Life of Paul

To understand Paul's life, one must read the Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline Epistles together.   A simple fact caught my attention as I read about Paul's journey to Rome.  Just before the journey, Paul was a prisoner in Caesarea (by the Sea) for about two years since the Jews wanted him dead.  Paul had appealed to Caesar and so he was bound and handed over to Julius, a centurion of the Imperial Regiment.  Their journey to Rome started from Adramyttium and landed at Sidon the next day.  What impressed me was the trust the Centurion had in Paul.  The Centurion had so much faith in Paul that Paul would not run away that he allowed him to visit with his friends at Sidon!  What a testimony.  Something in Paul's character radiated trust.  The question we have to answer today is whether my life and yours evoke the same kind of trust in the hearts of the people around us!

In Philippians 1:21, Paul says, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."  Most people focus on the second part of the verse and contemplate the joys of heaven.  But we should not overlook what comes before that.   We have to live like Jesus wants us to live during our time on earth.  When we want to live for Christ, we cannot be man-pleasers.  In Galatians 1:10, Paul says that if he tried to please man, he would not be a servant of Christ.  Jesus said we could not serve two masters (Mt. 6:24).  Those who wish to live for God must seek Him in His Word.  And we must seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to apply the Word to our lives.  Living for God means desiring God's will above all else.  As we draw nearer to God and come to know Him more, His desires will naturally become ours.  As we mature, our desire to obey God's commands should increase as our love for Him increases.  Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15).  Then the people around us can see Christ in us and that will automatically create trust.

My friend, the importance of the phrase "to live is Christ" cannot be overstated.  This phrase should be central to every Christian's life.  I believe dying for Christ is a lot easier than living for Christ!   Let us pray that our lives would radiate the aroma of Christ in every aspect with the help of the Holy Spirit!

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