Daily Lesson for Tuesday 13th of January 2026
Read Philippians 1:23-24. What does Paul mean when he says that “to depart, and be with Christ” is “far better”?
This passage has been greatly misunderstood through the ages. In this week’s passage for study, Paul dealt with the contrast between living and dying. The Christian lives for Christ and may even die for Him. In that sense it is “gain” because our witness is that much more powerful and persuasive (Philippians 1:21). No doubt a person believes when willing to die for that belief.
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But we must also recognize that the dead are really dead. They “know nothing.” They rest in the grave till the resurrection (see Eccl. 9:5; John 5:28-29). That’s why Jesus said of Lazarus, who had died, “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep” (John 11:11).
If, when people die, they go immediately to heaven, imagine how that would be for Lazarus. After four days of Lazarus frolicking in Paradise, an angel comes with the “bad” news: “Sorry, Lazarus, but Jesus is calling you back to earth. You can’t stay here.”
When we follow error to its logical conclusion, we see how erroneous it is. Death is like a dreamless sleep from which Jesus will awaken His faithful followers at the Second Advent; then, together with the living saints, they will be caught up and taken to heaven to be with Jesus forever (see 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
Paul’s “departing” from the present life to be with Christ means to be with Him in suffering and dying (2 Timothy 4:6) in order to “attain to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:11, NKJV). Also, he was no doubt aware that he would close his eyes in death and that the very next thing he would know, in the twinkling of an eye, would be seeing Jesus, who would take him, with all God’s people, to the place Jesus has prepared for all who love Him (John 14:3, 1 Corinthians 2:9).
Though willing to die for Christ, Paul knew it would be better for the Philippians if he would “remain in the flesh” (Philippians 1:24, NKJV). Interestingly, for the Christian, whether it is better to live for Christ or die for Him is not necessarily easy to answer. Paul was “hard-pressed between the two” (Philippians 1:23, NKJV), between staying alive or resting in the grave.
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Again, however much no one wants to die, have you ever thought about how the moment you die, the next thing you will know is the return of Christ? How might that thought help you understand Paul’s thinking here? |
