Dearly loved by God in Christ,
When was the last time you sat down and wrote a letter? Putting ink to paper used to be the way the average person conveyed their deepest inner feelings. One example, are the personal letters soldiers from the Civil War to Vietnam wrote to their parents and lovers. There was an entire television show about that. Or, discovering a bundle of old love letters in an attic is like finding buried treasure.
Philippians is a prison letter. The captive Apostle Paul in Rome wrote to his beloved Christians in Philippi. He wanted them to know he was all right. He was more than all right. He had the privilege of being “in chains for Christ,” and the gospel he had earlier shared with them. His imprisonment had emboldened other Christians “to speak the Word of God more courageously and fearlessly.”
Paul had a lot of time to think about his life and work. The Holy Spirit inspired him to write down those thoughts in this letter. It turns out his thoughts about life and death are pretty much the thoughts we Christians have about those things. Those thoughts are in tension.
Look with me into The Joyful Tension in Which the Christian Lives. We long to be with Christ in heaven. We are happy to serve Christ on earth.
Paul trusted God would deliver him from prison, one way or another. Either the Romans would execute him and he would go to heaven and be with Christ, or, the Romans would release him so he could continue his work of declaring Christ to the Gentiles. Paul knew this because the Philippians had been praying for him. He knew it through the Holy Spirit in his heart.
In threat or danger, God will deliver us the same way. We cannot lose in life and death situations. Christ is exalted in our bodies whether we live or die. “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.” If I die, I gain my final joy and rest in heaven. If I live, I continue my fruitful labor in service to my Lord.
This was the joyful tension in Paul’s Christian life. He wanted to depart and be with Christ, “which is better by far.” Yet, Paul believed the Romans would release him so he could remain in the body and continue his work. That work was to help the Philippians “for your progress and joy in the faith.”
This is the joyful tension in which we live. We long to be with Christ in heaven. What could be better? Finally, to leave all our pain, and temptations, and weaknesses, and sins behind. What joy to be in the presence of Christ and see God face to face.What joy to reunite with loved ones who have died in Christ to spend timeless eternity in perfect worship before the throne of the Lamb.It is better to be in heaven. To die is gain for the Christian.
Yet, that is in the Lord’s hands. Just as joyful is our daily service to our God on earth. Yes, we long to be in heaven yet we are happy to serve Christ on earth.
The Holy Spirit convinced Paul “that I will remain and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ will overflow on account of me.” The Romans did release the apostle and he continued his work until death under a Roman sword years later.
Paul was happy to continue to serve. It meant more difficulties and trials. It meant more days living with his thorn in the flesh. It meant getting up in the morning, putting one foot in front of the other, going to bed at night weary and burdened with care. Paul’s joy came through his forgiveness in Christ. Joy came through seeing results by the Spirit working in the gospel. Later in the letter Paul wrote, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances…I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
Isn’t this the other side of the tension that pulls on us? We desire to depart and be with Christ. Yet, we desire daily to live and serve our Savior in righteousness and innocence. We desire to continue to share the law and the gospel with others for repentance and faith. We want to help others in their progress and joy in the faith.
Philippians is the Epistle of joy. It outlines the joyful tension in which the Christian lives; joyful rest with Christ in the bliss of heaven or joyful contentment in our service to Christ on earth. “Yet what shall I choose? I do not know.” Either way we cannot lose. “I will in no way be shamed but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.”
Discovering this truth in Paul’s love letter to the Philippians is finding a treasure. This treasure is not buried, however. The Holy Spirit has revealed it for the progress and joy of our faith. Paul continues to exalt Christ. His inspired, deeply personal words continue to serve Christ for the benefit of us Christians even as he basks before the exalted Christ in the joy of heaven. Amen. <SDG>