Well, its time for more thoughts from Philippians, since I can't seem to stop it from running through my head. I started quoting from it earlier without looking :). Memorization is coming ... slowly.
So, thought. Oh! And the link last time didn't seem to work. So the verses are at the end of the post for your reference throughout my monologue.
Let's dig in :).
Paul starts out with confidence. For I KNOW what will happen. That all this will turn out the way he expects and hopes. But see, its through prayer and the Spirit. I'm getting the impression that Paul thought this whole praying thing was pretty important.
Now, check out what it is he expects and hopes: that Christ be magnified in his body! That in nothing would be be ashamed of Christ. That he would be bold for Christ. Pretty self-less ideals, si?
Then comes another frequently-quoted verse. To live is Christ and to die is gain. It's quoted so often because its so powerful! To live IS Christ. It isn't living for Christ. Or even allowing Christ to live through you. To live IS Christ.
Since I'm a math geek... it goes like this:
Life = Christ
NOT like this:
Life > Christ
Life < Christ
Life ~ Christ
| Life | = Christ
See what I mean?
Christ is all. Everything. Our positives and negatives. Our flaws and our strengths. It's all His. To live IS Christ.
And to die? Well, that's just pure gain. If living is Christ, then death is more than that! Like this:
Death = Christ + constant fellowship with God + worshiping God forever + new, perfect bodies
What's not to love about that?! Yippee! I really can't wait. Not that I'm in a hurry to get there, and neither was Paul (see vs 25). But death stops being quite so scary when you think about it like that. Even when Paul is convinced that he will live, suffer, and preach boldly the name of Christ, death is still gain.
So then Paul points out how if this is true, then our conduct should be worthy of this. If our life = Christ, then what does that mean our life come out to be? They have to balance. Life - Christ now equals 0.
But Paul explains that too. Let your conduct be worthy of the Gospel of Christ. SO THAT: you stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel and not scared in the tiniest bit by our enemies. He says that salvation is from God, and that is a slap in the face of the enemies.
Dude, yes! I'm so there!
And yet, the last two verses seem to me to be a deflation of the adrenaline rush Paul's just finished evoking. I'm pumped because living = Christ and death is only a plus...
And then Paul goes and says: wait, you'll believe and you'll suffer.
I find it interesting that he doesn't say you'll suffer because you believe. He just stated them both as facts. You believe. You suffer. See, this goes back to the whole Life = Christ thing. If that's true, the belief didn't really cause the suffering, as we so often think. The world hates us because it first hated Christ. In reality, they don't hate us. They hate Christ. But since Life = Christ ......
See the point? Don't stop believing because it's causing suffering. Don't even sigh a deep breath of frustration because you can't just stop believing because that would make you a horrible Christian but you're so sick and tired of all this crap.
Nope. Life = Christ. Remember that. It makes everything better and worse at the same time.
And at the end. Death = Christ +
That's always a comforting thought.
Keep the faith with joy, my brethren.
~Loren
Philippians 1:19-30
"19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. 25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, 26 that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me."
So, thought. Oh! And the link last time didn't seem to work. So the verses are at the end of the post for your reference throughout my monologue.
Let's dig in :).
Paul starts out with confidence. For I KNOW what will happen. That all this will turn out the way he expects and hopes. But see, its through prayer and the Spirit. I'm getting the impression that Paul thought this whole praying thing was pretty important.
Now, check out what it is he expects and hopes: that Christ be magnified in his body! That in nothing would be be ashamed of Christ. That he would be bold for Christ. Pretty self-less ideals, si?
Then comes another frequently-quoted verse. To live is Christ and to die is gain. It's quoted so often because its so powerful! To live IS Christ. It isn't living for Christ. Or even allowing Christ to live through you. To live IS Christ.
Since I'm a math geek... it goes like this:
Life = Christ
NOT like this:
Life > Christ
Life < Christ
Life ~ Christ
| Life | = Christ
See what I mean?
Christ is all. Everything. Our positives and negatives. Our flaws and our strengths. It's all His. To live IS Christ.
And to die? Well, that's just pure gain. If living is Christ, then death is more than that! Like this:
Death = Christ + constant fellowship with God + worshiping God forever + new, perfect bodies
What's not to love about that?! Yippee! I really can't wait. Not that I'm in a hurry to get there, and neither was Paul (see vs 25). But death stops being quite so scary when you think about it like that. Even when Paul is convinced that he will live, suffer, and preach boldly the name of Christ, death is still gain.
So then Paul points out how if this is true, then our conduct should be worthy of this. If our life = Christ, then what does that mean our life come out to be? They have to balance. Life - Christ now equals 0.
But Paul explains that too. Let your conduct be worthy of the Gospel of Christ. SO THAT: you stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel and not scared in the tiniest bit by our enemies. He says that salvation is from God, and that is a slap in the face of the enemies.
Dude, yes! I'm so there!
And yet, the last two verses seem to me to be a deflation of the adrenaline rush Paul's just finished evoking. I'm pumped because living = Christ and death is only a plus...
And then Paul goes and says: wait, you'll believe and you'll suffer.
I find it interesting that he doesn't say you'll suffer because you believe. He just stated them both as facts. You believe. You suffer. See, this goes back to the whole Life = Christ thing. If that's true, the belief didn't really cause the suffering, as we so often think. The world hates us because it first hated Christ. In reality, they don't hate us. They hate Christ. But since Life = Christ ......
See the point? Don't stop believing because it's causing suffering. Don't even sigh a deep breath of frustration because you can't just stop believing because that would make you a horrible Christian but you're so sick and tired of all this crap.
Nope. Life = Christ. Remember that. It makes everything better and worse at the same time.
And at the end. Death = Christ +
That's always a comforting thought.
Keep the faith with joy, my brethren.
~Loren
Philippians 1:19-30
"19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. 25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, 26 that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me."
Intersection of math and Jesus = awesome :-)
ResponderBorrar