Philippians 1:21-26To: Philippians Main MenuTo: Grace Notes Home Page Philippians 1:21"For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."What do you think about when you think of the future? Do you think of your children or grandchildren, your health, job or retirement? Are spiritual aspirations a part of the future for you? Verse 21 amplifies verse 20. In verse 20 Paul stated his spiritual aspiration was to make Christ big in his body. Now he sets forth the alternatives in which he will do that. Here is a man who did not have much future although he was confident that he was going to be released from prison. Paul is looking at his options. He had two basic options: what would he do with his life if he lived or died? In this verse Paul answers that question for himself. He wanted his body to be a showcase in either option. "for to me, to live is Christ""To me" indicates Paul's personal testimony. He is not speaking for anyone else, not Peter or John. I will define what life and death are to me. Note that both verbs ("is") are in italics. That means that they were supplied by the translators. Here then is the literal idea: "to live... Christ." Or to put it in a formula "to live=Christ." To live equals Christ. Living for Christ was his ambition. As long as Paul continued to live he would live for the purpose of glorifying Christ. It is also true that the dynamic that produces a spiritual life is Christ himself--"When Christ who is our life" (Col. 3:4). Christ our life. The Christian life is Christ moving into the believer, invading them so that his life is lived through them. This is far more than imitating Jesus. That would be too difficult with a sinful heart. "Christ lives in me" (Gal. 2:20). He is more willing to live his life through us than we are willing to allow him. "Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body" (II Co. 4:10). We need to think of our body as an exhibit to demonstrate Jesus. There are automobile exhibitions where they reveal the latest models. These cars are presented in their most appealing context. The believer is to present Christ in the most appealing setting. "To reveal his Son in me" (Gal. 1:16). PRINCIPLE: For Paul, the Christian life was not a hobby; it was his very life. This is what should be normal Christian living. With most of us our Christian life is subnormal. APPLICATION: What would you put in place of "Christ"? For me to live is __________. Some might insert "my wife. I worship the ground she walks on." Others my say, "my children. I will sacrifice anything for them." Yet some may say, "my job. I love my work. I love business." Why not place Christ in the centre of our lives? In Philippians 1:21 Paul not only defines what life is to him but he also defines what death is to him. In the first part of the verse Paul says that the ruling principle of his life is to live in fellowship with Christ. For him, the ruling-principle was not money, fame or pleasure. Life was synonymous with Christ. He could not conceive of living without fellowship with the Lord. He was gloriously alive by pervading everything with Christ. "and to die is gain."For Paul, life was a wonderful fellowship with the Lord Jesus, but death was a prospect for even more intimate fellowship with him. Not only should we have a philosophy of life but we should have a philosophy of death. If we do, we have a win-win situation. If we live, we win; if we die, we win. Now Paul gives his philosophy of death. The word "gain" means profit or advantage. It was used for monetary profit, to make money. "Gain" was also used in the sense of "to win something." Death was a win for Paul. To die-- success; to die--a win. Notice again there is no verb because "is" is italicized in "to die is gain." This put great emphasis in the Greek on the word "gain." Paul is shouting that death is a gain for a person who will meet Jesus face to face. "To die is gain" is a productive sequence to "to live is Christ." If Christ is everything that makes life worthwhile then meeting him in death will even be a more valuable experience yet. It will make him more alive. Death removes the veil of knowing Jesus from afar to meeting him face to face. Death will usher us into his very presence. Death, therefore, should be computed as a friend. For many, death is an enemy. It is destructive and a great loss. For the person who anticipates meeting Jesus face to face it is a "gain." If we are consumed with money as the object of our lives death would have to be placed on the debit side of our assessments. Death plunges us into a pathetic end. For Paul, death was not a dark, bleak termination of the dynamics of life but the beginning of even a greater life. PRINCIPLE: Do you have a philosophy of death? Death is a win because we will be more alive than we are now. We received "eternal life" at the moment of salvation. Death will release the shackles that keep us from full fellowship with the Lord. APPLICATION: Every believer will be successful one day when he/she meets the Lord Jesus. Are you looking forward to this success? "To be absent from the body is to be face to face with the Lord Jesus" (II Co. 5:8). Are you looking forward to this eternal "win"? Philippians 1:22"But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labour; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell"In verse 21 Paul gave his outlook on life and also his outlook on death. He had a wonderful viewpoint on both. He had a win-win view of both life and death. If he lives, he lives