Unafraid

Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. (Philippians 1:19-27 ESV) One of the many benefits of grace in our lives is found in the fact that we no longer need to fear the future. We can live unafraid. This is true because it settles the question of life after death. There are those who minimize the belief in life after death. They would have us imagine there is no heaven. Their mantra is to live this life to the fullest and be satisfied. However, that simply is not enough to live unafraid. In fact, should we decide to truly adopt that philosophy it would alter the nature of life profoundly. If death were the end, life would be a steady descent, not a long ascent; a growing sadness, not a deepening joy; and, an ultimate tragedy, not a great adventure. God’s love would be inferior to our love. Our love would not, had it the power, permit death to claim those precious to us. The wailing siren of an ambulance gives eloquent testimony to human love’s fight against death. Christ’s victory would be a minor victory. His lordship would have minimal range. The world would still be enslaved to death. My response to any thought that this life is the end is a little too graphic for this venue! Suffice it to say that would be a nightmare, and the apostle Paul certainly opposes such a belief. His declaration is that in Christ’s resurrection, a new, unending day has dawned. Paul writes: “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better” (v. 23), to depart not in the sense of escaping life, but in the sense of entering it more fully. This is a direct result of an understanding of grace. The very foundation of grace is that Jesus has not merely made the atonement for our sin, but he has become our leader into eternal life. His death was essential; but, his resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith. Because he has died and been resurrected, it proves to us that this life is mere prelude. This life cannot compare with the greatness that awaits us. Whatever circumstance we face today is inconsequential compared to what awaits us in heaven. No opponent, real or imagined, can shake us. Now that’s a great gift of grace! Live unafraid!