To Live Is Christ, To Die Is Gain!

Phil. 1:20-30

In 1986 angry Filipinos took to the streets of Manila and drove Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos from power. In her haste to escape into exile, Imelda left behind more than 1,200 pairs of shoes, 427 designer dresses, and 71 pairs of sunglasses. In a country where two out of every three households lacked adequate food, this was extravagant to say the least! During their twenty years in power, the couple plundered nearly $12 billion from their poverty-stricken country. (Today in the Word, August, 1997, p. 34)

There are many people in this world who are consumed with earthly gain.  I have often prayed for island leaders because it only takes one greedy leader to bankrupt small nations like those in Micronesia.  This has already happened in some islands.  It is not unusual to see that unbelievers in the world are laying up their treasure here.  But they can’t take it with them.

Ecclesiastes 5:15 Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.

Worldly people can be expected to act worldly.  But when believers act like the world and lay up treasure here, it is a terrible witness.  When you watch TBN and see the gold chairs, gold piano, and furnishings that look like a palace, you begin to realize the apostate state of Christianity today.  Benny Hinn once stated on TBN during a Praise-a-thon show:

I'm sick and tired about hearing about streets of gold [in heaven]. I don't need gold in heaven. I got to have it now."(Benny Hinn, TBN)

Hinn has accomplished this goal as he, at one time, made around $150 million per year.  But the Bible says that those who lay up their treasure now and make a big show out of giving a tiny portion to the poor have already received their reward in full:

Matthew 6:2  "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

This is what disgusts me about seeing Christian leaders on TV trying to get into the spotlight anytime there is a major disaster.  Rod Parsley switched his broadcast location to New Orleans to raise funds for weeks at one point.  T.D. Jakes was seen on TV standing next to President Bush in a gold suit after the New Orleans hurricane and flood.  When you make a big show out of giving, you have your reward already.

Paul’s life stands in stark contrast to the false teachers of today.

Phil. 1:20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

21 ¶ For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!

23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;

24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

How many believers can truthfully say that their whole reason for living is Christ, and to die is gain?  What I see more often would be more like: for me to live is gain, and to die is Christ.  Do we truthfully live to serve Christ instead of our own sinful appetites?  Paul was persecuted to the point where I am sure he would have preferred to die on numerous occasions.

2 Cor. 11:23-28  Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

Paul was willing to endure these things because God still had work for him to do here, and for Paul “to live is Christ”.  But why did he also say “to die is gain”?  Because Paul, as all other true believers in the Bible, was looking forward to another home, a reward beyond death.

Heb. 11: 13-16  All these people (the saints of the OT) were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country— a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

2 Pet. 3:11-14 ¶ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.

Those who would call themselves Christians can be tested in two ways, and they must meet BOTH criteria. (1) Do they live for Christ or actually live for themselves?  (2) Do they look forward to their reward in heaven or build a kingdom on earth?  This is one good way to test yourself to see if you are in the faith.

2 Cor. 13:4-5  For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him to serve you. Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you— unless, of course, you fail the test?

Phil. 1:25-26 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

There are two reasons why we fellowship together, and why good Christian leadership needs to continue.  It is for our progress in the faith and our joy in the faith.  Progress is growth in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and the outgrowth of that faith in action.  Joy is our attitude and witness before the world.  Many times our candle of witness is hidden under a bushel of anger, depression, fear or irritability with our circumstances.  If worldly people look at Christians and see that they react exactly like they do to circumstances, why would they think Christianity offers them anything life changing?  Yet this is exactly what we are seeing today.  We see people who call themselves believers who are not progressing in the faith, and do not show the joy of the Lord during trials.  Churches today try to be more and more like the world to try to win the world.  But in doing so they lose their witness, and even affect the witness of true believers.  Many unbelievers who watch Christian TV come away not ever desiring to pursue Christianity.

John 3:19-21  This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

Phil. 1:27-28 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved— and that by God.

The sign of a true believer is (1) standing firm together with true believers before the world and (2) contending (fighting, arguing) for the faith of the Gospel.  We must stand in unity of the Spirit in the face of the world so that our witness will be clear.  That means we are to live like Christians, witness the Gospel, stand for truth both inside and outside the Church, and be willing to be persecuted for it while remaining calm, peaceful and joyful.  This is not easy, and is impossible without the help of the Counselor, Comforter, Helper – the Holy Spirit.  This is our duty as believers and as a Church.  What do you think it says to the unbelievers when you have TV evangelists and false prophets all over the world sucking money out of the poor with promises of healings that do not really happen?  What kind of witness are the prophecies of thousands of false prophets today that do not come true and are never repented of?  What do non-believers think when they see Christians acting worse than unbelievers?  What does the world think when Christians react in fear when things worsen in politics and pandemics? We need to be sure the world understands who true Christians are, then act like followers of Christ.  Jesus stood for truth, compassion, mercy and grace under pressure.  Simply sharing the facts of the Gospel is not enough. The practical outworking of the Gospel message must be in evidence in people’s lives for unbelievers to be convinced.  Yet sadly this is often not the case, which is why fewer and fewer people are becoming Christians today, and those that say they are have not really removed themselves from the world because those who witnessed to them are not removed themselves. 

Lastly, the part of the Gospel about sin and punishment in hell has all but been removed from the modern Christian Gospel presentation.  But that is the very reason we are to stand firm together with true believers before the world and contend for the faith of the Gospel.  We are to be a sign to the world that it is headed for destruction.  How will unbelievers in the world be saved unless they realize they will be destroyed?

Phil. 1:29-30 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

This important part of our life in Christ, which is all but ignored today, is that Jesus has “granted” to us the privilege to suffer for him.  What?  Is that really a privilege?

Rom. 5:1-5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

1 Peter 4:16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

If is God chooses you to suffer persecution, insult, ridicule, curses, beatings, hatred, malice, envy, and slander for the cause of Jesus Christ, we are actually being blessed.  We can never repay the debt of Jesus Christ’s own sufferings, persecution and death, but we can prove we are truly “in Christ” by enduring under pressures of all kinds.  Perhaps some of us will never be beaten or put to death for the cause of Christ, but there are a million little ways in our lifetime where we have the chance to exhibit the joy and peace we have in the Holy Spirit before the world through all kinds of situations. 

A. Parnell Bailey visited an orange grove where an irrigation pump had broken down. The season was unusually dry and some of the trees were beginning to die for lack of water. The man giving the tour then took Bailey to his own orchard where irrigation was used sparingly. “These trees could go without rain for another 2 weeks,” he said. “You see, when they were young, I frequently kept water from them. This hardship caused them to send their roots deeper into the soil in search of moisture. Now mine are the deepest-rooted trees in the area. While others are being scorched by the sun, these are finding moisture at a greater depth.”

When we go through suffering and our witness for Christ remains firm, it is (1) a sign to the world and (2) our own lives will send roots of faith deeper into the soil of Jesus Christ.