My Eager Expectation

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My Eager Expectation

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

"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." (Philippians 1:20, ESV)

1. Eager expectation [apokaradokian] is the same word used in Rom 8:19 where Paul tells us "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God." (ESV)

2. Whether I live or die, Paul says, Christ will be magnified, He will be honored, He will receive all glory through my life. Not to us o' Lord but all and only to You be the glory!

John Chrysostom (344/354?407; fl. 386?407). Bishop of Constantinople who was noted for his orthodoxy, his eloquence and his attacks on Christian laxity in high places.

3. How? Either through life, because he delivered me, or through death, because even death itself could not persuade me to deny him, since he has given me such readiness that he has made me stronger than death?. So even death will bring me not shame but great gain.

4. Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.

5. In my body [en toi somati mou]) as in Rom. 12:1-2. It is harder often to make Christ great in the body than in the spirit. " I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:1-2, ESV)

6. Paul is not bragging here when he talks about full courage. He ascribes nothing to self but everything to the power of the Spirit of Jesus working within him. It is his eager expectation (see Rom. 8:19; yearning, looking forward to something with head erect) and well-founded hope that this Spirit will never put him to shame.

7. At the same time the Spirit will never permit him to seek an easy way out of his imprisionment. for example, by denying his Lord.

8. On the contrary, he will equip the apostle with unfailing courage; literally, complete outspokenness, a courage which reveals itself in a frank and unhesitant proclamation of the gospel and which has as its source confidence in God and in his promises, the confidence of one who knows that at all times he can approach his God without fear.

"in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him." (Ephesians 3:12, ESV)

9. Thus Christ will be magnified in Paul’s entire person; literally understood as body, but here body indicates the entire personality. (cf. also Rom. 12:1; Eph. 5:28)

" I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." (Romans 12:1, ESV)

"In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself." (Ephesians 5:28, ESV)

10. By life or by death - If Paul is acquitted and released, he will continue his apostolic labors. If he is condemned to death, he will go to his Lord with unwavering faith and with a song in his heart. Either way it will become evident what the Lord through his grace can accomplish in the heart of his child. Thus Christ will be honored, magnified and glorified.

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