.....anchored

When Paul wrote, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” Philippians 1:21, he was not speaking from comfort or safety. He was imprisoned, uncertain of his future, and fully aware that faithfulness to Christ could cost him his life. Yet he viewed death not as defeat, but as gain—because his life was already completely anchored in Christ.

Biblically, death is not glorified, nor is it minimized. Scripture calls it an enemy 1 Corinthians 15:26. Yet for the believer, death has been disarmed by the cross. Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” John 11:25. Because Christ conquered the grave, death no longer has the final word. It becomes a sleep from which God will awaken His faithful at the resurrection 1 Thessalonians 4:13–16.

Illustration in the life of a terminally ill Christian who, near the end of life, chose not to focus on fear but on faith. Though medical treatments had ended, hope had not. Surrounded by family, this believer spoke often of the resurrection morning and the joy of seeing Jesus face to face. There was sorrow in the room, but also peace. Death had lost its terror, because Christ had already secured the victory.

“To the believer, Christ is the resurrection and the life. In our Saviour the life that was lost through sin is restored.” The Desire of Ages, p. 786 Paul also recognized that while life meant fruitful labor for others, death meant rest and reward in Christ’s keeping Philippians 1:22–23. His confidence did not rest in martyrdom itself, but in the certainty that nothing—not even death—could separate him from Christ Romans 8:38–39.

... “to die is gain” because death ends suffering, silences the accusations of the enemy, and places the believer securely in Christ’s care until the resurrection. For those who live in Christ, death is not loss—it is a pause before eternal gain.