“For to me to live is Christ…”

ACP

Monday, September 14th, 2015

To Live is Christ

21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 23For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 24Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. 25And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; 26That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

Be Worthy of the Gospel

27Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 28And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. 29For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; 30Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Philippians 1:21-30 — King James Version

Beginning Of Commentaries on Philippians 1 — Bible Hub

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Philippians 1:21-26 Death is a great loss to a carnal, worldly man, for he loses all his earthly comforts and all his hopes; but to a true believer it is gain, for it is the end of all his weakness and misery. It delivers him from all the evils of life, and brings him to possess the chief good. The apostle’s difficulty was not between living in this world and living in heaven; between these two there is no comparison; but between serving Christ in this world and enjoying him in another. Not between two evil things, but between two good things; living to Christ and being with him. See the power of faith and of Divine grace; it can make us willing to die. In this world we are compassed with sin; but when with Christ, we shall escape sin and temptation, sorrow and death, for ever. But those who have most reason to desire to depart, should be willing to remain in the world as long as God has any work for them to do. And the more unexpected mercies are before they come, the more of God will be seen in them.

Thoughts on Philippians 1:22

By Elizabeth Haworth

It was in the city of Philippi that Paul told the jailer at midnight: believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved,  and Paul had the joy of seeing this man and all his family place their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. What a joyful memory this must have been for Paul.. as he wrote his letter to the Philippian Christian some ten years after that jailor’s glorious conversion.

But as Paul wrote his epistle we discover that he was once again confined to a Roman jail, where he knew that his very life hung in the balance. Suffering for Christ was nothing unusual for this apostle to the gentiles.. who had come to learn that our present troubles, our momentary afflictions and our short-lived sufferings are achieving for us an eternal weight of glory, which far outweighs any trials or tribulation we may have to face on earth.

Paul was not fearful of the future, whether he lived or died. He knew that should his life be spared he would have the joy living for Christ on earth.. and should he be called upon to die, he would have the joy of being with the Lord forever – For to me, to live is Christ and for me to die is gain., was his joyful conclusion.

What a great testimony to all believers down through the centuries who have read the epistle to the Philippians and what a great encouragement it is for us today, in these increasingly difficult and dangerous times – where world-wide persecution is escalating out of all proportion, and many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are being slaughtered for their faith.

The sting of death had been removed for Paul. His steadfast trust in his Saviour was unshakable for he knew life held the joy of fruitful labour for Christ, where the gospel would be preached; souls would be won.. and heavenly rewards would be secured – while death presented and even more joyful alternative:- whereby he would transfer directly into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. If I am to live on in the flesh, he declared this will mean fruitful labor for me – and I do not know which to choose.

Praise God that like Paul our times are in God’s hands, and no matter what present sufferings, momentary afflictions, difficult trouble or harrowing persecutions we may be called upon to face.. they are achieving for us an eternal weight of glory, which far outweighs any trials or tribulation we may be called upon to face in this earthly realm.

Our citizenship is in heaven and whether we live a fruitful life or die a martyrs death.. may we do all to the glory of God the Father.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, as I look at the apostle Paul I can see Your guiding hand in every situation of my life. I pray that I may live a fruitful life that brings forth thirty, sixty or even a hundred-fold spiritual fruit for Your praise and glory.. and whether I life or die, I thank You Father that my life is in Your hands and that Your grace is sufficient – knowing that my light affliction, which are but for a moment, are working in me an absolutely, incomparable, eternal weight of glory. Praise Your holy name for ever and ever Amen