G. Walter Hansen: Completely Fulfilled

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

“Gaining Christ more than covers any loss incurred for the sake of Christ, even the loss of life itself. If to live is Christ, then to die is gain. The word gain means something advantageous, a profit. Since Paul uses the same word for gain here in 1:21 (to die is gain) as he does in 3:8 (that I may gain Christ), he appears to be saying that the gain of dying is Christ. He says as much in verse 23: I desire to depart and be with Christ. According to one common interpretation of this expression in verse 23, Paul’s aspiration of knowing Christ more fully in the process of living would be completely fulfilled when he enjoyed the immediate presence of Christ after death.

Another way of interpreting the word gain builds on the use of this word in classical literature to express the relief that death brings from the pain of living. In Sophocles’ play, Antigone says, “Whoever lives has many ills as I — how does this one not get gain by dying?” Paul’s life was so marked by suffering that he might be expected to view death as a way to escape the agony of life. That was a common view of death in his Hellenistic culture… But to view death as an escape from a painful life does not seem to be the perspective of Paul. He constantly asserts in this letter that his painful life is a joyful life since it’s centered in Christ. Dying is gain, not because it is an escape from life, but because it leads to union with Christ, the goal of life.”

G. Walter Hansen in The Letter to the Philippians (PNTC; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009) 82-83.

I want to dedicate today’s post to a friend, Bill Hamel, because he shares the perspective of Paul that to live is Christ, and to die is gain. I got to work with him on a part-time basis when he served as president of the Evangelical Free Church of America and my role was to help pastors nurture a culture of generosity in their churches. Though his health and strength is failing, his perspective remains fixed on the fact that soon his life will be “completely fulfilled” for in death he will experience union with our Lord Jesus Christ. Pure joy.

Many in the tabloids today, however, follow the classical Greek view of dying as an “escape from life” and “the pain of living,” as Hansen puts it. Too often, celebrities that make us laugh (or cry) one day, are in the obituaries the next day because they did not taste joy while living or anticipate the gain of union with Christ in the future. For them, life is emptiness so ending their lives is about ending their pain. Sadly, rather than ending their pain, for eternity they will experience endless torment as numerous biblical texts note.

So, to think about gain in the most positive way, gain is union with Christ. It was true for Paul and it’s true for Bill and me, but what about you and those around you? I have said this before, but I say it again, in honor of Bill. Our greatest act of generosity is sharing the abundant life of Jesus Christ with others. It’s the most generous gift, because it’s priceless. Today, I fly to the east coast with Jenni to speak at Black Rock Retreat this week. I plan to share this good news at family camp because I want everyone to take hold of it.

One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich — both come to poverty. Proverbs 22:16

“We take the verse as a typical dispassionate observation on the rich and the poor. [The first part of the verse] observes that one can enrich oneself by taking from the poor, a fairly obvious conclusion in view of the defenselessness of the poor against tax farmers, debt collectors, and bandits. [The next part of the verse] makes precisely the opposite statement, which seems at first reading to be ridiculous: giving to the wealthy makes one poor. Who in their right mind would give to the wealthy? On reflection however, [that part] makes sense. Many people try to bribe the wealthy or ingratiate themselves with them by means of presents. The rich may accept the money and presents but are sufficiently cunning not to be fooled or coerced. The rich will always do what they want. Those who curry favor with them end up the poorer. The seemingly absurd antithesis memorably expresses the great gulf between the poor and the rich.”

Richard J. Clifford in Proverbs: A Commentary (Louisville: WJKP, 1999) 199.

As we continue on the theme of gain, don’t try to “curry favor” from the rich to get it or your plans will blow up on you. Today’s proverb appears, at first glance, merely as a “typical dispassionate observation on the rich and the poor” ends up providing a wealth of wisdom. God sees everything that happens under the sun. He watches those who attain gain from the poor and those who give gifts to “curry favor” from rich friends. Both will end up in poverty.

Who are the tax farmers, debt collectors, and bandits today? Again, since the ancient economy was so different from modern economies, we must instead ask, who oppresses the poor. Most point to human traffickers or sweat shop owners. Sure, those are obvious candidates. But what about many wealthy business owners, and check-cashing shops, and gambling operations? From God’s perspective, these come into view as practicing oppression, extortion, and theft.

