Living Is Christ
Philippians 1:19-30

October 22, 2006
by C.W. Powell

Review:

1. Paul's prayer: the fellowship of the Gospel: love abounding more and more in knowledge and in discernment: being filled with the fruits of righteousness.
2. The success of the Gospel at Rome through Paul's bondage. The preaching of Christ, even in contention.
3. Magnifying Christ in the body. Paul's salvation: magnifying Christ in the body. That is our salvation also. For it is not just good thoughts that save the soul; but the magnifying of Christ in the body. Confessing with the mouth; doing good to all men. Whether by life or by death; the issue is the same: shall Christ be magnified in the body: made bigger before men's eyes.

I. For Paul, living was Christ. See Galatians 2:16-21. Our relationship to Christ is a personal one.

a. Our sin is ethical: transgression of the words of God, because of our alienation from God the sin is personal, against the commands of God.
b. Our salvation is ethical: Not metaphysical change, but a moral and spiritual one. Paul is speaking of a profound spiritual change. A new principle of existence has transformed Paul's life. Reason for living; and the way in which he lived.

Reason: for Christ and His glory: not for the flesh and its desires; however elevated they may be described.
Way: By the faith of the Son of God. Not by the law; but by faith.

We find this ethical nature of salvation confessed in the Heidelberg Catechism: In the meaning of baptism.
Q70: What is it to be washed with the blood and Spirit of Christ?
Q70: It is to have the forgiveness of sins from God through grace, for the sake of Christ's blood, which He shed for us in His sacrifice on the cross; and also to be renewed by the Holy Spirit and sanctified to be members of Christ, so that we may more and more die unto sin and lead holy and unblamable lives.

This is illustrated also by Scripture:

“19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Eph 4:19-32 av)

In the requirements and meaning of the Lord's Supper the Heidelberg Catechism confesses:
Q81: Who are to come to the table of the Lord?
A81: Those who are displeased with themselves for their sins, yet trust that these are forgiven them, and that their remaining infirmity is covered by the suffering and death of Christ; who also desire more and more to strengthen their faith and to amend their life. But the impenitent and hypocrites eat and drink judgment to themselves.

True repentance or conversion.
Q88: In how many things does true repentance or conversion consist?
A88: In two things: the dying of the old man, and the making alive of the new.

Q89: What is the dying of the old man?
A89: Heartfelt sorrow for sin, causing us to hate and turn from it always more and more.

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” (Ro 8:13 av)

Q90: What is the making alive of the new man?
A90: Heartfelt joy in God through Christ, causing us to take delight in living according to the will of God in all good works.

“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Ro 14:17 av)

“And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Ro 8:10-11 av)

c. Not abstract love for Christ, but love for His people, wherever they are found; in whatever fold. "Him that is weak in the faith receive ye...."

d. Illustrated in Paul's dilemma: whether to depart or whether to serve the church. What should he desire; what should he pray for. The issue was in God's hands, whether Paul lived or died; but he didn't know how to pray, or what to desire after.

Every Christian has two strong spiritual desires: to know and enjoy Christ, and to serve the church, the body of Christ. What do we choose? Self-enjoyment, or service to the church.

II. Their rejoicing: He wanted to make their rejoicing in Christ more abundant. vs. 25,26. Joy and faith go together. The ingredients of joy:

a. Faith in God
b. Submission to providence
c. Work in terms of service to the people of God.
d. Hope.

Self-centeredness destroys joy.

III. Continuing reformation. vs. 27-30.

A. Conversation: Verse 5; verse 10,11. A different designation for the same thing. The thing is fellowship with Christ and all that is included in that.

1. They were a Roman colony. They were proud of that. They did not want to live except as Roman citizens. Theirs was a superior culture, law, and order. This was one of the strengths of the Roman Empire, and her citizens were proud to be citizens.
2. Paul would raise them higher: Your conversation (citizenship, manner of life, law, order, fellowship) must be as becomes the gospel of Christ--not Rome, but Heaven. Heaven is your city. 3:20. Many things affect your conversation--your way of life. You do not live for yourselves, you live for others.

a. Your family--mother and father. Don't disgrace your family.
b. Your country--don't disgrace your country. I am proud to be an American.
c. Your denomination: I am RCUS I love this church.
d. But most of all the Gospel of Christ. If you are faithful to the gospel, and live according to the Gospel, you will be a credit to all the rest.

3. What should the conversation be?

a. It should flow out of the Gospel (becometh the Gospel): not the law, but the gospel; mercy and forgiveness. The Gospel is the power of God. It takes great effort, great love, and great tenacity to stand fast for the Gospel. Man's natural inclination is to despise his brother, and to find fault, accusing in others what he excuses in himself. This is the spirit of the law; which is man's natural disposition. Titus 2:10: Adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. Our conversation should be becoming to the Gospel. It should fit the gospel. Live to adorn the gospel. Repentance of sins

Joy in Christ
Love for others
Service for others
Seeking the glory of God.

b. Standing fast in one Spirit and one soul: This means Unity. Do not glory in your differences. What is the core of the gospel? the "Faith of the Gospel." Not just struggling against; but struggling FOR. We are FOR something; not just again something. Spirit and mind (soul) are the same substance seen in different aspects. The Spirit is the attitude or bent of the Soul. The soul is the seat of affections, sensations, will, feeling, desires, etc. Sometimes the words are used interchangeably, sometimes as "higher" or "lower" aspects of the one incorporeal aspect of man. They are not different substances, as if man were of three parts; but one. It is error to think of man as having three parts to his being. To say that we must strive together in spirit and soul is to say that we must be of one heart and one soul.

Harmony and Christian unity is to be greatly desired and to be longed after and worked toward. "Striving together" = standing side by side against a common foe. Some people are constantly identifying the church as the foe, and are constantly at warfare with her. It is a great sin to disrupt the unity of the church. Note the following;

Rom. 12:5: "I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body...etc."

Rom. 12:10-12 "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer...."

I Cor. 1:10; "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thin and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." Self-serving factions; opinions; quarrels; backbiting, etc.

I Cor. 10:17 "For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread."

II Cor. 13:11; "Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you."

Gal. 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

Eph. 2:11-22 read: flows from the Gospel; breaking down the walls of separation. The law requires lopping things off; The gospel is reconciliation and union. First with God, then with our fellows in Christ.

Eph. 4:3,4 "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in your all."

Eph. 4:13 and many others. "till we come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God.." The ministry.

Gal. 5:15 "Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."

Walking in the Spirit is to walk in the gospel; to walk in the communion of the saints; to walk in love and forgiveness, and compassion; being harder on your own sins than you are on the sins of others. The greatest school you can attend to learn about warfare against sin is in the school of your own heart. Cast the beam out of your own eye....etc. You will learn how difficult it is to overcome sin by going to school in your own heart; there you will learn compassion for others, and will learn to love others as yourself.

Finally: Don't be afraid. Flee paranoia. The church has always had enemies. The gospel brings two gifts:

A. To believe on Christ.
B. To suffer for him. It is no gift to suffer for your own sins!!!

His grace is made perfect in weakness.

May God bless you.

Amen and Amen.