Conduct Yourself As A Worthy Citizen
Does God ever get your attention in ways that you simply can't miss? Do you ever read something or ponder an idea, only to have it show up in your reading, conversations, or social media feed? This morning, God got my attention. He reminded me of a reality that has been reverberating in my mind for at least a few weeks: As American citizens, we can't let our identity be driven more by our national citizenship than by our heavenly citizenship.
In my study of Philippians 1:27-30 this week, I came across a powerful quote from Hywel Jones. He was defining Paul's meaning behind "let your manner of life be worthy," and he said this:
"The verb which Paul uses to describe the kind of life which is appropriate to the gospel would have been very meaningful for the Philippians. It is the term from which our word 'politics' is derived. It means something like 'to conduct oneself as a citizen.' Doubtless, Paul chose this term deliberately, knowing how conscious and proud the Philippians were of their citizenship."
Philippians: For the Sake of the Gospel (2016), p. 62.
As an American, citizenship and "politics" have been on my mind—and in my conversations—a lot lately. I have been pondering and writing about how American Christians can live and vote in a way that magnifies Christ and preserves unity among believers. It's fascinating that, in God's providence, I am studying a passage that basically says, "conduct yourselves as citizens worthy of the gospel of Christ."
This statement from Paul speaks volumes to Christians today. Notice what Paul didn't say. He didn't say: "Conduct yourselves as citizens worthy of the Republican or Democratic parties." He also didn't say: "Conduct yourselves as good citizens worthy of American values." Paul's aim is far higher than earthly citizenship. He says, "Conduct yourselves as citizens worthy of the gospel of Christ." In other words, the way you live your life should reflect the reality that you have trusted in the gospel work of Christ.
Contrary to popular belief, the world is not friendly to Christians—at least not forever. Non-Christians may be sympathetic to our beliefs, but when push comes to shove, they will oppose Christ and His followers rather than stand side by side for the faith of the gospel. They may cater to our desires to win our votes or gain something from us, but they will never ultimately stand on the side of Christ. As Paul says here, they are on the path to destruction (Phil. 1:28).
Are you living as a citizen worthy of the gospel? Let's keep striving with our eyes on Christ to stand firm together for the sake of the gospel!
