You have an appointment. Your life is moving step by step, day by day toward that appointment. Every New Year’s holiday is a reminder that the appointment is coming up. Every birthday is a reminder of the appointment. So is every funeral. “. . . it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27, KJV).i You’re not going get a second chance at life. “It is appointed unto man once to die.” Purgatory is a concoction of man to ease any alarm about the judgment that follows. I worked with a Catholic man who lived an ungodly life. When I confronted him about his relationship with Christ, his answer was, “I’m not worried about it; I’ll work it out in purgatory.” But what if purgatory is a lie? What if what follows death is the judgment, not a second chance. Reincarnation is a diabolical lie designed to counter this biblical truth. “. . . it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment” (KJV).
Solomon concludes the book of Ecclesiastes with these words:
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil” (12:13-14).
Is there anything more arresting than that truth? Is there anything more significant? People fill their minds with other thoughts because they don’t want to think about that. But God tells us to think about it. The word amusement is an interesting word. Amuse is the combination of the word muse (which means to ponder or think about something) and the negative prefix “a.”ii So amuse is to distract or entertain so the person does not have to think about these weightier matters. Preachers are not called to amuse and entertain. They are called to confront people with truth that addresses the course of their eternity. “Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments . . . 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment.”
Look with me at our text in Philippians 1:19-26. In the previous verses Paul has talked about his current imprisonment in Rome. He has put that in proper perspective. Now he turns his attention to the immediate future, his upcoming trial. I’m going to read verse 18 so you can see his transition from the present tense to the future tense. “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is [present tense] preached. And because of this I rejoice [present tense]. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice [future tense].iii
Now Paul addresses his future (verses 19-26).
“For I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 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. 25 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, 26 so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.”
We will consider:
(1) Paul’s Attitude toward Death
(2) Paul’s Attitude toward Life and
(3) Paul’s Conclusion about What is about to Happen.
Once again, attitudes are prominent in this epistle. Having the right attitudes toward life and death affects everything. The peace and joy Paul enjoys in the text flows out of the way he views life and death and the events that are occurring in his life. As we study this passage ask yourself whether you have the same attitude toward these weighty matters as Paul had.
I. Paul's ATTITUDE TOWAD DEATH.
He saw it as an inevitable transition. “It is appointed unto man once to die.” That is a fact you can accept or fight. You can face the reality and prepare for it, or you can live in denial and be shocked when it happens.iv Frankly, I’m amazed at how shocked people are when someone dies. This has been happening for a very long time. It seems to happen to about 100% of the population. Two people went straight to heaven without passing through death: Enoch and Elijah. Christians who are raptured will not go through death. However, even that experience is very similar. In the rapture we are “caught up . . . to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:17). Those who die are immediately “present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8, KJV). In both cases the Christian is immediately out of this mortal body and present with the Lord.
Paul was not afraid of death. We are naturally insecure about the unknown. Passing from this life to next has a certain amount of mystery in it. It’s something you do only once. It’s not something we have done before. But the more you commune with Christ, the more your security rests in that relationship. The more you live as a citizen of heaven the more comfortable you are with going there. Paul had received some powerful experiences in the heavenly realm. On his way to Damascus, the heavens opened and Christ appeared to him. He saw the person who is central to the heavenly realm. He experienced the love of Christ which is what makes heaven what it is. In 1 Corinthians 12 he tells about being caught up into the third heaven. There he saw things that were beyond description. I have only had one experience similar to that. But it left me thoroughly convinced of the reality of heaven. Paul knew where he was going when he died. He had gotten a glimpse of it during his walk with Christ. He was not afraid to die.
We may not have had the depth of experience in the heavenly realm as Paul had. But every Christian is now seated in the heavens positionally (Eph. 2:6). We have tasted of the world to come (Heb. 6:4). We have entered the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus (Heb. 10:19). We have communed with the Father through our High Priest, Jesus (1 John 1:3). God’s Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God (Rom. 8:16). And we have the more sure word of prophecy in Scripture (2 Pet. 1:19) assuring us of the promises of God. Paul was not afraid of death, and we should not fear it either. The sting of death is removed by the cross. “The sting of death is sin . . . But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:56-57).
