Introduction
There’s a reality attached to being a follower of Jesus. It’s that in your ministry at some point or another, there will be people who will dislike what you’re doing. Likely because you’re involved in the liberation of people they once had some power over. Regardless of the reason, as one who lives like Christ, you will be faced with adversity. They will search for your wrongs and attempt to use them as reasons for why you shouldn't be listened to. However, much like the story of Balaam and Balak in Numbers 22-24, when you behave righteously, those who may wish you ill will be unable to curse you or denounce you. The life God calls us to cannot be truthfully vilified.
Paul faced this issue within the Philippian community. Later …show more content…
The Christ of Israel was historically always a kingly figure who would essentially right all of the wrongs done to them as a people. These expectations of a messiah were born primarily following Babylon’s siege and conquering of Jerusalem. The hoped-for messiah was really a figure of a return to the Davidic dynasty. Therefore, the messiah was supposed to be a person cut from the same cloth as David, in other words, a “son of David”. This is the primary reason why there is to this day confusion as to how Jesus is in fact, Christ. It makes no sense to people, especially to the Jews of Jesus and Paul’s time, that a Christ would be a sufferer. As a result of this contention, there are people who are attempting to dissuade the Philippians from following Paul. But Paul does not seem too concerned. In fact, he states that in their attempts to defame, they actually assist him in his own mission to proclaim Christ.
How the Gospel is Spread
The proclamation of Christ is most powerfully made through the demonstration in one’s life. Paul is confident in his own activity that he is doing exactly what God desires and in so doing imitates Jesus. This imitation is so well done in his own life that Paul can comfortably state that as people simply talk about his circumstances, they will be describing a life lived selfless and blameless.
Modernly
“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you,
There’s a reality attached to being a follower of Jesus. It’s that in your ministry at some point or another, there will be people who will dislike what you’re doing. Likely because you’re involved in the liberation of people they once had some power over. Regardless of the reason, as one who lives like Christ, you will be faced with adversity. They will search for your wrongs and attempt to use them as reasons for why you shouldn't be listened to. However, much like the story of Balaam and Balak in Numbers 22-24, when you behave righteously, those who may wish you ill will be unable to curse you or denounce you. The life God calls us to cannot be truthfully vilified.
Paul faced this issue within the Philippian community. Later …show more content…
The Christ of Israel was historically always a kingly figure who would essentially right all of the wrongs done to them as a people. These expectations of a messiah were born primarily following Babylon’s siege and conquering of Jerusalem. The hoped-for messiah was really a figure of a return to the Davidic dynasty. Therefore, the messiah was supposed to be a person cut from the same cloth as David, in other words, a “son of David”. This is the primary reason why there is to this day confusion as to how Jesus is in fact, Christ. It makes no sense to people, especially to the Jews of Jesus and Paul’s time, that a Christ would be a sufferer. As a result of this contention, there are people who are attempting to dissuade the Philippians from following Paul. But Paul does not seem too concerned. In fact, he states that in their attempts to defame, they actually assist him in his own mission to proclaim Christ.
How the Gospel is Spread
The proclamation of Christ is most powerfully made through the demonstration in one’s life. Paul is confident in his own activity that he is doing exactly what God desires and in so doing imitates Jesus. This imitation is so well done in his own life that Paul can comfortably state that as people simply talk about his circumstances, they will be describing a life lived selfless and blameless.
Modernly
“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you,