In our continuing study of the doctrine of suffering Rom 8:18; we are presently discussing God's solutions for suffering. We left off last time with the principle that suffering for blessing is designed to teach us how to live and how to die and when established in the believer's thinking the believer attains cognitive invincibility.
We saw this viewpoint as it was expressed by Paul in Phil 1:20-21; "According to my intense concentration and resultant hope that in nothing shall I be disgraced, but with all integrity (virtue-love as problem solving device) even now, as always, Christ shall be glorified in my body (his experience in this life) whether by life or by death.
v21 For me, living is Christ, dying is profit (gain, advantage, blessing from spiritual self-esteem, spiritual autonomy, and spiritual maturity)."
Paul is telling us to live by concentrating on doctrine. A thought can make or break you but as we have seen we are commanded to bring every thought captive to the thinking of Christ that is revealed in the Word of God. 2Cor 10:5;
There comes a point in spiritual adulthood when you understand that even though you sin and fail and make mistakes, you will not be disgraced at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
This is because you understand that if you stay in His plan, God who is doing the work will work it all together for the ultimate good. Phil 1:6; Eph 2:10; Rom 8:28;
Phil 1:20; The phrase "Even now as always" means when you learn how to live, there's continuity in your life that is based on learning doctrine on a daily basis.
David's viewpoint in Psa 23:4; and Paul's viewpoint in Phil 1:20-21; have occupation with TLJC in common.
Life has many things that we must do for ourselves. The most basic of these is that no one can live our life for us and no one can die for us. In both living and dying, we are alone in our decisions but as a believer, Christ is always with us weather we know it or not. Rom 8:38-39; Heb 13:5-6;