"Far Better"

"It's better than the alternative."

We've likely all heard this quip about aging, and have perhaps expressed it ourselves. The Apostle Paul, however, had a completely different viewpoint.

"For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better" (Philippians 1:23).

Paul believed that physical departure from the present world is not only better, but "far better." Having seen the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, and having been caught up to the "third heaven" (where he witnessed glories too wondrous to describe), Paul knew that but a moment in the direct presence of God is infinitely greater than anything our earthly lives can offer. "In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Psalm 16:11).

Our flesh longs for longevity and even permanence in a world that itself "passeth away" (I John 2:17). It therefore resists and rebels against any notion of a "desire to depart, and to be with Christ." We do not naturally think in such terms, and even the most godly believer may feel great apprehension when considering "the valley of the shadow of death" (Psalm 23:4). It is therefore incumbent upon Christians to establish within our hearts the principled truth of "far better." We must choose to believe that in the twinkling moment of our passing from the earth to the aforementioned "valley," our Great Shepherd will Himself meet us for the journey - "Thou are with me." Paul declared of believers that "to be absent from the body" is synonymous with being "present with the Lord" (II Corinthians 5:8). Physical death ushers us into the presence of "fullness of joy," and "pleasures forevermore" - yes, far better.

We rejoice in our present existence, and Paul's affirmation does not mean that we morbidly long for our earthly demise. We affirm the Psalmist's hope that "surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." Nevertheless we look with him for greater glories: "and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Psalm 23:6). Remaining in this present world is not "better than the alternative." It is far worse actually, but for the glory of God and the blessing of others, it is necessary until our earthly mission is complete. This we must believe, and any notion or emotion to the contrary must be instantly and summarily dismissed from the sensibilities. Just one look into the face of the Lord Jesus, and the Apostle's "far better" will be our joyous and eternal song.

"Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

(I Corinthians 15:51-57)

"Far Better"

"It's better than the alternative."

We've likely all heard this quip about aging, and have perhaps expressed it ourselves. The Apostle Paul, however, had a completely different viewpoint.

"For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better" (Philippians 1:23).

Paul believed that physical departure from the present world is not only better, but "far better." Having seen the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, and having been caught up to the "third heaven" (where he witnessed glories too wondrous to describe), Paul knew that but a moment in the direct presence of God is infinitely greater than anything our earthly lives can offer. "In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Psalm 16:11).

Our flesh longs for longevity and even permanence in a world that itself "passeth away" (I John 2:17). It therefore resists and rebels against any notion of a "desire to depart, and to be with Christ." We do not naturally think in such terms, and even the most godly believer may feel great apprehension when considering "the valley of the shadow of death" (Psalm 23:4). It is therefore incumbent upon Christians to establish within our hearts the principled truth of "far better." We must choose to believe that in the twinkling moment of our passing from the earth to the aforementioned "valley," our Great Shepherd will Himself meet us for the journey - "Thou are with me." Paul declared of believers that "to be absent from the body" is synonymous with being "present with the Lord" (II Corinthians 5:8). Physical death ushers us into the presence of "fullness of joy," and "pleasures forevermore" - yes, far better.

We rejoice in our present existence, and Paul's affirmation does not mean that we morbidly long for our earthly demise. We affirm the Psalmist's hope that "surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." Nevertheless we look with him for greater glories: "and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Psalm 23:6). Remaining in this present world is not "better than the alternative." It is far worse actually, but for the glory of God and the blessing of others, it is necessary until our earthly mission is complete. This we must believe, and any notion or emotion to the contrary must be instantly and summarily dismissed from the sensibilities. Just one look into the face of the Lord Jesus, and the Apostle's "far better" will be our joyous and eternal song.

"Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

(I Corinthians 15:51-57)

"Nothing Else"

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matthew 22:37-39).

Repeated in both Old and New Testaments, the two great commands must form the determined purpose of our heart in all things, and at all times. We are to love God, and to love others in everything we do.

This determination, however, must always be viewed as the primary fruit of our existence, rather than as its root.

"We love Him because He first loved us" (I John 4:19).

"The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us" (Romans 5:5).

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another" (John 13:34).

Our love for God and others can never independently arise in and of ourselves. Only our Creator is love in His essence (I John 4:8; 16). Only He can originate, feel, and act from Himself the sublime reality of this most wonderful quality of His holy being. Therefore, when genuine love is known and expressed in any created being, the source and power always flows from the God who "is love," and from living relationship with Him.

Such relationship begins and eternally continues through the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do" (John 14:30-31).

The Son who perfectly loves both the Father and the human race is the one who enables us to do the same. "God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father" (Galatians 4:6). The Christ who lived a perfectly earthly lifetime of loving His Father and others now dwells within the redeemed spirits of born again believers. Thereby we are enabled to "walk, even as He walked," and thus to love the Father and to love others in the beauty of holy self sacrifice (I John 2:6). Our experience of this "hope of glory" will not be perfect as it was in the Lord Jesus, but it is mean to be more and more the consistent reality of our thoughts, attitudes, emotions, words, actions, and relatings to God and man. "As touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more" (I Thessalonians 4:9-10).

Any other understanding of what our life is, or what our determined purpose is meant to be, does not fit God's definition of life. We exist to be loved by Him, to love Him in response through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and to love others as the expression of our Christ-wrought union with God. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else. There is, in fact, nothing else, because any other existence is vanity in the present, and eternal misery in the future. May our Heavenly Father lead us more and more to the only emphasis whereby we are truly alive, and to its vibrant expression in our lives both now and forevermore.

"Mercy unto you, and peace, and love be multiplied."

(Jude 1:2)