To Die Is Gain

Philippians 1: 18b-21

Paul has just proclaimed that he was looking on the bright side of his imprisonment and being put to trial, that it encouraged others to more boldly preach the Gospel. 

(18) ... Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. 
Yes, and I will rejoice, 
(19) for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance 

Even though Paul is suffering physically in prison and being subjected to trial for his beliefs, he is still rejoicing in the midst of it all because he is looking ahead at his deliverance. 

through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

Because he knows they are praying for him, this encourages him, and he knows that the Holy Spirit is the power behind their prayers on his behalf as well as his own strengthening in the travails he is currently facing. 

(20) according to my earnest expectation and hope 

Paul is confident in his faith in Christ Jesus. 

that I will not be put to shame in anything, 

To be put to shame is to be found wanting, deficient. He expects that Christ in him will meet his need to answer appropriately and not be at a loss for words.

but that with all boldness, 

His boldness comes from his confidence in his Lord.

Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 

We see that Paul's deliverance is not necessarily his release from confinement by winning his case, but that he would also consider that the losing of his trial ending in execution would still be deliverance, as he would then be with his Lord. 

(21) For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 

Christ would be exalted either way, by both his life and his death. 

Paul dedicated his whole life to the one, singular purpose of promoting and proclaiming Christ Jesus. He lived his life the way Jesus would have, in his shoes. So he could say, for him to live his life is Christ working through him, every moment of every day.

Could I say that about my own life?

And to die is to receive all the eternal rewards he had earned, but even more, to be with his Lord who he had loved and served and suffered on account of all his life. All would prove to be worth the great eternal gain of benefits that he will be enjoying forever.

I wonder if I will ever come to that point, that I would not be that concerned whether I live or die. I really like to live, even though I know I will be with Christ when I die. But I don't want to die. 

O my Father, You are great, and good. You do everything You want to do, and You are right in everything You do. What You do is always good, and You are sovereign over all. 

I know that "to live is Christ and to die is gain" in my head; let that understanding seep down into my heart to embrace it, so I will not hesitate when I will face death. Father, let me not love my life even unto death, as Your saints in Revelation 12: 11. 

Father, strengthen all of Your children to be bold witnesses to the world of how much You love them. Use us to share with everyone in a way they can hear it, so that they will have a clear understanding to turn to you. 

And no one will have any excuse for turning away from you. Every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!