For to me, to live is Christ, to die is gain… what
shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to
depart and be with Christ, but it is more necessary for you that I
remain in the body. Philippians 1:21-23
I read about a man (a very rich man) who got angry with his doctor. What had his doctor done wrong? He had told the man that he was sorry, but “there is nothing more we can do for you.”
The very rich man simply couldn’t accept this. He was rich! He could pay whatever was asked! He lived in a country where medical science and technology was second to none! Of course they could do something for him! How dare the doctor suggest otherwise?
But the doctor was speaking the plain, sober truth. No amount of either money or medical expertise could save the man’s life: so he had to get used to the idea.
And then there are people (very strange people) who spend millions of pounds to have their bodies frozen after death, so that in years to come, when medical science has developed still further, they can be unfrozen (eek!) and restored to life.
Physical life is all that matters. We human beings have an entitlement to health and many years… That’s the mentality behind those two examples. Extreme examples, of course – most of us are more sensible and realistic – but it’s the way we are all tempted to feel.
The weekend papers don’t help. Every fortnight there’s another article on how to live longer, how to stay fit into old age, how to maintain optimum health (cue wagging finger: are you eating your five – or is it now seven – a day?).
How refreshing it is, then, to read these striking words of Paul: “to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain… to depart and be with Christ… is better by far.” See how The Message puts it: “Alive, I’m Christ’s messenger; dead, I’m his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can’t lose.”
We mustn’t misunderstand this. It’s not wrong to value this earthly life, even to the point of clinging to it – that desire, that natural instinct, is part of the way we’re made. No way, needless to say, should we head down the road of the Islamist extremists and their gruesome death cult. And it’s certainly not wrong to eat and live wisely and healthily – after all, our bodies, if we are Christians, are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) .
But… if Jesus’ victory over death means anything… if the promise of eternal life means anything… if the New Testament’s vision of the heavenly Jerusalem means anything – then how utterly foolish is a fixation with this earthly life!
I must admit that I write this with some hesitation, because I can’t claim to practice what I preach as well as I would like.
Confession time: I don’t want to die! I quite like my earthly existence, thank you very much. I have not the remotest desire to say good-bye to my family and friends, to the work I am able to do in retirement, to my music-listening and my chess-playing (what a nerd!), to my reading and study, to writing these blogs, to laughter and banter, to supporting Crystal Palace (who’re staying up: wahay!), to just strolling up the street for my paper at 6.30 in the morning.
Yes, I’m still a million miles short of where Paul was when he wrote to his Philippian friends. But that doesn’t mean that what he said isn’t true.
Perhaps my problem (problem?!), and possibly yours too, is that my life is too easy: prosperous, comfortable, pleasant in all sorts of ways. Perhaps if I lived in some harder part of the world, or under some more oppressive government, I would feel different: looking forward to death, like Paul, rather than shrinking from it. Over my time as a minister I have had people asking me to pray for them that “the Lord would take me”: perhaps that will be me one day.
Whatever, the fact is that Christian faith holds out this assurance: that if your trust is in Jesus, you can only gain by dying. Death, which Paul describes elsewhere as “the last enemy” (1 Corinthians 15:26) can become a friend.
Two or three hundred years ago Christians were often urged not only to live well, but also to die well. It was seen as an act of Christian witness and testimony; there are stories of people being converted through the manner of some Christian’s dying.
A whole new take on dying! Isn’t that something our this-world-fixated culture needs? – and something we, in Christ, can offer?
Lord Jesus, help me to live – and to die! – to your glory. Amen.
I read about a man (a very rich man) who got angry with his doctor. What had his doctor done wrong? He had told the man that he was sorry, but “there is nothing more we can do for you.”
The very rich man simply couldn’t accept this. He was rich! He could pay whatever was asked! He lived in a country where medical science and technology was second to none! Of course they could do something for him! How dare the doctor suggest otherwise?
But the doctor was speaking the plain, sober truth. No amount of either money or medical expertise could save the man’s life: so he had to get used to the idea.
And then there are people (very strange people) who spend millions of pounds to have their bodies frozen after death, so that in years to come, when medical science has developed still further, they can be unfrozen (eek!) and restored to life.
Physical life is all that matters. We human beings have an entitlement to health and many years… That’s the mentality behind those two examples. Extreme examples, of course – most of us are more sensible and realistic – but it’s the way we are all tempted to feel.
The weekend papers don’t help. Every fortnight there’s another article on how to live longer, how to stay fit into old age, how to maintain optimum health (cue wagging finger: are you eating your five – or is it now seven – a day?).
How refreshing it is, then, to read these striking words of Paul: “to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain… to depart and be with Christ… is better by far.” See how The Message puts it: “Alive, I’m Christ’s messenger; dead, I’m his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can’t lose.”
We mustn’t misunderstand this. It’s not wrong to value this earthly life, even to the point of clinging to it – that desire, that natural instinct, is part of the way we’re made. No way, needless to say, should we head down the road of the Islamist extremists and their gruesome death cult. And it’s certainly not wrong to eat and live wisely and healthily – after all, our bodies, if we are Christians, are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) .
But… if Jesus’ victory over death means anything… if the promise of eternal life means anything… if the New Testament’s vision of the heavenly Jerusalem means anything – then how utterly foolish is a fixation with this earthly life!
I must admit that I write this with some hesitation, because I can’t claim to practice what I preach as well as I would like.
Confession time: I don’t want to die! I quite like my earthly existence, thank you very much. I have not the remotest desire to say good-bye to my family and friends, to the work I am able to do in retirement, to my music-listening and my chess-playing (what a nerd!), to my reading and study, to writing these blogs, to laughter and banter, to supporting Crystal Palace (who’re staying up: wahay!), to just strolling up the street for my paper at 6.30 in the morning.
Yes, I’m still a million miles short of where Paul was when he wrote to his Philippian friends. But that doesn’t mean that what he said isn’t true.
Perhaps my problem (problem?!), and possibly yours too, is that my life is too easy: prosperous, comfortable, pleasant in all sorts of ways. Perhaps if I lived in some harder part of the world, or under some more oppressive government, I would feel different: looking forward to death, like Paul, rather than shrinking from it. Over my time as a minister I have had people asking me to pray for them that “the Lord would take me”: perhaps that will be me one day.
Whatever, the fact is that Christian faith holds out this assurance: that if your trust is in Jesus, you can only gain by dying. Death, which Paul describes elsewhere as “the last enemy” (1 Corinthians 15:26) can become a friend.
Two or three hundred years ago Christians were often urged not only to live well, but also to die well. It was seen as an act of Christian witness and testimony; there are stories of people being converted through the manner of some Christian’s dying.
A whole new take on dying! Isn’t that something our this-world-fixated culture needs? – and something we, in Christ, can offer?
Lord Jesus, help me to live – and to die! – to your glory. Amen.
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