for Christ. If he dies, he will meet Jesus face to face. Jesus not only changes your outlook on life he changes your outlook on death. We look for to death with anticipation (not masochism). Only those who have come to Christ and are looking to see him again have such an outlook on death. In verses 22-24 he gives his assessment of which of these two alternatives is more important. "But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labour"Now Paul looks at the alternative of his continuing to live physically. "Live on in the flesh" means to continue to live in the body. This is the first part of verse 21, "For to me to live is Christ." Very few Christians could say "my life is living for Christ." That was his definition of life. With most of us Christian is just a hobby. It merely occupies the fringe area of our spare time. We will not let our Christianity interfere with our life! We practice Christianity on Sunday morning but make it marginal the rest of the week. We use church like a religious country club. It is fun to be there once in awhile. "Yet what I shall choose I cannot tell"Paul is in a quandary. If he lives, he wins; if he dies, he wins. This is a quandary between two wins! It is like someone giving you a BMW or a Mercedes. The choice is up to you. The two alternatives are whether he should continue his work in time or see Jesus in eternity. A person who is not deeply in love with the Lord Jesus would view "to die is gain" as odd. But a reflection of the quality of our spiritual life is how we anticipate eternity. There is probably a correlation between how we live for Christ and our anticipation of eternity. On a descending scale, if we do not live for Christ, meeting him in eternity is of little value either. Living and dying in Christian values are linked together. Dying will be gain to those who do not live for Christ but they will not be able to appreciate it until eternity. Faith enables us to participate in the future. PRINCIPLE: A spiritual Christian with the right sense of expectancy always faces a quandary between two positive alternatives. APPLICATION: Do you fear death? We always fear the things we do not know. We have not experienced death, therefore, we fear it. The more real Jesus is to us in time the less fear we will have of eternity. If we know Jesus in time, knowing him in eternity is just an extension of fellowship with him. Philippians 1:23"For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better."Paul is on the horns of a dilemma. He has a desire to be with Christ in eternity which is the better of the two options. He also has a desire to continue to have an effective ministry in time. In this verse he gives the first side of the dilemma. "for I am hard pressed between the two"Paul is in a squeeze. He is pressured in his mind. His is pressure of two (v. 21) excellent options: to have full fellowship with the Lord Jesus and to have a productive ministry. He perceives death from two viewpoints: 1) a departing 2) being with Christ. "having a desire to depart"The word "depart" is used as a nautical term--a loosing of the anchor prior to setting sail. A term with the same root is used in II Timothy 4:6, "...the time of my departure is at hand" (his death was immanent). Death is an embarking upon a voyage; it is to leave the body. So death is more than leaving this life it is a separation from the body, "I have a desire to leave this body." The soul and spirit do not remain in the body at death. They leave the body. When a Christian goes to a grave side service, he only takes the "remains" of his loved one. His loved one is not there; he has loosed the anchor of his soul and departed into the presence of the Lord Jesus. "and be with Christ"This is the second description of death. It is one thing to visit a friend, it is another to live with him permanently. It is one thing to fellowship with the Lord Jesus, it is another to fellowship with him perpetually! Heaven is to be with Christ. That was Paul's "desire" (yearning, longing). He wanted to be "in conjunction with" Christ. cf. 3:10. "which is far better."It is far better for a Christian to die than to live, although few of us believe it. In this verse Paul says that the "gain" of verse 21 "to die is gain" is "far better," not just "better" but "far better." To be absent from the body for the believer is "to be present with the Lord," not present with the worms in the grave! It is better because the soul departs the body at death and goes into the presence of the Lord. PRINCIPLE: Death for the Christian is no bleak, black, terminus of existence; it is a separation from the physical body and an entrance into fellowship with Jesus Christ. APPLICATION: Do you look upon death with dread or as a "departure" from planet earth into the presence of the Lord Jesus? Philippians 1:24"Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you."The second half of Paul's dilemma is verse 24. The first part of his dilemma was to go to be with Christ. "Where Jesus is 'tis heaven there. Verse 24 deals with the first half of verse 21, "to live is Christ." "Nevertheless"This is the contrast to verse 23, "to depart and be with Christ." "to remain in the flesh"This means to continue to live physically. A corollary verse is II Corinthians 5:6, "... while we are at home in the body we are absent from him." There are other verses which indicate death is a separation of the soul from the body. When Rachel was dying, it was said "her soul was departing (for she died)" (Gen. 