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NASB | Philippians 1:23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Philippians 1:23 But I am hard-pressed between the two. I have the desire to leave [this world] and be with Christ, for that is far, far better; |
Bible Question:
1 Matt 11:28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Matt 19:29 "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. Matt 22:39 "The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' Do not the above verses show that the Gospel appeals to self-interest, and that there is a place for self-interest? What's the difference between self-interest and selfishness? Was Paul's desire to be with the Lord out of selfishness or self-interest? Isn't saying Paul's desire was not in Christ the same as saying it was sinful? How can a desire that is out of Christ be right? And did Paul say that his service on earth for Christ was BETTER or necessary? Phil 1:24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. And if it's a matter of serving the Lord, can the Lord be served on earth only? And what is the place of altruism in the Christian life? Thanks charis and Hank for your answers and comments. I'm not trying to be mean or smart, but the selflessness in your answers sound more Kantian than Christian. But I'm grateful for your responses. This is a real question for me; I did not ask my question to engage in an intellectual exercise, although I do enjoy the give and take in our discussions. |
Bible Answer: Dear Lionstrong, I gave up Kant a long time ago :-) A man devoid of self is a shell. I do believe that God enjoys the many 'flavors' of His people, and loves each of us individually, complete with the 'self' part. Otherwise, we would be lifeless. Self-interest denotes self-awareness, while selfishness would mean self-focus. I do not think that Paul was 'being' either, but proposing a hypotheses. I do not think that he was truly 'torn' by this question. He was telling the saints in Philippi the correct attitude to hold. Of course, everybody wants to go to heaven! But the only way to hurry that along would be suicide. I am not sure if this would negate my salvation (murder in some eyes), but I cannot imagine God happy about taking our own life! So, Paul was not seriously suggesting pursuing death. As to the question about serving our Lord in heaven; sure we can and will. But, as I said, there are no unsaved in heaven, therefore no evangelism or active Gospel-preaching. We would be denied the ability to participate in the Great Commission. Dear friend, I am not nearly so altruistic as my posting may have sounded :-) But, to speak otherwise would not glorify Christ, so I pray that action will follow my confession. Paul did clearly assert that it is better to serve God here as long as God called him to do so, here and in all his letters. Longing for heaven, to go home to Jesus, is normal for every Christian. But accepting our calling, our situation, and doing our best in faith for the duration of our sojourn is what God wants. Blessings, my fellow, in Jesus' name, charis |