What Are You Living For?

Philippians 1:21 (NASB)
²¹  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 

In a newsletter article William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, wrote the following; "What are you living for? What is the deep secret purpose that controls and fashions your existence? What is the end of your marrying and giving in marriage, your money making and toilings and planning?"

Paul answered those questions simply. To live is Christ. The purpose of life for a Christian is to love Christ, serve Christ, follow Christ, model Christ and to tell others about Christ. Squeeze Paul with pressure through persecution and Christ comes out repeatedly. It is to be the same for us. 

It is easy to forget this. In a world full of distractions like  ball games, entertainment, work, recreation, family, and church we forget the essence of life is Christ and our service to Him. We forget all those other things are temporal and will not matter in the light of eternity. 

Paul also writes death is gain. The word gain means profitable and advantageous. How easily we also forget we were created for another world. This is not all there is. This world is a passing shadow in comparison to eternity. Paul saw death is something profitable. Do we? 

I like what the famous evangelist o, D.L. Moody, nce said as he neared death gathered by loved ones. He said, "One day you will hear or read in the papers D.L. Moody died. Don't believe a word of it. I will be more alive then than I have ever been." 


To forever be with Jesus is gain. To never experience death or attend another funeral is gain. Heaven is beyond our comprehension.

What are you living for? Is Jesus the essence of life for you? Do you look at your eventual death as gain? If you put your trust in Jesus for salvation, Jesus is your purpose for living and death will be a profitable day.