To answer your good question, let’s read Philippians 1:20-21, “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

The Apostle Paul was in prison when he wrote this epistle to the Philippians.  In verse 13, he stated that “my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places.”  It is revealing of his character and reliance upon the Lord to notice that Paul never said he was a prisoner of Rome, but he did state that he was “a prisoner of Jesus Christ” in several instances.  He realized that all that was happening to him was controlled by the Lord. 

Paul determined that “Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.”  This was the desire of Paul.  He wanted to magnify the Lord.  He wanted, whether by life or death, to manifest the greatness of the Lord Jesus. 

FOR ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST – Paul’s sole purpose in living was to honor and glorify the Lord.  So great was his devotion to the Lord that Paul considered all his earthly gains as garbage.  He would go on to say in Philippians 3:7-8, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”  Paul considered himself as Christ’s property and servant.  Whatever life, time, or strength Paul had; it was the Lord’s to use as He saw fit.

TO DIE IS GAIN – For Paul to die would be for him to be saved from the remaining troubles and difficulties in life and be put immediately into the presence of His precious Lord and the possession of his heavenly inheritance.  Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:8, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”  CONFIDENT…Paul was absolutely sure of this most precious truth…when a believer dies, he/she will instantly be in the presence of the Lord.  In Philippians 3:7, Paul expressed how that he was once taken up with worldly gain, but now his gain was to be with the Lord in glory.  Psalm 16:11 assures that, “…in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”  Certainly to be in glory with the Lord is greater than anything we could ever possess in the world.

Let’s continue along in this precious truth by reading Philippians 1:22-26, “But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.”  Paul desired to be with the Lord, which is far better.  But he also realized that he needed to be with the saints for that was “more needful” for the believers in Christ.  He then declared that He would “abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith.”  Paul did not consider what Rome might do to him.  He did not concern himself with their plans for him.  No, he simply stated that although he would love to go home to be with the Lord, he would stay for the benefit of the believers in Christ. 

Paul stated it like this in Romans 14:8, “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.”  My friend, are you the Lord’s?  Have you put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior?  Apart from faith in Christ, there is no salvation.  John 3:36 tells us, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”  (CC)  (586.6)