In countries like Hong Kong, I understand that gambling is big business and that the gambling circuit has become a leading philanthropic channel. Basically they are taking from the poor and funneling it back to the privileged in society. One friend has asked me if Christian charities in Hong Kong should accept gambling money. I think not. Receiving their gifts reflects support of their system. You may win in the short run but, in the end, you will lose with them and end up in poverty.

Lest you think I hold a negative view on “gain” in relation to generosity, we will turn to a few positive texts in the days ahead. Hear these posts as me simply reporting findings from fresh biblical study. So, on gain, let us start with the understanding that God sees and cares about how we earn whatever gain we attain. If we choose nefarious avenues that prey on the poor, even if we have generous motives, we with the corrupt, we too will end up impoverished in the end.

Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor. Proverbs 28:8

“It is the responsibility of the wealthy to share their excess resources with the poor…The wealthy who do not share their excess goods with the poor or who gain their wealth by oppression or other dishonest means fall under the condemnation of the sages, who argue that these wicked people are subject to divine punishment. Retribution is believed to include the means by which the wicked or foolish rich receive their just punishment, whereas the righteous or wise poor will be sustained.”

Leo G. Perdue in Proverbs (Interpretation; Louisville: WJKP, 2012) 231-232.

I am turning my attention to a new topic: gain. Some gain is defined as “honest” and other gain is “dishonest” in the biblical record. Anytime you talk about gain, people start thinking in modern economic terms. Don’t do it! It’s an anachronism (that is, nonsense) to argue that the biblical record supports capitalism or socialism in their present forms. Think of it this way: God cares about how we earn gain and what we do with it.

God’s design for His people and their interaction with others does not follow worldly patterns and today’s Scripture makes that clear. God sees the behavior of those who aim at making money from (or charging interest to) poor brothers and sisters. Don’t do it! He desires His people to show care and share and those who choose not to follow this pattern will likely be relieved of their distribution duties for their unfaithfulness.

A possible picture of this “divine punishment” is the rich fool in the New Testament. He likely had many workers in his fields and amassed great gain, having a bumper crop, and rather than listen to Scripture and share, he listened to self-talk and keep it all for himself. “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ Luke 12:20

So our first lesson on gain coming out of our deep-dive looking at debt is not to prey on the poor or needy by taking interest from them, but rather, to create contexts where everyone can flourish. This requires us to think of the needs of others, which is the heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ: love God and love your neighbor. Is your love for God and neighbor evident in how you earn gain and what you do with it?

Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:7-8

“Is there no reconciliation of some ancient quarrel, no payment of some long outstanding debt, no courtesy or love or honor to be rendered to those to whom it has long been due; no charitable, humble, kind, useful deed, by which you can promote the glory of God, or good-will among men, or peace upon earth? If there be any such, I beseech you, in God’s name, in Christ’s name, go and do it.”

Arthur Penrhyn Stanley (1815-1881), English churchman, Dean of Westminster, known as Dean Stanley, in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 204.

Today marks my last post in a series on debt. You will have to wait until tomorrow to see the next topic. With this meditation, I am giving the dean of Westminster Abbey the last word. “In Christ’s name, go and do it.”

Go reconcile any broken relationships. Pay outstanding debts. Show love and courtesy to everyone. Extend charity with humility to those in need. Bestow good-will and peace to all. You will look different from the world around and, in so doing, bring Christ glory.

“In Christ’s name, go and do it.”

This is a fitting transition because the house has become empty. Jenni and Sophie leave this morning. Sophie returns to San Diego Christian College for her final year. Sammy has returned to work at Front Range Christian School. I am home alone with Joy (our dog) to contemplate a new topic.

Again, go do the good that needs to be done in the name of Jesus everyone!

My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. Psalm 131:1-2

“It is better to have a plain, substantial building, with not extravagance about it, but without a debt, than to have the most splendid specimen of Gothic architecture that is overlaid by a mortgage.”

William Mackergo Taylor (1829–1895) Scottish Congregationalist Minister in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 151.

As David the psalmist writes, we must not concern ourselves with things out of our league, but be like a calm, quiet, weaned child that has learned contentment.

To many modern-day ministers have argued that growing a church requires a splendid specimen of a building. Sadly, few proclaimed messages like Taylor that a simple building without debt will do.

The early church in the New Testament took over the ancient world and we have no record for over two centuries of local congregations sinking money into facilities.

Ministers must model and teach contentment in this. If you have a plain building without debt, put it to work. A fancy facility with a mortgage doesn’t propel ministry. It actually sets you back.

