For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).
As believers who are growing in their faith, we must ask, “How do I change? How do I change the world around me? Have I grown static or cold in my Christianity? Do I have more questions than answers?”
The apostle Paul gives us the answer to these and other questions in his writings when he says, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Paul tells us that in order to be effective in our Christianity, we must be “All In.” We must die to our will and live for the will of another: The Lord Jesus’ will. Paul further says that our life should not be lived for ourselves, but for the Lord. Each day, life should be lived by giving all that we are to Jesus Christ and His purposes. To illustrate this, Paul often classified himself as a prisoner of the Lord. In this description, he depicts himself as a willing captive of Christ to do His will. As we live our lives for God, we will find that His strength is magnified in us as we do His will. Then we will know the joy of living in His presence, doing His will.
The apostle’s attitude reminds me of the words of Jesus in John 8:29 when He says, “And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” Effectiveness in life stems from doing whatever pleases the Lord. Jesus is the most successful person who ever walked the earth. He always did what pleased God. He did it every single moment of every day for 33 ½ years. Jesus was “All In.”
The apostle Paul tells us that “He [Christ] died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again (2 Corinthians 5:15). As we strive to live solely for Jesus, let us cry out, “Lord, rid me of self!” When we no longer live for ourselves but for Christ, faith will have brought us to its goal: the salvation of our soul! What joy this must bring to Christ when we are emptied of self. Then not only are we changed but also the world around us.