Christian, what is the purpose of your life? To what end do you live it?
We all should be able to exclaim with Paul, “for me to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21). Likewise, we should know with certainty that “to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).
We are but sojourners here, subjects of the King, awaiting our entry into His Kingdom, just as were those great men of faith who lived long ago (Heb. 11). Let us then put aside any love for this world and the things in it; for such is not from the Father but from the world (1 Jn. 2:15-16).
Shall we not instead allow Christ to live through us, living by faith (Gal. 2:20), as slaves of righteousness (Rom. 6:16-20)? We were bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:20), purchased by God’s own blood (Acts 20:28). How then can we not give ourselves over to Him who purchased us?
No, let us not be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds, presenting ourselves, our bodies, as holy sacrifices to God (Rom. 12:1-2). And let us for Christ’s sake consider as loss those things which the world treasures, and set our sights on the knowledge of Christ, the value of which surpasses anything this world may offer (Phil. 3:7-8).
——————
Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions
Morning, January 7
"For me to live is Christ." Philippians 1:21
The believer did not always live to Christ. He began to do so when God the Holy Spirit convinced him of sin, and when by grace he was brought to see the dying Saviour making a propitiation for his guilt. From the moment of the new and celestial birth the man begins to live to Christ. Jesus is to believers the one pearl of great price, for whom we are willing to part with all that we have. He has so completely won our love, that it beats alone for Him; to His glory we would live, and in defence of His gospel we would die; He is the pattern of our life, and the model after which we would sculpture our character. Paul's words mean more than most men think; they imply that the aim and end of his life was Christ- nay, his life itself was Jesus. In the words of an ancient saint, he did eat, and drink, and sleep eternal life. Jesus was his very breath, the soul of his soul, the heart of his heart, the life of his life. Can you say, as a professing Christian, that you live up to this idea? Can you honestly say that for you to live is Christ? Your business- are you doing it for Christ? Is it not done for self- aggrandizement and for family advantage? Do you ask, "Is that a mean reason?" For the Christian it is. He professes to live for Christ; how can he live for another object without committing a spiritual adultery? Many there are who carry out this principle in some measure; but who is there that dare say that he hath lived wholly for Christ as the apostle did? Yet, this alone is the true life of a Christian- its source, its sustenance, its fashion, its end, all gathered up in one word- Christ Jesus. Lord, accept me; I here present myself, praying to live only in Thee and to Thee. Let me be as the bullock which stands between the plough and the altar, to work or to be sacrificed; and let my motto be, "Ready for either."
Christian, what is the purpose of your life? To what end do you live it?
We all should be able to exclaim with Paul, “for me to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21). Likewise, we should know with certainty that “to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).
We are but sojourners here, subjects of the King, awaiting our entry into His Kingdom, just as were those great men of faith who lived long ago (Heb. 11). Let us then put aside any love for this world and the things in it; for such is not from the Father but from the world (1 Jn. 2:15-16).
Shall we not instead allow Christ to live through us, living by faith (Gal. 2:20), as slaves of righteousness (Rom. 6:16-20)? We were bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:20), purchased by God’s own blood (Acts 20:28). How then can we not give ourselves over to Him who purchased us?
No, let us not be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds, presenting ourselves, our bodies, as holy sacrifices to God (Rom. 12:1-2). And let us for Christ’s sake consider as loss those things which the world treasures, and set our sights on the knowledge of Christ, the value of which surpasses anything this world may offer (Phil. 3:7-8).
——————
Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions
Morning, January 7
"For me to live is Christ." Philippians 1:21
The believer did not always live to Christ. He began to do so when God the Holy Spirit convinced him of sin, and when by grace he was brought to see the dying Saviour making a propitiation for his guilt. From the moment of the new and celestial birth the man begins to live to Christ. Jesus is to believers the one pearl of great price, for whom we are willing to part with all that we have. He has so completely won our love, that it beats alone for Him; to His glory we would live, and in defence of His gospel we would die; He is the pattern of our life, and the model after which we would sculpture our character. Paul's words mean more than most men think; they imply that the aim and end of his life was Christ- nay, his life itself was Jesus. In the words of an ancient saint, he did eat, and drink, and sleep eternal life. Jesus was his very breath, the soul of his soul, the heart of his heart, the life of his life. Can you say, as a professing Christian, that you live up to this idea? Can you honestly say that for you to live is Christ? Your business- are you doing it for Christ? Is it not done for self- aggrandizement and for family advantage? Do you ask, "Is that a mean reason?" For the Christian it is. He professes to live for Christ; how can he live for another object without committing a spiritual adultery? Many there are who carry out this principle in some measure; but who is there that dare say that he hath lived wholly for Christ as the apostle did? Yet, this alone is the true life of a Christian- its source, its sustenance, its fashion, its end, all gathered up in one word- Christ Jesus. Lord, accept me; I here present myself, praying to live only in Thee and to Thee. Let me be as the bullock which stands between the plough and the altar, to work or to be sacrificed; and let my motto be, "Ready for either."
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