Living or Dying Comparison
I asked my colleagues what the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear this question: Is there a difference between living to die and dying to live?
Living to die makes me think of just living and writhing as waiting to die and not adding anything to life to help others. Dying to live makes me think of knowing you will die but living life to its fullest and helping people see the right thing while living.
by Mary
Living to die connotes a meager existence, void of purpose or impact! However, dying to live means to crucify the sinful nature daily so we can live an abundant life through Christ and make an indelible imprint in the hearts & minds of the masses by proliferating the Gospel of Jesus Christ! And that is a purpose-filled life!
by Lorraine
Living to die - We exist here on earth not knowing when our destiny ends.
Dying to live - We are dying to ourselves that we might live for eternity with Christ.
by Catherine
I don't see a difference between the two. The focus is the same in both living or dying. When a person spends his whole life focused on the means to an end, there is no true life.
by Sheila
I, too, concur with each of their insights when comparing living and dying. Yet, I prefer to view this question from the other side of earthly existence. If death is separation from God, then life is a connection with God. So, a living person will experience death when he severs his connection with God or avoids the necessary connection during his lifetime. Since humanity is born in sin until that person fully connects with God, his life is dying. Remember, God is life, and living occurs when you connect with the source of life. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. (John 1:14) Unbeknownst many persons are failing to connect faithfully to this principle. Still, they exist in a state of complacency filled with intentions and constantly striving toward self-fulfillment and self-gratification. For instance, the Savior provided a similar insight from the story of Lazarus, the beggar, and the rich man. When comparing their life, one experienced self-gratification daily while the other starved from life's necessity. However, notice how each died.
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; (Luke 16:22 KJV)
The difference in their death is that his family buried the rich man in a grave, but angels carried Lazarus into a place of comfort. The rich man's eternal existence continued his separation from God, but Lazarus' existence continued as a connection with God. The rich man persisted with his religious character by identifying Father Abraham and giving orders to no avail. While Lazarus, the beggar, enjoyed the comfort of connecting with God. Therefore, I believe God gives each of us a lifetime to connect with Him genuinely. The natural death only seals that connection with Him or secures the disconnection from Him. God wants to connect with us to avoid the separation in this life or the life to come. Since suffering reflects dying, the Apostle Peter infers that we tentatively encounter earthly defeats that will subjugate our desires as believers. Yet, these defeats are minor compared to the life that awaits the believers.
You will have to suffer only a little while; after that, God, who is full of grace, the one who called you to his eternal glory in union with the Messiah, will himself restore, establish and strengthen you and make you firm. (1 Peter 5:10 CJB)
So, I suggest that the dying to live saga reflects our yearning to connect with God indefinitely. While the living to die escapade signifies a temporal attitude as you fulfill your selfish intent without connection with God. Remember, each of us has a fate. As we sync our desires with God's predetermined course for our lives; then, we will enjoy the comfort of resting in His blossom with authenticity.
