You ducked my question. It is your right to do so, but then the conversation is likely to end. And I know exactly why you will not answer. It is because the whole context of Philippians 1:12-26 is about Paul's physical life - whether he lives or dies. It starts with the assurance to the saints who were praying for him that he reckons that he'll escape death. But that in the event of death for preaching Christ, he has "gain". And he ends this section predicting that he will come to them again. That is, the prayers would be effectual.
Chapter 2:1-13 leads the Philippian Believer through what Christ DID - His works. Verse 12 starts with "wherefore", indicating that the CONCLUSION of what our Lord did is that the Believer must have the same CHARACTERISTICS. For God's purpose Christ laid aside His position and possession. Likewise must the Believer lay aside his old nature and desires and be transformed, changed, metamorphosed, for God testimony so, "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world" .
This has nothing to do with the salvation from God's wrath, the Lake of Fire and eternal life. It is the "salvation" from an Adamic DISPOSITION to a Christlike DISPOSITION. This is God's plan with us AFTER we are saved (Rom.8:29).
Verse 16 then transmits the warning; "Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain." IMPLIED is that some Christians will NOT rejoice in the day they stand before Christ to give an account of themselves. IMPLIED is that some WILL run in vain. IMPLIED is that some Christians will have laboured in vain. In Matthew 7:21-23 we Christians who knew the Lord, who were empowered to cast out demons, who were empowered to do many wondrous works in Jesus' Name. But they labored in vain. Not that they go to the Lake of Fire, or lose their standing as Believers, but that they may not partake of the joys and fame of Christ's Millennial Kingdom.
I have visited a famous tourist site - the Rhine Falls on the Swiss/German border. Nothing compared to Niagara or the Victoria falls, but impressive for the tourist visiting Central Europe. Above the Rhine falls is a turret that overlooks the falls and which has colored lead-glass windows. You can see the falls in yellow, red, blue and green, if my memory serves me. That is what you do with scripture. You have a predetermined color. Somebody put an idea into your head and you entertain it. We all have this phenomena when we start off studying so vast a Book as the Bible. But now is the time to set aside the colored view and read what is said, not what you think "Paul is trying to say".
Language is God given to transmit ideas. It has rules, and the first rule is; "Be true to the words written or said". Do not approach them with a preconceived idea. Wipe the slate of your memory. Read Philippians Chapters 1, 2 and 3 as they are. Add nothing and subtract nothing. You will be mightily helped to see that a SAVED man like Paul, who is talking to SAVED Believers of a Church, does not preach the message of SALVATION of Ephesian 2:8. He preaches the message of 2nd Peter 1:4-11 - sanctification! SALVATION from an intrinsic fallen nature and and the process of CONFORMITY with Christ's heavenly and godly nature (Rom.8:29, 12:2; 2nd Cor.3:18).
HE PREACHES WHAT A MAN MUST BE SAVED FROM AFTER HE BELIEVES. Jail, torture, famine, ill health, lies, slander and defamation, dishonesty, laziness, sexual immorality, drunkenness, slothfulness, covetousness, greed, love of money and losing your first love. THESE are some of the things we, who are already saved, need to be SAVED from.