35:18). Elijah prayed to raise a young boy from the dead, "'let this child's soul come back to him,' Then the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived" (I Kg. 17:21,22). "is more needful for you.""For me to go to be with the Lord Jesus is good for me, but not for you. You people in Philippi would not benefit from my ministry." There is no Scriptural evidence that any believer in heaven can help us down here. Their only help they can give is while they are here in time on earth. The word "needful" simply means "necessary." There is a need for our being alive at this time on earth. PRINCIPLE: As long as we are alive on earth, God has a purpose for our being here. APPLICATION: Why does God have you here on earth? Philippians 1:25"And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith."Here is the reason God had Paul upon earth. Paul had no mere desire to dangle around on the frayed edges of existence. It is not enough just to live a long time. Purpose gives life meaning and definition. The Philippians needed him more than he needed to go to heaven at this time in his life. "and being confident of this"Paul was confident of his upcoming acquittal. Confidence serves our orientation to life. Confidence that God has a need for us places boundaries around what we do; it gives meaning to our existence. "I know that I shall remain and continue with you all"He is going to continue to live. The Roman authorities will not put him to death; he will be delivered from prison. "for your progress""Progress" means to go forward, advance. It is the same word used in II Timothy 4:15, Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all." We need to develop towards maturity in our faith. This is the "progress of faith." Some believers are baby Christians. A baby's mind and body have not developed yet. A new or static believer remains at a low level of development. Others are adolescent believers. They are half child, half adult. They have not reached a point of independence. They still need their parents but they are resentful toward the authority of their parents. The adult or mature believer is a Christian who does not depend on others to appropriate the principles of the Word to their experience. He does have an interdependence with others, however. "and joy of faith"As faith progresses joy escalates. Many of us endure Christianity. There is little excitement anymore. We have lost our first love. We need revival. We need to be awoken. "Joy" means to be animated about something you believe in. This is a word of enthusiasm. When we brag about self that is boasting in the un-Biblical sense. But enthusiasm about the Lord Jesus and what he did on the cross is the point here. Christians who are animated about their faith can be very expressive. They love to talk about their favourite subject. Some people are dull until you talk hockey and then they come alive. PRINCIPLE: One purpose for our existence upon earth is to be animated about both the maturity and joy of the faith of others. APPLICATION: What are you doing to advance the faith of others? Philippians 1:26"That your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again."In verse 25 Paul was confident that he would be released from jail so that the Philippians would continue to progress in joy in their faith. Here, he finishes the thought. "That your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ"Paul picks up the word "joy" from verse 25. If there is "progress" "and joy" (v25) in the faith there will be "more abundant" rejoicing. Often we find ourselves in situations where we cannot rejoice. The Word of God never says we are to rejoice in our circumstances nor under them. The focus of our joy is Jesus Christ. "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" (4:4). We can rejoice "in Jesus Christ" because he is always the same, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and for ever" (Heb. 13:8). We can always count on him. That is why we are enthusiastic about him. "by my coming to you again"There was a spiritual bond between Paul and the Philippians. That kind of bond was not found with all the churches to which he ministered. In Corinth he was the target of much criticism even though he had an effective ministry there. There is a great difference in churches. There are some churches that are friendly. Others are outreach oriented. Some are a religious country club caring only for their own interests. Some are receptive to the Word of God and have a great hunger to be taught; others veto any serious teaching of the Bible. Paul knew the Philippians would rejoice in his ministry of the Word to them. PRINCIPLE: Biblical joy is independent from circumstances; it is focused on a person who never changes. APPLICATION: Are you trying to get all your ducks in order? Are you hoping to manage your life so that there are no more problems? That very desire will set us up for failure because circumstances will go bad at some point. The only one who will always be there for us is Jesus Christ. ---------- Copyright © 1995, Dr. Grant Richison. All rights reserved. There is no charge for Grace Notes Materials. You can help further this work by your prayer and by sending a contribution to: Grace Notes 1705 Aggie Lane Austin, Texas 78757 wdoud@bga.com Grace Notes Web site: http://www.realtime.net/~wdoud/ Anonymous FTP site: ftp://ftp.bga.com/vendors/wdoud/ Grace Notes is a ministry of Village Missions International. |
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