WEEK TWO
Day One
DAILY SCRIPTURE
Philippians 1:23
LEADER GUIDE QUESTIONS
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Know: Read Philippians 1:21-26
Note: Read slowly, carefully marking keywords.
Live, die, flesh, labor, choose, convinced, joy, faith
Observation:
What does Paul feel about death vs. living?
What is the flesh Paul refers to?
Why is it necessary for Paul to remain in the flesh?
What joy and rejoicing is Paul speaking of in this passage?
What: What is your view of death and how is it shaped by world vs. the Bible’s view?
“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.” Philippians 1:21-26
Death is not dying.
If Paul’s persecution and imprisonment furthered the gospel, so would his death. Death would mean Paul would be with Christ and enjoy Him for eternity. For Paul, living had become a life of continual trials and suffering because of persecution. But it caused him to become more aware of Christ. Paul learned to live perpetually immersed in the presence of the One whom He adored. That awareness led to an understanding of what God accomplished at the cross.
To live meant Paul still had time to further the gospel and to see the people he loved. It meant living in a place of spiritual awareness to bring truths of revelation, which led to transformation.
In Romans 6:23, Paul taught, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Death is sin’s wage, so if sin has been dealt with at the cross, why do people still die? It is a good question but often shaped by our worldly understanding.
Jesus said, “Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. (John 5:24)
In Adam, we lived on death row. We are dead men walking. But whoever believes in Jesus has crossed over from death row to new life in him. (Has crossed over. Past tense. It’s already happened.)
When you were saved, you were made into a new person, and the old has gone (2 Cor 5:17). The gift of salvation doesn’t come to us in an installment plan. Paul said, “The new has come.” You are either saved, or you need to be. You are either one with the Lord or separated from him.
When you were born again, you repented and believed the good news. With the aid of the Holy Spirit, you came to see Jesus as he really is, and you changed your unbelieving mind. In a moment, when once you were alienated from God, the next, your spirit became one with his. You crossed over. You became a new person.
But your body did not change.
You are not your body. Your body is a “tent” that you wear for a while but eventually wears out and needs replacing. A tent is a temporary dwelling place, while your home is your permanent dwelling place. Your body is not a permanent place.
While he walked this earth, Jesus wore a tent like everybody else, but he’s not wearing one now. He doesn’t need one. He has something better. When he returns, we shall see him as he really is, and one day, we shall be like him (1 John 3:2).
“In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.” (1 Cor 15:52-53)
The New Testament writers all understood that our physical bodies are temporary while we are eternal beings who live forever. Like garments that wear out, our bodies will one day need to be replaced and Paul says the change will happen instantly, in the twinkling of an eye.
You are not your body, and, like Christ, you are not of this world (John 8:23, Php 3:20): Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Php 3:20-21)
The Greek word for “lowly” comes from a word that means to depress or humiliate. Paul is saying that our earthly bodies are depressing and humiliating, but our new bodies will be as glorious as Christ’s body.
Jesus said that eternal life is knowing him. To know him begins in the here and now, so we don’t need to escape this world to know God. Paul did not need to die to know Christ. He would merely be leaving his earthly tent behind and living fully in the presence of Jesus.
Death is not dying because death no longer has the last word. Before Christ, death was a fearful thing. But Jesus “released those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Hebrews 2:15)
To physically die is to be with Christ.
For those who are in Christ, death is but a changing room. It is where we take off our mortal suits and are clothed in incorruptible glory.
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Cor 15:54-55)
If you are in Christ, then Jesus has already made you new. But then again, Jesus is in the business of making all things new (Rev 21:5).
Healings here on earth are wonderful, but eventually, your tent will be tired and ready to be with Jesus. That’s natural and not to be feared. Some things in this world can’t be mended.
The good news is that Jesus is the Great Redeemer, making everything new. This is why we can look forward to a new heavenly earth, the home of righteousness (2 Pet 3:13), and a new body in which to enjoy it.
When we die, we are ushered into the presence of Jesus immediately. That is truly living.