For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain Philippians 1:21
The above text has both a present and a future dimension.
Both are vital to the believer. But why is it Christians tend to find great comfort in the latter, future aspect, but at the same time go soft on the present, “to live is Christ”? I believe the answer lies in the fact that we fail to appreciate who we are in Christ who is totally sufficient for ‘life and godliness’ (2 Peter 1:3).
We have this correct theological understanding that we are now God’s children who have obtained eternal life in Jesus Christ alone - but so often our present state is merely one where Christ is attached but not central. We tend to rely so much on what we can discover through human wisdom for direction, stability, comfort, peace, and relationships, all of which is found in Christ alone. We fail see and know Jesus as being all-sufficient for life and godliness. I like how Sinclair B. Ferguson in his book Grow in Grace states this:
The whole of the Christian life is centered on Jesus Christ. Like Paul, the contemporary Christian can say: “To me to live is Christ.” But often, in Christian experience, we are tempted to look elsewhere for direction, example, counsel and guidance. We lose sight of the fact that everything we need to live the Christian life is to be found exclusively in Christ. For this reason when we begin thinking about spiritual growth we must think first of all about Christ.