Do you think about dying? Well, it is literally a morbid thought.
But when the Apostle Paul said, “To live is Christ,” he added, “and to die is gain.”
Do you believe that? Do you believe that dying is gain?
Most people don’t.
Apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, life ultimately has no meaning, no purpose, no direction. And death has no meaning or purpose either. In the minds of most, death simply is the end of existence.
But not in the minds of the apostles. For them, dying was an exciting proposition.
I can think of several ways in which dying is gain for all believers—even believers who are out of fellowship with God when they die:i
- Having an intermediate body that is free of pain or suffering
- Enjoying an experience that is forever free of sin
- Living in the glorious third heaven
- Living in the presence of the Lord Jesus, God the Father, the Holy Spirit, the angels, and all departed believers of all time
- Excitedly awaiting the Rapture, gaining a permanent glorified body, and the coming kingdom
I can think of some additional ways in which dying is especially a gain for the believer who is in fellowship with God:ii
- Knowing that you will be chosen to rule with Christ (though not knowing the number of cities, the amount of treasure, etc.)
- Knowing that you will have confidence and not shame at the Bema
- Looking forward to ruling with Christ and the perks that come with that, such as eating the fruit of the Tree of Life, eating the hidden manna, having a special white stone with a special nickname engraved on it, and having special white garments
Fee comments:
…the sense lies in Paul’s understanding death to be the ultimate “gaining” of his lifelong passion. This expresses neither a death wish nor dissatisfaction with life nor desire to be “done with troubles and trials”; it is the forthright assessment of one whose future in terms of “life in the flesh” is somewhat uncertain, but whose ultimate future is both certain and to be desired. Death, after all, because it is “ours” in Christ Jesus, has thereby lost its sting. It should go without saying that such a statement has meaning only for one to whom the first clause is a vibrant, living reality. Otherwise, death is loss, or “gain” only in the sense of escape (Philippians, p. 142).
Paul was not, however, saying that dying is a gain for those we leave behind. In the very passage where he talks about dying’s being gain, he said that living on was “more needful for you [the believers in Philippi]” and for their continued “progress and joy of faith.” In 1 Thess 4:13-18, where he deals extensively with the death of believing loved ones, he indicates that we are not to grieve as unbelievers do. We grieve the loss of our spouse, parents, children, and loved ones. But if they are believers, we know they are with the Lord and that dying was gain for them. Our grief is different because of our faith in Christ.
Believers should walk the fine line Paul did. We long to live as long as we can continue to be fruitful in our service for Christ. But we are ready to be raptured or to die any day. Since “to live is Christ,” our daily experience revolves around pleasing Him. That gives our lives eternal meaning and significance. We are not those who live lives of quiet desperation, as Thoreau suggested is true of most people.
Keep grace in focus, and you will glorify Christ in your living and in your dying.
