Life Goes On...Much Better with the Gospel!

What an eventful week! It started out with our busy Gospel meeting Sunday, which was basically non-stop from our 9:30 am Bible class to the area-wide singing that ended a little past 4:00 pm. In between those Sunday times there was great preaching/teaching by brother Bob Burkert, awesome congregational singing, fine fellowship and food, and our new brother in Christ, Darrick Jordan, was baptized! The week continued with excellent lessons delivered by Bob each evening on very timely topics. Although the evenings may have been somewhat hectic for families with kids in school and jobs to work during the day, being present was well worth the effort, for the Gospel was preached and we were edified! The week ended on a somewhat sad note, with the passing of our beloved brother in Christ, John Spivey.

In many ways we are glad the past week is over. Even though most of it for many of us was great, it’s good to get back to a normal time schedule. However, just because this past, busy week is over, does not mean we forget what we learned from God’s word. Life still goes on! Whether life is quiet, hectic, joyful, or sad, it is so much better when we are faithful in Christ. Paul said it best from a prison cell, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). By this, Paul meant that no matter what happened to him—whether he were released from prison or put to death—he would be victorious (cf. Phil. 1:21-24). “To live is Christ” means that the essence of Paul’s life was Christ and everything that Christianity entailed. Elsewhere, he wrote, “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” (Gal. 2:20). Our life on earth must be immersed in Christ and His Gospel! When this is the case, as Paul confirmed, “to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21b). The word “gain” carries the idea of profit (Phil. 3:7). Paul’s  death would not only bring him to his heavenly reward, but it would also be an opportunity to glorify God (cf. 1 Pet. 4:16; Rev. 2:10).

Our life should also be characterized by that same “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” attitude. As long as we are in this body, let us glorify God by doing His will and by pointing others to Him (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Then when we, like our brother Spivey before us, depart this life, we can be assured that “when he [Jesus] shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 Jn. 3:2). Departing this life is not a choice (Heb. 9:27); obeying the Gospel is (Mk. 16:15-16). Life is much better with the Gospel!