Philippians 1:27 27Only conduct your life worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,
Paul challenges the Philippian believers to stand strong in the face of their own struggles. No believer is completely exempt from persecution, the stress of shame, or opposition from those who do not believe or understand the gospel. These believers should seek to live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Paul reminded the Ephesian believers of the same call in Ephesians 4:1. The way the Philippians can live in a worthy manner is to stand firm in their belief in Jesus Christ. He will further define this in a few verses, in 2:1-11, by giving Christ as the example of self-giving love. The word conduct (politeuesthe) describes how a citizen of a city or state should live as part of that location. It expresses some self-identity associated with that place. As citizens of God’s kingdom, we should live in a way that identifies us with that kingdom.
Paul uses the word gospel twice in this one verse. This implies that his primary concern is faithfulness to the gospel. This is not simply an intellectual adherence to a statement of belief but a more profound, personal, and all-encompassing bond with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. The gospel is not just the message that is proclaimed but to what this message actually points and promises.
Paul challenges the Philippians to stand firm (stēkete) in this gospel. They can do this by being sure of their convictions and not compromising under pressure. Paul will give this same exhortation as he closes the letter in 4:1. Early churches like this were under significant social pressure from family, community, and religious and political officials. They had to be firm in their belief in Jesus Christ. Our convictions may not be so strong when we take our faith for granted and are part of the predominant religion or culture group. Pressure makes something stronger, and that includes our faith.
The Philippians can stand stronger when they are in one spirit. This expression of unity is clarified further by two other modifying phrases. With one soul is another way to say the same thing. Paul may simply be adding depth to his call to unity. Soul (phychē) can mean one’s life, soul, or essential being. Paul could be hinting at the spiritual nature of a person and the life a person lives in interaction with creation, including other people. The third description of unity is given in the form of a participle striving side by side, which gives the image of two or more people working together to accomplish a common task. The same word is used later in 4:3 for the bravery of Euodia and Syntyche who worked alongside of Paul for the sake of the gospel. Working with others gives encouragement and accountability to each person in the group. Jesus sent out his disciples in groups of two. Being united together, working together, and having the same purpose would strengthen the Philippians to hold firm to their faith in Christ.
In a world that is increasingly becoming hostile to Christians, being united with other believers as the church is essential for ensuring that no one is lost back to sin. Peer pressure can be subtle, and we may not realize the effects of the compromises unless we have others who can hold us accountable and look into our lives to inspire us to hold strong. Unity is one of the key sources to work out our salvation.
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