Victory in Christ
 

Christ is all in Life or Death

By Pastor H. A. Ironside

From his book, Notes on the Epistle to the Philippians, 1922, pages 28-31.

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.” Philippians 1:21-26

“To me to live is Christ” is Christian life and experience in its fullness. It has often been remarked, and is well worth remembering, that Christians have many experiences which are not properly Christian experience. The man described in the 7th of Romans is undergoing an experience which will be for his future blessing, but it ‘is not proper Christian experience, though it is clearly enough the experience of a Christian.

 

Christ Him self, so dominating and controlling the believer, that his one object is to live to His glory, is what Paul has before him here. This should be the experience of Christians at all times. But, alas, how few of us enter into it in its entirety. It implies a surrendered will, and the body yielded to the Lord who has redeemed it, that it may be used only to His praise This is life in its truest sense....

We may, perhaps, better understand the experience, ”For me to live is Christ,” if we consider for a moment what life means to many another. The Christless business man, whose one aim and object is to obtain wealth, might well say, “For me to live is money.” The careless seeker after the world’s pleasures, if he told the truth, would say, “For me to live is worldly pleasure.” The carnal voluptuary given up ‘to self-gratification, would say, “For me to live is self.” The statesman, exulting in the plaudits of the people, and craving world-notoriety, might truthfully declare, “For me to live is fame and power.”

 

But Paul could say, and every Christian should be able to say, “For me to live is Christ.”
 

And it is only such who can heartily add, “And to die is gain.” Death is no enemy to the one to whom Christ is all. To live gives opportunity to manifest Christ down here; to die is to be with Christ, than which nothing could be more precious.
 

The apostle himself was in a dilemma as to which of these he would prefer, were the choice left to him. If permitted to continue in the body, he would have further opportunity of service for Him who had claimed him as His own and called him to this ministry. But, on the other hand, he longed “to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better.” His had been a life of toil and suffering for Christ’s sake, such as only a Spirit-sustained man could have endured without fainting; and as he lay in the Roman prison, his heart longed for release—a release which would mean to be forever with Christ. Labor for Christ was sweet, but rest with Christ would be sweeter.
 

[Pastor] Whitefield used to say, “I am often weary, in the work, but never weary of it,” and such was, doubtless, the attitude of our apostle. He loved to serve, yet longed too for the hour of release, with no selfish motive in it, for his one object was Christ, whether in life or in death.


It is amazing how anyone, with words such as these before him, could question for a moment that the Word of God teaches the consciousness of the spirit after death. Paul had no thought that his spirit would be buried in the grave with his body, or that his soul would sleep until the resurrection day. Death to him would be a departure, an exodus, a moving out of the travel-worn earthly tabernacle, and a going to be with Christ, until the first resurrection at the coming of the Lord.
 

As he weighs everything, the unselfishness of the man comes out strikingly. He sees the need of the Church of God. As it is now, so it was then. There were many evangelists... but few teachers and pastors who really carried the people of God upon their hearts; and he felt that to abide in the flesh was more needful for the flock than rest was for himself. So he says he has confidence that he should abide a little longer, and continue in this scene of labor for the furtherance and joy of faith of the people of God.

Thou my everlasting Portion, more than friend or life to me,
All along my pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with Thee.
Close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee,
All along my pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with Thee.

Not for ease or worldly pleasure, nor for fame my prayer shall be;
Gladly will I toil and suffer, only let me walk with Thee.
Close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee,
Gladly will I toil and suffer, only let me walk with Thee.

Lead me through the vale of shadows, bear me over life’s fitful sea;
Then the gate of life eternal may I enter, Lord, with Thee.
Close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee,
Then the gate of life eternal may I enter, Lord, with Thee.

Hear the melody: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/c/l/closthee.htm

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