“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…” Philippians 1:27
There is nothing like getting near the end of your life to cause crystal clear thinking. As the days get fewer certain parts of your body don’t work as well – your knees ache, your can’t hear words clearly and your eyes become dim but hopefully one’s focus on what really counts in life becomes sharper.
That is what is happening to the Apostle Paul. As he writes to the church in Philippi, Paul is in prison. He is accused of a capital crime and there is a possibility he might be executed. (He didn’t think that would happen “for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.” (verse 27)) but he did not know God’s will.
As he waits on the Lord (he had to wait just like us) he determines to write a letter to the church at Philippi. He was not sure if he would ever see this church again, so he chooses his words carefully (under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit). What will he say to those he loves if he will never speak to them? (That’s a great question for us to ask too!)
As Paul began his letter it is mostly autobiographical. When he gets to verse 20 we gain an insight into the driving desire of his life. He does not want to be ashamed when he stands in front of the Lord. The word Paul uses for ashamed is aischunó which means to dishonor or disgrace. He is not thinking of the shame he would feel if he is unfaithful in living for the Lord (although that feeling would be awful). He is thinking of the dishonor it would be to present the Lord something less than His best. The burden on his heart that he shares with the Philippians is to finish well so he counsels them on how to live. He likely has seen many others squander the time, opportunities and talents the Lord has given them. He does not want that for himself or for the believers he loves in Philippi. If Paul lived today he would modify the popular motto “What Would Jesus do?” to ”Does It Please Jesus?” His thoughts are on making every remaining day and opportunity count.
This frames his messageas he shifts from his situation to the advice and counsel he wants to share with the Philippian church to encourage them in their lives for Christ. This is an important point. Lehman Strauss writes of this passage “Here the tenor of his message shifts to an application of spiritual truths to his readers and hearers. This is a missing note in present-day ministry. Preaching and teaching in the abstract or generalities to no one in particular does not build strong Christians. Truth must be applied. It must appeal to the conscience of the hearer.” Thus Paul speaks very specifically. As Paul begins to counsel them in Philippians 1:27 he cannot hold back the flood of truth and desire he has for this group of believers. So he shares with them what he has learned over the years.
What can we learn? The words the Apostle Paul shares with the Philippian are timeless truths that should guide our priorities and actions almost 2,000 years after the Holy Spirit let Paul to write them.. The truth impacts the decisions we make now that will have eternal impact. How we serve the Lord at this point in our lives impacts our treasure in heaven, That treasure is important for it will be presented to the Lord in thanksgiving for all He has done for us. Paul fears the shame of not bringing his best and he wants that for the Philippians and for us too.