Charles Spurgeon Commentary Philippians 1

Notice the beautiful self-forgetfulness of the apostle Paul. As long as the gospel could be more widely published, he did not mind where he was, or what he suffered. He was able to witness for Christ among the Praetorian guards, who had the charge of the prison where he was confined, and who also, in their turn, were on duty in Caesar's palace; so Paul says that, through his being in bonds there, the particulars concerning his imprisonment were talked about even in the imperial palace, and by that means the gospel was made known to many in Caesar's household.

Then, in addition, other brothers, who might perhaps have felt compelled to be quiet in his presence, finding that their leader was removed from them, grew confident to come out and speak the word without fear. The same sort of thing has often happened since. You have sometimes seen a widely-spreading oak tree cut down, and you have missed its grateful shadow; yet, afterwards, you have discovered that many little trees, which would have been dwarfed beneath its shade, have grown more rapidly in its absence; and, in like manner, the removal of some eminent servant of the Lord Jesus Christ has frequently made room for others to spring up and more than fill his place.

It is greatly to be desired that all who preach Christ should preach in a right spirit. But even if they do not, let us be glad that Christ is preached anyway.

Even though it is only a portion of the gospel that is proclaimed, and there is much mixed with it from which we greatly differ, yet if Christ is preached, his gospel will win its own way and work out his great purposes of love and mercy.

You have, perhaps, sometimes seen a little fire kindled among the dead autumn leaves which are dank and damp; and you have noticed that, despite all the smoke, the fire has continued to live and burn.

So it is with the eternal truth of God. Despite all the error with which it is often dampened and almost smothered, it will live, and the truth will conquer the error which is piled upon it. So Paul says, "I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,"–

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Again I invite you to note Paul's devotion and self-forgetfulness. It seems to be a matter of no choice with him whether he serves God in life or glorifies him in death. The emblem of the American Baptist Missionary Union is an ox standing between a plough and an altar, with the motto, "Ready for either,"–Ready to spend and be spent in labour, or to be a sacrifice, whichever the Lord pleases.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

To me to live is Christ. If he lived, he lived to know more of Christ, studying His person and learning by his happy experience so that he increased in his knowledge of his Lord and Saviour. If he lived, he lived to imitate Christ more closely, becoming more and more conformed to His image. If he lived, he lived to make Christ more and more known to others, and to enjoy Christ more Himself.

In these four senses, he might well say, For to me to live is Christ, – to know Christ more, to imitate Christ more, to preach Christ more, and to enjoy Christ more. And to die is gain, because death, he felt, would free him from all sin and from all doubts as to his state in the present and the future. It would be gain to him, for then he would no longer be tossed upon the stormy sea, but he would be safe upon the land where he was bound. It would be gain to him, for then he would be free from all temptations both from within and from without. It would be gain to him, for then he would be delivered from all his enemies; there would be no cruel Nero, no blaspheming Jews, no false brethren then.

It would be gain to him, for then he would be delivered from all suffering; there would be no more shipwrecks, no more being beaten with rods, or being stoned, for him then. Dying, too, would be gain for him, for he would then be free from all fear of death; and having once died, he would die no more forever. It would be gain to him, for he would find in heaven better and more perfect friends than he would leave behind on earth; and he would find, above all, his Saviour, and be a partaker of His glory. This is a wide subject, and the more we think over it, the more sweetness we shall get out of it.

But if I live in the flesh,

That is a very different thing from living to the flesh.