To Me To Live Is Christ (Phil. 1:20-26)

To Me To Live Is Christ (Phil. 1:20-26)

There is a well-known gospel song, "Christ In Me" by Gary Garcia:

      Christ in me is to live, to die is to gain
      Christ in me is to live, to die is to gain
      He's my King, He's my song, He's my life, He's my joy
      He's my strength, He's my sword, He's my peace, He's my Lord.

The songwriter Gary Garcia confesses that Jesus Christ is his King, his song, his life and his joy, his strength, his sword, his peace, and his Lord.
Who is Jesus Christ to you?

Paul was in prison in Rome when he was writing this letter to the saints, overseers and deacons in Philippi(1:1). He was thankful to God as he knew that Christ Jesus was always with him in his life and in his sufferings and would be even unto his death and beyond it.
Paul in verse 20 tells us: "For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that causes me shame, but that I will always be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past, and that my life will always honor Christ, whether I live or I die."
Paul wants to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in his body whether he lives or dies.
               
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, in Shakespeare talks to himself, "To be or not to be, that is a question." He contemplates the pros and cons of continuing life ("To be") or preferring death ("not to be"). But he is inconclusive.
For many people, to live or to die is questionable.
To many people who stay away from Jesus Christ, life is a series of worries, concerns, anxieties, and pains.
However, to them, death produces great bottomless fear of an uncertain world beyond life. They feel safer here in this worldly life no matter how miserable, painful, and poor it is. So, they prefer life to death.

Paul tells us that "To me to live is Christ."
What does he mean by this?
When he became a Christian--a follower of Christ, it is not Paul himself anymore but Jesus Christ--the Spirit of Christ who really initiates his life and who is really important in Paul's life.
Paul already confessed in Galatians 2:20 after his first mission trip: "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.“
Does Christ live in you?
So, for you, to live is Christ who is in you?
I hope that Paul's confession, "For to me to live is Christ," could be ours too.

Again, Paul tells us that "to die is gain."
What does he mean by this?
Why is "to die" gain?
Jesus Christ in his life and death bore much fruit.
His death accomplished his salvation-giving and life-giving ministry for us.
So, Jesus' death was gain for those who look up to him.
Jesus in John 12:24 says: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."
But, here, Paul talks a little bit differently about why for him "to die is gain."
Without considering whether his death may produce much fruit or not, for him, to die means to live with Christ forever.
That is why for Paul 'to die' is gain for himself.
That is why he may prefer dying to living.
Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:8-9 tells us: "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it."

Paul in verses 22-24 of today's passage tells us: "If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two (=to live and to die): I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far, but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body."
For Paul himself he desires to depart the earthly body and be with Christ in heaven much more than to remain in the earthly body; but for the Philippians and other Christians he thinks that his staying in the body may be more necessary and more beneficial.
Why is his staying in the earthly body more necessary and more beneficial for other Christians?
Although he is in prison, he can comfort and encourage other Christians by sending letters.
               
Furthermore, Paul has confidence that his time of death is not yet arrived and that he will remain and continue with all of the Philippians for their progress and joy in the faith.
He knows that the joy of the Philippians will overflow on account of him when he returns to them from the prison in Rome.

Our Christian life is meaningful when it is connected with Christ.
In the same manner our death is also meaningful when it is connected with Christ.
Paul in Romans 14:7-9 tells us: "None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be the Lord both of the dead and of the living."
Paul did not live to himself but to Christ who lived in him.
Paul did not die to himself but to Christ who died for him on the cross and was risen for him to give him eternal life.
Paul witnessed Jesus Christ to the end of the earth and never denied Christ.
He wad beheaded not because of his own crimes but because of his testimonies of Jesus Christ.
Paul was not afraid of death at all as he knew that he would be with Christ forever when his soul departed his body.
So to Paul, to live was Christ and to die was gain.
Do you live not to yourself but to Christ who lives in you?
Are you willing to die not to yourself but to Christ who died for you on the cross and was risen for you to give you eternal life?
Do you believe that you will be with Christ forever when your soul departs your earthly body?
Then, to you and to me also, to live is Christ and to die is gain.