Yet Which I Will Choose - Philippians 1:19-23

Philippians 1:19-23 ESV 

for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,

as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.

I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

Those who believe in Christ will not be ashamed. It is an expectation and hope that is based on the promise of God which is more dependable than a promise of man because it is already accomplished. The word of God is spoken and creation came forth from beginning to end. We have been placed on this earth that we might find the tree of life. Eating it's fruit will yield everlasting life. 

We now live in the body of Christ. Living as Christ we give Him honor in our body. Paul says that to die is to gain. Now Christ is with us, but when we die we will be with Christ in a new and glorious way, face to face. To be with Christ is to gain more of the inheritance that awaits, for He is our inheritance. 

Paul then says something interesting. He doesn't know if he will choose life or death. It is a difficult decision. He has a strong desire and to leave and be with the Lord. He decides to remain for the benefit of the Philippians with helping them in their walk of faith. His decision will bear fruit for all of us. 

Does this mean we can decide whether we live or die? We have already made the decision between life and death when we chose to believe the Lord, for He is our life. We will pass from this body, but we have already passed into life. May we have the courage to honor Christ in all things as members of the body of Christ.