Introduction and Context
Well, please turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Philippians, Philippians chapter 1. As we work our way through Paul's letter to the church in Philippi, remember the historical context. Paul is in prison according to Acts chapter 28. He spends two years there in his first Roman imprisonment.
That was the years A.D. 60. to 62. While he's there, he writes Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and the book of Philemon. And in many ways, we see in the section we're looking at tonight in verses 21 to 26, an example or an illustration or application of what we saw in John's gospel this morning. where Jesus spoke concerning the joy, the lasting joy of the disciples, even in the midst of sorrow and in the midst of affliction and challenge and hardship and travail, they nevertheless had that joy because they had been saved by God through grace in Jesus Christ. Paul exemplifies that while he's in a Roman prison cell with the real possibility that he could die.
So I wanna read beginning in verse 12, I'll read to verse 26, and then we'll focus on 21 to 26. So beginning in Philippians 1 at verse 12, but I want you to know brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard and to all the rest that my chains are in Christ. And most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill.
The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains, but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached. And in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor.
Yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
Others-Mindedness and Paul's Plan
Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again. Amen.
Opening Prayer
Well, let us pray. Our Father, we thank You for the written Word of the living and true God. We thank You that it's given by inspiration of the Spirit. We pray that He would guide us and lead us now into this truth, cause us to see exemplified in the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul, the teaching of our Lord Jesus there in the Upper Room discourse.
May you cause us to reflect upon that lasting joy that we possess in Christ, the reality that there is nothing that this world can do, nothing that the devil and his demons, nothing that our own remaining corruption can even undo, that reality that we are saved by your grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. and that attendant joy that goes with that. We rejoice in it. We thank you for your goodness to us. As Paul says elsewhere, therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God.
Thank you for that peace. Thank you for the joy. Thank you for your mercies and your goodness to us. Draw out our hearts now in worship and praise and adoration to you, our great God, for giving us of all of our sins and the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And we pray in his name, amen.
Introduction
Well, up to this point in the book of Philippians, in chapter 1, we have seen the introduction in verses 1 and 2, Paul's gratitude expressed in verses 3 to 8. Remember, he's in prison, and he's not whining, he's not moaning, he's not complaining, he's not calling lawyers. Rather, he is rejoicing in the goodness of God and expressing his gratitude for this church in particular in Philippi. Not that he wasn't affectionate toward all of the churches that he ministered to, but he seemed to have a real bond with the people of God in Philippi.
He speaks very favorably of them in 2 Corinthians chapter 8. And as well, we see something of what appears to be sort of a farewell. If Paul does depart, it's kind of like his 11th hour address to those who are very close to him. As well, we see his intercessory prayer in verses 9 to 11, and then verses 12 to 18 are something of a commentary or a report on his present situation.
So in verses 12 to 18, he starts off by saying, I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. The things that have happened to him, obviously being arrested and being imprisoned and being in a Roman prison cell. He says that's turned out for good. It has been the means by which the palace guard has heard of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It has been the means by which the church of the Lord Jesus, those who fear the Lord, have been empowered. They have been bucked up. They have been helped along in terms of their espousing the truth as it is in Jesus. So he's commenting on his current situation.
Then he turns his attention to the future prospect. He's either going to live or he's going to die. He's either going to stay in that Roman prison cell up until the point he's executed, or he's going to be released again to continue in gospel ministry. So we already looked at verses 19 and 20, the expectation of the apostle.
I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed. Paul was able to maintain a clear conscience before God and men because he was a faithful man. He wasn't a sinless man. He wasn't a perfect man.
He wasn't a blemish-free man. Rather, he was washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, sanctified by the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. and he maintained integrity and faithfulness to the very end. He goes on to say in verse 20, But with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. As I've mentioned before, there is the potential or the possibility that Paul could die in this imprisonment.
It seems to be the case, however, that he understands it may not be that he dies. In 2 Timothy, we know for a fact, and he knows for a fact, that he's gonna die. That's his second Roman imprisonment. So here it's a bit contingent.
He's not sure as to what's going on. I've mentioned before that in AD 60 to 62, Nero was the emperor, but in AD 60 to 62, he wasn't as bad as he was gonna be in AD 63 and 64 and five. And even prior to that, Nero actually was a good emperor. Prior to kind of going nuts, he did a good job.
