For me to be living is Christ, and to be dying, gain
Paul to the Philippians 1: 21, Concordant New Testament
There are plenty of people who talk a good game when it comes to following Jesus. I have come to know a few of them. Back in my church days, to follow Jesus was as close to Him that I could ever hope to be. As a sinner, I was taught that Jesus could never be in the presence of sin. Never mind the fact that He was scolded by the Pharisees and teachers of His day for dining with sinners and tax collectors {Matthews Account 9:10-12). Despite that, I had been taught by those within the church that to "Be like Jesus" was the closest that I could ever hope to be to my Savior. This kept me at a distance from truly knowing Him. It wasn't until I had been away from the church for awhile that I realized that what I had been taught was a but another lie spoken by the institutional church. I realized that Jesus has been with me all along despite the man the church told me that I was. The words of the apostle Paul speak to his knowing of his own life in Christ. For Paul "To be living is Christ, and to be dying, gain" {Paul to the Philippians 1:21}. Paul recognized that which he once knew was no more. His life was no more, for he had been crucified on that cross with Jesus {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}. What remained is his life within Christ Jesus. I often wonder what Paul would say to one of the pulpit pounders of today who speak to our life apart from Jesus. The evangel of Paul speaks to us not of a life separated from Christ, but our life AS Christ. Jesus Himself was criticized for speaking that "I and the Father, we are one" {Johns Account 10:30}. The Pharisees of His day must have been pulling their hair out at this blasphemous statement. Yet this is the truth we have in Christ. Jesus has assured us of a life lived within the love of the Father {Johns Account 14:20}. But, for their part, the church continues to speak to Jesus and Gods children being separated by sin.
It's not too difficult to see that this world which we live in is one of wickedness. Those within the church will proclaim that we are bound to this wicked world. That our only hope lies with living a righteous life and punching our ticket to heaven. Yet Jesus has assured us that He Himself has overcome the world {Johns Account 16:33}. This doesn't mean that we will not have trying circumstances, but that we do not live within the confines of this world. Our home is not in flesh and blood, but within the love and grace of the Father. This might seem difficult to fathom when we are faced with the every day challenges of life, but I believe that this is exactly why Jesus reminds us that He has overcome the world and all associated with it. In the words of Paul, our life is IN Christ Jesus. What fear, then, is there of death if we already know our future? Again, Paul reminds us that to be dying, is gain {Paul to the Philippians 1:21}. Death is not the end, but a beginning. Knowing what I know of my own life in Christ, I would say that death is merely a continuation of what we're now living in the Father. Walk into any funeral service and you'll likely encounter a pretty somber atmosphere. There's more than likely a feeling of finality. That this is the final act of a ones existence. I experienced this with the death of my mother. Even our so called "Celebrations of life" often leave out the truth of the union life we live in the Father. The message is clear, death is final! Not according to Paul. In the words of his evangel, death is our ultimate gain. Welcome to the Jesus life.
In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you
Johns Account 14: 20, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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