How precious is life?
V23 n35
Often
times one will hear people use the term “how precious life is”. Yet, for
myself, I have to wonder what they are referring to: the physical life that one
lives here on this earth? Or, whether they may actually be referring to the
spiritual life that will be immediately after one’s life here on this earth?
For the majority of people, the physical life here on this earth is that which
they treasure and hold most dear. It is this physical life that they try to
hang unto as long as possible.
Mark 8:35-37, 35 For whosoever will save his life
shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's,
the same shall save it., 36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain
the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange
for his soul? KJV
What is life to you? Is it being here on this earth, and acquiring all of the possessions that one can? Of what profit or good would it do a person, to acquire all of the wealth of the world, and yet lose his soul? And yet, by earthly possessions and earthly wealth, is how most people gauge or measure success here on this earth. Then, they try to apply this same measuring stick into the spiritual arena as well, in spite of that which the Word clearly tells us. How does one measure their relationship with God?
Let’s
look at one of Adam Clarke’s comments concerning this thought.
If
a man should gain the whole world, its riches, honours, and pleasures, and lose
his life, what would all these profit him, seeing they can only be enjoyed
during life? But if the words be applied to the soul, they show the
difficulty-- the necessity-- and importance of salvation. The world, the Devil,
and a man's own heart are opposed to his salvation; therefore it is difficult.
The soul was made for God, and can never be united to him, nor be happy, till
saved from sin: therefore it is necessary. He who is saved from his sin, and
united to God, possesses the utmost felicity that the human soul can enjoy,
either in this or the coming world: therefore, this salvation is important. (from Adam Clarke Commentary)
The
apostle Paul said that for him to live is Christ, and yet to die is gain. Yet,
how many of us hold the same insight or attitude as Paul did?
Philippians 1:21-24, 21 For to me to live is
Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of
my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 23 For I am in a strait betwixt
two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 24
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. KJV
Let’s take a look at Adam Clarke’s comments on these verses.
[For
to me to live is Christ] Whether I live or die, Christ is gain to me. While I
live I am Christ's property and servant, and Christ is my portion; if I die--
if I be called to witness the truth at the expense of my life, this will be
gain; I shall be saved from the remaining troubles and difficulties in life,
and be put immediately in possession of my heavenly inheritance. As, therefore,
it respects myself, it is a matter of perfect indifference to me whether I be
taken off by a violent death, or whether I be permitted to continue here
longer; in either case I can lose nothing.
[But if I live in the flesh] Should I be spared longer, I
shall labour for Christ as I have done; and this is the fruit of my labour,
that Christ shall be magnified by my longer life,
[Yet what I shall choose I wot not.] Had I the two
conditions left to my own choice, whether to die now and go to glory, or
whether to live longer in persecutions and affliction (glorifying Christ by
spreading the Gospel), I could not tell which to prefer.
[For I am in a strait betwixt two] Namely, the dying now,
and being immediately with God; or living longer to preach and spread the
Gospel, and thus glorify Christ among men.
It
appears to be a metaphor taken from the commander of a vessel, in a foreign
port, who feels a strong desire to set sail, and get to his own country and
family; but this desire is counterbalanced by a conviction that the general
interests of the voyage may be best answered by his longer stay in the port
where his vessel now rides; for he is not in dock, he is not aground, but rides
at anchor in the port, and may any hour weigh and be gone. Such was the
condition of the apostle: he was not at home, but although he was abroad it was
on his employer's business; he wishes to return, and is cleared out and ready
to set sail, but he has not received his last orders from his owner, and
whatever desire he may feel to be at home he will faithfully wait until his
final orders arrive.
[To abide in the flesh] It would certainly be gain to
myself to die, but it will be a gain to you if I live. If I die I shall go
immediately to glory; if I live I shall continue to minister to you, and strengthen
you in the faith. (from
Adam Clarke Commentary)
Let
us look at a few of Matthew Henry’s comments on these verses.
We
have here an account of the life and death of blessed Paul: his life was
Christ, and his death was gain. Observe,
1. It is the undoubted character of every good Christian
that to him to live is Christ. The glory of Christ ought to be the end of our
life, the grace of Christ the principle of our life, and the word of Christ the
rule of it. The Christian life is derived from Christ, and directed to him. He
is the principle, rule, and end of it.
2. All those to whom to live is Christ to them to die will be gain: it is great gain, a present gain, everlasting gain. Death is a great loss to a carnal worldly man; for he loses all his comforts and all his hopes: but to a good Christian it is gain, for it is the end of all his weakness and misery and the perfection of his comforts and accomplishment of his hopes; it delivers him from all the evils of life, and brings him to the possession of the chief good. Or, To me to die is gain; that is, "to the gospel as well as to myself, which will receive a further confirmation by the seal of my blood, as it had before by the labours of my life." So Christ would be magnified by his death, v. 20. Some read the whole expression thus: To me, living and dying, Christ is gain; that is, "I desire no more, neither while I live nor when I die, but to win Christ and be found in him." It might be thought, if death were gain to him, he would be weary of life, and impatient for death. No, says he,
I. If I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour
(v. 22), that is, Christ is. He reckoned his labour well bestowed, if he could
be instrumental to advance the honour and interest of the kingdom of Christ in the
world. It is the fruit of my labour. It is worth while for a good Christian and
a good minister to live in the world as long as he can glorify God and do good
to his church. Yet what I shall choose I wot not; for I am in a strait betwixt
two. It was a blessed strait which Paul was in, not between two evil things,
but between two good things. David was in a strait by three judgments-- sword,
famine, and pestilence: Paul was in a strait between two blessings-- living to
Christ, and being with him. Here we have him reasoning with himself upon the
matter.
1. His inclination was for death. See the power of faith
and of divine grace; it can reconcile the mind to death, and make us willing to
die, though death is the destruction of our present nature and the greatest
natural evil. We have naturally an aversion to death, but he had an inclination
to it (v. 23); Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, Observe,
(1.) It is being with Christ which makes a departure
desirable to a good man. It is not simply dying, or putting off the body, it is
not of itself and for its own sake a desirable thing; but it may be necessarily
connected with something else which may make it truly so. If I cannot be with
Christ without departing, I shall reckon it desirable on that account to
depart.
(2.) as soon as ever the soul departs, it is immediately
with Christ. This day shalt thou be with me in paradise, <Lu. 23:43>.
Absent from the body and present with the Lord <2 Cor. 5:8>, without any
interval between. Which is far better, pollo gar mallon kreisson-- very much
exceeding, or vastly preferable. Those who know the value of Christ and heaven
will readily acknowledge it far better to be in heaven than to be in this
world, to be with Christ than to be with any creature; for in this world we are
compassed about with sin, born to trouble, born again to it; but, if we come to
be with Christ, farewell sin and temptation, farewell sorrow and death, for
ever. (from
Matthew Henry's Commentary)
To be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord. This is what the Word clearly tells us; yet, do you really believe this, or only hope that it is so? From Paul’s writings, we can see that Paul saw this as a reality, he knew this to be fact, not fiction. This was the mark of the prize that Paul strived for; that he pressed forward for. What is it that you are seeking? What exactly is it that you are trying to obtain?
John 17:3, And this is life eternal,
that they might know thee the only true God, and
Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. KJV
This is life eternal; to know the only true God, and one can only know the only true God, by knowing Him whom He sent! Have you found out how precious life is?
That
you may know Him,
In
the service of Jesus Christ.
Larry
Gazelka
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