For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21
“Gaining Christ more than covers any loss incurred for the sake of Christ, even the loss of life itself. If to live is Christ, then to die is gain. The word gain means something advantageous, a profit. Since Paul uses the same word for gain here in 1:21 (to die is gain) as he does in 3:8 (that I may gain Christ), he appears to be saying that the gain of dying is Christ. He says as much in verse 23: I desire to depart and be with Christ. According to one common interpretation of this expression in verse 23, Paul’s aspiration of knowing Christ more fully in the process of living would be completely fulfilled when he enjoyed the immediate presence of Christ after death.
Another way of interpreting the word gain builds on the use of this word in classical literature to express the relief that death brings from the pain of living. In Sophocles’ play, Antigone says, “Whoever lives has many ills as I — how does this one not get gain by dying?” Paul’s life was so marked by suffering that he might be expected to view death as a way to escape the agony of life. That was a common view of death in his Hellenistic culture… But to view death as an escape from a painful life does not seem to be the perspective of Paul. He constantly asserts in this letter that his painful life is a joyful life since it’s centered in Christ. Dying is gain, not because it is an escape from life, but because it leads to union with Christ, the goal of life.”
G. Walter Hansen in The Letter to the Philippians (PNTC; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009) 82-83.
I want to dedicate today’s post to a friend, Bill Hamel, because he shares the perspective of Paul that to live is Christ, and to die is gain. I got to work with him on a part-time basis when he served as president of the Evangelical Free Church of America and my role was to help pastors nurture a culture of generosity in their churches. Though his health and strength is failing, his perspective remains fixed on the fact that soon his life will be “completely fulfilled” for in death he will experience union with our Lord Jesus Christ. Pure joy.
Many in the tabloids today, however, follow the classical Greek view of dying as an “escape from life” and “the pain of living,” as Hansen puts it. Too often, celebrities that make us laugh (or cry) one day, are in the obituaries the next day because they did not taste joy while living or anticipate the gain of union with Christ in the future. For them, life is emptiness so ending their lives is about ending their pain. Sadly, rather than ending their pain, for eternity they will experience endless torment as numerous biblical texts note.
So, to think about gain in the most positive way, gain is union with Christ. It was true for Paul and it’s true for Bill and me, but what about you and those around you? I have said this before, but I say it again, in honor of Bill. Our greatest act of generosity is sharing the abundant life of Jesus Christ with others. It’s the most generous gift, because it’s priceless. Today, I fly to the east coast with Jenni to speak at Black Rock Retreat this week. I plan to share this good news at family camp because I want everyone to take hold of it.