We Live and Die for Christ
Last week we saw how Paul rejoiced in his present circumstances since Christ was preached boldly and fearlessly because of what has happened to him. God advances the gospel in and through all circumstances. Now Paul looks at the future, and he continues to rejoice because he is confident about his salvation and that Christ will be glorified in all circumstances, whether he lives or dies. Again Paul moves the focus away from himself and centers on Christ and his glory.
How do we face the future? With fear, trepidation, and anxiety? Or with confidence and joy? When we shift our focus away from ourselves to Christ, when we practice self-denial like Paul and Jesus, when we become truly Christ-centered, then we will rejoice in all circumstances because our confidence, hope, and joy is in our Lord, and not in ourselves, not in our circumstances. We rejoice because we live and die for Christ and his glory.
1. Rejoice in Our Deliverance
Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
Deliverance, or salvation, here means more than Paul’s physical release from prison. He is confident of his ultimate salvation, whatever Caesar decides. If he is released and lives, then it will mean the vindication of Paul, his mission, and the gospel. He will continue to live for Christ and his glory. If he dies, he dies for Christ and in Christ, and he looks forward to his ultimate vindication before God when he will experience full salvation.
Paul had great confidence but this was not coming from self-confidence or self-sufficiency. He trusted that through the prayers of the Philippians fresh supplies, outpourings, of the Holy Spirit will empower him for whatever challenges he may face. His confidence was in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. This is the Holy Spirt sent by Jesus (Jn 15:26) and whom He promised will teach us what to say — “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say” (Lk 12:11-12). This is the powerful presence of the risen and exalted Lord in Paul and in us. His power and presence enable us to face any and all circumstances.
Thus, Paul’s ultimate confidence was in God. In life, God the Holy Spirit, empowers him to live for Christ’s glory. In death, he will be vindicated, justified before God the Father, and enter eternal life. Paul expressed this confidence in 2 Tim 4:17-18 — “But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Are we confident about the future like Paul? When we or our brothers and sisters face challenging situations, are we praying for the Holy Spirit to empower us and fill us with his unspeakable joy so that we can rejoice in the Lord, live for Christ and his glory? Do we truly believe the words of Romans 8:28 — “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Then we should rejoice in the Lord in all situations.
2. Now is the Time to Glorify Christ Boldly
Paul’s great confidence about the future causes him to express his intense expectation. My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but with all boldness, now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
This is not the uncertain hope of the world that is unsure about the outcome. For example, “I hope the Beavers will beat the Ducks,” or, “Let’s hope it won’t rain.” This is the biblical hope that is filled with certainty because God is God. He acted in the past. He is acting in the present. He guarantees the future. He is in control. We learn four things from Paul here. We must exalt Christ now. We must exalt Christ in life and in death. And we must exalt Christ with open boldness.
We must exalt Christ now — This small word, now, is a very important word in Paul’s writing and theology. “As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:1-2). “And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (Ro 13:11). Now is the time to live for Christ and glorify Him in all we do, always, all the time. Do not wait, especially the youth. The world needs Jesus, now. They need to see Christ and his love in and through us, now.
We must exalt Christ in life — We live for Christ when we do everything in the Lord’s name, for Him and his glory. “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him … It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Col 3:17, 24).
We must exalt Christ in death — Are we willing to suffer, to be persecuted, and die for Christ? Or at the first signs of trouble, insults, persecution, death threats, we become ashamed of Christ, give up on our faith, become unfaithful to our Lord, and even deny Him. Are we so ashamed of our Lord, insecure in our faith and hope, that we are not willing to suffer and die for Him? And in order to avoid that suffering, we disobey our Lord, behave as the world does, and do not live for Christ and his glory. Let us pray that we will remain faithful, that we will rejoice and exalt Him in suffering. And if we have to die for Him, we will die with his Name on our lips and so exalt Christ in death.