Hebrews 2:14 tells us that Jesus became human “so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil- 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”
The fear of death is a horrible bondage.v It keeps people from enjoying life. It keeps them from experiencing life to the full. Jesus came that we might have life and have it to the full (John 10:10). Life has a certain amount of risk. We should be prudent in what we do. We should evaluate risk. We should not tempt the Lord by foolishly jumping off of buildings (Matt. 4:7). But at some level you have to trust the Lord with the normal risks inherent in life. Is there a risk that I might get COVID-19? Yes, but that risk is minimal. I’m not going to allow that risk to shut me down and stop me from fulfilling my ministry. If you belong to the Lord, fear should not dominate your life.vi You should not view death with dread.
In fact, Paul saw death as a transition that would usher him into the fullness of his inheritance in Christ. This imprisonment in Rome did not culminate in Paul’s death. But a couple of years later Paul was executed. In that situation he knew his “time of departure” was at hand. That’s an interesting way to say it. In 2 Timothy 4:6-8 he wrote, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (KJV). Listen to what he says there as he faces death, “I am now ready….” When my time comes, I want to be able to say those words, “I am now ready.” Paul was prepared for the trip. What was the preparation? “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” God has a course for you to run. He has prepared good works that he wants to do through you in this life.vii As you serve him, those works get done. As you obey his voice, he leads you through the course he has designed for your life. Your steps are ordered of the Lord.
Premature death is a sad thing because it cuts all that short. We should resolutely resist premature death. When facing death we should ask the Lord, “Have I finished my course?” If he says, “No,” then resist death with all your might—not because you’re afraid of the transition, but because you’re determined to do all the Lord has called you to do.viii If sickness is trying to take you prematurely, call on the Lord for healing and believe him for your deliverance. In our text, there was the threat that Paul would be executed before his time. He asked the Philippians to pray for him. He believed the Lord for his deliverance. We are not to be passive toward a premature death. But when it is your time according to God’s plan, do not fear. Let me say it this way: “Rejoice for your redemption draws near. Celebrate the welcome you’re about to receive in glory.”ix
We can know whether we have finished our course or not, if we will seek God and listen to him. At the time Paul wrote Philippians, he knew his course was not complete. At the time he wrote 2 Timothy, he knew he had finished his course and his time of departure was at hand. I had a relative who was a Methodist circuit preacher years ago. When God told him that his time was at hand, he visited his churches to say goodbye, went home and peacefully passed away. You can know. We are children of light, not darkness. I want to know, and I want to be able to say with Paul, “I am ready.”
Paul viewed death as “gain.” He looked forward to it. He saw in the most positive light. Listen to what he said in our text. Philippians 1:21-23: “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.”
What was the “gain” that Paul was looking forward to on the other side of death? Was it the “crown of righteousness” that he mentions in 2 Timothy 4:8? It included that primarily because that crown represented Christ’s approval on his life. I’m sure he looked forward to the beauty of paradise. He had gotten a glimpse of it years ago when he was caught up into the third heaven. But now he could take his time and enjoy it to the full. One of the joys of heaven will be to see those who have gone on before us. The second person I want to see is my Mom—the person who sacrificed so much for me. I look forward to seeing her in her mansion. I look forward to seeing the glory on her face and having her wrap her arms around me and say, “Welcome Home!” I’m sure Paul had all that in mind when he wrote “to die is gain.”
But none of that compared to the one thing more than anything else that Paul meant when he said, “gain.” He defines it in the third chapter of this epistle. Philippians 3:8: “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” The gain Paul is looking to is Christ Himself.
“It will be worth it all,
when we see Jesus
Life’s trials will seem so small,
when we see Christ
One glimpse at His dear face,
All sorrow will erase,
So bravely run the race
till we see Christ.”x
In one sense Paul already had Christ. In fact, Christ was the center of his life. But on the other side in glory, he would know him face to face.xi 1 Corinthians 13:12: “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (KJV). The veil will be entirely lifted, and we will know and enjoy the Lord at a level that is not possible in this life. The prize for Paul was Christ Himself. And so it is for you and me as well. Paul considered death as gain because on the other side he would enjoy an even deeper communion with Christ.
II. Paul’s ATTITUDE TOWARD LIFE is also revealed in our text.
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” We’ve explored what Paul meant when he said, “to die is gain.” What did he mean by the first phrase, “For to me, to live is Christ”? He is saying that his whole life is wrapped up in one thing: Christ.xii In 2 Corinthians 5:9 he said, “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him” (NKJV). Life is about doing the will of the Father.xiii Life is about pleasing the Lord in all that we do. Life is about honoring and glorifying the Lord. For Paul everything revolved around his relationship with Christ.