Many might disagree with me, however, no one can refute the reality that taking on debt makes assumptions about the future that exhibit discontentment with God’s provision in the present.

You shall not charge interest to your countrymen: interest on money, food, or anything that may be loaned at interest. Deuteronomy 23:19

“Debt is the fatal disease of republics, the first thing and the mightiest to undermine government and corrupt the people.”

Wendell Phillips in Day’s Collacon, compiled and arranged by Edward Parsons Day (New York: IPPO, 1884) 166.

God’s design for His people is that they lend freely to one another. God made this point clearly to Moses in the Deuteronomic Law. 

Phillips explains why debt is so dangerous. It undermines government, corrupts the people, and ultimate destroys republics.

As today’s post is short, I will add an excerpt from C.S. Lewis, posted previously, from his classic work, Mere Christianity, which connects usury (lending at interest) and generosity.

“There is one bit of advice given to us by the ancient heathen Greeks, and by the Jews in the Old Testament, and by the great Christian teachers of the Middle Ages, which the modern economic system has completely disobeyed. All these people told us not to lend money at interest; and lending money at interest — what we call investment — is the basis of our whole system…

Some people say that when Moses and Aristotle and the Christians agreed in forbidding interest (or ‘usury’ as they called it), they could not foresee the joint stock company, and were only thinking of the private money-lender, and that, therefore, we need not bother about what they said. That is a question I cannot decide on. I am not an economist and I simply do not know whether the investment system is responsible for the state we are in or not.

This is where we want the Christian economist. But I should not have been honest if I had not told you that the three great civilizations agreed (or so it seems at first sight) in condemning the very thing on which we have based our whole life. One more point and I am done.

In the passage where the New Testament says that everyone must work, it gives as a reason ‘in order that he may have something to give to those in need’ [Ephesians 4:28]. Charity — giving to the poor — is an essential part of Christian morality: in the frightening parable of the sheep and the goats it seems to be the point on which everything turns.

Some people nowadays say that charity ought to be unnecessary and that instead of giving to the poor we ought to be producing a society in which there were no poor to give to. They may be quite right in saying that we ought to produce that kind of society. But if anyone thinks that, as a consequence, you can stop giving in the meantime, then he has parted company with all Christian morality.

I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc, is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditure excludes them. I am speaking now of “charities” in the common way.

Particular cases of distress among your own relatives, friends, neighbours or employees, which God, as it were, forces upon your notice, may demand much more: even to the crippling and endangering of your own position. For many of us the great obstacle to charity lies not in our luxurious living or desire for more money, but in our fear — fear of insecurity. This must often be recognised as a temptation. Sometimes our pride also hinders our charity; we are tempted to spend more than we ought on the showy forms of generosity (tipping, hospitality) and less than we ought on those who really need our help.”

C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) in Mere Christianity (New York: Harper One, 1980) 85-87.

Much to think about! Admittedly, it’s hard to live generously in a world where the whole system is based on usury. For us, we endeavor at all costs to avoid the latter so we can practice the former. It’s God’s design in the Scriptures.

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11

“Hunger, cold, rags, hard work, contempt, suspicion, and unjust reproach are disagreeable; and debt is infinitely worse than them all. And, if it had pleased God to spare either or all of my sons to be the support and solace of my declining years, the lesson which I should have earnestly sought to impress upon them is, “Never run into debt; avoid pecuniary obligation as you would pestilence or famine. If you have but fifty cents and can get no more for a week, buy a peck of corn, parch it, and live on it, rather than owe any man a dollar.”

Horace Greeley (1811-1872) in Day’s Collacon, compiled and arranged by Edward Parsons Day (New York: IPPO, 1884) 166.

Greeley offers keen counsel in three areas. (1) He paints an appropriate picture of the infinitely disagreeable nature of debt. (2) He shares sound instruction regarding how to avoid in during hard times: live as simply as possible, even get creative with a peck of corn, to stay within your means. (3) He speaks of impressing truth upon his sons so that they may be “support and solace” to him in his declining years.

Let’s drill down on that last point.

When we live within our means, store up treasures in heaven, and impress this on our sons and daughters, we have something better than a retirement fund. We have discipled the next generation to provide us with the same aid they saw us give to others when we are older.

