Semper Fidelis – Always Faithful ∙∙
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. – Philippians 1:21
Philippians 3:7-10
7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.
8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ
9 and become one with him . . .
10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.
In the early 1970s, amidst the Vietnam War, a narrative unfolds about a young man being drafted. While completing his enlistment documents, he encounters a question that asks, “To whom do you owe your highest loyalty?” His answer was the “Triune God.”
This answer puzzled the Army recruiter. He was unfamiliar with the “Triune God.” Consequently, the draftee was brought in for an interview for further questioning. The reviewers were suspicious because of all the antiwar fervor in the country at the time. The location was California. All kinds of new religious movements were emerging. Recruiters were wary, suspecting he might be part of some oddball religious cult run by demagogues. The interview shed no light on the situation, and the recruiter remained perplexed. Ultimately, the young man received a 4-D classification, a religious exemption from military service. Instead of joining the armed forces, he dedicated his life to missionary work serving the “Triune God.”
Semper Fidelis is a Latin phrase that means “Always Faithful” or “Always Loyal.” It is the motto of the United States Marine Corps, usually shortened to Semper Fi.
Another U.S. Marine credo is “For God, Corps, Country.” Their core values are Honor, Courage, and Commitment. They stand for freedom and liberty in service to God, the Corps, and the country.
For members of the Marine Corps, their commitment to the Corps is second only to their faith in God. Being a Marine transcends mere occupation; it is a mental attitude and a way of life. The moment they are honored with the title “United States Marine” marks the beginning of a new life. Being a Marine is their identity for the rest of their lives. There is no such thing as an ex-Marine. It is not considered a job. Once a Marine, always a Marine.
Putting the Corps before country means you will never do anything to dishonor the Marine Corps, not ever. Because of their honor, sense of duty, and loyalty, as the Marines serve the Corps, they also serve the country.
Marines take oaths to both the Marine Corps and the United States of America, but their allegiance to the Corps takes precedence. This preference stems from the bond with fellow Marines, who become their family. In the heat of battle, this brotherhood matters most; they advance together towards danger, ensuring no one is left behind. When the bullets start flying, they are there for each other. The country is not of utmost concern.
“American by birth, Marine by choice” (USMC slogan)
REFLECT & PRAY
It is not difficult to say that we have faith. Talk is cheap, but being ready and willing to die for our faith is entirely different.
Father how I wish I could be like Paul and the three Hebrew young men. Please help me to get my priorities straight, be faithful, and be prepared to lay down my life.
INSIGHT
The three Hebrew young men explicitly declared their allegiance to the God of their fathers. In the face of a horrendous death by fire in a blazing hot furnace, their highest loyalty was to the Triune God. They refused to compromise or capitulate and become like everybody else. They stood firm in their faith and would not bow down before, serve, or worship a graven image. In the face of certain death, they were resolved to stand firm and die for their beliefs.
Daniel 3:16-18
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.
17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
Holding steadfast and true to their beliefs, in unwavering loyalty to their Father God, the heroic three prefigured the courage and devotion of what would one day be the United States Marines. They were always faithful and never backed down. They mirrored the core values of the Marines. They were Semper Fidelis, which in Hebrew is tamid aman; tamid means always, and aman means faithful.
Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
“Paul was not afraid of life or death! Either way, he wanted to magnify Christ in his body. No wonder he had joy!” (Wiersbe). Paul deeply reflected on and contemplated the meaning and purpose of life. Paul tells us what both living and dying mean to him. It all boiled down to one simple sentence, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.” He finds himself in inner conflict and ambivalence, caught between the importance and benefit of his earthly mission and the allure of everlasting fellowship and intimacy with Christ.
Paul says, “To me,” that is, “According to my own experience” (UBS) or “As I see it” (Goodspeed). He answers the unspoken rhetorical question, “What does it mean to live?” (UBS). His answer is one word: “Christ.” “Life to Paul has no meaning apart from Christ. His life is not his own; it is totally devoted to Christ (Galatians 2:20)” (UBS).
The original Greek formulation of this profound statement is notably terse, somewhat abrupt, and pithy. It consists of two nouns and two infinitives functioning as nouns.
It is terse yet remarkably enlightening. It is challenging to fully convey its powerful essence in English translation: to live Christ, to die gain. The literal Greek phrases and translations are below.
To zen Christos – to live Christ: to apothaneins kerdos – to die gain
No doubt, this was the maxim by which Paul lived. But there’s more.
“The telescope brings distant things closer, and the microscope makes tiny things look big. To the unbeliever, Jesus is not very big. Other people and other things are far more important. But as the unbeliever watches the Christian go through a crisis experience, he ought to be able to see how big Jesus Christ really is. The believer’s body is a ‘lens’ that makes a ‘little Christ’ look very big, and a ‘distant Christ’ come very close” (Wiersbe).
“Paul’s only reason for existence is that he may spend his life in that glad service, and death for that cause will be the crowning service” (Ralph P. Martin).
Wesley, in his hymn, O Thou who camest him from above, got it right:
Ready for all Thy perfect will, My acts of faith and love repeat,
Till death Thy endless mercies seal, And make the sacrifice complete.
When you find yourself in challenging, complex, or even life-threatening situations, what comes into your mind first?
To what or to Whom do you owe your highest loyalty?
Paul answers in one word: Christ.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 1-22-2
© Dr. H 2024
Dr H Reflections 