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Philippians 1:22

If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. (Philippians 1:22, ESV)
So, here is the balance for Paul: To live is Christ... To die is gain (Philippians 1:21). To be Christ in this world will be fruitful labor for Paul. It will mean that more of the gospel is being spread abroad, more people will hear the good news, more will come to believe in the one and only savior of the world: Jesus Christ.

As you read through these verses, you can almost feel Paul coming to the realization that he will stay here. He wants to go home, to be done with the labor, to be present with Christ, but almost like a dawning realization, he begins to understand that won't be the deliverance he will experience. He will most likely escape death this time, to continue in the labor. For Paul it is a Win, win situation.


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