Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, “If a man hasn’t discovered something he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.”—quoted in Mark Water, The New Encyclopedia of Christian Quotations (Alresford, Hampshire, England: John Hunt Publishers Ltd., 2000), p. 404. Paul expressed a similar sentiment, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21, NKJV). These are not empty words! Paul truly was willing to die for Christ (Rom. 14:8), which he ultimately did (2 Tim. 4:6–8).
Quoting from Psalm 44:22, Paul announced to the Lord, “ ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter’ ” (Rom. 8:36, NKJV). Thus, his words in Galatians 2:20 should not surprise us: “ ‘I have been crucified with Christ’ ” (NKJV). Paul was willing to die for Christ because he was committed to living for Him. Paul continues, “ ‘It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God’ ” (Gal. 2:20, NKJV). Thus, Paul lived and died for the sake of the gospel.
This week’s lesson emphasizes three major themes:
God summons us to live mission-minded lives, even calling us to be willing to die for Him.
Death is likened to sleep, for which the solution is the resurrection of the body, not the immortality of the soul.
Christ calls us to unity in His Spirit. Because we are all involved in a spiritual war, we must not only use the right weapons but also fight together in unity.
Part II: Commentary
Illustration
The story is told about John Bradford, who was burned to death at the stake on July 1, 1555. Bradford “was chaplain to King Edward Sixth of England, and was one of the most popular preachers of his day. But he was a martyr to his faith. As he was being driven out to Newgate to be burned, permission was given him to speak, and from the wagon in which he rode to his death the entire way out from West London to Newgate he shouted: ‘Christ, Christ, none but Christ.’ ”—Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7,700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), p. 787. As did Paul, Bradford gave himself to mission by living and dying for Christ.
Living and Dying for Christ
Living and Dying for Christ
Paul’s statement in Philippians 1:21 is one of the most noteworthy in all his letters. His willingness to live for Christ—which implies enduring inevitable hardships—and even to die for Him, underscores the hope expressed in the preceding verse, “And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die” (Phil. 1:20, NLT).
A puzzling concept, however, is Paul’s assertion that dying is gain. What does he mean by that? How can one benefit from his or her own death? Based on Paul’s desire, expressed in Philippians 1:23, “to depart and be with Christ” (NKJV), some have inferred that Paul is affirming that he would be in the presence of Christ immediately after death. But such a notion contradicts plain scriptural teachings about the non-immortality of the soul and death as a slumber. To understand what Paul meant by referring to death as gain, it is helpful to examine his use of the term “gain” (from the Greek kerdos) and its cognate verb “to gain” (from the Greek kerdainō), elsewhere in his writings. In Philippians 3:7, 8, Paul mentions that what he previously considered as gain (kerdos), he now counts as loss “because of Christ” (Phil. 3:7, NRSV, emphasis added); that is, “because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:8, NRSV, emphasis added). Paul further explains, “Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things . . . so that I may gain [kerdainō] Christ” (Phil. 3:8, CSB). Thus, for Paul, dying is gain in the sense that he will ultimately gain Christ by seeing Him at His second coming (2 Tim. 4:8).
It is also possible that “gain” (kerdos) in Philippians 1:21 has a missionary sense. In 1 Corinthians 9:19–23, Paul uses kerdainō as a missionary term: “I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win [kerdainō] the more; . . . to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win [kerdainō] Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win [kerdainō] those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law . . . that I might win [kerdainō] those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win [kerdainō] the weak” (NKJV).
In that regard, the following comment on Philippians 1:21 is helpful: “[Paul] is concerned with magnifying Christ. If his Lord saw best for him to bear testimony through living and ministering, he would rightly represent Him. But the death of a righteous man can also be a powerful affirmation of the efficacy of the gospel of grace. The contrast between his death and the death of one who dies without hope would be so marked that its influence would bring gain for the kingdom of Christ. Hearts are touched and softened by the calm assurance and confidence of the one whose trust is completely in his God, even in the hour of death.”—The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 147, emphasis added. Paul believed that his death would mark the culmination of his missionary work (Phil. 2:17; compare with 2 Tim. 4:6, 7). Also, he likely thought that giving his life would “encourage the Philippians to further self-sacrifice, or . . . might cause some to investigate the faith to which he held so tenaciously.”—The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 160.
