Learning DAILY

 

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

 

I have been thinking about the different times the Lord has saved me from some terrible consequences.  I am not sure how many times I have gone to sleep while driving by myself to be suddenly awaken before running into the back of a semi-truck.  One time I even woke up in the area between the interstate lanes driving 70 mph.  There was a lot of traffic and by God’s help I got right back into the traffic flow.  There have been other kinds of instances when the outcome could have been bad as well.  What are your stories?

 

I have often wondered why the Lord has kept me safe! 

 

Perhaps this statement by Paul has a clue.  Scholars seem to agree that this verse is Paul’s motive and mission for his life.  True Believers do not need to fear death because they know God has a purpose for their living and that death when it comes, is simply the end of their earthly living and the beginning of a greater life with Christ.  Read the verses that surround this verse (V. 20-25).

 

I believe that too many people focus on the second part of Paul’s statement.  The first part, “For to me, to live is Christ,” should not be overlooked.  To Paul, it was not so much that he lived, but that Christ lived in him. I believe that phrase should be central to every Christian’s life.  Let me explain.  Paul is saying that everything he has tried to be, everything he is, and everything he looked forward to being pointed to Christ.  In other words, he lived by faith in Christ and his spiritual life was maintained and supported by feeding on the “bread of life”.  Paul’s single goal was to bring glory to Jesus!

 

“To live is Christ” means that Paul proclaimed the Gospel of Christ.  He preached in the synagogues, as a prisoner, as an apostle, and as a tentmaker.  The message he preached was always the same, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2).  Who he told did not matter to him as he spoke the same message to kings, men, women, soldiers, Jews and Gentiles – to anyone who would listen.

 

“To live is Christ” means that we must pursue knowledge of Him.  It means that we want to know Him better and better every day.  I have written about knowledge, understanding, and wisdom before.  We study not to know a bunch of facts about Christ but to know Him better. When we come to know Him better, we desire to give up those things which prevents us from being closer to Him.  Paul said in Philippians 3:8-9, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ , the righteousness which is from God by faith,”.

 

“To live is Christ” means that Jesus Christ is our focus and our chief desire; He is the focus of our mind, heart, body and soul (Matthew 22:37).

 

“To die is gain.”  All I know is what the Bible says about this.  When one dies, one is immediately released from the trials and cares of this life – all the stress, disease in the body, disappointments, sinfulness of the world, the fears we have, and all temptations we face.  As soon as one dies, the Christian immediately enters into the presence of God where there is fulness of joy and is immediately with Christ.  The Christian enjoys the company of angels and saints there already and inherits a kingdom that has been prepared from the foundation of the world.  He wears a crown of life, righteousness, and glory; he enters into an inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled.  In this, there is love, joy, comfort and perfect peace!  That is gain!

 

If you would like to get this blog sent to you automatically when new posts are posted please leave your email address with “Follow by email.” Don’t forget to check Follow as well.

 

Remember – if you receive this blog through email, you can go to the regular blog page by moving your cursor to the top of the page and click on LEARNING DAILY header.  Then you can see the archived articles and comment section. You can also leave a comment by clicking on the date in the Comment Section.