Post by Cindy on Sept 19, 2017 8:49:56 GMT -5
Concerning our beloved friends gone from us, we do not sorrow as those who are without hope. What is more, we do not sorrow at all. If we happen to sorrow, it is for ourselves, that we have lost their present company, but as for them it is far better with them. If the lifting of our little finger could bring them back again, dear as they are to us, we would not be so cruel as to subject them again to the troubles of this stormy sea of life. They are safe landed. We will go to them; we would not have them return to us.
Then, with regard to ourselves, if we have believed in Jesus we are on our journey home, and all fear of death is now annihilated. You notice the apostle does not say anything at all about death; he did not think it worth mentioning. In fact, there is no such thing to a Christian. I have heard of people being afraid of the pains of death. There are no pains of death. The pain is in life. Death is the end of pain. It is all over. Put the saddle on the right horse. Do not blame death for what he does not do. It is life that brings pain; death to the believer ends all evil. Death is the gate of endless joy, and shall we dread to enter there? No, blessed be God, we will not.
This points us to the fountain of bliss while we are here, for if heaven is to be with Christ, then the nearer we get to Christ here, the more we shall participate in that which makes the joy of heaven. If we want to taste heaven’s blessed dainties while here below, let us walk in unbroken fellowship with Him. So we shall get two heavens: a little heaven below, and a boundless heaven above, when our turn shall come to go home. If you do not go to be with Christ, where can you go? Answer that question, and go to Jesus now by humble faith, that afterwards he may say, “Come; you came on earth, now come again, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from before the foundation of the world” (Matt 25:34).
Spurgeon Commentary: Philippians
Then, with regard to ourselves, if we have believed in Jesus we are on our journey home, and all fear of death is now annihilated. You notice the apostle does not say anything at all about death; he did not think it worth mentioning. In fact, there is no such thing to a Christian. I have heard of people being afraid of the pains of death. There are no pains of death. The pain is in life. Death is the end of pain. It is all over. Put the saddle on the right horse. Do not blame death for what he does not do. It is life that brings pain; death to the believer ends all evil. Death is the gate of endless joy, and shall we dread to enter there? No, blessed be God, we will not.
This points us to the fountain of bliss while we are here, for if heaven is to be with Christ, then the nearer we get to Christ here, the more we shall participate in that which makes the joy of heaven. If we want to taste heaven’s blessed dainties while here below, let us walk in unbroken fellowship with Him. So we shall get two heavens: a little heaven below, and a boundless heaven above, when our turn shall come to go home. If you do not go to be with Christ, where can you go? Answer that question, and go to Jesus now by humble faith, that afterwards he may say, “Come; you came on earth, now come again, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from before the foundation of the world” (Matt 25:34).
Spurgeon Commentary: Philippians
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