“For me to live IS Christ To Die IS Gain”- {Phil 1:21.}
Perhaps you have heard of an athlete whom it says at the end of their career went out a “winner.” That may be true but is temporal, but every Christian goes out a WINNER into eternity!
“GAIN” is emphasized in the second part of the statement on dying. The word “gain” means “profit or advantage.” It was used for monetary profit, to make money. “Gain” was also used in the sense of “to win something.” Death was not the end for Paul but a win for Paul. To die was to be with Christ, to see Him and be with Him for eternity. Gain in dying! Winning in death is to be with Christ! Notice again there is no verb because “is” is italicized in “to die is gain.” This put great emphasis in the Greek on the word “gain.” Paul is shouting that death is gain for the follower of Christ for they will meet Jesus face to face, embraced by Him and be at Home with Him!
From our side we may say when someone dies, “we lost them…” or they lost their battle to….” But while we may speak in terms of we “lost,” from God’s perspective when the follower of Christ dies the verdict is they “WIN!”
“GAIN” for the follower of Christ is dying- we WIN!