Philippians 1:21-30

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To Live or Die

Paul explained his dilemma. He was hard pressed in his desire to live or die. He knew that if he died the troubles of this world would go away and he would be with Jesus for ever. This was very appealing to Paul because since he decided to follow Jesus his life was a constant suffering. Acts 9:15-16

Acts 9:15–16 NASB95

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

Every where that Paul went he was persecuted. He was beaten, ridiculed, persecuted, stoned, thrown in jail, and ultimately would lose his life for Jesus. One could understand why Paul would desire death. It would mean that his suffering would end and he would never suffer again.

The only problem for him dying would be the separation from the Philippians and his ability to continue to disciple them. Though he was separated from them in the prison he was writing from, while he was alive he had access to them through the people that would visit him. This is the reason we have this letter to the Philippians!

Application

It would be nice if we had the same dilemma as Paul. If we are honest with ourselves living or dying is not a dilemma for us. We would choose to live if given the choice. WHY? Could it be we lack the elements Paul had that caused his dilemma? Paul suffered physically, mentally, and spiritually to a degree that exhausted his physical being. He indeed did suffer for Christ!

Candidly speaking, we do not suffer for Christ to the extent that Paul did. This is because we avoid suffering at all costs because of the pain that suffering evokes. We live our lives in such a fashion that comfort and convenience becomes our method of living. Anything that has the probability to bring about suffering we avoid. Unfortunately, we are more concerned about self than we are the purpose of God. As a result we do not want to die because we have it too good here on earth.

Now I am not saying that we should seek out opportunities to suffer. What I am saying is that when suffering is part of the plan God has for you, do not try to avoid it. It is in the suffering that we experience Christ. I have grown more in the valley’s of life than I have the mountaintops of life.

However, when God does allow for suffering in our lives we should embrace it. Suffering is the vehicle that God uses for us to grow spiritually and draw near to God.

The second aspect of Paul’s dilemma is his love for the Philippians. He had a desire for them to know the fullness of Christ. Eph. 3:19

Ephesians 3:19 NASB95

and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

Romans 15:13 NASB95

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We need to get back to a way of loving our neighbor that the Bible speaks. Today we intentionally isolate ourselves so we don’t have to engage in conversations with one another. Have you ever stopped to think of all the ways that we do this? Texting, online banking and shopping, social media, food delivery service, email. If we really wanted to we could probably stay at home and never leave or encounter other people.

What happened to going over to people’s house, sitting down for a meal, spending the evening talking about life. It is spending time with one another face to face and getting to know one another that fosters the kind of love the Bible speaks of.

The kind of relationships we have today, many times, are superficial at best. We need to pursue deeper relationships with others. Why? Because true value and enjoyment in life are the relationships that you have.

God Chooses Our Life and Death

Paul tells the Philippians that the Lord will not take him home until his mission with them is complete. That mission was to ensure that they were striving together for the faith of the gospel. He wanted them to be fully developed disciple-makers. A fully developed disciple-makers is one who makes disciples that makes disciples. He wanted the church at Philippi to be a church that affected the world with spreading faith in Jesus Christ. I believe that this letter was the culmination of that mission.

Paul never returned to Philippi. God took him home while he was imprisoned in Rome. Never the less God used Paul to pen this letter not only to the Philippians but to us as well.

Application

We should not fear when we die. God has already set the date. He has already began your mission. You will not leave before it is complete. The problem comes when our mission is different from God’s. God will always complete your mission before you die. I am mindful of the funerals that I have done and the people that have passed by what some would call prematurely. It doesn’t make sense why they would die at such an early age. God knows. There is not an answer He can give us that we have the capability of understanding or accepting.

Philippians 1:6 NASB95

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 4:7–8 NASB95

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

God will always enable you to finish His course. It is our job to fight the good fight.

God’s Call To Belief and Suffering

Paul reminded the Philippians that the gift of faith came with the consequence of suffering. John 16:33

John 16:33 NASB95

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Tribulation is a part of faith. This is because the world does not accept those who put their faith in Jesus. John 15:18-19

John 15:18–19 NASB95

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.

John 17:14–19 NASB95

“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. “For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

No matter what the world may do to us, they can never destroy our soul. We belong to God and He will call us home on His appointed day and will give us everlasting life. Conversely, those who reject Jesus may live a long life on earth, but God will destroy them with everlasting torture.