He was faithful in terms of executing his position as the emperor of the Roman state. But as time went on, he got increasingly bad, such that Fox, in his famous Book of Martyrs, refers to him as a beast. I actually think he is the beast of revelation, but that's another topic for discussion. So Paul has this idea that he's either going to die or he's going to live.
So notice then, in verses 21 to 23, we see the conviction of the apostle, and then in verses 24 to 26, we see the anticipation of the apostle. So if you're taking notes, this section 23 19 to 26, you've got the expectation of the apostle, verses 19 and 20, conviction of the apostle, 21 to 23, and then the anticipation of the apostle in verses 24 to 26.
The Conviction of the Apostle
Note first his declaration in terms of conviction. Verse 21, a very famous statement. We just sang it in the first hymn. I think we sing it as well in just about every hymn.
This expression that Paul gives is, very excellent in terms of a summation of the Christian's commitment to our Lord Jesus, the conviction that we possess. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. And I think what he's highlighting there is his union with Christ as a man alive, physically in the body, union with Christ, for to me to live is Christ. And then he underscores his glory with Christ and to die is gain.
Union with Christ in Life
So let's look first at the apostles' union with Christ in that first part in 21a. For to me, to live is Christ. Now to live here means life lived in the body, the physical body that you and I possess. Paul had one too.
He wasn't a disembodied spirit. He didn't sort of float around in the Roman empire and just sort of drop gospel bombs as he went. He was a real man. He was a flesh and blood being.
He had everything in common with us. And so the apostle says, for to me to live is Christ. And this is something that I think is commonplace for us to do. Baseball is living.
Fishing is the life. Whatever your particular hobby or whatever your particular pursuit or whatever your particular thing is, you seem to equate it with life itself. Now, of course, none of us believe that baseball really is life. None of us really believe that living is fishing.
It's a common parlance just to underscore how important that particular thing is in your life. And that's the convention that Paul is using here. For to me to live is Christ. And I think this is an amazing statement for the Apostle in light of what we know about him.
In Acts chapter 9, he previously wanted to destroy the people of Christ. He couldn't get to Christ, so the next best thing was to destroy his people. Remember, he gets his marching orders to go to to Syria, to go to Damascus. And there he's going to apprehend believers, both men and women.
He's going to drag them back to Jerusalem so that they could undergo judicial process and be punished for the blasphemy of confessing faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Now he loved Christ and he loved his people. In fact, as you look at just this first chapter in the book of Philippians, he expresses that love. He wears his heart on the sleeve, as it were.
As well, he previously trusted in his own works to commend him to God. Notice in Philippians chapter three, specifically at verse one, finally, my brethren rejoice in the Lord for me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation, for we are the circumcision. Worship God in the spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh.
He's not underscoring this to show what a great guy he was prior to conversion. He's showing what a great guy religiously he was prior to conversion, and how all of that was dung in comparison to the knowledge of Christ Jesus, his Lord. Verse 4b, if anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so, circumcise the aid they of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, concerning the law, a Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, concerning the righteousness, which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gained to me?
They were gained because he saw them as works necessary in order to enter into heaven. These things were gained. This was in the asset column in terms of his ledger. As far as he was concerned, this is all that he needed to do in order to enter into heaven.
Torah, law-keeping, faithful obedience. He's living in that Old Covenant mindset. Fidelity to Yahweh in order to be accepted by Yahweh. But he says, what things were gained to me, these I have counted lost for Christ.
So everything that was in that asset column he now sees as a liability. In verse 8 he says, not having my own righteousness, all those things I just told you I had prior to my conversion, all those things that I was resting upon in terms of acceptance with God, all those things have become to me like that which you throw to the dogs. He says, I count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith. So for the apostle, he previously trusted in his works for salvation, and he despised the notion of justification by faith alone that these Christians were preaching in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As well, he previously lived a life in the flesh, like all of us do. As I said, Paul wasn't perfect. Paul wasn't blemish-free. Paul acknowledges the fact that he, along with everybody else, was a child of wrath, even as the rest.