There are other things that people substitute for Christ. By their choices some are saying, “For to me, to live is money.” Every decision is about the money. Their life is about the accumulation of wealth. They’re blinded by the fact that a day will come, and come soon, when all of that must be left behind. Jesus said, “You cannot serve God and Money (Matt. 6:24). Many decisions in life come down to getting the money or doing what is right. And people have thousands of ways to justify the wrong decision. Solomon said, “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase” (Eccl. 5:10, NKJV). Jesus talked about the man whose life was about the accumulation of things. And he was successful at it—so successful, that he had to keep building bigger barns to store it all. Just as he was saying to himself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." 20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'” (Luke 12:19-20). The tragic end to a life lived for money, things, and comfort.
Many today have seen the folly of living to accumulate things. Instead they want experiences. Their statement is “For to me, to live is pleasure.” The Epicurean philosophy was “Let us eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we shall die.”xiv “Life is short; get all the gusto you can.” The desires and lusts being pursued may be depraved or they may be socially acceptable. It could be beautiful art or literature or sports. Anything that takes prominence over Christ is idolatry. In the story of the Rich Man & Lazarus, the rich man lived in luxury. He selfishly satisfied his own desires. But when he died everything turned around on him. Instead of comfort and ease, he was in agony and torment (Luke 16:22-25). And it would be forever!
The priorities of some indicate: “to live is reputation and glory.” Even some churches are built by people seeking their own glory. Businessmen live for the next promotion. Students pursue one degree after another, trying to get as many letters as possible after their names. Politicians usually want your vote for their own aggrandizement. A few may want to serve the interests of the public. But we are in a mess today because those numbers are few. Solomon said, “. . . to seek one's own glory is not glory” (Prov. 25:27, NKJV). Jesus said, “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him” (John 7:18, NKJV). And Paul says in Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.”
People substitute all kinds of pursuits as their primary aim in life. We could talk about others, but you get the point. If anything takes that primary place other than Christ, it is idolatry.
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Do not miss the connection of those two statements. Paul could say, “to die is gain” because he could also say, “For to me to live is Christ.” The gain was rooted in the way he lived. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7, NKJV).xv In the end, God’s justice will prevail.
In vs 23 Paul says, “I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.” That suggests consciousness. In this life Paul enjoyed rich communion with the Lord. It is hard to see “soul sleep” as being “better by far.” Paul would not have viewed the absence of conscious interaction with Christ as better. But to enjoy the conscious, uninhibited presence of Christ would be “better by far.”xvi
Now look with me at:
III. Paul’s CONCLUSION about WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
Before he states that, he articulates a dilemma. In verse 22 he says, “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” (1:22-24).
Paul’s trial could end in his death or in his acquittal. In a sense he does not care which way it goes. For him either would be a win. If he is executed, he gets to go home to be with the Lord which is the very thing he lives for. For Paul personally that is his preference. Would we be seeing it that way?
Paul wasn’t asking for prayer so he would not be killed. Look at the text closely and you will see that he was asking them to pray that he would have courage. In the trial he wanted to represent the Lord well, and he knew he could only do that by the grace of God. He did not want to dishonor the Lord by wimping out. He did not want to fail the Lord by not articulating the cause of Christ effectively at the trial. He was not concerned about the life or death outcome. He was concerned about his testimony of Christ. Look at verses 19 and 20. “For I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.xvii 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.”
Paul does not presume that his own intelligence and communication skills will carry the day. He needs a supply of the Spirit as the King James Version puts it—divine enablement by the Holy Spirit. So he asks the Philippians to pray that God’s will would be done and especially that the Holy Spirit would strengthen him to stand faithful to the Lord and honor the Lord in the way he handles himself.
So Paul sees the possibility of one of two positive outcomes: either I get a guilty sentence and die which for me is far better or I am freed to continue on with my ministry. The acquittal would mean more fruit for the kingdom of God. It would mean he could go on preaching the gospel, planting churches, and equipping Christians. It would mean that he could go to Philippi and encourage them. And he sees that as a great encouragement to them. There he could help them progress in the Lord. He could teach them more fully the principles of Christ and help them grow in the Lord. Bottom line, the Lord would be glorified in his release and that possibility excited Paul.
