A God You Can Trust

Philippians 1:18-20 and Confidence in Salvation

That'll be from chapter 1 verses 18 through 26 page 980 if you're following in the pew Bible. So Philippians 1 18 to 26 when you have that please stand with me in honor of God's Word. That's the Word of God.

Yes, and I will rejoice. For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ This will turn out for my deliverance 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. For to me to live as Christ and to die is gain. If I'm to live in the flesh that means fruitful labor labor for me yet, which I shall choose I cannot tell.

I am hard-pressed between the two my desire is to depart and to be with Christ for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith.

So that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus because of my coming to you again. Please be seated. Let's once again go to the Lord in prayer. Heavenly Father We come now to Proclaim your word and I pray that you would bless preacher and hearer alike.

That Lord you would give me a clear tongue and a ready spirit to declare your word that you give me unction from above To and you would open our eyes to the wonderful truths of your word. The hearer's hearts would be prepared Soft and fertile ground to hear this word and there let it take root father and by your spirit.

That you would grow it and that we would in all ways Follow this word as we understand it and bring you all the honor and the glory for it for we ask in Jesus name. Amen, you know, we're coming very close to an anniversary.

Something that happened roughly 1865 years ago. In fact on February 23rd the year of our Lord 155. Today being February 9th. We're only a few days away from that 1865th anniversary and what happened that day was that a man named Polycarp a Man named Polycarp who had been a disciple of none other than the Apostle John himself.

This man was about to be martyred for his faith. He was offered a final chance to save himself even his captors those who arrested him and bringing him to the place where he was to be executed. They begged him practically To save himself by denying Jesus Christ.

By offering some incense to one of the gods of the Roman Empire or to the Emperor himself. They said save yourself. Take pity upon your aged person. And save yourself from this horrible death. And he answered this quote Eighty and six years.

I've served Christ nor has he ever done me any harm. How then could I blaspheme my King who saved me? I bless thee for deigning me worthy of this day and this hour that I may be among thy martyrs and Drink the cup of my Lord Jesus Christ.

That might seem an odd Passage to read an odd historical incident to read to you in regards to what I read to you from Philippians. But I'm not going to preach to you about martyrdom today. That's not my point.

This message was named a God you can trust. A God you can trust. I might as well have called it the gospel. Changes everything at another point when I looked at this text and what I wanted to say about it I was even ready to call it great expectations or to not copy Dickens call it greater expectations but the idea here is to come away with a greater confidence in the God of the gospel to come away with a more confident expectation of What God promises because of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which Christ on the cross Completed having saved us from our sins.

I want us to leave here confident in the promises that God has made and So confident in the promises of those things yet to come that it affects everything that we do in the here and now until Such time as he comes.

You see this gospel this confidence that we should have in this gospel of Jesus Christ Has to change everything. It changes the way we view even the ultimates which are life and death. Both are squeezed through this one filter this gospel of Jesus Christ and Paul would have us I believe to have the same certainty and the same sureness and the same confidence in the promises of God in Christ as he had as Polycarp had as you must have.

The certainty of God's promises to you in the gospel of his son means everything in this life because of what it promises in the life to come. A Life of full reliance on Christ brought forth a statement like polycarps.

He stayed true to that word of God in Christ to death. He sang hymns as the flames engulfed him and Again my message is not about martyrdom. Though Paul expected to be martyred for the faith. But that's not the point of the message this morning.

The point of the message is the confidence in Christ That would lead a man about to be martyred the way polycarp was and the way Paul was about to be to be so sure. And so calm to have such equanimity in his spirit the same things that were true for the Apostle Paul.

They were true for polycarp for a long line of Christian saints who Endured so much for the sake of Christ and didn't deny him What we call the hall of faith in Hebrews 11 the same people it was true for the Apostle Paul.

It was true for polycarp. It was true for them and God willing it is true for you this morning. Our passage this morning what I read to you it fairly brims with this certainty in God that flows into every issue of life.

For Paul in his immediate situation. He was imprisoned. He was anticipating execution. He was hearing these preachers whose only goal was to add to his misery. That confidence meant that he could joyously and confidently face whatever comes.

Whether it was then in that life should he be released or not? Or should he meet Jesus very soon by coming to the end of this life. How did he get there? How did he get there to this confidence to this certainty in life polycarp?

