“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain”
Phillipians 1:21
For a large portion of my Christian life, God was really just one part of my life; He was not everything. I think that is the idea behind Paul’s phrase, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Paul was saying that Christ was everything to him.
For many of us Christians we know this verse by heart, but we don’t know it by practice… Christ is not our life. We consider things like school our Life, Life is family, Life is a career, or life is some hobby or entertainment.
One author said, “Life is what we are alive to. It is what really gets us excited. For many, their passions lie outside of their relationship with Christ.
What does it mean to really live for Christ? Jesus said this was the very reason that he came to the earth. He came that we might have life and have it abundantly. He came so we could truly be alive to God—that He would be our passion and joy.
Philippines was written by the disciple Paul who had accepted this life, and he constantly proclaimed it. He said, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Paul saw himself as no longer alive—he left his past life behind, and now Christ was his life and Christ alone.
Paul goes on to speak about his life before meeting Jesus and how he counted it all nothing for the sake of gaining Christ.
Jesus was the beginning of his life and getting to know him more every day was the continuation of his life. And ultimately… one day dying and gaining an eternal presence with his God, Lord and King… Jesus.
God Bless You