Ephesians 2, verses 1 to 3. He mentions with reference to his own soul state prior to his conversion in Romans chapter 7, I would not have known my own lust without that law saying, do not covet. And so with reference to his orientation, it has changed now. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." So he highlights that union with Christ as a living being, but then he notices that glory with Christ if in fact he dies.
Glory with Christ in Death
And to die is gain. The meaning of the phrase bodily death translates to spiritual glory. And this is obvious throughout scripture. Turn back to the book of Luke, Luke chapter 23, that famous passage with the thief on the cross.
Luke chapter 23, specifically at verse 39. Luke 23, 39. Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed him saying, if you are the Christ, save yourself and us. The other answering rebuked him saying, do you not even fear God saying you are under the same condemnation?
And we indeed justly for we received the due reward of our deeds. But this man has done nothing wrong. Then he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Which is an amazing confession.
Imagine the apostles. They saw Christ do mighty works. They saw Him multiply bread and fish. They saw Him raise the dead.
They saw Him restore sight to the blind. They saw Him restore hearing to the deaf. This thief on the cross, as far as we know, saw none of that. What is he gazing upon when he looks beside him and sees Jesus hanging there?
He sees a broken, bloodied, battered man hanging on a cross as a criminal of the Roman Empire. And he says, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Ryle says he only saw our Lord in agony and in weakness and suffering and in pain. He saw him undergoing dishonorable punishment, deserted, mocked, despised, blasphemed.
He saw no scepter, no royal crown, no outward dominion, no glory, no power, no signs of might, and yet the dying thief believed and looked forward to Christ's kingdom. Now note how Jesus responds according to verse 43. And Jesus said to him, assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. This is Paul's meaning for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Notice in 2 Corinthians chapter five, 2 Corinthians chapter five, same emphasis there. 2 Corinthians chapter five, specifically at verse six. So we are always confident knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well-pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
And then 1 Thessalonians chapter four, 1 Thessalonians chapter four, specifically at verse 17. 1 Thessalonians 4, 17, then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. This idea that Paul expresses in 21B, and to die is gain, expresses the reality that when the believer breathes his last with reference to his physical body, his soul departs and is present with the Lord. There's no doctrine of soul sleep.
There's no doctrine of annihilationism. There's no doctrine that that person ceases. The soul, rather, goes to be with the Lord. We call that the intermediate state, looking forward to the general resurrection or the day of judgment when God will raise the body and reunite body and soul such that they can enjoy the glory of God forever and ever, world without end.
Amen. But in that intermediate state, the soul is present with the Lord. And that's why Paul can say, and to die is gain. So I would suggest with reference to the apostle, the believer's knowledge of his transition from temporal life to a state of glory makes it impossible for the world to stop him.
It makes it impossible for the world to hurt him. Remember this morning, John 16, you're gonna sorrow, but you're gonna rejoice. And that joy that you have, no one can take it away from you. Why?
Because you are in Christ Jesus. He is your portion. He is your lot. He is your everything.
He is your altogether lovely. He is your chief among 10,000. And as I've said, probably ad nauseum, whenever commenting on this particular text, what do you do with a man like this? You come and visit him in the prison cell and you say, Paul, we're gonna kill you.
Okay, that means I get more Christ. Paul, we're gonna release you. Okay, that means I get more Christ. You can't hurt a believer who operates according to this particular principle.
And if the world rises up and the devil sends his minions and the remaining flesh is yearning, nevertheless, we have this reality for to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
The Benefit of Life in the Body
Now note in verses 22 and 23, Paul applies that principle to his specific situation. Notice in verse 22, he underscores the benefit of life in the body. Verse 22 and 23 sort of tease out what he says as a principle in verse 21. You've got the principle, you've got the application, you've got the conviction, you've got the illustration.
So note what he says in verse 22. He says, but if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor. Yet what I shall choose, I cannot tell. This refers to his release from prison.
If I live on, if I continue on, if I keep breathing, if I am removed from this Roman prison cell, then I'm going to go and engage in gospel ministry. And this means fruit from his labor. Note that confidence. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor.
Paul's not arrogant. Paul's not boastful. Paul's not suggesting that somehow he has the capability or the ability to go out and change the hearts of sinners. He knows his place as an instrument.
He knows his place as a servant. He knows his place as a bond slave of Jesus Christ, and that his task is to faithfully proclaim that word of Jesus Christ. And in that, he has confidence that there will be fruit. As I think I mentioned before, it's not necessarily only measured in conversion.
