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It is a familiar theme in the modern church,
perhaps best summed up in the familiar catchphrase of a famous TV-evangelist,
"This is your day!" Just as the world expects to have and to own so
many Christians expect to get and to gain. All sorts of spiritual goodies
seem to be on offer and one would wonder that there was something very
wrong in the life of any Christian that wasn't enjoying to the full
all that was on offer.
The experience of the first century church reflected more the words
of Jesus:
I have told you these things, so that
in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take
heart! I have overcome the world.
Note that Jesus did not say, "because I have overcome the world you
will not have trouble"? Paul knew this and in his letter to Philippi
he encourages Christians:
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves
in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
Whatever happens. Anyone who has been a Christian for any length of
time will know that all sorts of things can happen and there are days
that feel anything but, "your day". The experience of the Philippians
would have been very familiar to the 21st century Christian. From within
division, false teaching, bad leadership, immorality, from without ridicule,
hostility and persecution.
Whatever happens stand firm. Of course, when you are facing the challenges
of division from within and persecution from without it is not always
easy to know where to stand and with whom. Paul helps us here by identifying
where we should stand firm:
Stand firm in one spirit, contending
as one man for the faith of the gospel
It is the gospel for which we are to contend and the gospel that is
the ground on which new stand. Those who stand on gospel ground are
those with whom we stand, standing firm in one spirit.
There is a picture here reminiscent of Paul's picture of the Roman soldier
in Ephesians 6. There are parallels between the Roman soldier's armour
and the weapons Christians use in our spiritual battle. In the same
way, there is a parallel between the tactics of Roman soldiers and Christians.
When under attack the Roman legions would close ranks raise their shields
and form an impenetrable wall against their enemy.
There are no loners in the Christian world. Christians need to stand
together against those who pose a threat against the gospel ground on
which we stand. We don't have to agree on everything but we do need
to be there for each other. Consider this week how we can maintain and
respect our distinctives while keeping the unity of the faith, standing
firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel
- whatever happens.
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