Paul viewed death as gain because he would see Christ in his next conscious experience at the resurrection. At the same time, Paul was also certain that between his death and the Second Coming, he would be sleeping in the tomb.
Death Is Like a Sleep
Paul compared death to sleep (1 Thess. 4:14, 15), suggesting a state of unconsciousness. This idea aligns with Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels (Luke 8:52, 53; John 11:11–13). One clear example is the story of the resurrection of Jairus’s daughter. Interestingly, while Matthew and Mark mention only that people ridiculed Jesus’ affirmation that the girl was sleeping (Matt. 9:24; Mark 5:39, 40), Luke’s observation as a physician is more precise: “And they ridiculed him, knowing that she was dead” (Luke 8:53, NKJV, emphasis added). Additionally, the book of Acts—also written by Luke—portrays the death of Stephen by affirming, “he fell asleep” (Acts 7:60, NKJV). The same is said about David (Acts 13:36).
Referring to the death of “the fathers,” Peter says they “fell asleep” (2 Pet. 3:4, NKJV). Scholars debate whether by “the fathers” Peter meant the previous generation of Christians or the patriarchs, but this distinction is irrelevant. Whatever the case is, death is depicted as a state of unconsciousness, similar to what happens when we fall asleep every night. It is also noteworthy that “many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised” at Jesus’ resurrection (Matt. 27:52, NKJV, emphasis added). This passage in the Gospel of Matthew is important, not only because it likens death to sleep but also because it clearly points to the resurrection of the body as the remedy for death.
As noted previously, Paul’s belief that death is likened to sleep is deeply rooted in Jesus’ teachings and aligns with the thought expressed by other apostles. Thus, the Bible does not portray death as a state of consciousness, as many think.
Unity in Christ
Philippians 1:27 begins a section in the letter (Phil. 1:27–30) in which Paul shifts from discussing his own suffering to the suffering of his audience in their work for Christ. Two crucial themes emerge in Philippians 1:27: a Christlike manner of life and unity. Believers are called to display outstanding conduct and remain united, despite the hard-hearted opposition and suffering that they face for their faith in Christ.
Paul uses two key phrases to highlight the type of connection that should characterize the relationship among believers; that is, “one spirit” and “one mind” (Phil. 1:27, NKJV). This language of companionship runs throughout the letter. In this context, Paul affirms that the Philippians would complete his joy “by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (Phil. 2:2, ESV). In Philippians 4:1–3, Paul hints that unity is crucial for the fulfillment of mission.
Philippians 4:3 presents four compound words introduced by the Greek particle syn (“with” or “together with”); syzygos (“yokefellow”); syllambanō (literally, “take together”); synathleō (“struggle along with”); and synergos (“fellow worker”). Thus, Paul mentions women who “labored with” (NKJV) him in the gospel and also “fellow workers” (NKJV), all of whom were involved in mission.
Part III: Life Application
Meditate upon the following themes. Then ask your students to answer the questions at the end of this section.
Jesus said, “ ‘A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master’ ” (Matt. 10:24, NKJV). Among other things, this teaching includes rejection, suffering, and even martyrdom. In John 15:20, Jesus says, “ ‘ “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” ’ ” (NKJV). As workers in the cause of Christ, we are supposed to be prepared for hard times. The Bible reveals that Satan is working diligently in this world in order to prevent the gospel from being preached to all nations, tribes, languages, and peoples, for “ ‘he knows that he has a short time’ ” (Rev. 12:12, NKJV). God’s people must work diligently, too.
Thus, Christ summons us to live for mission. And if we die while engaged in our missionary task, we are assured that we will sleep in the tomb, awaiting the resurrection at the Second Coming. God does not forget those who die in faithfulness to the third angel’s message. They are promised, “ ‘ “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” ’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them’ ” (Rev. 14:13, NKJV). For now, endurance is necessary (Rev. 14:12). We are called to take up our cross and follow Christ (Matt. 10:38) until the day we will exchange the cross for the crown of life (Rev. 2:10). Meanwhile, we must work together against a common enemy. Paul says, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but . . . against spiritual hosts of wickedness” (Eph. 6:12, NKJV). United in Christ and clothed with the armor of God, we will overcome!
Questions:
Think about a time when you suffered religious persecution. How did suffering for Christ’s sake strengthen your faith?
To what mission has Christ called you? How are you fulfilling that work for Him?
