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To Live Is Christ
Philippians 1:21-30
Good News Translation (GNT)
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21 For what is life? To me, it is Christ.
Death, then, will bring more.
22 But if by continuing to live I can do more
worthwhile work, then I am not sure which
I should choose.
23 I am pulled in two directions. I want very much
to leave this life and be with Christ, which is a
far better thing;
24 but for your sake it is much more important
that I remain alive.
25 I am sure of this, and so I know that I will stay.
I will stay on with you all, to add to your
progress and joy in the faith,
26 so that when I am with you again, you will
have even more reason to be proud of me
in your life in union with Christ Jesus.
27 Now, the important thing is that your way of life
should be as the gospel of Christ requires,
so that, whether or not I am able to go and
see you, I will hear that you are standing firm
with one common purpose and that with only
one desire you are fighting together for
the faith of the gospel.
28 Don't be afraid of your enemies; always be
courageous, and this will prove to them that
they will lose and that you will win, because
it is God who gives you the victory.
29 For you have been given the privilege of
serving Christ, not only by believing in him,
but also by suffering for him.
30 Now you can take part with me in the battle.
It is the same battle you saw me fighting
in the past, and as you hear, the one I am
fighting still.
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Taken from 'word-on-the-web' supplied by
Scripture Union
To Live Is Christ
What to choose?
Philippians 1:21-30
Most of us,
if given the option of life or death,
would choose life.
Under house arrest,
Paul was awaiting trial before Caesar.
Would he choose death
by refusing to defend himself in court?
Many people in the ancient world,
including Socrates,
brought death on themselves in this way.
Above all, Jesus, his Lord,
refused to answer charges
before Pilate and Herod.
Many early martyrs chose death
during their trial,
imitating their Lord.
Paul's apparently decides to defend himself
as he had done previously in Jerusalem
before the military tribune
and in Caesarea,
first before Felix and then Agrippa.
The church in Philippi
was experiencing opposition
and Paul dearly wanted
to make one more visit
so he might facilitate their
'progress and joy in the faith'.
Paul ponders his imminent trial
and what its outcome might be.
A death sentence seems a real possibility,
so what are his thoughts about the outcome?
To live is where everything
in his life is about and for Jesus,
or 'to die is gain',
meaning freedom from earthly troubles
and being in the Christ's presence.
For Paul to live
is much better for the Philippians.
The world often tells that
we should choose what benefits us.
God's biggest choice was to give his Son for us;
Jesus' biggest choice
was to sacrifice his life for us;
Paul's choice was to go on living
for the Philippians' sake.
All these choices benefited others.
Paul now gives them ethical instructions.
The Greek term 'to conduct yourselves'
has a political tone,
referring to one's life as a citizen.
Philippi was a Roman colony
and its citizens were proud
of their rights and privileges.
Paul spells out that such a life
includes steadfastness,
unity and courage.
The imagery in the phrase
'contending as one man' (NIV, 1984)
(standing firm ) can refer
to gladiators fighting side by side
in life-or-death situations in the arena,
or to soldiers fighting wars in closed ranks.
The instruction not to be divided
but to show a united front
is a matter of life or death for Paul.
If we grasp this,
there will be less division,
discord and disagreement
in some of our churches.
This is because God's society
(of which Christians are part)
and the world's societies
(of which Christians are also part)
often have conflicting
values and attitudes.
For Paul, both faith and suffering
for Jesus are privileges granted
to the Christian by God.
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