Stand Firm

Lately as I pray for family, friends, and those I know in ministry, I pray they would stand firm. I pray that I would stand firm. It seems that more and more those who bear the name of Christ are falling away from God completely, compromising in ways that do not fit with a manner of life worthy of the Gospel of Christ, or retreating. Our country seems to be increasingly intolerant and even hostile to the church, to Christians. Lines of right and wrong which used to be clear are being blurred or obliterated by society. We have a choice how we respond. We can be hostile in return. We can shy away from any confrontation. We can compromise the Gospel of Christ. Or we can stand firm.

As I was reading Daniel 1 this week, the notion of standing firm was highlighted in Daniel’s choice. Daniel was among the exiles of Judah taken to Babylon and selected to be instructed in the literature, language, and life of the Chaldeans. Daniel didn’t voluntarily take a class to learn more. He was being forced to learn the way of the Chaldeans. Nebuchadnezzar sought to conform Daniel and the other select exiles to a pagan lifestyle. This may sound innocent, but Nebuchadnezzar instructed Daniel and the others in training to be given a portion of the food that he ate and the wine he drank. Read Daniel’s response: “But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself”[1] (Daniel 1:8). Daniel uses the word defile. That is strong language that clues us in to this not being innocent food and drink. Daniel didn’t compromise as if eating and drinking what was provided would be acceptable to God. He didn’t go on a rampage against the chief eunuch over him or against Nebuchadnezzar himself. He didn’t retreat under his bed mat hoping no one would notice him. He resolved to be obedient to God. Daniel stood firm in his faith and in so doing, repeatedly influenced the pagans around him to the glory of God.

Paul wrote something similar to the Philippian church.

27 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, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents.[2]

Philippians 1:27-28a

In verses 1:1-26, Paul shared his perspective on his circumstances; now he turns to the Philippians to encourage them in their circumstances, but let’s begin with a little background on Philippi. It was a Roman military town, so the Philippian church would have understood both the political and military terms Paul uses in these verses (more on that later). Philippi was also a pagan city without even a Jewish synagogue with scrolls of the Scriptures present when Paul visited. You may remember that Philippi is where Paul and Silas were thrown in jail for exorcising a demon from a slave girl who practiced divination as it cost her owner income (Acts 16:11-40). Paul and Silas were surrounded, pressed, and persecuted by the pagan culture. As Paul writes to the Philippian church over ten years later, not much has changed for the believers in Philippi (1:30) although the Philippian church’s specific suffering is unknown.

Paul, Silas, and the Philippian church understood being bombarded, pressured, and persecuted by an anti-Biblical, anti-God culture. “But Paul summons the Philippian believers and us to respond to those who despise our faith and our Savior with a distinctive blend of boldness and humility, neither intimidated nor belligerent, neither fearful of those outside nor frustrated with those inside the church.”[3]

Paul first encourages the Philippians to “let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” The ESV translates the Greek politeuomai as “let your manner of life be.” “Conduct your lives” would be a better translation. “Paul bypasses the walking metaphor that he uses so often to portray the pattern of behavior that befits our faith, replacing walk with the citizenship-laden verb politeuomai: to maintain a standard of conduct befitting a citizen, to behave in a way that enhances the reputation of one’s city."[4] It meant to behave as a citizen, with a citizen’s sense of dignity and responsibility. Paul is urging the Philippians to conduct their lives in a way that reflects the Gospel. In reflecting the Gospel, we speak truth. We share the hope that we have. We don’t alter what God’s Word says or leave out parts that might be offensive, but we do it with the same grace, mercy, and love that we have been shown.

A polis was a small, close community of Greek citizens who were like-minded regarding rules and customs. This, along with patronage, was key to Greek society. Greeks took great pride in their duties and privileges as citizens especially as this citizenship was not automatic by birth. Paul uses this language to remind the Philippian church of their heavenly citizenship which far outweighs any earthly citizenship (3:20). Their lives were to reflect that citizenship whether Paul was there to observe them or not.

Next, he encourages them to stand firm. The terms “stand firm,” “striving side by side,” and “not frightened” are military references. To stand firm means “to persevere” or “steadfastly resist” (1 Corinthians 16:13). The way they were to do that was through unity – one spirit, one mind. Paul uses the Greek word pneuma which is used elsewhere for the Holy Spirit. Believers are united by the same Spirit indwelling them. Believers should also be united by one mind – not uniformity (all must be in complete agreement on everything), but rather that they would set aside their own agendas, preferences, safety, reputations, comforts, etc., for the sake of unity and the Gospel. Unity does not mean ignoring sin in the church or agreeing on every point of doctrine, but the church will be stronger in standing firm for the faith of the Gospel when we stand together.

Paul further emphasizes this by the phrase “side by side.” We get our word athlete from the Greek sunathleōwhich means “compete side by side.” The prefix sun means “with” or “together.” When used before athleō, sunstrengthens the concept of unity. “Here, Paul is thinking in terms of mortal combat. He paints the picture of an advancing line of Roman legionnaires, their long shields forming both a seamless wall before them and a “roof” over their heads against the enemy’s arrows and spears. His point is: “Don’t let the opposition divide you! Instead, let the pressures from your opponents draw you together in a deeper and stronger unity!’”[5]

We stand firm and strive side by side for the faith of the Gospel. We don’t stand firm or strive for our own recognition or advancement. We don’t even do it for the sake of the church. We do it for the faith of the Gospel. We stand firm in unity and strive side by side that others might believe and receive the good news of the Gospel. Pause and reflect on the opposite for a moment. When we do not conduct our life in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ (speaking the truth in love and with grace), when we do not stand firm (going on the attack, retreating, or compromising God’s Word), and when we do not strive side by side (acting in our own interest and independently), then we are hindering others hearing, observing, believing, and receiving the Gospel. This should sober us. We want to be “blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain”[6] (2:15-16).

Paul finishes his sentence using a different word for frightened (vs 28a) than he does in other places. The Greek word presents a terrifying picture of horses stampeding out of fear or soldiers fleeing in dread. Paul did not want the Philippians to be intimidated by the opposition. In their unity in Christ, they could face the opposition with boldness. They knew, as do we, the final story: Christ conquered sin and death on the cross, Jesus’ atonement is our salvation, our eternal life in glory with God and the destruction of all those who opposed God (vs 28b).

We have a common goal in the Gospel. We can conduct our lives in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ. We can stand firm in one Spirit, with one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the Gospel, unafraid of those who would oppose us.

Reflection

1. In what ways do you conduct your life in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ? What is an area you need to grow in conducting your life in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ?

2. When faced with opposition to your faith, do you tend to respond in hostility, retreat, compromise, or stand firm? Give specific examples.

3. Have you considered that unity with other believers helps you to stand firm? How are you cultivating this unity, so you can strive side by side for the faith of the Gospel?

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Da 1:8. [2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Php 1:27–28. [3] Dennis E. Johnson, Philippians, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, 1st ed., Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2013), 87–88. [4] Dennis E. Johnson, Philippians, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, 1st ed., Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2013), 89. [5] Dennis E. Johnson, Philippians, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, 1st ed., Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2013), 92. [6] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Php 2:15–16.