To Live is Christ

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. – Philippians 1:21(NKJV)

In just a few words, Paul describes his inner struggle… the deep longing to be present with the Lord, yet the awareness that his mission on earth, as an ambassador of Christ, was not yet finished.

Paul penned this letter during his first Roman imprisonment. Unlike his second imprisonment, in a cold, dark dungeon, this bondange basically fell under the category of house arrest. Regardless of the form or fashion of Paul’s captivity (or, for that matter, his freedom), death was always a looming possibility since he unabashedly proclaimed the gospel of the One True King, Jesus Christ, in the shadow of the Roman Emperor.

What an amazing example and inspiration for pastors today who commit to embrace the same devotion to Christ and the message of His Kingdom. Paul yearned for the day he would stand face-to-face with his Savior, but he was willing to suffer for the glory of God and for the advancement of the Gospel until he was called home.

Our culture today is in dire need of pastors like the Apostle Paul… preachers and proclaimers of the Good News of Jesus Christ who burn with passion to do the will of God and usher in heaven to earth… ambassadors of the Kingdom who will bring the light and life of Christ into a dark and dying world… no matter the cost.

Our world, and this nation, needs to see:

• Believers, especially in a day like today, who understand the power of Paul’s words, “to live is Christ,” recognizing that God has given us a window in time to experience a revival in the land and change the course of this nation.
• Believers who are completely obedient to our Savior’s words in Matthew 16:24, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
• Believers, living for Christ, who are embracing God’s call on their lives to radically impact the day, “for a time such as this.” (Esther 4:14).
• Believers who are brightly shining their light so that nonbelievers may also see our good works, hear the message of salvation, and surrender their lives to Christ for the “praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1;6, 1:12, 1;14).

Additionally, our nation would greatly benefit from witnessing:

• Believers who are living out Paul's phrase, “to die is gain.” Christians who are living in light of the hope of eternal glory in all that they do, not recklessly, but fearlessly proclaiming Jesus as Lord without concern for repercussions or persecution.
• Believers who navigate the storms of life with confidence in Christ, demonstrating strong, preserving faith in this fact from Romans 8:39, “... nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

This world is full of those who hold and herald different ideologies, many that are, in fact, antithetical to the Word of God. Consider the lengths they go to express their agendas. In many cases, the people promoting these ideas demonstrate a greater commitment to their way of living than many believers to do ours… and we have the Truth on our side!

It is time for the Church… for pastors and congregations to stand up and be strong. We have a life-changing, life-giving message to share. We have the keys to the Kingdom, the authorization of Christ himself, and the power of the Holy Spirit to turn this world upside down.

What’s missing? A firm commitment to Philippians 1:21…

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

May Paul’s attitude toward his service to Christ and his burden to reach the lost fall upon every disciple of Jesus Christ.

May the same Power that raised Jesus from the dead fill and fuel every believer so we will walk boldly in our calling.

May we be people who are eager and willing to proclaim these additional words from Paul in Romans 1:16,

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.not to be ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation.

Let today be the day we, as members of the Body of Christ, choose to live as Christ knowing, with absolute confidence, that when the appointed time comes for each of us to see Him face-to-face, it will truly be to our gain… beyond our imagination.