LIVING FOR CHRIST

Philippians 1: 19 – 30
 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 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. For to me to live [is] Christ, and to die [is] gain. But if I live in the flesh, this [is] the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh [is]more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear [to be] in me.

The whole essence of our calling as Christians is to live for Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. We can only make our lives count when we live for Jesus Christ. Outside of Him is no life at all. Life starts with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and without Him, what man has is mere existence.  (Gen 2:7)  And the LORD God formed man [of]the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

What does it really mean then to live for Jesus?

Verse 21 in our anchor scriptures says it all. Here Apostle Paul was awaiting trial which could probably lead to death sentence in Rome and the church was praying for him to be set free. Whist Paul believed that God would hear the prayer of faith of the church; he however made them to know that in the worst scenario of being killed for Christ sake, his faith in Christ is unshaken. To live for Christ therefore means, committing your entire live to Him without thinking of alternative. It means it can only be Jesus in your life. Living for Christ means you have no other life to live than for Jesus. By extension, it then means that your entire loyalty and obedience is for no other but Jesus Christ. When you are facing a death situation just like Apostle Paul, you just want go with Him.  It means Christ must be everything to you.(2Cor. 5: 15 Amp.)