How was he able to make a statement like that and then walk calmly to his execution? It's a lifetime of trusting Christ. It's a lifetime of walking in his promises. It's a lifetime of knowing him from the scripture.

And by stepping out in faith on the promises and the certainty of his word and what it tells us to do. Paul's certainty in Christ was more than just in this life. His certainty was a trust in Christ as the guardian of his eternal soul.

So we can go from the the greater to the lesser. Christ having died for your sins. Christ having gone to the cross to pay the price to redeem you and me. He did the greater. How much more then should we trust him for the lesser?

I think the core verse in this passage is verse 21 very familiar to us. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. You see the now the this life now is good for me to live as Christ and to live for Christ is good.

But to die is gain all the greater gain. To see Jesus face to face to see him as he is and This is the reason why Paul could rejoice in his imprisonment. It is why he could look ahead to possible execution with a steady and unwavering eye and at the same time Be glad not to be executed.

Because to live is Christ. It's why He takes such joy in being confident of the progress of the Philippians faith. Because it's Christ who gets all the glory for that. I Ask you do you have that kind of confidence in Jesus Christ?

It shows in all of us a little bit differently. But not one not one of us should be devoid completely of this hope of this confidence in at least some measure and that confidence. That's certainty. Those expectations that we have in Christ Should be more and more certain as we grow in him.

The Spirit of Jesus Christ and the Prayers of the Saints

I want to go through this morning's message in three parts verses 18 to 20, which I'll call apostolic confidence. Which should be our confidence. There's a certainty of salvation that brings confidence in this life.

Again, the greater to the lesser Christ has saved you. That's the greater. That's eternity. Bring a confidence in these few years. This fleeting moment that is this life that's verses 18 to 20 the confidence.

Verses 21 to 24 is the apostolic dilemma where Paul's certainty of his destiny with Christ makes it hard for him to remain here and Yet good to remain here because remaining here to serve Christ, which is good.

Which is wonderful but better by far to be with Christ. And finally verses 25 to 26, there's this apostolic hope. Paul's certainty your certainty that the Philippians that you will continue to grow in your faith.

So long as Christ should delay his return until the Father sends him. We should be we must be Growing in our faith as it says right here in the reading that we did a moment ago. Why? Because it brings glory to God.

For people for sinners like you and me to even be striving. To even think that we could possibly be even a smattering. Like God's righteous Son Jesus Christ. There's this confidence that begins this passage.

Certainty of salvation bringing confidence in this life. The certainty that you have that Jesus Christ did indeed save your soul. Has to bring you confidence in your walk with him in this life. We read again verses 18 to 20.

I Keep saying 18. I mean the last half of 18 there if you look in your Bibles. The first half is in the previous paragraph. It was the last part of 18 is where we started and he says yes, and I will rejoice for I know note the word I know.

That through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. This will turn out for my deliverance 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.

There's some difference of opinion among the commentators about my deliverance. The word behind my deliverance is the same word. That's often if not usually translated as salvation and the question here is.

Does Paul mean that he will be released from prison either by proper administration of Roman law or even by divine? Intervention as happened for example to Peter in Acts chapter 12. When Peter was waiting for himself to be executed and you recall that an angel came and opened the door and led him out.

That's sort of divine intervention. Is that what Paul means by his deliverance deliverance from that prison and back to work with the Philippians and presumably other churches or Does he mean his ultimate deliverance of being done with this life and with Christ?

The context seems to support either position both positions finding good defenses. And I looked at this and I worked on this and I wrestled with it. I Realized and I hope it's not the cowardly way out.

I say It doesn't really matter that we choose the one or the other the Apostle Paul. Rejoicing in the spread of the gospel even by means of men with poor or bad motives even is fully confident. That his deliverance his salvation is assured.

I Think we go again from this greater to the lesser kind of argument. That Jesus Christ having saved your soul having secured Eternity for you is certainly trustworthy in this these few years that we live on this earth.

Whichever way Paul means it. I Think the point to us is this certainty this confidence that we can have in his word in his promises. His reliance is first on the help that he had he has through the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, this will turn out for my deliverance. Who's he speaking of here? He says the Spirit of Jesus Christ. There's not a common way to speak of the third person of the Trinity.

Where the first person is God the Father the second person is God the Son the third person is God the Spirit. Calling the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Jesus Christ is not common, but that is exactly who he means.

This is the Holy Spirit the same person to the Trinity that Jesus sent after he ascended to heaven. He is called the paraclete our helper. He is the third person of Trinity who dwells in each believer if you have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you have repented of your sins and in faith trusted him for your salvation then the promise of the Jesus Christ in the scripture is this person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit he not it he dwells in you.

He the Holy Spirit he is the one referred to in Psalm 46 where he's called our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. Hebrews chapter 4 verse 16. Which I refer to so often speaks of coming boldly to the throne of grace where we find mercy and grace in our time of need.

And Who is it who dispenses this mercy and grace to us, but the Spirit within us? Who is it who intercedes for us and brings our prayers to God as we pray in the Spirit is? He the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit of Jesus Christ that Paul is certain Will bring out his deliverance.

That's first his reliance on the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. And how much more confident can we be? brethren. Than to have God himself dwelling in each of us whose faith is in Jesus Christ. If Ephesians chapter 1 verse verse 3 speaks of us being in him God chose us in him before the foundation of the world here in John chapter 16 Jesus speaks of his Leaving this world after his crucifixion his death his burial and his ascension of he being in you.

He by his spirit being in us. Where he says I am my father will make our home in him who is him. It's every man woman child who believes in him whose faith is in him. This is the spirit upon whom Paul relies.

This is a spirit in whom he takes such confidence a Lifetime of having relied upon him. I don't mean his entire life. I mean a lifetime since his time of conversion since his new birth. That's what I mean when I say his lifetime spent following him.

The Spirit is in you just as it was in Paul. As I believe it was in polycarp the spirit who tells us to Prove his good and perfect and acceptable will was it mean to prove it means to live it out to take those small steps some for some of us bigger steps at a time and To see that God is true to his word to build up this confidence so that we can say yes.

I will rejoice with Paul knowing that through prayers and through the help of Jesus Christ Things will turn out the way God would have them and knowing that that is a good way and a right way. That's his reliance on the Holy Spirit.

That's your reliance. You have that spirit in you that same spirit Him the third person of the Trinity in you. Guiding you empowering you directing you. Opening your eyes to the scripture showing you the ways you must walk.

Brethren, if you want to be confident in God, I Would suggest that the way to do it from this passage. We can suggest the way to do it is to do it Hebrews 12 to speaks of proving discerning. Oftentimes translated proving the good and perfecting it perfect and acceptable will of God.

How so. Just by doing it and seeing that is good and perfect and acceptable. Not that it works. That's too crass but that it pleases God and The more you please God and the more you become confident in God The more that confidence leads you to greater and greater strides and reaching out after the prize.

That is the image of Christ Jesus. The second thing we see is that the help of the Spirit is mediated by the prayers of the Saints. To see what Paul said. I know that through your prayers and help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ now I've reversed those I spoke of the Spirit first.

But Paul looks at both the help of the Spirit mediated but mediated by the prayers of the Saints. Now no one denies that God does not need our prayers in order to do anything. Brethren, you did not pray to God to save you before he say you or excuse me I should say your prayers are not what motivated God to save you.

God gave you a heart to pray and ask for salvation. But why did God save? Because of these his eternal will. Before the foundation of the world when he chose you if you are indeed a believer in Christ Jesus to be that believer in him.

My point here is simply that God doesn't need our prayers in order to accomplish anything. Nobody would believe that. Nor do we think that our prayers actually change God or change his mind. God does not change I am the Lord.

I do not change. He said through the prophet Malachi He is the same yesterday. He is the same today and he's the same forever but at the same time God by his own sovereign design Has chosen a normative way by which he works.

And what is that? Through your prayers. Through your prayers. Why do we pray? Just because God commands and that's part of church life and therefore we come at a certain time and we pray because the pastor stands At a lectern gives some teaching and says, okay now pray.

I command you pray about something. No. Why do we pray? Because prayer is that spiritual connection that communication with God by his spirit within you as you pray to God. And in a way that I don't think anybody has ever completely explained God answers prayer and things change because of prayer.

But they change in accord with his predestined will by which all things whatsoever shall come to pass of be determined and decreed by him and. Yet we pray because we don't take a Pragmatic approach to say well if God's decided everything we can just go along merrily in our life.

We pray because God listens to prayer and God answers prayer and God annexes sovereign eternal will for you for us for people around you in accordance with our prayers. This is Paul's reliance. This is Paul's confidence.

He's saying he's confident in. What is going to happen with him that is going to turn out for his deliverance be it then from prison be it later from? From this world. Because of the help of the Spirit of Christ and through your prayers.

It was one thing to read your Bible and say well, yes, the Bible teaches that if I'm in Christ. Then Christ by his spirit is in me and I'm greatly encouraged to read how often God chooses to act by means of the human Agency of prayer.

It's one thing to say that it's another thing to believe that we always talk about the few inches. What is it half a foot? From head to heart. We can all understand the English of what we just said. Does your heart believe it?

Does your spirit apprehend it? Brethren, do you live it out? Do you pray as? If your prayer could actually change God's mind on something. In Acts chapter 12 are referred to a moment ago. Peter is in prison.

Herod that wicked King had just executed James the Lord's brother and see that it pleased the Jews. He arrests Peter on the same terrible crime of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ God's love for sinners in him if they will repent.

For that crime Peter was in prison about to be executed. And what was the church doing at that time? They're praying and they were praying and they were praying. Peter's going to get into prison or out of prison.

He's gonna be executed one way or the other or not executed all all in accordance with God's eternal will set before the foundation of the world and yet the church prayed as though they could change God's mind and Lo and behold their prayers were in accord with God's will and according to those prayers and that will God chose to act.

You see it's one thing to say yes, I believe prayer is good. I believe God hears prayer. I believe God answers prayers. One thing to say that it's another thing to pray as though you believe that. And here's the Apostle Paul in prison much as Peter was long before them and his reliance his confidence is In the spirit of Christ Jesus helping him and the prayers of the church.

So wrestle them. Wrestle in prayer. Wrestle in prayer the way Jacob did with the angel way back in Genesis when he wrestled with a man all night and the man said I have to go and Jacob held on to his ankle and said you're not going anywhere.

I'm paraphrasing of course. You're not going anywhere until you bless me. You imagine Commanding an angel to bless you. No, you don't get to go back to heaven. You don't get to go back and join in that chorus of holy holy holy Lord God Almighty.

Because I'm not gonna let you go until I receive a blessing. Wrestle brethren in prayer. Wrestle for your pastors in prayer. Wrestle for our missionaries in prayer. Wrestle for yourself and for your children.

Paul's confidence Was in Christ. It was in the spirit of Jesus Christ and in the prayers of the Saints on his behalf. Prayer is combat. Prayer is hard. It's work. Prayer is a blessing. It is a joy sometimes God deigns to act in a way That we can say God heard my prayer and God did this and only God could have done this and only God did do this.

Wrestle in prayer. You know the Apostle Paul put on one sandal at a time as we might say. The Apostle Paul faced down temptations to sin one at a time just as you do and just as I do. But his life proved that what he's saying here.

We're not just words, but truths. Apprehended in his mind and it's cemented in place by his full confidence and reliance by living them out. By having put them into practice. Only by trusting Christ in difficulties, even when human reason would commend something else.

Will you ever be able to develop the kind of confidence that Paul had? Or the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 or Polycarp a lot of those things that they faced down were the big things the dramatic things the savage beasts.

The crosses on which they were ready to be burned. Sometimes they're much smaller things. Praise God. Usually they're quite a bit easier for us to face down. Trust Christ. Build up this confidence reserve if you will proving the good and perfect acceptable will of God.

Showing yourself That God is true to his word. Ask yourself. Where do I need to move from a mere intellectual ascent to actual practice. In what area of my life is my confidence in myself? That needs to be realigned to having confidence in Christ.

The example we have here remember these things happen not to some super saint. They happen to a man of flesh and blood like the rest of us. The example we have is one of constant reliance leading to full confidence.

Reliance leading to more and more confidence. You trust the Lord with your salvation of your everlasting soul. How much more are you to trust our frail and failing lives to him? You know one of Jesus's parables ends with this the well-done good and faithful servant.

