Through the Bible: PhilippiansSample

To Live and Let Die

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

Philippians 1:21 (ESV)

For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:3 (ESV)

Paul encourages these Philippian believers by explaining that whether it be by life or by death, he will remain faithful to God. All of his suffering, everything he is, and everything he looked forward to pointed to Christ: "Jesus Christ and him crucified”. Paul’s only aim was to advance the gospel by bringing glory to Jesus.

When we believe and trust in Christ, we are saved from spiritual death. Our old self is replaced by a new life in Christ; we are to love and imitate Christ with our mind, heart, body and soul. Everything that we do, we do for Christ’s glory. “To live is Christ” is the centre point of our Christian life – to know and to identify with Christ in His suffering, death and resurrection. "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me"(Gal 2:20). Are we willing to give up anything that prevents us from living as Christ?

Prayer

Abba Father, may Christ be first in our lives and the reason we endure to run the race marked out for us, may Christ be magnified, His Kingdom come, in Jesus’ name. Amen.