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Key Text: Philippians 1:21
Study Focus: Phil. 1:19–30, 1 Thess. 4:14–16
Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, “If a man hasn’t discovered something he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.”—quoted in Mark Water, The New Encyclopedia of Christian Quotations (Alresford, Hampshire, England: John Hunt Publishers Ltd., 2000), p. 404. Paul expressed a similar sentiment, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21, NKJV). These are not empty words! Paul truly was willing to die for Christ (Rom. 14:8), which he ultimately did (2 Tim. 4:6–8).
Quoting from Psalm 44:22, Paul announced to the Lord, “ ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter’ ” (Rom. 8:36, NKJV). Thus, his words in Galatians 2:20 should not surprise us: “ ‘I have been crucified with Christ’ ” (NKJV). Paul was willing to die for Christ because he was committed to living for Him. Paul continues, “ ‘It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God’ ” (Gal. 2:20, NKJV). Thus, Paul lived and died for the sake of the gospel.
This week’s lesson emphasizes three major themes:
God summons us to live mission-minded lives, even calling us to be willing to die for Him.
Death is likened to sleep, for which the solution is the resurrection of the body, not the immortality of the soul.
Christ calls us to unity in His Spirit. Because we are all involved in a spiritual war, we must not only use the right weapons but also fight together in unity.
Part II: Commentary
Illustration
The story is told about John Bradford, who was burned to death at the stake on July 1, 1555. Bradford “was chaplain to King Edward Sixth of England, and was one of the most popular preachers of his day. But he was a martyr to his faith. As he was being driven out to Newgate to be burned, permission was given him to speak, and from the wagon in which he rode to his death the entire way out from West London to Newgate he shouted: ‘Christ, Christ, none but Christ.’ ”—Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7,700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), p. 787. As did Paul, Bradford gave himself to mission by living and dying for Christ.
Living and Dying for Christ
Living and Dying for Christ
Paul’s statement in Philippians 1:21 is one of the most noteworthy in all his letters. His willingness to live for Christ—which implies enduring inevitable hardships—and even to die for Him, underscores the hope expressed in the preceding verse, “And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die” (Phil. 1:20, NLT).
A puzzling concept, however, is Paul’s assertion that dying is gain. What does he mean by that? How can one benefit from his or her own death? Based on Paul’s desire, expressed in Philippians 1:23, “to depart and be with Christ” (NKJV), some have inferred that Paul is affirming that he would be in the presence of Christ immediately after death. But such a notion contradicts plain scriptural teachings about the non-immortality of the soul and death as a slumber. To understand what Paul meant by referring to death as gain, it is helpful to examine his use of the term “gain” (from the Greek kerdos) and its cognate verb “to gain” (from the Greek kerdainō), elsewhere in his writings. In Philippians 3:7, 8, Paul mentions that what he previously considered as gain (kerdos), he now counts as loss “because of Christ” (Phil. 3:7, NRSV, emphasis added); that is, “because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:8, NRSV, emphasis added). Paul further explains, “Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things . . . so that I may gain [kerdainō] Christ” (Phil. 3:8, CSB). Thus, for Paul, dying is gain in the sense that he will ultimately gain Christ by seeing Him at His second coming (2 Tim. 4:8).
It is also possible that “gain” (kerdos) in Philippians 1:21 has a missionary sense. In 1 Corinthians 9:19–23, Paul uses kerdainō as a missionary term: “I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win [kerdainō] the more; . . . to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win [kerdainō] Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win [kerdainō] those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law . . . that I might win [kerdainō] those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win [kerdainō] the weak” (NKJV).
In that regard, the following comment on Philippians 1:21 is helpful: “[Paul] is concerned with magnifying Christ. If his Lord saw best for him to bear testimony through living and ministering, he would rightly represent Him. But the death of a righteous man can also be a powerful affirmation of the efficacy of the gospel of grace. The contrast between his death and the death of one who dies without hope would be so marked that its influence would bring gain for the kingdom of Christ. Hearts are touched and softened by the calm assurance and confidence of the one whose trust is completely in his God, even in the hour of death.”—The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 147, emphasis added. Paul believed that his death would mark the culmination of his missionary work (Phil. 2:17; compare with 2 Tim. 4:6, 7). Also, he likely thought that giving his life would “encourage the Philippians to further self-sacrifice, or . . . might cause some to investigate the faith to which he held so tenaciously.”—The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 160.
