Skip to content
Sabbath School Lesson

Life and Death

They didn't think their lives were their own. They were bought. Bought with a price. That is why, like Paul, they treat their lives as a means to honor their beloved Savior. And just like Paul, they are not pointing to their suffering to showcase their fidelity. What's utmost in their minds is the glory of God's name.

14 min study

Memory Text

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21, NKJV).

Introduction

As we have discussed in previous weeks, the book of Philippians is referred to as “The Epistle of Joy.” The word joy and its synonyms are mentioned more in this book than in any other book in the New Testament. In fact, the ratio is 1:6! One mention of the word joy in every six verses. That’s a joyful book! Yet it’s written in the most dire of circumstances. This teaches us that the joy rooted in Christ cannot be stolen, even by death. What?! Yes, it cannot be stolen, even by death.

In fact, Paul seemed not to be afraid of death but rather excited about honoring God with it. He’s not excited with death per se, to be clear, but excited about honoring God even through his death. This week’s Sabbath School lesson explores the concepts of life and death in the writings of Paul.

#1 God’s People Honor God with Their Lives Even Unto Their Death (Practical Point)

Philippians 1:20–21 NKJV 

According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Did you catch that? Paul says whether I live or die, my goal is just to honor Christ. That’s a very daunting lesson from someone who went through a lot. Paul didn’t highlight his sufferings so that he could gain pity and the support of people. Obviously, he could do that. Just take a look at the initial list of what he went through in 2 Corinthians 11:23–27! Each one is a testament of his undying fidelity to Jesus and His cause. But instead of boasting about his testimony and his faithfulness to the cause, he said, “If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity” (2 Corinthians 11:30, NKJV).

All that Paul wants to do is to honor his Lord. He wants to honor Him with his life, with his suffering, and, ultimately, he wants to honor God with his death. That’s why he can say such things as this: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21, NKJV). He doesn’t think of his life as his own but as a means of glorifying the Lord.

Hence, he wasn’t afraid of death. He can say with confidence:

Romans 8:38–39 KJV 

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am sure Paul learned something that David had learned many years before Paul was even born.

Psalm 63:3 NKJV 

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.

God, for David and Paul, was more precious than life itself. That’s their secret of not fearing death. That’s their secret for not keeping their lives to themselves.

John the Revelator, in peeking through the last days, saw a similar attitude in the lives of His end-time saints:

Revelation 12:11 NKJV And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

They didn’t think their lives were their own. They were bought. Bought with a price. That is why, like Paul, they treat their lives as a means to honor their beloved Savior. And just like Paul, they are not pointing to their suffering to showcase their fidelity. What’s utmost in their minds is the glory of God’s name.

We can learn something important from this, and that is: The gospel is not what we do for the Lord. It’s what the Lord has done, is doing, and will do for us!

Sometimes we are tempted to boast. But when we look at Paul, when we look at Christ, we want to be a part of that end-time generation who just wants to honor God with their lives.

#2 Death Is an Unconscious State Awaiting to Be Awakened at the Resurrection (Doctrinal/Apologetic Point)

Philippians 1:23 NKJV 

For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

Many Christians throughout the centuries up to now understand this to mean that right after Paul dies, he expects to be with his Savior right away. But is that what Paul was trying to say?

Notice what Paul was saying and what he is not saying. He said that he has this desire to depart and to be with Christ, but for the sake of God’s people, he has to remain.

Yes, to depart, in this context, means to die. To depart and to be with Christ. But he did not say when he will be with Christ. Let Paul explain even more.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–17 NKJV 

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

This tells us how Paul expects to be with the Lord. How? The Second Coming of Christ makes it possible for him and all the believers to be with the Lord. Now, let’s look at when.

2 Timothy 4:6–8 NKJV 

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

1 Corinthians 15:51–55 NKJV 

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”

Obviously, the Second Coming didn’t occur at Paul’s death or at any of the believers’ deaths at the time of Paul. It was a future event at the end of time. So, Paul cannot immediately be in the presence of the Lord after his death. So, how can we make sense of Paul’s statement?

Philippians 1:23 NKJV 

For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

This is the secret. Follow closely.

From the perspective of the one who dies, there is no experienced interval between death and resurrection. So, after dying, his next thought is… tada! The Second Coming of Jesus.

If death is a sleep (unconscious state), then:

  • The dead “know nothing” — Ecclesiastes 9:5 (NKJV): “For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.”
  • Their “thoughts perish” — Psalm 146:4 (NKJV): “His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his plans perish.”
  • They experience no passage of time

For Paul, to close his eyes in death would be, from his subjective experience, to open them immediately in the presence of Christ at the resurrection. The centuries between would be as nothing to him—no dreams, no waiting, no awareness.

This explains why Paul could genuinely say departing would mean being with Christ, while simultaneously teaching that the dead rise at Christ’s coming. Both are true—objectively, the resurrection is future; subjectively, for the sleeper, it is immediate.

So, no, this verse doesn’t teach that there is consciousness immediately after death.

#3 We Must Not Fight Individually but Corporately (Ecclesiological Point)

Philippians 1:27 NKJV 

Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

Paul was a great missionary and a great pastor to the flock of God. He echoes the same prayer of the Greatest Pastor/Shepherd—Jesus:

John 17:21 NKJV 

That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Notice that our oneness, with God and with each other, determines the strength of our witness to the world.

Satan’s plan ever since the beginning of his rebellion is to divide and conquer. He divided heaven when he stole one-third of the angels, he tempted Eve by letting her depart momentarily from Adam, he let apostasy come in to God’s people by dividing them, and the list goes on and on.

God wants a united people. He prayed for this. Paul prayed for this. We ought to pray for this.

Philippians 4:3 presents four compound words introduced by the Greek particle syn (“with” or “together with”): syzygos (“yokefellow”); syllambanō (literally, “take together”); synathleō (“struggle along with”); and synergos (“fellow worker”). — Teacher’s Comments in the Sabbath School Lesson

Isn’t that beautiful? It all points to the English word “sync.” God wants us to be in sync with Him and with each other. He has many beautiful illustrations for this, right? The body allegory, the building, etc. All pointing to the same point—we must stand… together. We must fight. Together.

Conclusion

This Sabbath School lesson reminds and challenges us to be so in love with the Lord that we would rather glorify God than live for our own glory. It affirms the biblical teaching about death: that death is like sleeping, awaiting the awakening of God’s people at the Second Coming of Jesus. Finally, it reminds us and urges us to be united—firstly to God, but also to each other. May we heed that calling.

Discussion Questions

  1. What is one area of your life right now—whether it’s your work, relationships, or daily routine—where you find it most challenging to honor God? What small, practical step could you take this week to surrender that area more fully to Him?
  2. How does understanding death as an unconscious “sleep” bring you comfort when you think about loved ones who have passed away? How might this truth change the way you grieve or the way you share hope with others who are mourning?
  3. Think of a time when you faced a spiritual struggle alone versus a time when you had the support of fellow believers. What difference did community make? In what specific way can you be more intentional about “fighting together” with your church family this week?