For Me to Live is Christ

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

What a remarkable statement from Paul the Apostle! As he drew close to the end of his ministry on the earth, while in prison, he wrote to encourage the Philippians. He says for him to continue living is Christ. But if he dies, that is a great gain for him. In either way, it is a win-win for him. What does it mean “ for to me to live is Christ”?

You see the believer is not just a follower of Jesus. Yes, we copy His life but we are far more than mere disciples trying to copy or follow what the Master did. The believer is a continuation of the LIFE of Christ. Christ has been mysteriously united with His people as One. He has been immersed permanently in your being such that He has become your identity yet you remain you. You are the one living, yet not you but Christ living in you! ( Gal. 2:20).

Paul had come to the point in His life that unity with Christ was so perfected that Paul was really Christ living on the earth in and through him. It was no longer Paul, but Christ living in Paul as Paul. His life, nature, purposes, plans, etc were expressed in the life of Paul. In other words, whoever met Paul was actually meeting Christ!

The same is true for you. Living here is Christ for you! That is His purpose in your life. Whoever meets you is not meeting you but really meeting Christ!

MEDITATE

Why does the scripture call you and me the “Body of Christ”? What is the purpose of your body? Declare the words above “for to me to live is Christ. I am a living demonstration of His life”.

APPLY THE WORD

The devotional above shows you God’s eternal plan for your life. Ensure you fully grasp what it is talking about. As you live, talk, act, think, etc, remember you are the expression of the living Christ.