Worthy of the Gospel

When I hear the word “worthy” I think of two things. First is the passage in Revelation where the angel asks if anyone is worthy to open the scroll, and only the Lamb is found worthy. (which reminds me of multiple worship songs based on this passage.) But the point is: no one is really “worthy” but Jesus. 

The other thing I think of is Thor from the Marvel comics/movies. His father enchants his hammer so it can only be lifted by someone who is worthy to be king of Asgard. Thor has to work to prove himself worthy again before he can get his hammer and his position back. 

The first example is a standard of perfection that belongs to only One who has ever existed; the second, though fictional, is an example of a worthiness that is very much earned and worked for. 

And so when I come across this word in Philippians, it’s a little confusing. Paul says: “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ…”

Just as a refresher, the gospel is the good news that Jesus came to earth to die for our sins, was raised from the dead, and made a way for us to have new life both now and forever. And this life is a free gift of grace. 

So by definition, we can never be “worthy” of it. Either by perfection, or by working hard enough to earn it. 

What does Paul mean, then?

He’s definitely not saying to work to become someone who deserves grace. (that is, in fact, an oxymoron. If you deserve it, it’s not grace.)

This is not about striving towards something we have not yet gained; but rather trying to press into what we’ve already been given. 

One of the versions I looked up, instead of “conduct,” says “manner of life.” 

So it’s not our behavior that should be worthy of the gospel; it’s the way we live our lives. We are not trying to be on our best behavior so we can deserve the grace we’ve been given. We are trying to live our lives in a way that aligns with the new life we are being invited into. 

Okay, so…how do we live our lives in a way that is worthy of the gospel? 

Let’s look at Ephesians 4:1, where Paul has a similar message with slightly different wording and more details. He says: 

“walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” 

Summary: be like Jesus. Be gentle and lowly, patient and loving towards each other, and at peace by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

This is a little bit of what he’s getting at in Philippians, too. The verse goes on to say, 

“...so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.”

The best defense against the adversaries of the gospel is a group of unified believers who are all trying to be more like Jesus together. They are fearless and bold, but still gentle and loving at the same time. They are steadfast and willing to suffer for the gospel. 

But for these early Christians, life looked a lot different. They were a small group of new believers in a world that didn’t even know who Jesus was. How does this apply to us today?

First, our manner of life must be intentional. If we are in Christ our identity is fundamentally different from the world, so our lives should be different. It takes purpose and intention in our everyday routines to live like Jesus. 

And living in that identity will make us fearless in the face of all kinds of suffering and opposition. We are not facing the same type of adversaries as the Philippian church, but we have the same God and the same calling. And we can fight for the gospel best not by coming at our adversaries with guns blazing, but by focusing first on our own conduct and manner of life. 

Always remember, though, that if there is anything in you that is able to walk worthy of the gospel, it didn’t come from you. You are made worthy by the blood of Jesus. You can never earn or deserve his grace; but by the power of the Spirit you can walk worthy of it.