We must exalt Christ with open boldness and all courage — We shall not be ashamed of Christ and his gospel. In all situations, we will boldly, openly, publicly stand up for Christ. We will hold forth the gospel, live, behave, act, and speak in such radically different ways, the kingdom ways, that Christ will be exalted in and through us. Because — For to me (to us), to live is Christ and to die is gain.
3. To Live Is Christ, To Die Is Gain
To live is Christ — We belong to Christ. He lives in us. We live this new life in Him, through Him, and for Him. “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Cor 5:15). “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20). The point of our life is to point to Him. So, while on this earth and in this life, we live not for ourselves but for Jesus Christ, his kingdom, and His glory.
To die is gain — We have died in Christ. When we believed, we were crucified with Christ, we were born again by the Spirit. We gained new, eternal life. Every day, we take up our crosses and die to self, follow Jesus and live this new kingdom life. And when we die physically, we enter into the resurrected, eternal life, and we are with Christ, which is better by far.
Ro 14:7-9 — For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
4. Live for Christ by Living for Others
However, we also live for Christ by living for others. But if I am to live in the flesh (body), this means fruitful work for me; and which I shall choose I cannot tell (do not know). But I am hard pressed (torn) between the two, I desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better (very much better); but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that because of me your boasting (confidence) in Christ may abound through my coming (returning) to you again.
Paul has no death-wish. He is not depressed or suicidal. He is full of life, energy, and joy. He is very ready to continue with his life and ministry for Christ. He is also ready to be with his Lord, and experience the fullness of salvation, the fullness of Christ, and his resurrection. All, which is of course better by far. But there is more work to do, and it would be better for the churches and believers if he remains alive and continue his mission. So again, his concern is not his own desires but what is necessary and best for the church, the ministry, and the believers. Paul was Christ-centered and other-centered, Christ-centered, and community concerned. His first and foremost priority is Christ, his glory, the advancement of the gospel, and the wellbeing and spiritual growth of the believers. He imitated his Lord who is God but humbled himself and became human and a servant (Phil 2:5-8). Paul practiced what he taught — “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Phil 2:3-4). One author said it well — “Christ was more important to him than life itself, and others were more important to him than being in Heaven with Christ” (Hughes, 61).
What an important message for us today, we who can be so self-centered and selfish, looking out for our own interests and comforts that we lose our focus, our Christ-centeredness, and other-centeredness. How often are we tempted to evaluate alternatives and make choices based on what seems best for us? When faced with choices in our lives, how often do we ask what is best for Christ, his kingdom, and glory? What is best for the church? What is best for my brothers and sisters in Christ?
Once a young man, who still had his whole life before him, told me that he wishes that God will take him home so that he could be with Jesus. Many of us had such thoughts, especially we who are older and have had a full life already. I have had such thoughts. But this is very self-centered and selfish. As long as we are alive, on this earth, and in this life, we have work to do, the good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10). We who are older — mentor, guide, serve the younger generation. As long as we have breath in these bodies we are called to live for Christ and to live for Him by living for others, serving and loving them unconditionally.
5. Rejoice and Boast in Christ Jesus
If Paul were set free and returned to the Philippians, his being with them again would be a reason for great joy and jubilation, to boast in the Lord. It will show that Jesus the sovereign Lord is in control and He overrules empires, governments, and human leaders. And even if Paul is killed his death is not the end. Paul will be saved, vindicated, and be with Jesus. Christ rules in life and in death. He is still in control. It may be the end of Paul’s life in the body but not the end of his life with Christ. It may be the end of Paul’s mission and ministry, but not the end of God’s story and God’s people. God’s mission, God’s Story goes and will go on through us as we live and die for Christ.
In life, we live for Christ and others through Christ-centered, Christ-empowered, Christ-controlled lives and service. In death, we will enter the glorious presence of the exalted Jesus and live forever with our Lord participating fully in his resurrection. In life and in death we are in Christ and we are with Christ because “neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ro 8:38-39).
Jesus Christ is our pride and joy. He is the source of our strength and encouragement. Because of Him, we face the future with confidence. Therefore, with open boldness we live and die for Christ and his glory, and we rejoice in the Lord in all situations always.