For me, to live is …

A comment our Pastor made at Bible Study last night caused me to think about Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Today on my drive to work I was thinking about what that really means. Do I really believe that? Do I live my life like I believe that?

Do I really believe that hell is a horrible place and that it is real and that people who haven’t trusted Christ are really condemned to an eternity there?

Do I really believe that heaven is this incredible place where God lives? Do I really believe that it is far better than any place I can imagine? Do I really look forward to going there?

There are things I am looking forward to here on earth. I am looking forward to living in my new house.  (should happen soon)   I am looking forward to seeing my daughter graduate from college. (We’ve got just over three years left)  I am looking forward to the day she meets someone special and gets married. (please let that be at least 4 years into the future)  I am looking forward to someday (not soon) being a grandmother. Is it bad to look forward to these things?

If asked to complete this statement, “For me, to live is ______________, and to die is ______________,” how would you complete it?

Would you say something like?

• For me, to live is money
• For me, to live is pleasure.
• For me, to live is education.
• For me, to live is my career.
• For me, to live is my family.
• For me, to live is just to make it through another day.

What is it that drives you? What consumes your time and energy? What do you spend your resources on? How would others who know you, describe you? What motivates you? What gives your life meaning?

Paul had a single focus. His passion was Christ. He lived for Christ.

He desired to see people come to faith in Christ and have their lives transformed. Living for Paul meant loving and serving Jesus.

Paul never had a family or a career. His success was when people accepted Christ. His life, his passion, his only desire and purpose was to preach the gospel.

Erwin Lutzer said, “By all standards, death is the most dreaded event. Our society will pay any price to prolong life. Just one more month, or even another day. Perhaps our desire to postpone death reflects our dissatisfaction with God's ultimate purpose. Remember, His work isn't finished until we are glorified. Most of us would like to see God's work remain half finished. We're glad we are called and justified, but we're not too excited about being glorified.”

Paul didn’t dread death. He looked forward to being with Christ.

“Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”   2 Corinthians 5:6 – 8

Paul was an amazing man and was used by God in a mighty way and yet what he really wanted was to be with Jesus. As a Christian, our desire should be for the Lord but that doesn’t mean we are to sit back and do nothing while we are here on earth. We are meant to have an intimate relationship with Christ and to live out that life for others to see.

Does that mean you shouldn’t have a family or a job or hobbies? No, but it does mean that those things should never become so important to you that they interfere with your relationship with Jesus. If you begin to desire the things of this earth to the point that your relationship with Christ suffers then you need to rethink your priorities.

As long as you are alive and here on earth, you need to passionately pursue God and serve Him because every other area of your life is impacted by your relationship with God.

Do not hold on to the things here on earth so tightly that you wouldn’t want to depart and meet the Lord in heaven. We must be eager for the day to come so that we can be with the one who loved us so much he willingly died on a cross for us.

So, coming back to Philippians 1:21, can you really say what Paul said? “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

 

* Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer is an evangelical Christian pastor, teacher and author. He is currently the senior pastor of Moody Church, in Chicago, Illinois.