Articles
A Manner of Life Worthy of the Gospel
A Manner of Life Worthy of the Gospel
by Doug Kashorek
In 1861, members of the Lord’s church in Mooresville, AL, found themselves on one side of their
country’s deep divide. The Civil War had split the nation, and they had suffered a great loss.
Twenty-three-year-old Johnny Tucker, who had obeyed the gospel four years before and was a
hope for the church’s future, had been killed in battle, and Union troops who camped nearby
made constant forays into the village to commandeer food, horses, and anything else of value
from these already poor people affected by war.
These concerns, however, were of secondary importance to these Christian brothers and sisters
of the South as they had to do with their earthly, secondary citizenship (Philippians 3:20).
Hearing that the Northern general and gospel preacher, James A. Garfield (later president), was
in the occupying camp, the church, appealing to the primary citizenship in heaven that they all
held in common, sent him a letter inviting him to preach—which he did! Christians who still meet
in that building today boast of Garfield speaking there and have the Bible he used on display.
These stand as a testament to the unity that exists in the body of Christ—despite earthly
circumstances. Philippians 1:27-28 says, “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of
Christ … that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith
of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of
their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.” Walking worthily, in faith and not
fear, shows the world our light … and by contrast their darkness.
