Books and other items printed in Gaelic from 1871 to 1900 > Gaelic and English sermons of the late Rev. John Macalister, with memoir

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CHRISTIAN SERVICE.
Philippians i. 21. — " For to me to live is Christ." 1
THIS epistle was written by Paul to the saints at Philippi
with a view to confirm them in the faith, to encourage
them to walk in a manner becoming the Gospel of Christ,
and to caution them against the intrusion of false teachers.
After a short introduction he proceeds to express his grati-
tude to God for their steadfastness in the faith ; and, lest
they should be discouraged by the tidings of his imprison-
ment, he informs them that his sufferings and confinement,
so far from impeding the progress of the Gospel, had
" rather fallen out for its furtherance," and assures them of
his readiness to live or die, as should be most for their spiritual
good and the glory of God. Verses 20-21 — "According to my
earnest expectation and my hope, chat 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."
" For me to Live is Christ." — In this animated expression
of the Apostle we see the high esteem which he cherished
for Christ, his devotedness to His service, and his zeal for
His name and cause in the world — that these things were
the supreme end of his life.
But we must remember that he who cherished such an
high esteem of Christ, and was so devoted to His service (as
expressed in these words), was once an enemy to the Son of
God, to His Gospel, and to His people ; and that he owed
all that he now was to the free and sovereign grace of God.
Without any further preface then, it may be useful to
consider, first, how Paul was brought to the noble and
blessed state of mind here expressed — " To me to live is
Christ." It may be thought by some that the great and
gracious change was effected in the heart of the Apostle by
the miraculous manifestation of Christ to him on the way to
Damascus.
1 This sermon is dated " Edinburgh, 22nd January, 1835. — Dr
Lee's (Principal of the University of Edinburgh) Induction to the
Old Kirk."