Paul makes this statement in Philippians 1:21. What is Paul referring to here? Is he saying that dying is gain for himself, because he would then go straight to heaven, or is he speaking of something else?
Paul’s mission
Paul writes in this chapter that his imprisonment is for the advancement of the gospel (:12), that his chains have actually contributed to the confidence that many have gained to speak the word of God fearlessly (:15-16), that despite the wrong motives of some, Christ is being proclaimed and that he rejoices in it (:18) and that whatever his outcome, Christ will be magnified in his body, whether by life or by death (:20). Paul had only one mission: to evangelize the unsearchable riches of Christ to the nations (Eph. 3:8).
In this connection Paul then says in the next verse:
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
gain for the cause of Christ
When he says this, he is not talking about gain for himself, but for (the cause of) Christ. In the (Revised) Statenvertaling it says: dying is (for me) gain, but for me it is in italics and was added by the translators. Paul is talking about dying a martyr’s death here. That would be gain for Christ and also for the advancement of the gospel, just like his imprisonment.
In Philippians 3 Paul even says that he wanted to die a martyr’s death like the Lord!
Philippians 3
10 to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death