When it comes to gospel preaching, God is glorified by gospel preaching. Turn back to the book of 2 Corinthians. 2 Corinthians 2. 2 Corinthians 2 to see something of this, because I think we have a big problem in Christianity. When we go and preach, we don't see all these people getting saved. We don't see all these people raising their hand when every eye is closed and every head is bowed.
We don't see people coming up forward to the altar call. We don't see people making these decisions. So we conclude that it wasn't really worth it. God is glorified in the proclamation and declaration of His Word.
It's God who is sovereign in terms of salvation or reprobation. We're simply means. We're simply instruments. We are servants of the Most High.
Notice in 2 Corinthians 2 12, Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find Titus my brother, but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia. Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing." Notice that, and among those who are perishing. God is glorified in the proclamation.
God is glorified in the declaration. God is glorified in salvation, but he's also glorified in reprobation. That is up to him. Paul says as much in Romans chapter nine, he fits some as vessels of mercy and he fits others as vessels of wrath.
It's not up to us to determine who they are. It is simply up to us to go out and proclaim. So the apostle says, we are to God, the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death and to the other, the aroma of life leading to life.
And who is sufficient for these things? So back to the prison cell in Philippians chapter one, when he says, this will mean fruit from my labor, he is not suggesting that he has the omnipotence to affect this. He knows that in faithful service, in the declaration and proclamation of the truth of the gospel, God's glorified in that. As Albert Martin says, it's almost a vision of God with nostrils, and he's breathing in this fragrance, that aroma, as the gospel is proclaimed, life unto life, but as well, death unto death, and God is glorified in that.
So back to verse 22. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit for my labor, yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. Just to reiterate, Paul does not think he's a sovereign being. Paul does not think that in this prison cell in Rome, he has the ability to determine whether or not he's released or to determine whether or not he continues on.
He's simply illustrating what he has said in terms of the benefit of Christ in terms of life going forward. Now, that's the benefit of life in the body, and he's going to draw that out, and we'll see that in just a few moments.
The Benefit of Death: Departing to Christ
But notice the benefit of the death of the body. Verse 23, For I am hard pressed between the two. So I've got life, which is Christ, death, which is Christ. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
So he's illustrated why it is for him to live is Christ. Because if I release from here, there will be fruit from gospel preaching. But I'm gonna also illustrate why death is gain. And that's what he's doing in verse 23.
For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Now, he's highlighting the two options available, not as if he's the sovereign determiner of his fate, but to underscore what he has said principally in verse 21. For to me to live is Christ. I go free, I preach the gospel.
To die is gain, more Christ. Well, what does that mean, Paul? Well, to be absent from the body means to be present with the Lord. And that's much better, far better, much more excellent is what he's saying.
He's basically heaping up words as a comparative to show the exceedingness of the goodness of being with Jesus Christ. It really is a wonderful statement in terms of how he's operating here. He's encouraging as well the church. If he loves the Philippians and the Philippians love him, and they get wind that Nero is going to have him executed, he's calming them.
He's assuring them, much as I think any of us would in that 11th hour. We have that peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ. We have that joy and that contentedness and that blessedness that we're gonna depart and be with the Lord. What would we do with our children and grandchildren?
We would say, don't fret, don't fear, don't be upset. If anything, you should be jealous. If anything, you should be, well, not envious, because envy means you don't want me to have it, and that's not good. But jealousy is okay in that particular regard, so far as you don't try to hasten your own demise.
That's obviously condemned in Scripture. But we would do that, wouldn't we? We'd want to calm our people. We'd want to say, you know, have peace with God.
I believe that when I breathe my last, I'm going to go be in the presence of Christ. That's what he's doing here with the Philippians. for to me to live is Christ and to die is Cain." In other words, Philippians, don't worry about me. Don't worry about me. I love you.
I know that you love me. We've had plenty of good opportunities to fellowship one with another, but don't fret. If God in his infinite goodness Christ and His glorious power, the Spirit and dwelling in me. If it is determined by that living and true God that I'm to breathe my last and have my head chopped off by Nero, who's nuts, don't worry about that.
