In verse 21 Paul says, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” In this verse we have a contrast between Christ and gain. Some may think that the gain here refers to Christ. Although in a sense it may refer to Christ, it refers to Christ in a different way, not to the Christ we experience by living Him. In a practical way, the gain in verse 21 is the presence of Christ. When Paul said, “To die is gain,” he meant that to die is to enjoy Christ’s presence in a better way. In verse 23 Paul says that his desire is to depart and to be with Christ. To be with Christ is a matter of degree, not of place. While Paul was desiring to be with Christ in a higher degree, he was already with Him continually. Through his physical death, he would be with Christ to a fuller extent than he enjoyed in this earthly life.
When Paul was in prison, he enjoyed Christ and experienced Him in two ways. One way was to enjoy the presence of Christ, and the other way was to live Christ. There is a vast difference between enjoying the presence of Christ and living Christ. For example, I may enjoy my wife’s presence, but I cannot live her. By this we see that we may enjoy a person’s presence without living that person. Paul not only enjoyed the Lord’s presence, but he also lived Him. He knew that when he died he would have no further opportunity to live Christ, but he would enter into a higher enjoyment of the presence of Christ. Therefore, to die would be gain. What Paul valued was not only the presence of Christ, but also the opportunity to live Him.
Throughout the centuries, Christians have been encouraged to practice the presence of the Lord. However, there has been little encouragement, if any, to live Him. Many believers are familiar with the famous book The Practice of the Presence of God and have been encouraged by it to endeavor to live in God’s presence. However, the concept of practicing the presence of God is mainly an Old Testament concept, not a New Testament one. Yes, according to the New Testament, we may enjoy the Lord’s presence on the one hand. But, on the other hand, we should practice living Him. We have not only the Lord’s presence, but we also have His Person. Not only do we need to be in His presence; we also need to be one person with Him and live Him. To live Christ is a much deeper experience than simply to be in His presence. Living Him goes far beyond the enjoyment of His presence.
Do you intend just to practice the presence of Christ, or is it your desire also to live Christ? To live the Lord is even better than to be with the Lord. Yes, it is a gain to die and be with the Lord in a greater degree than on earth. But it is even better to live Him while we are on earth. Probably you have thanked the Lord for His presence, but have you ever thanked Him for the experience of living Him? It is easy for us to thank the Lord for the sweetness and loveliness of His presence. Many have the habit of doing this. Sometimes when I am about to utter such a thanksgiving to the Lord, I have the conviction within that I am simply following an Old Testament practice. I am then reminded of my need to live Christ. First Corinthians 6:17 says, “He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” We are one spirit with the Lord not only that we may enjoy His presence, but even more that we live Him. But what Christians today are being instructed and helped to live Christ? For years we have been helped to develop the habit of practicing the Lord’s presence. This experience is on the first floor of the Christian life. Now in the Lord’s recovery we must go on to the second floor, to the practice of living Christ.
There certainly is a difference in verse 21 between living Christ and gaining a greater degree of His presence. I can testify that my preference is to live Christ and not just to gain a greater degree of His presence.
In verse 22 Paul goes on to say, “But if to live in the flesh, this to me is fruit from work, and what I shall choose I cannot tell.” To a great extent, the word work has been spoiled. Many Christians care only for a work; they do not care for Christ. But Paul could speak of “fruit from work.” Paul’s use of the word fruit indicates that his work was actually his living. When Paul wrote to the Philippians, he was living in prison; he was not working. This indicates that his living was his work. From such a living work, fruit would come forth. The fruit of this work was Christ lived out, magnified, and ministered to others. The fruit of Paul’s work was thus the transfusion of Christ into others. Therefore, the fruit of work in verse 22 is the issue, the result, of Paul’s living in prison.
Paul’s living work was to minister Christ to others and to transfuse the Christ he magnified into them. As far as Paul was concerned, to die was to gain, but to live was to carry on such a living and fruitful work. It was difficult for him to choose between the two. This was the reason he said, “What I shall choose I cannot tell.” If you had to choose between the gain which comes from dying physically and the fruit which comes from a living work, what would be your choice? I would definitely prefer to live in the flesh in order to carry on the living work of magnifying Christ and transfusing Him into others.