Rigney Courage

How the Gospel Creates Christian Fortitude
1. Auflage 2023
ISBN: 978-1-4335-8316-2
Verlag: Crossway
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, 160 Seiten

Reihe: Growing Gospel Integrity

Exploring Courage in Light of the Gospel  Throughout Scripture, important biblical figures have faced numerous adversities with remarkable courage. In the New Testament, the apostles endured persecution, imprisonment, and even death for spreading the good news of the gospel. Yet, amid their struggle, they continued to expand the kingdom of God-even rejoicing as they suffered for Christ. How can believers exhibit this same courage today?  In Courage, author Joe Rigney explores the Christian virtue of fortitude and its connection to the gospel. From a theological perspective, Rigney argues that courage-used in the proper context-is a sign of God's salvation and a believer's faith in Christ. In this concise and practical book, readers will defeat feelings of anxiety, anger, and fear as they gain boldness from God to endure all of life's circumstances.  - Explores Christian Fortitude: How the gospel shapes this important Christian virtue    - Practical Study: This concise guide encourages Christians to build up their boldness through Christ  - A Part of the Growing Gospel Integrity Series: Created in partnership with Union School of Theology - Written by Joe Rigney: Author of The Things of Earth; Strangely Bright; and More Than a Battle: How to Experience Victory, Freedom, and Healing from Lust.

Joe Rigney (PhD, University of Chester) serves as a fellow of theology at New Saint Andrews College. He is a husband, a father of three, and the author of a number of books, including The Things of Earth; Strangely Bright; and More Than a Battle: How to Experience Victory, Freedom, and Healing from Lust.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Rigney, Joe

Leseproben

Introduction

A teenager is mocked and rejected by his classmates because he holds to biblical teaching on sexuality and biblical standards of morality.

A husband and father wrestles with whether to continue in his present job or take the risk of starting his own company.

A wife faces another day with a harsh and emotionally distant husband.

A mother is diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer while pregnant with her third child.

A Christian employee faces pressure in his office to fly a rainbow flag in support of LGBTQ+ initiatives.

A pastor prepares a biblical sermon on a topic he knows will displease some in his congregation.

A missionary prepares to take his family to an unreached and unengaged people group that has historically been hostile to the gospel.

A new convert must decide how to tell his Muslim family that he has embraced Jesus as Lord, Savior, and Treasure.

Each of these situations is different, and yet each of them requires the same thing—courage. This is a little book about courage. My aim in writing it is not merely to describe a virtue but to foster it. And not just any kind of courage, but Christian courage. My aim is that in reading this book, your heart would be strengthened by grace to overcome your fears and face the dangers before you with gladness and joy.

The connection between courage and joy may not be obvious to you. But the Bible unmistakably links them. So let us begin by establishing this basic link between courage and joy by considering Philippians 1 and three key concepts that appear there: boldness, courage, and fearlessness.

The Setting

Paul opens his letter with a profound expression of gratitude and joy for the Philippians. This church has partnered with Paul in the gospel from the very beginning (1:5). This shared mission and fellowship gives Paul great confidence that the Philippians will persevere to the end because God will finish his work in and among them (1:6). Paul’s confidence is grounded in his deep affection for these saints: he holds them in his heart, he partakes with them of grace, and he yearns for them with Christ’s own affection. His affection for them expresses itself in rich prayers—that God would multiply their love and knowledge, that they would love what is good and excellent, and that, in so doing, they would be found pure and blameless at the coming of Christ.

Following this greeting—which is distinguished by the total absence of correction or expression of concern—Paul then seeks to update the Philippians on his own situation. More importantly, he seeks to rightly frame his own imprisonment and sufferings for the Philippians so that they can wholeheartedly join him in the gospel mission. This is where our key words come into play.

Emboldened by Imprisonment

Paul begins by informing the Philippians that his imprisonment has surprisingly served to advance the gospel. This is deeply counterintuitive. We would naturally assume that imprisoning Paul would be a setback. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. And the word of Christ is heralded by apostles and missionaries like Paul. So how can imprisoning the missionary advance the mission? Paul gives two reasons.

