How Would You Describe Yourself? (Philippians 1:21-26)

How would we describe our lives? It is common today to hear people say, ‘I did it my way,’ a title from a popular song of a few years ago. I read the lyrics the other day and saw that the song does not say anything about the future (I had known that detail before but had forgotten). All it seems to be is a personal reflection on how its author lived without help from God or anyone else. So although it is a song about dying, it is really a song without a destiny. I was also struck by how the lyrics don’t seem to take seriously any wrongs that the person may have done, as if death perhaps would bring an end to any consequences.

I read another personal description of life at the same time. It is from the diary of Kenneth Macrae, who was the minister in Stornoway Free Church several decades ago. He recorded in his diary a few months before he died: ‘I have been long in His service here, but I never tired of it. All my grief was that it was so poor, so listless, so forgetful, and so lacking in holiness; but soon I shall serve Him with a perfect service without failure or flaw.’ Unlike the popular song, this quotation reveals a man who enjoyed his service of Another, was aware of his own flaws, and who yet looked forward to a marvellous destiny.

Which of those two descriptions of life would you like to have? The self-congratulations of doing it your way until the end or the strong confidence of the man who lived for God while aware that there were personal failures and yet looked ahead to a wonderful future. In a sense, those two references depict the choices that face us in this life. Do we live for ourselves or do we live for God?

In our text from Philippians 1:21 we have Paul’s self-description of his life. It was not always Paul’s way of looking at things. Paul had his own version of doing it his way and he mentions it in Philippians 3. His choice of a self-centred lifestyle had been in the religious world of Judaism and he was indeed a self-made man who climbed rapidly up the ladder to prominence. If we had met him during those days he would look back and say he had no regrets, although whether he would have said that on his deathbed is another matter because he always believed that God would judge people for their sins.

But Paul had become a different man thirty years before he wrote Philippians and what should be noticed about his comments is that he does not say anything about the past. Instead he focuses on his present and his future, or we can put it another way and say that he is describing his devotion and his destiny. And having mentioned them he also tells us his duty. So we can say that Paul’s outlook was marked by his devotion to his Saviour, his destiny in heaven and his duty to help others.

Paul’s devotion

In verse 21, Paul summarises his outlook in these well-known words, ‘For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.’ The first clause in the sentence describes Paul’s devotion, and in writing it he was indicating what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. This is not the only occasion in this letter where Paul states his devotion to Jesus; for example, he says in 3:10 that his ambition is to know Christ (as we noted, he is writing these words having been a disciple of Jesus for over thirty years).

What do Paul’s words say to us?

One deduction that we can make from his claim is that every disciple should live for Christ. Every person in the world lives for something or somebody. Some live for their work, others for their hobbies, others for their homes. (Perhaps we could write the clause out when we are alone: for me to live is _____.) Many of these interests are legitimate for Christians as long as they do not come before Christ. Living for Christ is the expression of our service for him, our submission to him as our Lord and Master.

Further, we can deduce from his words that every disciple will live with Christ. As they go about their activities for Jesus in obedience to him, they discover his presence with them. This is what Jesus promised in the Great Commission; he said he would be with his disciples wherever he would send them. His presence gives them comfort and companionship.

In addition, we can say that every disciple will live by Christ. He enables each of them to perform their acts for him. His strength is given to each of his people in order for them to live for him. Paul had known the help of Jesus on many occasions. Christ had assured Paul this would be the case when he was told by Jesus, ‘My strength is made perfect in your weakness’ (2 Cor. 12).

These are three reasons why the Christian is Christ-focussed. Obviously, his dedication is a response of love to the Saviour who died as his Substitute on the cross. Yet here is the crucial difference between Jesus and all other leaders who inspire people to build on their ideals. Jesus is the only One who is currently with and permanently helping all his followers. No other religion can claim this, no political philosophy can assert it. Jesus is unique.

Paul would not exchange Christ for anything this world can give. Is this not a key to resisting temptation? One of the biggest problems that come our way is the desire for things. The effective way to resist them is to have a greater desire, which is to desire to know Jesus.

Paul’s desire (vv. 22-23)

The apostle uses a beautiful picture to illustrate what death means for him. His death will be a departure, like a ship leaving harbour for another destination. He is not expecting a rough journey, instead he is anticipating a calm sail towards the heavenly harbour. (Of course, his voyage would not last long, a fraction of a second.) Further, when he left his earthly location, he would never return to it.