To me, the most toxic aspect of worldly financial advice is that those who store up riches for themselves, in so doing, teach their children to be selfish. So, as the parents age, they often die alone with their financial wealth only to have the children fight over it after they are gone.

Prepare for your declining years by living generously and teaching your sons and daughters to avoid debt and to give generously. Lead by example because your countercultural, biblical behavior will bring you the “support and solace” you dream of having later in life.

“I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion. Proverbs 8:12

“A man who owes a little debt can clear it off in a very little time, and if he is a prudent man will; whereas a man who by long negligence owes a great deal, despairs of ever being able to pay, and therefore never looks into his accounts at all.”

Lord Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield (1694-1773) the 4th Earl of Chesterfield in Day’s Collacon, compiled and arranged by Edward Parsons Day (New York: IPPO, 1884) 166.

Lord Chesterfield describes aptly both sides of the proverbial debt coin: prudence and long negligence, also known as procrastination. Notice that the prudent clear off debt, whereas the procrastinator is swallowed by the sense of despair.

Our daughter, Sophie, has helped a few fellow college students assess their financial position and get out of debt. She’s also seen others ignore their situation and allow it to sink their lives. Perhaps you know someone who struggles with despair associated with debt?

Such people might drop out of school or drift into other sinful habits to try to drown out the despair. Sophie has learned that having a regular coffee with a debt-ridden soul, listening to them, encouraging them, and providing some accountability can make a big difference.

On a Starbucks napkin she has taught fellow students to put their income in one column and expenses in another column and make sure their cashflow remains positive. In plain terms, she says to spend less than you make, so you remain free to live, give, serve, and love like Jesus.

For those who struggle with debt, our greatest act of generosity may be to help them understand their situation and point the way out of it. That can be as easy as buying them coffee and showing them graciously how to make money their slave rather than being enslaved to money.

Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you. Proverbs 22:26-27

“Contracting debts is like the man who goes to sea without a compass; he may steer clear of rocks, sand-bars, a lee shore, and breakers, but the chances are greatly against him; and if he runs foul of either, ten to one he is lost.”

L. Carroll Judson in Day’s Collacon, compiled and arranged by Edward Parsons Day (New York: IPPO, 1884) 166.

Yesterday I received an email from a friend expressing gratitude for the recent posts on debt. He wrote, “We’ve paid cash for everything for over a year. We’ve increased our giving as well…We praise the Lord for His strength and courage to tackle this issue FINALLY!”

That friend found a “compass” and has charted a course to get out of debt. The Lord has supplied strength and courage and, don’t miss this, he and his wife have been able to increase their giving. They are sailing out of debt while joyfully and obediently storing up treasures in heaven.

What about you? Calculate how much interest you paid on all indebtedness last year. Include everything from mortgage interest to other forms like car debt, credit card debt, etc… Total up the number. Now compare that number to your total giving for the same year.

Look at how much charitable giving you claimed on your taxes last year plus any other giving. This is how much you stored up in heaven. If you are not keeping track, start today. Remember, it’s not your money, it’s God’s and someday you will have give an account.

What you do from this day forward is up to you. I suggest you take a moment and pray a simple prayer to make the first figure go away (debt and interest) and help the second one rise (giving). We do this by getting a compass (a plan) and charting a course.

May God supply the strength and courage you need in abundance. You got this!

The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. Proverbs 27:12

“There is nothing more to be dreaded than debt; when a person, whose principles are good, unhappily falls into this situation, adieu to all peace and comfort; the reflection embitters every meal and drives from the eyelids refreshing sleep.”

Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667) in Day’s Collacon, compiled and arranged by Edward Parsons Day (New York: IPPO, 1884) 166.

When, at every turn, marketers want to offer you debt to purchase things with money you don’t have, say to yourself: “Danger!” As the proverb begins, “The prudent see danger and take refuge.” In plain terms, steer clear of the trap.

As Taylor notes, debt causes us to lose peace, comfort, and even refreshing sleep because it burdens the present by making presumptions about the future. How can we avoid it so it does not hinder our generosity?

If you have debts, pay them off starting with the smallest one first. Tell a friend so you have some accountability. Celebrate small victories as you pay them off, one at a time. “Take refuge” by building a basic budget to help you live with the means God has supplied for you.

Pay cash for purchases (or use credit cards to get points or miles and pay the bill in full each month). Save for a year or even a decade for major purchases, and for advice on Avoiding College Debt, click to read the Christian Leadership Alliance blog I recently wrote.