TO LIVE IS CHRIST

BY

SHELBY G. FLOYD

The apostle Paul was arrested at Jerusalem and he was sent by the governing authorities on a dangerous sea voyage to Rome. The author of the Acts said, “When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself with a soldier to guard him” (Acts 28: 16). What was going on during Paul’s two years of imprisonment in Rome? “For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 28: 30-31). Basically, Paul was preaching and teaching the gospel of Christ to a captive audience.

Paul wrote Philippians from his prison. From a strictly worldly viewpoint, being in prison for no crime seemed to be a bad thing. When Christ is our life, God can take a bad thing and make it a good thing and can even make it a God thing. Paul had a positive spirit. Because of the prayers of the Philippians for him and the power of the Spirit of Christ that was within him, he believed “what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance” (Philippians 1:19).

Paul confessed that he eagerly expected and hoped that he would not be ashamed of the gospel and of Christ. He intended to be bold and courageous in exalting and magnifying Christ whether it was by life or death (Philippians 1:20). He declared, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is again” (Philippians 1:21). If Christ is not our life, we are not ready to die. Paul had already died to sin and now Christ was living in him. To the Galatians he said, “I have been crucified with Christ and 1 no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”(Galatians 2:20). Let all who have been baptized into Christ rise to walk a new life of joy and focus on living for Christ. Copyright © 2011 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved