Jesus is EVERYTHING to the Christian
10/7 Reading Portions: 1 Kings 10; Philippians 1; Ezekiel 40; Psalm 91
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10/7 Reading Portions: 1 Kings 10; Philippians 1; Ezekiel 40; Psalm 91
Philippians 1:21
For me to live is Christ...
CHRIST
When Paul applies this truth to himself, saying, “For me to live,” he is not expressing an opinion here. He lets us know that there are Christian believers who don’t live like this; and more, there are those who have made some kind of profession of faith, who, sadly, won’t live a life that is Christ (Phil 1:17). To live is Christ should be the foremost axiom and motto for every believer in Christ; and we will have to leave the last part of this verse, “and to die is gain,” for another time, as there is far too much here to ponder in this small portion. What does the apostle mean by his living to Christ? Actually, he spends the rest of this chapter, as well as the following three, to explain it; and it is far more than many believers, even some scholars of the Word, understand it to mean. The Lord Jesus Christ is not merely a goal for you and me. If the Lord Jesus is anything to us, He must be Everything, else He is nothing. Through Christ’s humble incarnation and obedient sacrifice (Phil 2:5-8), the Father’s exaltation of Him (Phil 2:9-11) establishes our Lord Jesus as more than something added to our lives to make it better. The Lord Jesus Messiah is very Life Himself. He is our every breath, every beat of the heart, and every blink of the eye. Jesus is our nourishment in every morsel of food, our refreshment in every drop of drink, our rest in every moment of sleep and repose, our wonder in every waking hour, and our joy in every labor exerted and service extended for His glory. The corruptions of our remaining flesh oppose this. This is why we must embrace the truth of our Savior daily in Scripture, be focused on His person and work as we are instant in prayer, always esteeming others more than ourselves because of His sacrifice, and recognizing His sovereign providence in every situation and circumstance until He comes again or calls us home. And He promises to empower us to do so, as Paul tells us later:
And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
“To live is Christ,” it means much more
Than many Christian pilgrims think;
Christ is the Bread of Life, for sure,
And Living Water, we must drink.