To Live Is Christ

KEY VERSE: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” —Philippians 1:21

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Philippians 1:12-26

THIS statement reveals the great depth of Paul’s discipleship to Christ. His only purpose for living was to serve the brethren of Christ through the promulgation of the Gospel. Many times he put his life in danger for the service of the truth. The letter to the Philippians was written while he was a prisoner in Rome—a circumstance which could have easily been avoided, but which the apostle chose because it offered an opportunity for expanded service for the “furtherance of the Gospel.” (vs. 12) Paul had deliberately chosen a course which threatened his life and freedom.

Paul did not hesitate to undertake any service for his Master, regardless of how much suffering might be involved. In this he was a wonderful example of true Christian faithfulness, and we can do no better than to take his advice to follow him as he followed Christ.

By divine providence Paul was given one opportunity to follow the example of Christ in a very literal way. That was when, through Agabus, the Holy Spirit testified that bonds and imprisonment awaited him at Jerusalem. (Acts 21:10,11) Paul was then on his way to Jerusalem, and he might well have construed this testimony of the Holy Spirit as a warning not to continue his journey, but to look for the Lord’s leadings elsewhere.

The brethren associated with Paul did take this view, and they pleaded with him not to go to Jerusalem. His answer to them was, “What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 21:13) Those who gave him the advice to take the safer, easier course, finally said, “The will of the Lord be done.”—vs. 14

It was Paul’s insistence on going to Jerusalem despite the Holy Spirit’s testimony of what the result would be that finally led to his prison home in Rome; but he rejoiced in the privilege of having “fellowship” in Christ’s sufferings.

It took courage to preach the Gospel in those days—more courage than it takes at the present time—because it was at the risk of life itself. In Rome them is an ancient carving on a wall of a man on a cross. While he has the body of a man, he has the head of a donkey. To one side there is another figure kneeling in adoration to this image on the cross. This suggests how some in the palace, to which Paul refers, thought of the truths that he was preaching in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel. In the Coliseum in Rome thousands paid with their lives for the privilege of witnessing to the truth.

A peculiar situation arose when the brethren began to preach Jesus Christ in Rome. Some of them, Paul said, preached from goodwill, but some of them preached the truth as a weapon to get him into more trouble. Listen to the apostle’s response to this situation: “What then? Notwithstanding, everyway, whether in pretense, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. … As always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death.”—Phil. 1:18-20

Paul knew this circumstance could cause his death, but even if this did happen, he concluded it would help the cause of truth and thus, to die would be gain.—vs. 21

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