Paul uses a very strong term to describe his desire. For him, heaven is better than enjoying spiritual success on earth because it means that he will be with Christ. There are many suggestions that can be made as to why his heavenly experience would be better.

For example, heaven will be better because there will be no sin there. Paul was very much aware of indwelling sin as well as the sins of others. Its absence from heaven makes heaven very attractive.

Also, heaven will be better because there will be no suffering there. Paul was suffering for the faith as he was under arrest for being a Christian. He also had acute physical problems and weakness. His body had been through the mill for many years. Paul knew that all kinds of suffering are absent from heaven. There is not a hospital in heaven because it is not needed.

Further, in heaven there will be no separation. Sadly, even in his prison experience he had known separation from some of the Christian preachers in Rome whom he mentions earlier in the chapter. Several years before, he had made a painful separation from his friend, Barnabas. But in heaven, such sad differences would be no more.

These three reasons – the absence of sin, suffering and separation – as well as others are causes why heaven will be better than earth. Yet they are not the reason Paul gives as to why Heaven will be better. The reason that he gives is that he will be with Christ.

At least, his words indicate that he will enjoy the companionship of Christ. They also teach that heaven is a conscious experience.

Heaven would be better, death would be gain, because of Christ. Heaven is a development of what Paul had known on earth. There, Jesus will not only be his eternal Companion, he will also be the goal of Paul’s heavenly experience as he aims to discover more and more about the attributes, attitudes, and aims of Jesus. And as he progresses in these wonderful discoveries, Paul will find that Jesus continues to empower him throughout the endless ages.

3. Paul’s duty (vv. 24-26)

Despite his strong desire to be in heaven with Jesus, Paul chose to remain in order to help the Philippians (he does not mean that he had the authority to decide whether he should live or die because that decision always remains with God). Instead, his outlook is always submissive to what God would decide. But the apostle realised he had to think about his circumstances because he would have to pray about them. Should he ask God to take him away from the sufferings and concerns he had or should he ask God to let him serve on earth for a few more years? We can see what the apostle decided from what he says here – he prayed that he would remain.

Yet it is important to note that he was not choosing a life of ease or uselessness in God’s service. He intended to work hard – ‘labour’ is the way he describes it. Ahead of him was hard spiritual work, travelling again to spread the gospel and strengthen the churches. This choice was made by faith because he writes that he expected his work to be fruitful, which is probably a reference to the development of grace in the lives of his readers.

People often regard Paul as being an ivory-towered theologian, out of touch with the common person (whoever he or she is). His decision here gives the lie to such an absurd allegation. The strength of his love for these Philippians was such that he was prepared to stay out of heaven in order to help them grow in grace. His comment is almost as marvellous as his desire expressed in Romans 9:2-3 that he was willing to be accursed if the Jewish people would be saved: ‘I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.  For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.’  

Paul also expected the Philippians to see the grace of God in his life. When they would see him and experience what Christ did for Paul and in Paul, and then through him for them, they would praise Jesus for using his devoted servant Paul. Although we do not have the apostle’s gifts or experiences, we can imitate him in this regard by being channels in whom and through whom the Lord will work. Then others will see his fruit and praise him for his grace.

How did Paul know which option to choose? First of all, he had a submissive heart to what God wanted him to do; he was willing for either option to take place. Second, he had a supplicating heart, one that he describes in Philippians 4:6: ‘do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.’ This was followed by a serene heart: ‘And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’ (4:7). These three aspects have to be present in every decision that we make, not only in those decisions that can be classified as major ones. Although Paul wanted to go to heaven, he would have sensed the Lord’s will was for him to remain. And when his heart agreed to do so, he would have had a strong sense of inner peace which comes to those who are walking in the will of God.  

Conclusion

There are many comments that could be made from this passage. But I will make three brief ones. First, fruitful work for Jesus is only done by those who want to be with Jesus whether in the sense of having his presence in this life or in the next. Second, fruitful work for Jesus can be done by those who are senior citizens, who may imagine that their best days are behind them. Third, one day we will go to be with Christ. The day eventually came for Paul when his Master said to him, ‘Come up to higher service and discover the gain that you anticipated for so long.’ And the same Master will say these words to us if we are his disciples. Until he does, let us serve him gladly and devotedly.