Context
Philippians is an upbeat book, written to one of Paul's favorite churches. The church at Philippi did things right - they were faithful, generous, committed. It is a joyful book. Paul wrote the book to explain why he was in prison. Evidently, this was causing consternation to some and a few troublemakers were using it to undermine Paul.
There are three themes in the book. First, Paul exalts Jesus throughout. "To live is Christ." Second, Paul talks about joy. "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, rejoice." Finally, Paul wrote the book to explain his sufferings and imprisonment and to give glory to God in them.
Devotional - To Live Is Christ
Paul is my hero.
Of course, Jesus is the Savior who purchased me and the Lord to whom I must submit every day. But Paul is the human example who impresses me so much. He was bold in the proclamation of Christ, risking his life on a regular basis. There was nothing he wouldn't do to advance the gospel. He was willing to put his culture behind him and give up many of the trappings of Judaism to reach Gentiles. He endured persecution such as I can't even imagine and never let it slow him down.
On a pastor's resume, he generally gives a brief statement of his personal philosophy of ministry. That is essentially what Paul gives in Philippians 1:20-26. He begins with a summary statement in verse 20.
It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
It was his greatest fear that in some way he might shame his Savior. Instead, he desired that in everything he did Christ would be honored. If he lived, he wanted to honor Christ. If he died, he wanted his death to honor Christ. For him, it was all about Christ. When he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, all of his dreams, hopes and ambitions were subsumed into a desire for the glory of Jesus to shine through him.
At the time of the writing of Philippians, he was in prison in Rome and did not know his fate. Maybe Caesar would look at the facts and release him. Maybe Caesar would decide to end his life. He did not know. In a strange statement, in verse 23, Paul claims that he is torn between his options. Most of us hold on to life but Paul was so captivated by Christ that his heart's desire was to go to heaven and see his Savior face to face.
But he was also willing to stay in his difficult and challenging life if that would produce "fruitful labor" that would bring many to Christ and help many grow strong in him. His personal preference - to be with Jesus - was of no value compared to doing faithfully the work God had set before him.
His life motto was pretty simple, as stated in verse 21.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Living is all about Jesus - his will, his ambitions and purposes, his work. And the more that living is about Jesus, the more that death becomes gain. Paul was not suicidal in any way, but his heart's desire was to be with his Lord. When you have a life as difficult as his, heaven is appealing. When we live for the world, death is a tragedy. When Christ is life, death is graduation into glory.
Father, I want to be like Paul. Help me more, ever day, to make my life about Christ so that death can be gain.
Think and Pray
Is your life about Christ, or is Christ simply a part of it?
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