Philippians 1:21-30

Philippians 1:21-30 … What should be the defining characteristic of a Christian church? We see this right away in Philippians 1:21 … which is a great memory verse and conveys the concept of the supremacy of Christ in all things. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Paul expressed this same view in 2 Corinthians 5:1-10, which is that Christ is the believer’s life. That’s the calling … that’s the main thing. Pastors and preachers sometimes find that they are the object of admiration in the local church, and Paul addresses that in verse 27 … that feeling of local admiration ought to abound toward Christ Jesus. Christ is the object and abounding in Him ought to be evident in the church. And so we draw a distinctive of a true church here … Christ is the life of the local church. That should be evident in the church and a predominant characteristic of the church.