(27) В¶ Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; (28) And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. (29) For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; (30) Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
By the conversation, which the Apostle recommends as becoming the Gospel of Christ, must be meant the general frame and deportment of the whole life, such as is suited to a child of God, savingly called by grace, and regenerated by the Holy Spirit. The Apostle is writing to the Church it should be remembered. And the Church firms one body in Christ. The common interest and happiness of the whole, in the glory of their Lord, is the one uniform conversation, which should mark every member. They all speak the same language, even the language of Canaan. They all wear the same garments, even Christ's robe of righteousness. They all eat the same spiritual meat, even the bread of life. And they all drink the same spiritual drink. For Christ is both the bread of life, and the water of life to all. Hence, a uniformity of conversation, pursuits, and desires, form the distinguishing feature of this royal family, whom Christ hath made Kings and Priests, to God and the Father. Reader is it so in your instance? Do men of the world look at you as men wondered at? Do they think it strange, that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you? And are these among the marks by which the carnal take knowledge of you, that ye have been with Jesus? There is not, perhaps, a more alarming thing to the enemies of Christ; and his people, than when they see the firmness with which the Lord's tried ones are borne up, under the cruel pressure of their persecution. It is, as the Apostle saith to them, an evident token of perdition. They see, they feel, their nothingness, and forebode their misery, when their threats, and menaces, and punishments which they inflict, are lost upon the objects of their bitterness. What a beautiful example of this the Holy Ghost hath recorded of the three children in the Court of Babylon. We will not (said they) serve thy gods. The King's visage changed with rage, but inward horror was felt at the same time in his soul. Daniel 3:17-18. It is so. It must be so. Such things are for signs, yea evident tokens of perdition to the enemies of our God, and of his Christ. But they afford at the same time to the Lord's people, sweet manifestations of salvation, and that of God!
Reader! do not overlook that precious verse, and the doctrine contained in it, that it is given to the Church, in behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also, if needful, to suffer for his sake. Yes! faith and fortitude are the Lord's gifts, and not our graces. When a child of God believes to the salvation of his soul, the strength of that faith, and all the parts of that faith, are from the Lord. It is blessed to believe, blessed to be firm in that belief: blessed to believe always. But the largest portions of faith are all the Lord's gifts. And wherein no man's faith differs from another, the diligent measures of grace are His, who is both the Author, and Finisher of faith. So that the strong in faith, when taught of God, in the exercise of it, will always rejoice in the great object of faith, the Lord Jesus; and not in themselves, from the fruits and effects of it. Oh! for grace both to believe in Christ; and, if needs be, to suffer for his sake.