Live or Die, for Only Jesus

Summary: Paul says that through the prayers of the believers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, his present situation will turn out for his deliverance. He expresses his eager expectation and hope that he will not be put to shame in anything, but that with full boldness Christ will be exalted in his body, whether by life or by death. He declares that to live is Christ and to die is gain. Yet if he continues living in the flesh, it will mean fruitful labor for him, and he feels torn between the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better, and the need to remain in the body for the sake of the believers. Convinced of this, he believes he will remain and continue with them for their progress and joy in the faith, so that their proud confidence in Christ Jesus may overflow because of his coming to them again.   Teaching: If my heart believes in Jesus, then my body will serve Jesus. Is not our faith shown by where our body is, what we do, and how we use the money we earn? Now it is no longer I who live, but Jesus lives in me; it is Jesus who purchased us with His blood. Paul is certain of this faith. If living is good for us and dying is also good for us, what could be better than this? Paul says that dying is gain and living is also gain, so his life remains consistent. If one does not live the life of heaven while living, one will not enter heaven after death. In one way or another, it must be Christ Jesus, and it must lead to salvation. Faith is the beginning of the story of heaven. We must know the reason why we are to live as Paul lived, and we must become a help to someone else’s joy in the faith - that is, a help to another person’s faith. Because Jesus is coming again, we must become one in Christ and be people who take pride in one another in Christ. Excerpt from the sermon by Pastor Lee, May 6, 2026 Philippians 1:19-26