I'm gonna be with Jesus. I'm gonna go with Christ. And I think this is an ongoing encouragement to every believer. Bodily death is presence with Christ.
Now, again, we don't hasten our death. We don't jump out in front of a bus so that we can gain the much better. But we're not terrified at the prospect. We may be a little concerned about the way, the manner, the means by which we exit the world.
I'm certain you probably have thought through your head, you know, I've got a top five list of how I not like to exit this world. You might have a top five list how, you know, I'd prefer to go this way. I don't actually think through it quite that detailed. I don't have a document or anything, but we may be concerned about the manner in which we exit, but the fact that we're going to exit as the blood-bought children of God ought not to be a fear to us.
It ought to be a welcome blessing. We're going to hear the master say, well done, good and faithful, serve it. We're going to see Emmanuel in his land. We're going to eyeball the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who loved us and gave himself for us.
This is the prospect of all of us here that are looking to Jesus Christ in faith. And if you're not looking to Jesus Christ in faith, may I encourage you to look to Jesus Christ in faith, because this is everything. Paul summarizes the principle well in verse 21, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. How are you going to deal with a gulag?
How are you going to deal with deprivation? How are you going to deal with oppression and persecution? For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. So you can't hurt this man, you can't stop this man, you can't thwart this man, you can't cancel this man.
He is uncancellable. He is blessed of God with that contentment in Christ and he recognizes that whether he continues on in the flesh or rather he breathes his last, it all means Christ as far as he is concerned. That's his conviction. Let us look finally at his anticipation in verses 24-26.
The Anticipation of the Apostle
He's looking at the options, seems to me that he favors, or at least as far as he can tell, he's looking at things, he's surveying the empire, he knows the movements in the Roman Empire. I think we forget this at times, Paul is a real man. It really struck me when we were walking in Ephesus, I had the blessed privilege to walk where Paul walked, to go to that amphitheater where they were crying out, great is Diana of the Ephesians, and where they wanted to tear Paul apart if he walked into that amphitheater, and his disciples pleaded with him, no, no, no, don't go in there. There's a roadway that you walk down.
It's quite populated with lots of visitors and people there. And the guide said, you know, that was a house of prostitution. We walked past. You know, there's businesses.
And as best as archaeologists and persons in the know can reconstruct things, you can see where the restaurants. But there was, he said, this was a house of prostitution. And as we continued down the road, he said, this is the first, as far as we know, and this guy was pretty smart, maybe he was pulling my leg, I don't know, but he said, this is the first advertisement that we know of in terms of something concrete, no pun intended, it was in the road there, and it was for that house, a prostitution. And it occurred to me, and I'm sure it's occurred to you before, that Paul walked right past that.
He lived in a real world. with real sin and real sinners. He understood politics. I'm not suggesting that he was, you know, Mr. Political, but he invoked his Roman citizenship when it was advantageous to him, according to the book of Acts.
You're beating a Roman citizen without jurisprudence? What did they do? We didn't know you were a Roman citizen. He understood the days in which he lived.
So he could survey the Roman state. He could survey the machinations of the emperor and the Senate and all the things that were going on at the time in the empire. So it seems that the scale is tipped as far as he's concerned that most likely he's going to be released. The possibility is real.
It's a real probability that he could be executed by the civil state, but he seems to think that he's going to be released. And that's where the tip of the scale is in verses 24 to 26. Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you, which is really excellent. This is a blessed statement.
He surveys that it would be better for him to be with Christ in glory, but it would be better for them, for him to be released from prison. We call that others-mindedness. We call that selflessness. In fact, that's going to be one of the emphases that Paul brings out to this church in Philippi.
Notice in chapter 2, specifically in verses 1 to 4. Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy. And when he says it like that, he's not saying if, perhaps, there might possibly be. It could also be a sense, since these things are present.
Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, having the same, I'm sorry, being of one accord, of one mind. Now, I've often said that I think this epistle is pretty much devoid of polemics. I mean, there is Psalm 3, 1 to 11. It's devoid of a lot of internal strife, like you see in 1 Corinthians, though you've got the Sintke and Iodia thing in chapter 4.
And just because he's addressing things here doesn't, well, they must have had a horrible problem there. No, not necessarily. When I encourage from Scripture, I'm not always implying that we have a horrible problem here. Brethren love one another.
