Philippians 1:21 - Meaning and Application

Here we have an account of the life and death of blessed Paul. His life was Christ, and his death was gain. Notice, first, that this is the clear mark of every true Christian: to live is Christ. The glory of Christ should be the goal of our life, the grace of Christ should be the power that drives our life, and the word of Christ should be the rule for it. The Christian life comes from Christ and is directed to him. He is its source, its guide, and its end.

Second, all who can say, “To live is Christ,” can also say, “To die is gain.” It is great gain, gain right now, and gain forever. Death is a great loss to a worldly person, because he loses his comforts and hopes. But to a good Christian, death is gain. It ends weakness and misery, and brings full joy and the fulfillment of hope. It frees him from every evil of this life and brings him into the possession of the highest good.

Or Paul may mean, “To me, to die is gain,” meaning that death would help the gospel as well as himself. His blood would give fresh proof to the truth of the gospel, just as his life had already helped by his work. In that way, Christ would be honored by his death (Philippians 1:20). Some understand the whole saying this way: “For me, living and dying, Christ is gain.” That is, “I desire nothing more, whether I live or die, than to win Christ and be found in him.”

It might seem that if death was gain for Paul, he would be eager to leave life and impatient for death. But he was not. He says, “If I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor” (Philippians 1:22). That is, Christ is the fruit of his work. He counted his labor well spent if he could help advance the honor and interest of Christ’s kingdom in the world. It is worth it, for a good Christian and a good minister, to live as long as he can glorify God and do good to the church.

Yet he says, “What I shall choose I do not know, for I am hard pressed between two.” This was a blessed struggle, not between two evils, but between two good things. David was hard pressed by three judgments, sword, famine, and plague. Paul was hard pressed between two blessings, living for Christ and being with Christ. Here he reasons with himself about the matter.

His first inclination was toward death. We see the power of faith and grace here. It can steady the mind in the face of death and make us willing to die, even though death is the end of our present life and the greatest natural evil. By nature we shrink from death, but Paul had a desire for it (Philippians 1:23), “having a desire to depart and be with Christ.” Notice, it is being with Christ that makes departure desirable to a good man. Dying, or laying aside the body, is not pleasant in itself. But if departing is the only way to be with Christ, then it becomes desirable for that reason.

As soon as the soul departs, it is at once with Christ. “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). “Away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8), with no interval between. This is far better, greatly better. Those who know the worth of Christ and heaven will gladly admit that it is far better to be in heaven than in this world, and better to be with Christ than with any creature. In this world we are surrounded by sin, born to trouble, and born again to trouble. But if we come to be with Christ, sin is gone, temptation is gone, sorrow is gone, and death is gone forever.

His judgment, however, was that it was better to live a little longer in this world for the church’s good (Philippians 1:24): “to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.” The church needs ministers, and faithful ministers can be badly missed when the harvest is plentiful and the workers are few. Those who have the strongest reason to want to depart should still be willing to remain in the world as long as God has work for them to do.

Paul’s struggle was not between living in this world and living in heaven. There is no comparison there. His struggle was between serving Christ here and enjoying him there. Still, Christ was the center of his heart. So, for Christ’s honor and the good of his church, he chose to stay here for a while, among oppositions and hardships, and to put aside the immediate joy of his reward.

Then he says, “Having this confidence, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith” (Philippians 1:25). Notice, first, how great Paul’s trust was in God’s providence, that God would direct all things for his good. He was confident that it would be needful for the church that he remain, and so he knew he would remain. Second, whatever is best for the church, God will surely do. If we know what is needed for building up the body of Christ, we may be sure God will provide it, because he will guard its interests and do what is best in every situation. Third, ministers are continued for the church’s progress and joy in the faith, for growth in holiness and comfort. Fourth, whatever increases our faith and the joy that comes from faith greatly helps us onward in the way to heaven. The more faith we have, the more joy we have, and the more faith and joy we have, the more we are advanced in the Christian life. Fifth, there is a real need for a steady ministry, not only to convict and convert sinners, but also to build up saints and help them grow in spiritual life.

He adds, “so that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me, by my coming to you again” (Philippians 1:26). They were glad at the hope of seeing him and receiving more help through his ministry among them. The continued presence of ministers with the church should be a cause of joy for all who care about the church and its good. But all our joy should end in Christ. Our joy in good ministers should be joy in Christ Jesus because of them, since they are only the friends of the bridegroom and must be received in his name and for his sake.