You've been faithful over little. I will set you over much. Now that's for us. That's for us. For Jesus again from the lesser to the greater Jesus did the greater Jesus went to the cross. Jesus suffered and died for our sins.

God raised him up on the third day. He having done the greater how much more Ought you to trust him with the lesser. But the job with the wife with the investments with the career the University Medical decisions how much more ought you to trust him?

In any vicissitude that comes up in this life if he's done the greatest for you. Paul goes on he says 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.

By life or by death by the lesser or the greater whatever Christ does I? Have an expectation that I will not be ashamed that my confidence my hope my trust in him will have been will be vindicated. That I will see when I see Christ.

I will see that yes my faithful right was right on a great judgment day of Vindication when all will see as they stand at the judgment seat of Christ that those who believed in him were right. Not because we figured it out of course.

But we're right to believe in God and what he's done for us in Jesus Christ. Christ will be honored in my body whether by life or by death. This echoes of the thought echoes the thought of Romans 14 18.

Where Paul says so then whether we live or whether we die we are whose we are the Lord's. It is my eager expectation and hope that I'll not be at all ashamed. Eager expectation it it means to anticipate something with this outstretched neck like on tippy-toes and trying to look over the corner or over a fence or a wall of some kind.

And I give you that definition because I Thought it was interesting that the word actually means to anticipate something with an outstretched neck and Here Paul had some execute some Expectation that his neck would be outstretched before an executioner's axe.

It's just kind of interesting. I don't think that that's why he used that word when I looked up the definition, but hmm. That's at least worth telling you. But his expectation is blended with his hope of not being ashamed.

My eager expectation my outstretched neck and hope that I will not be at all Ashamed. A shame points us in two directions. First. It means he will as a saying goes play the man. He won't falter in his testimony for fear of leaving this world.

Even as even if it's under the auspices of false accusation. The other way it looks. The second way it looks to not be ashamed means as I said a moment ago to be vindicated. It means that your hopes your plans will prove to be wise and valid.

By the success that you have. What's the greatest success we have is to be formed more and more into the image of Christ. We pray this every Sunday. We open God's Word and we say and we mean it. It's not just a rote thing that we put forth Lord grow us into the image of Jesus Christ.

Use this word to make us more like him. This is Romans 828. Your predestined goal your destiny according to God's predestining will. To be conformed to the image of Christ who bought you. Not be ashamed means to be vindicated.

It means to show that your plans were wise they were valid they brought forth what was expected of them. The degree you got the career you would hope for rather than raising the eyebrow and eliciting something like you went to kumbaya University.

I've never heard of that. Well, thanks for coming. We're gonna hire that fellow out in the waiting room. Well, that would be ashamed. I went to that University because I thought it would get me this job or this career and it didn't.

That's what it would mean to be ashamed. Someone might say you invest into what part of Florida? You brought which you bought which bridge. No wonder you're broke. That's what it is to be ashamed where your trust your confidence all proved to be invalid even foolhardy.

The world might look at you and say well. You're ashamed now. You're ashamed now because you believe in a fable. You believe in this salvation. You believe you have a soul. You believe in a Jesus Christ who's the eternal?

Second person of the Trinity the eternal Son of God who became flesh. God became a man. You believe that. You could be ashamed now. No. That's what the world would say. That's the temptation. We have coming at us all the time to falter in our faith.

Paul says he will not be ashamed all the hope that he's put in Jesus Christ will Prove to have been a right hope. Not because he figured it out again because it's God's Gospel, it's God's love. Is what God did for us in Jesus Christ.

That he put his hope in. He won't be ashamed. He's put his hope in Christ Jesus in his gospel in Christ. God accomplished what he set out to do perfectly and infallibly. This gospel never caused Paul the shame of regret.

Nor will it you? And what did polycarp say in my opening quote? Resist for eighty and six years. I followed him and he's never failed me. How can I now fail him? Gospel never causes regret. It's been certified by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

He was raised. Romans 425 would say for your justification God at every step of the way showing this is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased. Please listen to him hear him obey him and all through Jesus life.

God by his spirit. Proving that he is indeed the Son of God. Now there'll be no shame for believing in Jesus Christ. Paul says I will not be at all ashamed. The echo there is back to Romans chapter 1 verse 16 for I am NOT ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes the gospel.

