To God be ALL the glory!!! Amazing how here on Earth, people look to live long fruitful lives!
After a ‘taste’ of the afterlife; that is where I WANT to be! Think of it! The apostles, Saul etc were happy to exit this ‘life’.
The apostles and Saul (later Paul) were generally described in the New Testament as willing to face death and often viewing it as a gain,, though this was largely rooted in a desire to be with Christ rather than a desire to cease living or escape suffering. They viewed this life as a “tent-dwelling” or a temporary state, in contrast to a permanent, glorified existence with God.
Paul’s Perspective on Death
“To Live is Christ, to Die is Gain”: Writing from prison, Paul articulated that his life was entirely devoted to serving Christ, but he viewed death as a positive transition to a far better state—being directly with his Savior.
Torn Between Two: Paul admitted to being “torn” between the desire to depart and be with Christ, which he considered “better by far,” and remaining alive, which he believed was more necessary for the benefit of the churches he was mentoring.
Death as a Servant: Paul portrayed death not as a terrifying end, but as a servant that eventually takes a believer into the presence of God.
The Apostles’ Attitude Toward Suffering and Death
Joy in Persecution: Acts 5:41 records that after being beaten by the Sanhedrin, the apostles left “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name”.
Willingness to Die: Early Christian tradition holds that almost all apostles (except John) died as martyrs, willingly accepting death for their faith.
A “Happy” Death: While they did not pursue death out of a sense of despair, they often viewed their martyrdom as the ultimate imitation of Christ’s passion, or a “happy death”.
Contextual Factors
Not Suicide: The attitude was not one of despairing suicide, but a, willingness to lay down their lives for the sake of the Gospel and their mission.
Expectation of Resurrection: Their willingness to die was based on the firm belief that death was temporary, and that they would be raised to a new, immortal life.
The Transformation of Saul: The apostle Paul went from persecuting Christians to being willing to die for the faith, viewing his life as a “daily death” to self and a “living for Christ”.
Paul’s declaration, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21), reflects his deep devotion to Jesus. Christ wasn’t just part of his life—He was Paul’s entire purpose. Living meant serving Christ, and dying meant gaining eternity with Him. Even in suffering, Paul found joy because his hope was secure. His life and death testified to the power of God, and now he worships Christ forever!