GOOD WORK AND PERFECTION
Philippians 1.6.9-11
"He Who began a GOOD WORK in you, will Perfect it until the Day of Christ Jesus." Words, "GOOD WORK" means not only education in Gospel but also GOOD WORK literally in everything that requires help, love, mercy, compassion, and in any GOOD PHYSICAL DEED in the Name of Christ, as Christ Himself, His Apostles, and all men of GOD, did GOOD PHYSICAL WORK in their lives for others.
Word, "PERFECTION" on the other hand summarizes GOOD WORK in achievement, growth, development, enlargement, and Perfection of Knowledge of the Word of GOD and Good Works in the Name of Christ, until the Day of Christ.
"The Day of Christ" means that then Christ will come a Second Time, He will give His faithful all the complete knowledge of His Word and of His Works, the full Knowledge, to make us completely Perfect in His Spirituality and in His GOOD WORKS, so we will be like Him in everything as humanly possible.
~ *Perfect "perfection" (Matthew 19.21) (Philippians 1.6) (Hebrews 7.19, 12.22-23).
Matthew 5.48
48. Therefore, you are to be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.' (Leviticus 19.2).
SELFISH AMBITION
Philippians 1.15-20
It is very interesting how Paul viewed preaching of the Gospel by some people, who are not sincere and are not right in their goal and aim for the Gospel. Paul explained his opinion on this issue in this way, that even such none-sincere preaching out of selfish ambitions can be also beneficial for the masses, as long as it changes people for the better and turns them to Christ.
It can be compared to a certain event in the history of Israel, when before entering the land of Canaan, Balak king of Moab, sent for prophet Balaam, to curse Israel, but instead, his curse was transformed and converted into the blessing of GOD, and instead of misfortune to be brought upon Israel, the fortune of blessing came on them instead. (Numbers, chapters 22-24).
Also, a good example of this can be found in Words of Christ:
Matthew 23.2-3
2. ”The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat,
3. therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it but do not do as they do, they do not practice what they preach."
The paradox here is this that those who preach Christ and His Gospel falsely, out of selfish ambitions, for profit, or for any other reason that benefit them, or for their own pride and glory, they may benefit others who believe them and will grow in Christ.
But those who preach good things but do not them themselves, they would not benefit from their own preaching, because whatever they preach to others they do not do themselves.
Such people will receive only condemnation from GOD and not salvation, because most of them preach for their own benefit and in their own name and not in the Name of Christ, they glorified themselves and not their GOD.
LIFE IS CHRIST AND DEATH IS GAIN
Philippians 1.21-24
Paul sincerely worried about Philippians and actually about everybody else to whom he has preached and turned to Christ. But dilemma here is this, that if Paul will be taken by Death, his work is not fully complete with Gentiles, and so, no one has pleasure or good result from unfinished work.
But if Paul will remain alive he will finish his mission and will fulfill the will of GOD, departing to his GOD with full satisfaction of well completed work.
"Death is Gain" means to be with Christ in Heaven is much better for Paul than to be on Earth with humans (23), but for the sake of his Gentiles Paul wanted to remain with them until they will reach a full potential growth in Christ.
Paul does not afraid of death, being already stoned to death ones he preferred to die and to be with Christ forever (Acts 14.5.19-21). But he has still had obligations and unfinished works on Earth to finish and because of it he decided to stay alive and complete his mission to the end.
SUFFERING FOR THE NAME OF CHRIST IS THE PRIVILEGE
Philippians 1.29-30
Paul considered suffering and even death in the Name of Christ as great privilege and honor for any Christian. Of course no one on Earth want to suffer and to be persecuted, but the difference is for what cause and for what reason people are to suffering? Many people suffer for their own causes, ideas, principals, ideology, and for many other things, and all their suffering mostly for nothing, they did not gain anything from their worries and troubles.
But the true Christian, if he or she suffers because of the Name of Jesus Christ, just like our Lord suffered for us, this would certainly bring a great reward to such person who dedicated his/her life not to themselves or to others, but fully to Jesus Christ.
In this sense death became not only a privilege for a Christian but also and joy of relief from the madness and hardship of the world and its evil, to be with Christ forever and ever and never to see and experience any evil again.