First, everyone involved in the situation knows that Paul has been imprisoned for Christ. He has borne witness to Jesus, even in his imprisonment, so that his jailers are clear about why he is in prison. As Paul says elsewhere, while he may be bound in chains, “the word of God is not bound!” (2 Tim. 2:9). The word of Christ is being sown, and perhaps even taking root, among the imperial guard. And this, of course, makes sense to us. Paul has simply found a new mission field, so that even his imprisonment has served to advance the gospel.

But then Paul gives a second reason, and we are again faced with a counterintuitive reality. “Most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Phil. 1:14). The brothers have been emboldened by Paul’s imprisonment? This again puzzles us.

We might naturally assume that the imprisonment of the lead apostle would depress preaching—that the other brothers would grow quiet and muted because Paul is in jail. This is, no doubt, what the authorities intended. Make an example of Paul. Show the other Christians what happens when you stir up trouble with this so-called gospel. And yet, far from shrinking back into silence, the other brothers have been emboldened to speak. They are taking more risks, daring to teach what might land them in prison along with Paul. How is this possible?

At this point, Paul merely notes that their bold and fearless preaching comes from their (increasing) confidence in the Lord. Something about Paul’s imprisonment has deepened their faith and reliance on Christ. Paul, of course, knows that not all of the newly emboldened preachers do so from right motives. Some are preaching Christ from envy and rivalry. They chafe under Paul’s fruitfulness and want to see him taken down a peg. They hope that their preaching will harm Paul, that his afflictions will increase because of their ministries (Phil. 1:1–17). (How much do you have to hate someone in order to preach the gospel with the aim of harming him?)

But others—that is, those who are speaking the word from their confidence in the Lord—are preaching “from good will” (1:15). They preach out of love—for Paul, for the saints, for the lost, and for Christ. They see Paul’s imprisonment as a divine appointment; they know he’s there for the defense of the gospel, commending the good news about Jesus to the imperial guard, the Roman authorities, and all who would hear of it.

Paul is not concerned about motives; he simply rejoices that Christ is proclaimed. Whether in pretense or in truth, whether from envy or good will, whether out of rivalry or out of love, Paul wants to see the gospel advance. And he sees that advance happening through his own ministry in the prison, through the bold preaching of faithful brothers, and even through the insincere preaching of envious brothers. Paul rejoices whenever and however Christ is truly proclaimed. Full stop.

Honoring Christ in Life and Death

But this is not all that Paul rejoices in. He also rejoices in his coming deliverance. This deliverance, he is sure, will occur through the prayers of the Philippians and the help and support of the Holy Spirit. In fact, it’s likely that Paul expects the Holy Spirit to uphold him in his imprisonment and affliction as an answer to the prayers of the Philippians. Notice how Paul describes deliverance: “It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death” (Phil. 1:20). The deliverance Paul expects and hopes for is not merely salvation from physical danger. It may include such temporal salvation. But the deliverance he anticipates through the prayers of the Philippians is ultimately the perpetual honoring of Christ in his body, come what may.

Or we could put it the other way around. What would it mean for Paul to not be delivered? For Paul, to dishonor Christ in life or death would bring shame upon himself, and he would not be delivered.

This is a gut check for all of us. Paul sees imprisonment and the possibility of death as a threat, as a danger. But it is not a threat merely because he might die. It is a threat because the prospect of pain, suffering, and death might lead Paul to dishonor Jesus in his speech and actions, in his living and his dying. Is that how we see our afflictions and suffering? Are we mainly concerned that the suffering end? Or, like Paul, are we mainly concerned that we magnify the worth of Jesus in the midst of our suffering?

We must press deeper into Paul’s frame of mind here. What does he mean that “Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death”? Consider the next verse: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (1:21). The word “for” signals that Paul is explaining how he hopes to honor Christ by life or death. And sure enough, he immediately talks about living and dying. If we connect the two verses, we can draw these conclusions:

• Christ is honored in Paul’s life when Paul’s living is Christ.
• Christ is honored in Paul’s death when Paul’s dying is gain.

Now what does each of these mean? What does it mean to say, “to live is Christ”? How is it possible for death to be gain? The passage continues:

If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. (1:22–26)

“To live is Christ” means fruitful labor. It means Paul will remain in the flesh, on earth, working for the progress and joy in the faith of the...