Paul has already heard from the Lord. He wants the Philippians to understand his attitude toward both possible outcomes for their own learning. But he has sought the Lord about this and knows at this time he will be set free.xviii A couple of years later he will be in a Roman prison again, and in that case God will tell him his time of departure is at hand.
I started to entitle this message: How to Die Like a Man. If I were teaching a men’s group, I would probably use that title. But the teaching is for both genders. I have to teach this using Paul’s example because I have never done it. When it comes down to it, I may not do it. But I’m asking the Lord to prepare me so that whether it be in life or in death, I will honor him. The mindset Paul had toward life and toward death enabled him to courageously face death. It’s something you will face some day if the Lord tarries. Will you do it with dignity and courage? It depends on your mindset. It requires faith in the Lord. The best preparation is a life lived for God.
In closing I want you to see the difference between Paul’s mindset and that of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Both men pondered the possibility of life or death. But their views on the matter were in sharp contrast. “To be or not to be, that is the question,” says Hamlet. He is pondering the alternative between continuing in life or ending it all. He sees it as two negative possibilities. For Hamlet, life is just not worth it. It is full of suffering, “outrageous fortune,” injustices, and “a sea of troubles.” He sees nothing positive in life. Then he considers the alternative: “To die.” But in that he sees the possibility of something unknown and far worse. So, he decides to continue with a life he hates.xix
In contrast Paul sees death as the entrance into glory and indescribable joy. He also sees life as good, an opportunity to serve the Lord and help people. Paul’s desire for death was not so he could escape from the trials of life even though those would end with his departure to be with the Lord. But it was a desire for deeper intimacy with the Lord that motivated him.
The New Testament does not present the rapture as an escape from life, but as an entry into the glorious presence of the Lord. Yes, it includes an escape from the wrath of the Great Tribulation.xx But when we take the whole New Testament corpus on the subject, we are looking for the coming of the Lord as the wonderful uniting with our Groom, Jesus. Being with Christ face to face is what we’re longing for in his coming. “Maranatha.”xxi
ENDNOTES:
i All Scripture quotes, unless indicated otherwise, are from the New International Version.
ii Webster’s Dictionary.
iii See Gordon D. Fee, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, N. B. Stonehouse, F. Bruce, G. Fee, and J. Green, eds. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995) 126, 128.
iv Ps. 90; James 4:14.
v 1 John 4:18 says, “. . . fear involves torment. . . .” For further explanation see Richard W. Tow, Authentic Christianity: Studies in 1 John (Bloomington, IN: WestBow Press, 2019) 279-291.
vi 2 Tim. 1:7; Ps. 23:4; Isa. 43:1-2.
vii Eph. 2:10; Ps. 37:23.
viii Jesus resisted premature death, not yielding to Satan’s temptation to presumptuously jump off the temple (Matt,. 4:7), passing through the crowd when the Jews were trying to kill him (Luke 4:28-30), and possibly in Gethsemane where he prayed for strength to endure his ordeal (Luke 22:41-44).
ix 2 Pet. 1:10-11. The New Testament calls us to a passionate, diligent preparation for this great appointment. Our assurance in Christ and expectation of meeting him at the end of this life should never, never produce passivity nor a lackadaisical attitude toward serving him.
x Esther Kerr Rusthoi, “When We See Christ,” in Hymns of Glorious Praise (Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 1969) 313.
xi See Tow, Authentic Christianity, 156-169.
xii “The meaning is not quite the same as Colossian 2@&: “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (NIV), or Galatians 2:20: “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (NIV). Paul wrote not so much of the indwelling Christ here as Christ being the motive and goal for living and doing worthwhile work for the benefit of others. “Bruce Barton, Bruce Barton, Mark Fackler, Linda Taylor, and Dave Veerman, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1995) 40.
xiii John 5:30.
xiv 1 Cor. 15:32-33; Acts 17:18.
xv Rom. 2:9-10.
xvi See F. B. Meyer, Devotional Commentary on Philippians (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1979) 58 and Fee, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, 148-149.
xvii A quote of Job 13:16.
xviii See also Philemon 22.
xix William Shakespeare, “Hamlet,” Speech by Hamlet: “To be, or not to be, that is the question.” F. B. Meyer, Devotional Commentary on Philippians (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1984) 53.
xx 1 Thess. 5:9.
xxi 1 Cor. 16:22 (KJV).
