Why does Paul say "To live is Christ, to die is gain"?

Because for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

These are powerful words, spoken by the apostle Paul who chooses to live for the glory of Christ. Explain that it's great, and dying in Christ is even better. I know on the surface it might not make sense, but that's why some things require you to look below the surface.

You may have considered the concept of living for Christ, but what about the whole idea of ​​dying for gain? In fact, there's a big plus in both and that's what we want to explore a little deeper today.

What is the real meaning and context of Phil. 1:21 "to live is Christ, to die is gain?" Before we get to the answer, let's look at a little context in the book of Philippians.

What Happens in the Book of Philippians?
Philippians was written by the apostle Paul most likely around AD 62 and most likely while he was a prisoner in Rome. The general theme of the book is that of joy and encouragement to the Philippi church.

Paul continually expresses his gratitude and sincere appreciation for this church throughout the book. Philippians is unique in that Paul is not facing any real urgent problems or problems in the church except for a disagreement between Euodia and Syntica - two people who worked with Paul in spreading the gospel and helping build the church in Philippi.

What is the context of Philippians 1?
In Philippians 1, Paul begins with a standard greeting that he usually used. It included grace and peace and identified who he was and the audience he wrote to. In chapter 1, he expresses how he truly feels about this church and you can feel his emotion emerge during this chapter. It's this emotion that really helps understand Phil's meaning and context. 1:21, living is Christ, dying is gain. Consider Phil. 1:20:

"I look forward and hope that I will not be ashamed in any way, but I will have enough courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, both with life and with death."

There are two words I want to emphasize in this verse: shameful and exalted. Paul's concern was that he would live in a way that would not shame the gospel and the cause of Christ. He wanted to live a life that exalted Christ at every stage of life, regardless of whether it meant living or whether it meant dying. This brings us to Phil's meaning and context. 1:21, to live is Christ to die is gain. Let's take a look at both sides.

What does "living is Christ, dying is gain" mean?
Living is Christ - This simply means that everything you do in this life should be for Christ. If you go to school, it's for Christ. If you work, it is for Christ. If you get married and have a family, it is for Christ. If you serve in the ministry, you play on a team, whatever you do, you do it with the mindset that is for Christ. You want him to be exalted in every aspect of your life. The reason this is important is because by exalting it, you can potentially create an opportunity for the gospel to move forward. When Christ is exalted in your life, He can open the door for you to share it with others. This gives you the chance to win them over not only for what you say, but also for how you live.

Dying Is Gain - What Could Be Better Than Living For Christ, Shining With Light, And Leading People To God's Kingdom? As crazy as it sounds, death is better. See how Paul states this in verses 22-24:

“If I have to continue living in the body, this will mean fruitful work for me. Yet what to choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I want to leave and be with Christ, which is far better; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body “.

If you can truly understand what Paul is saying here, then you will truly understand the meaning and context of Phil 1:21. The fact that Paul continued to live would have been beneficial to the Philippi church and to all others he was ministering for. He could continue to serve them and be a blessing to the body of Christ. (This is living is Christ).

However, understanding the sufferings of this life (remember Paul was in prison when he wrote this letter) and all the challenges he faced, he realized that no matter how great it is to serve Christ in this life, it was better to die and go and stay with Christ. forever. This does not mean that you should want to die, it just means that you understand that death for a Christian is not the end, but only the beginning. In death, you decide your fight. You complete your run and enter God's presence for all eternity. This is the experience for every believer and it really is better.

What do we gain in life?
I want you to consider another thought for a moment. If living is Christ, how should you live? How do you actually live for Christ?

I said earlier that everything you do in this life should be for Christ, but in reality, this is a theoretical statement. Let's make it more practical. I will use the four areas I mentioned earlier which are school, work, family and ministry. I will not give you answers, I will ask you four questions for each section. They should help you think about how you live and if changes need to be made, let God show you how He wants you to change.

Living for Christ at school

Are you reaching the highest level possible?
What are the activities in which you are engaged?
How do you respond to your teachers and those in authority?
How would your friends react if you tell them you are a Christian?
Live for Christ at work

Are you punctual and show up for work on time?
Can you be reliable to get the job done or do you have to be constantly reminded what to do?
Is it easy to work with you or are colleagues afraid of working with you?
Are you usually the person who creates a healthy work environment or do you always stir the pot?
Live for Christ in your family

Spend time with your wife, children, etc. (If you have a wife or children)?
Do you prioritize family over career or career over family?
Do they see Christ in you from Monday to Saturday or does he only go out on Sunday morning?
Do you hug family members who don't know Jesus or do you reject and avoid them because they don't know Christ?
Live for Christ in the ministry

Do you put more emphasis on ministry work during your time with your family?
Do you run yourself serving irregularly, doing the Lord's work, forgetting to spend time with the Lord?
Are you ministering for people and not for your personal gain or reputation?
Do you talk about the people in the church and those you serve more than you pray for them?
Sure, this isn't a complete list of questions, but hopefully they'll make you think. Living for Christ is not something that happens by chance; you have to be intentional in doing it. Because you are intentional about it, you can say like Paul that Christ will be exalted in your body (your living) whether you live or die.

As you can see, there is a lot to the meaning of this verse. However, if I had to give you one last thought it would be this: Live a life for Christ as great as you can now, don't delay it. Make every day and every moment count. When you are done living and the day comes when you will take your last breath on this earth, know that it was worth it. However, as good as it was in this life, the best is yet to come. It just gets better from here.