Accomplishes the gospel. Does God I should say through the gospel does what God says he will do through the gospel. Your reliance is right. Your confidence is certifiably correct. You know one of Jesus parables there's a there's a man who was ashamed because he started to build a house without counting the cost and He looks foolish when he can't finish.

And. In that same parable, there's a king who has the same result. He's ashamed. He looks foolish because he went to war against another king whose forces he neglected to count and compared to his own the gospel.

This gospel where Paul says I will not be ashamed because that's what I'm standing for is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel couldn't be more different than that. Accomplishing what it was sent to accomplish.

Like Isaiah chapter 55 verse 11 where God says so shall be my word. Which I do not send except it returns to me having accomplished that for which I sent it. Do you believe in this gospel. You will not be ashamed at all.

Because this gospel through this gospel in you by this gospel God will accomplish What he intends to accomplish by it. Verses 18 through 20 they have have to do with this here and now. Confidence in Jesus Christ whether or not the deliverance was for this life or the next that confidence affected Paul in this life.

His assurance was no mere platitude. But the hard-won confidence of life of a life of reliance on Christ and trust in his promises. At some point brethren, we just have to step out and put our trust in Christ by doing what Christ would tell us to do.

The psalmist says that the wicked borrower does not repay it, but the righteous borrows and repays even to his own hurt. That's one way. One small way and the only example I'm going to give right now of what it means to step out and trust Christ.

Does that mean that when you Pay back when you keep your word when you when you repay that debt even to your own hurt. That all sudden God's gonna miraculously put the money back in your check account.

No, of course not. But it does mean and this should be enough that God is pleased and When you to your own hurt do what God would have you to do. You're more like Christ and When you do what God would have you to do even to your own hurt.

It's enough to know that you've honored God and his word. And I would argue also. That life of stepping out in that way Will grow you more and more and more into that confidence in Christ the Apostle has.

And when you have that sort of a life with God When you're living in that confident way with him and growing more and more in that confidence and seeing your eager expectation more and more certain. We come up with a dilemma, don't you?

The Apostolic Dilemma: To Live Is Christ and To Die Is Gain

There's an apostolic dilemmas verses 21 to 24 that Paul's looking at he's saying. Well, I've been living for Christ and to live for Christ is good and I want to serve him and honor him. But oh goodness.

How much better to see him? Look at verses 21 to 24 again. For to me to live as Christ and to die is gain if I'm to live in the flesh that means fruitful labor for me. Yeah, which I shall choose. I cannot tell.

I am hard-pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ. Let me stop for a second. Paul loved those Philippians. I love you. You who are married? You love your spouse you love your kids and yet what is better as Good as this is and it is good Christ is better.

I'm hard-pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. No certainty of salvation if you're trusting Christ even in the small things and growing more and more in his image.

That's certainty that grows within you that confidence that expands. Brings confidence in something else that to be with Christ is gain. As he shows himself true to his word as you grow more and more in his image and grow more and more in your confidence in him.

You grow more confident of the exact confident exactly what Paul says here that Christ is better that Christ the good Son of God does good things for his people. Now how much better. When you're released from captivity in deteriorating bodies.

In this world that's passing away this sin darkened place. There's a place as the Puritan used to like to call it. How much better would it be there? Certainty of salvation brings confidence more and more confidence that Christ is gain.

Comes from a life lived to prove that goodness of God is for the here-and-now. Promising is in him that him writer puts it strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. Those four verses. They just ring with the two sides of the one coin that Jesus Christ Won for us for to me to live as Christ.

The life I live now by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me. That's Galatians 2 20. But put another way from Romans 12 to by testing you may discern what is the will of God what is good and perfect and acceptable.

In other words by living according to his word you discern just how good that word is. And when you learn in this life how good that word is. You become more and more enraptured with how much better it's going to be.

When you see Christ Jesus. Which then makes you want to live more for him now. And living more for him now you go more and more confident in the sureness and the certainty of his word. Which makes you see how good Jesus is and how much better it will be to see him that gain that is Christ and on.

It goes in this beautiful circle that gets ever larger. What Paul says here is for you. To live is Christ. To live is to serve Christ. To live is to know that you live not by bread alone. But by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.