Slides: To Live is Christ, to Die is Gain

To Live is Christ, To Die is Gain
Philippians 1:20-26
David Feddes

²⁰ I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹ For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. ²² If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³ I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; ²⁴ but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. ²⁵ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶ so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

TO LIVE IS CHRIST
TO DIE IS GAIN

To live is Christ

• Live in his life; act by his action
• Think his thoughts; shine his light
• Aid others’ progress and joy
• Know Christ better and better
• Love, knowledge, insight, purity, joy, peace, courage, contentment

Fruitful labor
If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me… I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

TO LIVE IS CHRIST
TO DIE IS GAIN

Fake news about departed souls

• “Their soul is asleep.”
• “Their spirit is still with us.”
• “Heaven gained another angel.”
• “They deserve to go to heaven.”

To die is gain

• Body asleep; soul awake
• Escorted by angels to Paradise
• At home with Christ
• Enjoy saints and angels
• Joys beyond earthly words
• Await body like Christ’s body

Four stages

• Gut is god; headed for hell
• To live is Christ: fruitful labor
• To die is gain: present heaven
• Resurrection: heaven on earth, body like Jesus’ glorious body

Confident
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 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 Cor 5:6-8)

Goal
So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. (2 Corinthians 5:9)
If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. (Romans 14:8)
Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.(Phil 1:20)

TO LIVE IS CHRIST
TO DIE IS GAIN