Philip 1: 20-22

[galatians22067]

Php 1:20  According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

Php 1:21  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.


What does Paul mean here by saying Christ shall be magnified whether by life or death and to live is Christ but to die is gain ?


Thanks ,

Matt

[Beloved]

Paul in contemplating his upcoming death in Rome

These scriptures are not a contradiction. Paul is saying that the way he lives his life magnifies God and if he dies that too will magnify God because he has already laid it down daily.

Spiritutally to live is life (Christ the Tree of Life), to die (spiritually and physically) is gain> to lay down self spiritually when you are alive means that you do not have to go through the second death.  To lay down your physical life is gain, you follow Christ example and you no that the flesh profeth nothing. 

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me
Rom 6:8  Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

2Ti 2:11  It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.   This talking about physically and spiritual death for the chosen first , and then eventually for all.

(1Co 15:17)  And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
(1Co 15:18)  Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.This statment is to believers, regarding doubting the Ressurecton of Christ

(1Th 4:16)  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:    If Paul dies, then he is with the dead 'in christ' that is a gain

This all goes along with In the next scriptures in Phillipians , Paul is not saying that he will be (in heaven )with Christ when he dies because he knows that all sleep when they physically die. He is meaning that he is already dead and living in Christ and Christ is in his heaven now spiritually. His spirit will return to God be there when he dies and that it will be reunited with his body at the last trump.



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