Sabbath School Lesson for January 10-16, 2026
Introduction of Lesson 3, Life and Death
Memory Text: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21 NKJV
One can only imagine the painful emotions of Paul when he spoke about life and death in his letter to the Philippians. His fragile, life-and-death situation as a prisoner in Rome certainly must have made his audience sit up and pay attention. He recognized, more than anyone, that death is more than the opposite of life. It is the enemy that holds all humanity in bondage.
On the one hand, death would relieve him of his many tribulations and would quicken the time when he would see Jesus face-to-face. Who wouldn’t welcome that and call it gain? But, on the other hand, living longer would give him the opportunity to reach more people with the gospel.
Paul knew that the safest course was to put his life in God’s hands and trust Him with the outcome, whatever that might be. Thankfully, his writings to the churches would end up reaching many more people than ever thought possible at the time. God knew precisely when and how it would be best for Paul’s life to end. Just as He has a plan for each of our lives, when we put ourselves in His care and keeping.
- Sunday: Christ Will Be Magnified
- Monday: To Die is Gain
- Tuesday: Being Confident
- Wednesday: Stand Fast in Unity
- Thursday: United and Fearless
Sunday: Christ Will Be Magnified
Paul made it clear in Philippians 1:19, 20 that, because of their prayers for him, God had Paul’s deliverance under control. He was confident that Christ would be magnified, either through his death or his life.
Continuing to lift up Christ’s name assured Paul that no matter how his situation unfolded, he would be satisfied with the result. His life was not his own. God and His salvation through Christ was the only thing that mattered to the suffering apostle.
We see the kind of witness Paul was by noting the relationship he felt with his converts and supporters. Several epistles reveal the tone of a father to his children. He calls them his children on several occasions. “Paul’s patience and cheerfulness during his long and unjust imprisonment, his courage and faith, were a continual sermon.” ~Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 464.
Verses and questions:
2 Corinthians 11:23-27
- What kind of trials had made Paul’s life so difficult?
- How might they have caused him to welcome an escape from them through death?
Philippians 1:19, 20
- What seems to be Paul’s feeling about the outcome of his trial?
1 Corinthians 4:14-16, 1 Thessalonians 2:10, 11, Galatians 4:19, and Philemon 10
- What kind of relationship did Paul have with the converts in the churches he had established?
Monday: To Die Is Gain
Paul’s statement about life and death in Philippians 1:21 makes little sense without some awareness of the spiritual conflict between Christ and Satan. Without that awareness, to imply that we gain something by dying defies everything we experience about death–whether it be the fear of its finality, or the immense grief that engulfs us when we lose a loved one. Either way, it feels like an enemy to our weary souls, not a gain.
Remembering the trials that came with Paul’s ministry though might cause us to understand why death would be a welcome release from all his cares and worries. In addition, his faith led him to believe that death was just a temporary sleep. That his next conscious moment would be in Christ’s presence at His return.
What exactly did Paul mean though by saying that to live was Christ? Knowing his Savior as he did, this must have included all the difficult spiritual battles we face in life. Our lives are beset with struggles over right and wrong, the forces of good and evil. And yet, the privilege and joy of serving Christ would also not be something that would be easy for Paul to have taken away.
Verses and questions:
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
- What are the spiritual weapons referred to Paul’s letter to the Corinthians?
Ephesians 6:17 and Matthew 4:4
- Why is the word of God such a powerful spiritual weapon?
Philippians 1:21, 22
- What made it hard for Paul to choose life or death?
Tuesday: Being Confident
Some Christians have used the fact that Paul stated in Philippians 1:23 that departing from this life and being with the Lord means that his soul, or spirit, would not die, but go immediately to heaven. But this assertion does not match other verses in the Bible, even statements Paul made about what happens when we die.
Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church that death was like a sleep (1 Thessalonians 4:14). Even Jesus called death a “sleep” on several occasions (John 11:11). The Old Testament tells us that their beloved kings “slept” or “rested” with their fathers when they died. As a matter of fact, Ecclesiastes 9:5 says the dead know nothing. Death is evidently a dreamless state of unconsciousness from which we become awake in the twinkling of an eye at the Second Coming, as Paul described it in 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52. Why would we need a resurrection when Jesus returns, if our spirits lived separate from the body and were already in heaven?
Alternative narratives about what happens when we die should remind us of Satan’s first lie in the Garden of Eden. He told Eve, “You shall not surely die” (Genesis 3:4). Mankind has been trying to create an immediate afterlife for himself ever since, refusing to believe the truth that when we sin, we die. Our breath (another word for “spirit”) ceases, and we know longer have life. We can be confident, however, in knowing that we will see Jesus face-to-face when He comes to take us to the heavenly mansions He is preparing for us (John 14:1-3). Paul was very confident of this future resurrection.
Verses and questions:
Philippians 1:23, 24
- When it came to whether Paul would experience life or death, which one did he think would benefit him more, and which one would benefit his readers more, and why?
Wednesday: Stand Fast in Unity
Jesus’ prayer for His disciples, recorded in John, chapter 17, sounds similar to Paul’s desire for his churches in Philippians 1:27. Paul wanted them also to “stand fast in one spirit” and “together for the faith of the gospel”. Jesus desired this unity so that “the world may believe” and so “that the world may know that you have sent Me” (John 17:21, 23).
This included the prayer that they be sanctified by the truth (John 17:17). The Sermon on the Mount described in detail what sanctification looks like. His followers would be meek, hungering for righteousness, merciful, pure, and loving. Micah 6:8 summed up our sanctification well, too. He told God’s followers to “do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with their God”. Just as Paul’s request mentioned in his Philippian letter–that their “conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27).
Humility, walking humbly, was essential in everything they did. Disunity comes from pride, so we must constantly be reminded of the humility and meekness of Jesus if we are to maintain our unity. Jesus humbled Himself in coming to earth to live and die as one of us (Philippians 2:8). Like Him, we should do all we can to show humility in all our relationships.
Verses and questions:
Philippians 1:27 and John 17:17-19
- How is unity achieved in God’s followers?
- How can we as individuals promote unity in our families and congregations?
Thursday: United and Fearless
Paul was aware that many Christians had already been targeted and persecuted. After all, he had been one of those persecutors himself before his conversion.
With all the pain and suffering he had personally endured as a Christian, Paul was concerned for the Philippians that they would also encounter trials going forward and would struggle with how to deal with them. Although the world would see their affliction as proof that they were in the wrong, Paul encouraged them to rejoice that they were suffering for Christ.
If they continued to face their persecutions boldly, their hearts would be united with each other and with God. This unity was necessary for their ability to fulfill the mission of proclaiming the gospel, just as it remains crucial in these last days. The devil does all he can to obstruct our way, but we must be fearless in withstanding his attacks.
Verses and questions:
Philippians 1:27-30
- Why does Paul shift from talking about unity to addressing the problem of suffering for Christ?
- What particularly stands out for you as a reason for our church today to be united?
Matthew 10:38, Acts 14:22, Romans 8:17, and 2 Timothy 3:12
- How do these verses help us understand the reason for persecution?
- What attitude will help us cope with pain and suffering?
Friday: Final Thoughts
Struggling with the deep issues of life and death, Paul points out three things in his first chapter to the Philippians, verses 19-30.
- how we are to live for God–fulfilling the mission of spreading the gospel
- how we all die for God–death being an unconscious, dreamless sleep till Jesus wakes us up at His Coming
- how we must fight for God–remaining united, using our God-given spiritual weapons to remain faithful
This statement sums up Paul’s themes:
“These [including Paul], yielding up their lives for the faith, declare to the world that He in whom they have trusted is able to save to the uttermost.” ~Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 512
Next Week: Unity Through Humility
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