THE CHRISTIAN WALK – Pt 3

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

This has been a very good study for me. I want so much to walk in the way that Christ wants me to walk. I want to be led by the Spirit, as Paul wrote in Ephesians 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

The Christian walk is one of Love. We read in Ephesians 5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

But one thing that’s hard about Paul’s statement here in Philippians 1:21 is the last part of the verse – “to die is gain.” We like the word “live” but the word “die” is not all that alluring. I have always said, “I don’t mind the word death, but the process of dying I’m not too excited about.”

Paul speaks about the Christian walk:

IT'S A PROFOUND WALK. Notice the phrase "to die is gain" – For those who are not believers, this is unthinkable. How can dying be gain? Or, many of them have the mistaken belief that everybody goes to heaven. I really am concerned that so many people think that just because someone excels in some profession they go to heaven. You hear that “they are in the heavenly grandstand watching the game below,” or “they are an angel protecting us.”

Because of these false conceptions of how you enter heaven, it leaves true believers with a responsibility to share the gospel with them. We read in I Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

To the believer, the statement of Paul is very deep or weighty. This makes you stop and reflect upon the life and walk of the believer. We must live each day for the glory of God realizing that one day, either by death or the rapture, we gain our spiritual inheritance.

1. This is a CONSIDERATION – Notice the word “gain.” Paul looked at dying as “gain.” He wrote in II Corinthians 5:6-8 “Therefore we are always confident knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

In verse 8 notice the phrase “We are confident” and the word “willing.” This shows a lot of courage and boldness when it comes to death. Why? Because of the prospect that lies ahead for the believer. In fact, I’m not so sure the word “willing” is understood correctly. It doesn’t mean “I guess maybe I’d rather be in heaven with the Lord.” I think the word means “very pleased” to be in the presence of the Lord rather than continue here with all the sin and iniquity around and even in our still imperfect body.

This is why Paul looked at “absent from the body” and “present with the Lord” as gain. I agree with Paul. That will be a wonderful experience. I pray that each of you reading this “Challenging Concepts” are saved and ready to meet the Lord.

2. This is a COMMENDATION – The “gain” part includes a time when the faithful servant will hear “well done, thou good and faithful servant.” Paul looked forward to and served faithfully for that day. Looking back at his life since that Damascus Road experience and his life since, he wrote In II Timothy 4:6-8 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

This is what the Christian walk is all about. It’s serving the Lord and bringing glory to His name by our service to and for Him. How are we doing? Can we also say “we have fought a good fight?” Will we hear the Lord say, “well done?” This is something to really consider.

3. This is a CHANGE – Notice what the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 17:15 "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness."

I love what the Psalmist is saying here. He says that his noblest ambition will not be experienced with any of the pleasures of this life. He may sleep the sleep of death, but when the trumpet sounds he’s going to wake in the likeness of God Himself. What a thought! What a change!

This is the climax of the Christian walk. This makes it worth it all. We may sleep the sleep of death, or we might be alive when the trumpet sounds. I believe it will be the latter, but either way, as the song says “What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see, And I look upon His face, The One who saved me by His grace; When He takes me by the hand And leads me through the Promised Land, What a day, glorious day that will be.”

The Christian walk is the most glorious walk of all. Do you know for sure you are a child of God? Has there been a time when you have put your faith in what Christ did on the cross of Calvary? Have you made Him Lord of your life? How is your walk going?

I pray you are saved and are growing in your walk day by day. I trust you are spending time in His Word and making application of that Word in your life.

That’s my view; how about you!