What's he saying, we hate each other? No, no, that's not what I'm saying. But we can always stand in need of exhortation and encouragement. So back to the text, notice in verse three, let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself.
Let each of you look out not only for his own interest, but also for the interests of others. So verse 24 illustrates that in chapter one, nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. But also in chapter 2, verses 5 to 11, Christ illustrates that as well. And then in chapter 2, verses 19 to 24, Timothy illustrates that as well.
And then in chapter 2, verses 25 to 30, Epaphroditus illustrates that well. So for the church there, he wants them to have that mind for others that is in him, that is in Jesus, that is in Timothy, that is in Epaphroditus.
Progress and Joy of Faith
Notice he then goes on in verses 25 and 26 concerning the plan. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith." I don't think he's taking out the possibility that he could die. As I said, I think he tips the scales in favor of the fact that he's going to live. But when he says, in being confident of this, if in fact I do live, If in fact I am released, if in fact I am free to go from this Roman prison cell, it's in that that I'm confident I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith.
He's going to benefit the church through preaching and teaching. And notice, with reference to this progress of faith, There is an anti-intellectualism that still survives in the professing church today. Well, we don't need all that doctrine. The hypostatic, what?
Who cares? Consubstantial, who? Why? What does it matter?
Notice that Paul connects joy with progress in faith. Notice that Paul sounds much like his savior when he prayed, sanctify them by thy truth, thy word is truth. You can't come away from reading the apostle Paul and think or conclude that theology doesn't matter. No, for Paul, theology matter.
And you get this whole idea in the church today, well, either we're really smart theologically, but we're never practical in terms of the outflow, or we're over here super practical, but we don't really know much. It's always an either or. I've always advocated for a both and. Let's be theologically smart.
Let's be able to rehearse the Nicene Creed. Let's have the basic nomenclature on how to describe the doctrine of the Trinity. And let's be kind, merciful, loving, and engage in good deeds to others. Why does it have to be either or?
Well, I'm going to spend all my time studying theology. I don't care if I have to walk past 100 people that are suffering. On the other hand, I'm going to deal with everybody who's suffering, but I'm never going to pick up a theology book. Why is it either or?
We treat it like the restaurant. Do you want the soup or salad? I want both. Can't I have both and?
Christianity is not an either or. Christianity is doctrine that fuels the practice. Practice is the exemplification of the doctrine that we believe. Love rejoices in the truth, brethren.
And for the apostle, he connects his ministry. Should it continue upon his release from prison, he knows that he shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith. He wants the people of God to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The progress and joy of faith is the fruit that he mentions in verse 22.
I know that this will abound in more fruit, the fruit being within the Philippian church, that they are learning doctrine and they, by grace, are applying doctrine. And then notice what he goes on to say there at the end in verse 26, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again. The joy the church had in the apostle would increase upon his release from prison. He goes back to Philippi, there would be a love fest.
They would be very delighted to see the apostle, this one who said, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. He says that if he gets out, he continues in ministry, there's gonna be fruit. That fruit will be seen in their progress in the faith with that attendant joy. And all the more, when Paul comes back to them, it's gonna abound, that rejoicing in Christ Jesus for the good gifts that he had given to the church in Philippi vis-a-vis the ministry of the apostle Paul, Everybody wins.
Application: Priority, Commitment, Contentment
So in conclusion, in terms of exposition, it's a very simple passage. The principle in verse 21, the application in verses 22 and 23, and then Paul's anticipation in verses 24 to 26. And it's all about Christ. Every jot and tittle of this man's life was about Christ.
And that's the three things I wanna close on briefly. The priority, first of all, for the apostle Paul. We saw that priority in his progress report in verses 12 to 18. Paul doesn't care if you don't like him, as long as you preach the gospel.
That's amazing. We all kinda care that people like us, don't we? When you know someone doesn't like you, are you happy about that? I'm not.
Just showing, I guess, my insecurities here. But I think I want to be liked. I do. Paul probably wanted to be liked too at a certain fundamental human level.
No, I love to be hated. You know, I want my wanted poster all over town, horrible person. But remember in verse 15 in chapter one, some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill. The former preached Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my chains.
They don't like me. They envy me. They perhaps put me down. What's he doing in prison?
