The verb politeuesthe is correctly rendered in the R.V. margin as "behave as citizens

worthily". It could be rendered, "let your life as citizens be worthy of the gospel". They

had a heavenly citizenship (3: 20) and their present life here should reflect this, whether

Paul was able to visit them or not.

We need constantly to be reminded that there is a three-fold injunction to "walk

worthy" in the prison Epistles:

and this covers every circumstance in the home and outside. The Philippians, as Roman

citizens, were intensely proud of their civic privileges with all the benefits that accrued

by being a Roman colony. Though living far from Rome, they enjoyed privileges as

though they were resident there. As Dibelius puts it, "it signifies a colony of foreigners

whose organization reflects in miniature the politeia of the homeland".

Similarly, from a spiritual standpoint, though far away from heavenly places, they

were citizens by grace of an exalted sphere there, and thus could not avoid the

responsibility that such an overwhelming blessing brought. We too, are in their position;

from one sense very much on this earth, yet our home is not here. We are pilgrims,

passing through to our eternal home in the heavenlies. May our practical response be like

the Hebrew believers who by their faith and conduct declared plainly that they sought a

better country, a heavenly one (Heb. 11: 14-16).

In our last study we were reminded of the three-fold injunction to "walk worthy" in

the prison epistles of Paul. The new section of Philippians, upon which we now enter,

commences in 1: 27 with the word "only" which is emphatic, as it is in Gal. 3: 2. It

has the force of "above all", for the Christian practice which follows is essential if the

truth is ever to make progress. If groups of believers cannot practically exhibit in their

corporate life what they profess, who is going to listen to them seriously? The word that

the Apostle uses is not the usual one, peripateo, but politeuesthai, which is cognate with

the word "conversation" A.V., or "citizenship" R.V. of Phil. 3: 20. In the verse we are

considering, the R.V. is to be preferred. "Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel

of Christ", and in the margin we read, "behave as citizens".

We have already pointed out the force of all this. If the Philippians as Roman citizens

enjoyed great civic privileges, then they must also face up to the responsibilities which

these brought. Likewise, as citizens of the heavenlies, they must act accordingly, and

reflect this by standing together with dauntless courage in absolute unity in service and