| Christian Life and Doctrine | April 1975 |
For Me to Live Is Christ
THE great Apostle Paul wrote the words of our text while he was a prisoner in Rome. The passage in the Revised Standard Version reads as follows: “I want you to know, brethren, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ: and most of the brethren have been made confident in the Lord because of my imprisonment, and are much more bold to speak the word of God without fear. Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the Gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of partisanship, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I shall rejoice. For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I shall 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. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”—Phil. 1:12-21
The Apostle Paul suffered while in prison—and he was willing to suffer, for he says, “The things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel.” Some of the Apostle Paul’s trouble came from an unexpected source—it came from his brethren—brethren who were envious, or as the New English Bible puts it, who were “jealous” of the way the Lord had blessed him. For even though he was in prison, the Gospel prospered in Rome, the capital of the pagan world, and in spite of prison, the apostle also prospered spiritually.
The record states that some preached of envy and strife, of contention—not sincerely, not from pure motives—as one puts it, “seeking to add affliction to his bonds, seeking to build themselves up.” The Apostle Paul was in prison. He was getting old. It appeared that he had come to the end of his work, and thus personal rivalry raised its head, seeking the illusive bubble of self-gain. When this epistle was written, about A.D. 63, it is thought that the Apostle Paul was about sixty-four years old. It would appear that personal ambition and party spirit existed even in apostolic days. It is difficult for one who is actuated by the spirit of ambition to think that another who is without that spirit can think always and only of the truth, and of how the Lord alone may be exalted.
But Paul did not judge those who would hinder him, even though their actions could have been to his disadvantage. He extended to them Christian liberty, both of opinion and expression, leaving in the Lord’s hand whatever the results would be. This is the way we may leave things to divine providence when faith is strong. Paul’s attitude toward his sufferings strengthened the majority of his brethren. His brethren in the Lord were helped. They waxed confident. They courageously preached the Word of God without fear. Some had been holding back through fear, but by his faith and his example, they boldly preached the Gospel of the kingdom. If Paul could stand imprisonment, so could they. They would be in good company, they figured, if Paul was there. They no doubt had heard him say, “For me to live is [to live for] Christ, and to die is gain.” Life or death was of no matter to Paul as long as the cause of Christ and his kingdom was advanced.
It took courage to preach the Gospel then—no doubt about that—more courage than it takes now. Then, one’s very life was in danger. A carving in Rome, uncovered in 1857, is repulsively indicative of what the Romans of Paul’s day thought of Jesus Christ. It is a carving of a man on a cross, except that while he had a man’s body he had the head of a donkey. Then there is a figure of a young man kneeling in adoration. No wonder Paul had to speak courageously in defense of the Gospel!
The Coliseum in Rome, built by 25,000 Jewish slaves, is where thousands died, paying the price of their belief in Christ. Yes, it took courage to preach the Gospel then, but it also takes courage today—not because of fear of death, or even imprisonment, but for fear of what someone might think: our brother, Mrs. Jones next door, our business associates. Ultimate courage is the courage of the mind, the courage to think and then to express our thoughts. No greater bondage exists than fear to express one’s opinion lest it might not be popular. Fear of the opinions of men is a snare.
The message of the truth of God’s love is the most wonderful thing that has ever come to us. We all know and acknowledge that this is true. The truth means everything to us. Why, then, is it so hard to talk about it? Oh, we can talk about politics. We can talk about foreign affairs even though we may not be well informed. We can talk about international finance, little as we may understand it. We can talk about our troubles. But why is it so hard to tell our neighbors about the kingdom? Let us not be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation!
We can all preach the Gospel—every one of us. Every time we put out a tract we are preaching the Gospel, just as much as those of us who stand on the platform. There are some who cannot put out tracts from door to door who put them out by mail—effectively, too; and besides, everyone can pray for God’s blessing upon his work and those sending out his message. Let us rejoice in every opportunity to show forth his love. The kingdom message is of primary importance. These are the simple ways in which we all can live for Christ.
The Apostle Paul said in verse 20, “That in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body.” (A.V.) Paul did not want to be magnified. He was not seeking his own popularity. He wanted Christ to be magnified, and so do we. Our boldness in speaking that which we believe to be true is our endeavor to magnify Christ. Those who sincerely desire that Christ be magnified in their body, that is, in their lives, have a holy indifference whether it be by life or by death, by living and working in the vineyard, or by finishing their course as a faithful servant of God. For the treasure of truth which the Lord has given us we will endeavor to keep inviolate so long as we live, for thus we live for Christ. “For me to live is [to live for] Christ, and to die is gain,” the Apostle Paul said, and so do we all.
For we know, as he knew, that the one who lives for Christ has a present joy and peace and communion. “And to die”—if faithful, then that in his providence—“will be gain”—gain through a cessation of the sacrifice, and also the gain of eternal life, of immortality, in the first resurrection, with the assurance of the privilege to live and reign with Christ for a thousand years.
But we all must learn how to live for Christ just as we must learn to suffer and die with him. And we have been given instructions. These instructions are found not in the writings of uninspired men, but in the Word of God. Others have been used to point us to the Word, and we appreciate and we honor such servants of God. But our one source of authority must be the Word of God. And certainly no needed instruction has been omitted from this authority. For “All scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect [mature] thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (II Tim. 3:16,17) “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy Word is truth.”—John 17:17
And so in order to learn how to live for Christ we turn to the tabernacle in the wilderness. Our lesson is found in Leviticus, chapter 8. It is shown in the consecration of the priesthood. Here Moses represents God. Aaron represents the Lord Jesus, and Aaron’s sons represent the church. Moses puts the blood of the ram of consecration on the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand and the great toe of the right foot of Aaron and his sons. Through the favor of God and through our consecration we have the hearing of faith. For faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
The blood on the right thumb and big toe represents our dedication under the blood to do with our might what our hands find to do in God’s service; to do what our consecration demands of us, and also that we must walk in the light. Never should we get to the point where we feel that we have all the light. The truth is a movement, as well as a condition. It is a voyage, as well as a harbor. The blood on the toe represents our dedication to walk, to make progress in the path of truth. Remember the text: “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Ps. 119:105) How dear that text is to all those who have a love for and zeal for the clarification and elucidation of the truth!