Doesn't he know that that's a bad witness and testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ? But look what he says. Verse 17, but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel, what then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached.
And in this, I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. Though their hearts may have been bad toward the apostle Paul, their doctrine was right. As far as Paul was concerned, I probably would guess he'd say, I want your heart right toward me and preach truth, but if it's one or the other, I'd rather you just preach the truth. So Paul's priority is in the gospel.
Paul's priority in the current situation is that Christ is being preached and that causes joy to him. But as well, the reality of future ministry, it's all about Christ. I would suggest secondly, and when I say the priority for Paul, the commitment of Paul, and the contentment of Paul, Paul's a lens by which we appreciate the glory of Christ. That's what I mean.
We're not supposed to celebrate Paul. We're not going to close tonight with a doxology of praise to Paul from whom all blessings flow. Paul would be horrified at the suggestion of that. Paul is a lens.
Paul is a help. Paul is a tool. Paul is a servant for us to check our own hearts. Is my priority, Jesus?
Can I say, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain? I don't wanna get all third grade lecturey here, but it's probably not a bad question to present to ourselves. Can I say, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain? It's not bad to reflect upon that once in a while.
It's not bad to do a priority check. It's not bad to do a self-examination. If you only live in self-examination, that's bad. If you're only allowed introspection, that's bad.
But if on occasion you do an internal inventory and you survey yourself and you ask the question, what's my priority? What is it that makes me tick? Can I say with judgment day honesty, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain? Because I think that if we can say yes to that, it will affect the way that we live as individuals.
We'll walk in holiness. Cry out to God for His grace and protection. It'll affect the way that we live in our families. We'll take Ephesians 5 seriously.
Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her. Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. We'll take seriously Ephesians 6. Children, obey your parents and the Lord.
Honor your father and your mother. We'll take seriously the admonition in Ephesians 6, 4. Fathers, do not provoke your children. Do not exasperate them.
Do not bring them to that point of wrath. See, when we say, for to me to live is Christ, it affects how we live. As well, it affects how we die. As I said, the manner and the means and the particulars about death may be a little bit uneasy for us.
Meeting a bear in the forest without a gun? Yeah, not the way I want to go out, batted by that big paw right into my head. Not what I'd choose. But the death itself, knowing that I'm in union with Christ and to be absent from the body via bear paw means to be present with the Lord.
So if we say, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain, it'll affect us in those areas. It'll affect us in church life. Perhaps we've lost that spark that David speaks of in Psalm 122. I was glad when they said unto me, let us go to the house of the Lord.
The songs of Zion, those songs of ascents that you find in the book of Psalms. What are they doing as they're walking to Jerusalem? They're singing those songs of Zion as they ascend to the mountain, or as they ascend rather to the temple at the mountain, and they want to go and be with God. It'll affect us in terms of being a citizen.
I mean, come on, we need to be subject to the governing authorities. There's no authority except from God and those which exist are established by God. We're not supposed to be lawbreakers. We're supposed to be faithful.
For to meet it is Christ and to die is gain. Paul's priority, Paul's commitment, and then finally Paul's contentment. Trials of life did not deter him. The threat of death did not deter him.
The confidence that faith in Christ, Christ the object of that faith, that's where the accent falls, would be glorified in his life or death, that's what sustained him. I think that Paul would have given hearty approval to Heidelberg Catechism number one. What is your only comfort in life and death? That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death to my faithful savior, Jesus Christ.
He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly father, not a hair can fall from my head. Indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him.
That is a good summation of Philippians 1.21. May God increase our faith in the Lord Jesus and cause us to prioritize life in Christ and to see death as not the threat that the world sees, but as that avenue by which we gain more Christ.
Closing Prayer
Well, let us pray. Our Father in heaven, thank you for your word, and thank you very much for the example set forth here in Philippians chapter one of a godly man, a man that certainly lived in light of the reality of the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have that same blessed gospel, we have that same salvation, we have the same graces of faith and repentance, and most of all, we have the same God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So Lord, help us to live likewise, to examine ourselves, and to come out on the end of confessing our love for Jesus, whether in life or in death.
Go with us now, watch over us in the week to come, and conform us evermore to the image of your only begotten Son. And we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. We'll close with a brief time of meditation.