Paul viewed death as gain because he would see Christ in his next conscious experience at the resurrection. At the same time, Paul was also certain that between his death and the Second Coming, he would be sleeping in the tomb.
Death Is Like a Sleep
Paul compared death to sleep (1 Thess. 4:14, 15), suggesting a state of unconsciousness. This idea aligns with Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels (Luke 8:52, 53; John 11:11–13). One clear example is the story of the resurrection of Jairus’s daughter. Interestingly, while Matthew and Mark mention only that people ridiculed Jesus’ affirmation that the girl was sleeping (Matt. 9:24; Mark 5:39, 40), Luke’s observation as a physician is more precise: “And they ridiculed him, knowing that she was dead” (Luke 8:53, NKJV, emphasis added). Additionally, the book of Acts—also written by Luke—portrays the death of Stephen by affirming, “he fell asleep” (Acts 7:60, NKJV). The same is said about David (Acts 13:36).
Referring to the death of “the fathers,” Peter says they “fell asleep” (2 Pet. 3:4, NKJV). Scholars debate whether by “the fathers” Peter meant the previous generation of Christians or the patriarchs, but this distinction is irrelevant. Whatever the case is, death is depicted as a state of unconsciousness, similar to what happens when we fall asleep every night. It is also noteworthy that “many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised” at Jesus’ resurrection (Matt. 27:52, NKJV, emphasis added). This passage in the Gospel of Matthew is important, not only because it likens death to sleep but also because it clearly points to the resurrection of the body as the remedy for death.
As noted previously, Paul’s belief that death is likened to sleep is deeply rooted in Jesus’ teachings and aligns with the thought expressed by other apostles. Thus, the Bible does not portray death as a state of consciousness, as many think.
Unity in Christ
Philippians 1:27 begins a section in the letter (Phil. 1:27–30) in which Paul shifts from discussing his own suffering to the suffering of his audience in their work for Christ. Two crucial themes emerge in Philippians 1:27: a Christlike manner of life and unity. Believers are called to display outstanding conduct and remain united, despite the hard-hearted opposition and suffering that they face for their faith in Christ.
Paul uses two key phrases to highlight the type of connection that should characterize the relationship among believers; that is, “one spirit” and “one mind” (Phil. 1:27, NKJV). This language of companionship runs throughout the letter. In this context, Paul affirms that the Philippians would complete his joy “by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (Phil. 2:2, ESV). In Philippians 4:1–3, Paul hints that unity is crucial for the fulfillment of mission.
Philippians 4:3 presents four compound words introduced by the Greek particle syn (“with” or “together with”); syzygos (“yokefellow”); syllambanō (literally, “take together”); synathleō (“struggle along with”); and synergos (“fellow worker”). Thus, Paul mentions women who “labored with” (NKJV) him in the gospel and also “fellow workers” (NKJV), all of whom were involved in mission.
Part III: Life Application
Meditate upon the following themes. Then ask your students to answer the questions at the end of this section.
Jesus said, “ ‘A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master’ ” (Matt. 10:24, NKJV). Among other things, this teaching includes rejection, suffering, and even martyrdom. In John 15:20, Jesus says, “ ‘ “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” ’ ” (NKJV). As workers in the cause of Christ, we are supposed to be prepared for hard times. The Bible reveals that Satan is working diligently in this world in order to prevent the gospel from being preached to all nations, tribes, languages, and peoples, for “ ‘he knows that he has a short time’ ” (Rev. 12:12, NKJV). God’s people must work diligently, too.
Thus, Christ summons us to live for mission. And if we die while engaged in our missionary task, we are assured that we will sleep in the tomb, awaiting the resurrection at the Second Coming. God does not forget those who die in faithfulness to the third angel’s message. They are promised, “ ‘ “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” ’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them’ ” (Rev. 14:13, NKJV). For now, endurance is necessary (Rev. 14:12). We are called to take up our cross and follow Christ (Matt. 10:38) until the day we will exchange the cross for the crown of life (Rev. 2:10). Meanwhile, we must work together against a common enemy. Paul says, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but . . . against spiritual hosts of wickedness” (Eph. 6:12, NKJV). United in Christ and clothed with the armor of God, we will overcome!
Questions:
Think about a time when you suffered religious persecution. How did suffering for Christ’s sake strengthen your faith?
To what mission has Christ called you? How are you fulfilling that work for Him?