Philippians 4:9 (NIV)
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Paul urges the Philippians again to imitate his example as he imitates Jesus example (compare with Philippians 3:17). While he was in Philippi, the life that he lived before the Church there was exemplary in the fullest sense of the word. Even when he was beaten and jailed without a trial (Acts 16:16-40), he was blameless in his conduct and turned the whole event into a soul-winning opportunity.
But Paul did much more than merely set a good example. He also taught the Philippian Christians, both in person and through the epistles that he wrote both to them directly, and those which he had written to other congregations which had been shared with them.
Paul’s urging was not simply to listen to or even just learn what he had taught, but to put those teachings into positive action in their own lives. They could have his entire corpus of teaching memorized, but if they didn’t put those principles into use every day, they would do them no practical good.
On the other hand, if they not only listened, but learned the principles that Paul lived by and taught, and then put them into practical use in their own daily lives, the results would be very different. Not only would they be able to live effectively in God’s Kingdom, but God himself would be powerfully with them, providing for their needs, guiding and protecting their steps, and empowering their witness, making them effective in growing his Kingdom and growing the souls of those he brought in through them.
Father, it is abundantly clear that Christianity in its true form is about far more than correct theology. It is not a creed to be believed or a religion to belong to. It is a life to be lived in fellowship with You; a genuine relationship that affects every aspect of our lives. If we merely try to follow a set of beliefs or memorize a list of doctrines, we might exercise our brains , but our hearts will be untouched, untransformed, and not significantly different than the lives of those around us. Help us, Lord, to refuse a faith that is only brain-deep, and instead to allow our entire lives to be transformed in practical ways, so that we can live every day in Your presence, and so that You can work powerfully and effectively in and through us. Amen.