The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 58

,era. 15-18.-The sririt of/action.. I. WHAT IT IS. Like nearly ttll ln11nan errors, it hRs its Nil'in in a good trait in our nat.nre which hM become corrupted by tho intr()(luction vf Cl'il mot.i,·cs. It springs from the desire men havo to a.et in common, Tlic C:hristinn dc,·elopment of this desire is the communion of saints. The ideal of redeemed mankind is thRt it is the body of Christ, which is not e. fortuitous concourse of Rtoms, but a lh·ing organism, 61\Ch pMt nt"CesSR.ry to the whole. FRction corrupts tliiti grand idea and breaks up men into fragment..", each of which Is indwelt, not by the Spirit of Christ, but by the spirit of envy. II. WHAT IT MAT BEOOME. A corrupter ofrelip:ion; using the eubject,..me.tter of tho gospel, not as n means for building up souls into Christ, but of magnifying self. III. How IT MAT BE DEALT WITH. St. Paul is ever hopeful of hume.n ue.tnre. He 8eeS el'en in its degradation elements of better things. Just as men's well-meant actions neYer do all the good they anticipate, so their evil deeds do not do all tho ham:. they appear calculated to do. The mixture of human motives and the insufficiency of human powers he.ve their blessings as well as their curse. r,. How TO BE Hl"EE FROM THIS SPffiIT OF FACTION. St. Pe.ul evidently was free from it. He longs (ver. 20) not that Christ should magnify him, or that he should magnify Christ, but that Christ should be magnified in him; i.e. that Christ should use him as he wills, exalting him or humiliating him, making him serviceable or dis- cardiog him, just as it may pro,·e most to his glory.-V. W. a Ver. 21.-71ie gain of deatA. L Two MOODS m WHICH PEOPLE FEEL THAT TO DIE IS GAIK. L TM u,rong mood, but tk f710f'e u.sual one. When it is e.n expression of weariness and a desire to escape from su1fering, responsibility, labonr, temptation. This cicsire is a selfish one, and may mean no more than that he who expresses it is living for himself. 2. Th£ right mood. When " to live is Christ." This is the mood in which St. Pan! speaks. Christ had so ta.ken possession of him that he was no longer li,ing a separated life, but Christ's life was being lived in him. This is a hard life, but a joyous one. They who experience it find that it includes his cross, his yoke, his peace, his joy. Il How CAN IT BE GAIN TO DIE, IF TO LIVE IS CHRIST? To die cannot be more than Christ! Ilut it can be more of Christ. To the Christian death is a closer union with Christ, and is to find a higher life in him. To Jesus to die was gain, and in the Christian, in whom Christ lil'es, the experience of Jesus is reproduced. He finds. in death, not more of Christ crucified, but more of Christ risen, which is the exa.ltation of Christ crucified. Note how the "Nunc Dimittis" breathes this same spirit. Spoken by one wbo had seen the salvation of God, and to whom, therefore, to live was Christ, he is ready to depart, knowing that he will thereby see more of Christ. Only when we can say, "To live is Christ," can we say, "To die is gain." Only when Christ is in our arms and in our hearts can we r;ay, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace."-V. W. a Vers. 22-24.-Fruit and gai11.. St. Paul is balancing the comparative advantages of cieath and life. He is doubtful which to choose. 'l'o die is gain; to live is to be fruitful When he has put the question in this form his doubts vanish. Gain for himself is not to be considered in comparison with/ruie for his Master and for mankind. L THE END OF CREATED NATURE IS THE PRODUCTION OF FRUIT. It is through fruit that the life of nature is prolonged, for the fruit is also the seed. The purpose of grace is that it should be fruitful. The Lord desired that hie disciples should glorify God in bringing forth much fruit. It was in seeing Lis seed that he was to prolong his days. When the harvest of the world is ripe it will be reaped. When the number 01 the elect is complete the end will come. Il. Faou CAN ONLY BE PRODUCED BY THE BUBRENDEB OF LIFE. The com of whee.t must ilie if it would bring forth fruit. The vine must lie purged. 'l'he exuberant 1Jatural growth of the plant mUBt be checked if it is to be fruitful. 'l'he tree which bears leaves only is not merely useless, it is doomed to destruction, since it has no power of reproducing the life which has been bestowed upon it. 11!. Our ,,rayer should be, nut that we may GAIN Halvation for ourselvca, but that we. ruay l.ri1Jg fortl, Ff:UIT for our Master's s•!rvicc.-V. W. H. OH, I, 1-30,] 'l'IIE EPISTLE TO 'l'HE PHILTPPIANS.