“It is often in private and personal ways that our faith is tested and refined.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – October 28, 2023
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel. Philippians 1:27, NIV
This fall, I have the privilege of coaching my son’s basketball team, and a few days ago we had our first practice. While the boys’ excitement and energy levels were commendable, a long summer without touching a basketball left them rusty and needing to practice the essentials. However, our time together is best spent on team dynamics- learning plays, drilling various game scenarios, and generally learning to move and work together as a team. And so, I sent each of them home with “homework” – daily drills to improve their dribbling and shooting so they come back next week ready to contribute more fully to the team.
I thought of these boys today as I read the words of Philippians 1:27. Here, Paul reminds the early Christian community of their duty and privilege to work out their salvation and to share the good news of Christ in word and deed, wherever they may find themselves, even if it is in isolation from him or other brothers and sisters in the faith. The call before them was to conduct themselves “in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” This should be true when they were gathered together as the Christian family, yet it should be equally true as they dispersed and sought to live holy lives wherever Christ had called them.
The same is true for you and for me. Without ever dismissing or downplaying the central importance of the gathered family of God, it is often in private and personal ways that our faith is tested and refined. We “work out” our salvation in the specifics of life that are unique to each of us, yet it is essential that we remember it is never meant to be in true isolation. And like my young athletes who practice daily to improve the performance of the entire team, you and I grow and strive in our faith, not simply for our personal salvation, but for the strengthening, enriching, and mutual flourishing of the family of God.
And so, let us strive together “as one for the faith of the gospel,” or to put it in terms that a basketball player might appreciate, “put in the work because your team needs you!”
Prayer
Father, give us the strength to faithfully seek you and serve our neighbors, knowing that it is the way each of us plays our part in the family to which you have called us. Amen.
Application
What does it look like for you in this season to “strive together” with your brothers and sisters in the faith?
Related Reading
1 Corinthians 1:10; Ephesians 4:1-3; Jude 3
Worship Resource
Matt Maher: The Lord’s Prayer (It’s Yours)
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