by Jerry Senn
“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (Philippians 1:27)
“I would like to buy about three dollars worth of gospel, please. Not too much — just enough to make me happy, but not so much that I get addicted. I don’t want so much gospel that I learn to really hate covetousness and lust. I certainly don’t want so much that I start to love my enemies, cherish self-denial, and contemplate missionary service in some alien culture. I want ecstasy, not repentance; I want transcendence, not transformation. I would like to be cherished by some nice, forgiving, broadminded people, but I myself don’t want to love those from different races — especially if they smell. I would like enough gospel to make my family secure and my children well behaved, but not so much that I find my ambitions redirected or my giving too greatly enlarged. I would like about three dollars worth of gospel, please.” (D A Carson, Basics for Believers: An Exposition of Philippians).
This challenged me to evaluate just how much the “good news” about Jesus Christ I am allowing to alter my thinking and behavior daily. I hope we all will do the same! Just how much of God’s love are we permitting to change my lives?
Paul wrote: “For me to live in Christ, to die is vain” (Phil 1:21).