We have learned that the tabernacle in the wilderness was the sanctuary of God. Exodus 25:8,9 reads, “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell with [among] them. According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle … even so shall ye make it.” Only the sanctified dwell in the sanctuary. Only the consecrated are pictured here. The holy represents the spirit-begotten condition of the consecrated. The court represents the justified condition of the consecrated—their justified humanity. From consecration until glorification two processes continue in our lives:
1. The new creature grows—develops as we feed upon the showbread, God’s Word. The light of the candlestick illuminates our mind, our hearts, to understand spiritual truths. On the golden altar we offer the incense of prayer and the sacrifice of praise to God, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks in his name. That all went on in the holy of the tabernacle. That all goes on in our Christian life.
2. There is also the court, where our justified humanity is sacrificed—our restitution rights willingly and daily yielded, as stated in Romans 6:13: “Yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness.” Time, talent, money, hopes, aims, desires, all proper for the world, but all yielded because old things have passed away, and all things are become new. This is one of the great lessons of the tabernacle—the lesson of the sacrifice of our humanity. It is shown in the court; and only as we learn this lesson can we say, “For me to live is [to live for] Christ.”
In Philippians 1:20 of our text the Apostle Paul said, “Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.” And that which should be true of our individual bodies should also be true of our composite body, the body of Christ. As members of his body we also should seek to magnify the Lord. I Corinthians 12:12 reads, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” And verse 18 continues, “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.” Verse 27: “Now are ye the body of Christ, and members in particular.”
This is a lesson in anatomy—not human anatomy, but that of the body of Christ, the church. Each member of this body is necessary. Each member of this body has a duty to perform. Each member of this body supplies what other members need. Our text mentions by name only a few members. The foot is mentioned. The foot bears much weight. It carries us forward. It assists over obstacles and, thank God, there are those who are “foot” members in the body of Christ. The hand is mentioned. It has ability to perform. It has a part in most things we do. It can be placed on the brow in need of comfort. Thank God, there are those who are “hand” members in the body of Christ.
The ear is mentioned. A good ear is able to catch the harmony of the song of Moses and the Lamb. It can separate theory and philosophy from the true notes of the harp of God. None should create discordant notes in the body of Christ. And thank God for our Head. It may not be necessary that we know who is an ear or a hand, but it is necessary always to honor and obey the Head, our Lord.
God sets the members in the body. He knows where we can do the most good. He is careful in placing the members, “that there should be no schism”—no discord—no disunion in the body, “that the members should have the same care one for another.” Nothing demonstrates co-ordination, co-operation better than a healthy human body. Just consider your hands. Watch them as they tie a knot in your tie. They have to co-ordinate in movement to get the job done. But they are not both the same, are they? One is left, the other is right, but they work together. One may be stronger than the other, but they work together. One is usually more dexterous than the other, but they work together. They perform in unity, as healthy members of the same body should. Does this simple illustration teach a lesson to the members of the body of Christ? Can we perform and co-operate in unity? Can we wash one hand without help from the other? Can we exercise Christian liberty to our left hand or to our weaker member?
There are fundamental doctrines, and there should be unity of thought in those doctrines which are plainly and specifically supported by plain and definite statements of Scripture, and which pertain to our salvation. We all should contend earnestly that these truths be not violated.
But there are other subjects that are opinions; that are based on interpretations, and these vary on subjects less essential to salvation. Let us not bend the Scriptures to fit our opinions. Rather, let us bend our opinions to fit the Word of God. Sometimes that hurts, but it can and should be done. Of course we can contend that our view is right. We can withhold fellowship and service from any who may not agree with us. But then we could never tie a tie together, and that tie is the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love.
But apart from the fundamentals, is unity based upon unvarying uniformity? Let us be honest. It never has been, even in apostolic days, and we know it never will be. Is it exact conformity that we demand of others or do we each have the right of opinion? On this rests the hope of Christian liberty. On this rests the hope of true fellowship, when we all learn the apostle’s lesson to keep the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace. For we are all members of the body of Christ, and there should be no schism in the body, but all co-operating in the defense of the Gospel.
This is urged in I Corinthians 12:12-27 (Moffatt’s translation). “For by one spirit we have all been baptized into one body. We have all been imbued with one spirit. Yes, God has tempered the body together so that there may be no disunion in the body, but that the various members should have a common concern for one another. Now you are Christ’s body.” Therefore let us not permit differences of opinion to divide us. What can it fully profit us to study the truth, to know the truth, if we do not fathom the real spirit of the truth and if we do not let the spirit of the truth hold full sway in our lives?
Whatever of time, of strength, of life that we have left, it belongs to Christ. Christ is the sole object for which we live. Finally, brethren, let us be rejoicing Christians! Let us be mature, of good comfort, of one mind. Let us live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall dwell in our hearts. (II Cor. 13:11) It is the spirit of the truth that will save us.
What are we really looking for? Do we want the truth of God’s Word at any cost? Do we want truth to prevail, even though we must sacrifice some of our opinions? Do we want the unity of the spirit, with no schism in the body? If that is what we want, we will find what we are looking for, and together as one body we will say, Yes! And we will shout, “For to me to live is [to live for] Christ, and to die is gain.”