptism is where the blood of Christ washes our sins away (Romans 6:3-4) making us Christians (Acts 2:37-47.)

But now back to Philippians. The Lord’s sacrifice and resurrection are at the heart of Christianity. Without it, all is lost for us. One can hardly put into words the loftiness and magnitude of our Lord’s love for us nor of the good news (gospel) that preaches it. Certainly obedience to the Lord’s command (Mark 16:16) is a response to living worthy of the gospel.

But the Philippians were already Christians when Paul wrote to them. There is more to living “worthy of the gospel” than simply becoming a Christian. We must live as Christians. All that we are and hope to achieve spiritually is because of the same gospel that saved us. The standard is set high for us but Paul is admonishing something that can be achieved. We can live “up to” the gospel if we keep the basis of that gospel in mind.

The husband loves his wife “as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it” (Eph. 5:25.) The thief no longer steals but works to give to others (Eph. 4:28) because Jesus gave his all for him. We love everyone because of the love shown at the cross and are quick to forgive because we are forgiven (Eph. 4:32.) We might even say that we attend every worship service because there were other places Jesus might rather be than on a cross and our love for him draws us to his presence (Matt. 18:20.) We could write a book on all the ways to live worthy of the gospel but then the Lord already did that. It’s called the New Testament and we must study and live by it. The gospel came with the greatest cost and demands our greatest effort.