...To Die is Gain
Stephen the Levite Lyrics

...To Die is Gain
This song is about how living for Christ and being willing to die for Him brings immeasurable gain in eternity.

To live is Christ and to die is gain
Living for Christ is the ultimate purpose, but dying for Him is even better because it brings us closer to Him in glory.

Either way He's glorified in His saint's
Whether we live or die for Christ, He is glorified through us and our testimonies as His saints.

When our lives are changed, and the 'I' is crucified in His name
When we become Christians, our lives are transformed and our old selves are crucified with Christ so that we can live for Him instead.

And we identify in His pain (we're gonna rise to reign)
As Christians, we identify with Christ's suffering on the cross and through that suffering, we will eventually rise to reign with Him in eternity.

Divine Architect perfectin' a sky scraper
God is the architect of our spiritual lives, perfecting us like a skyscraper being built to reach great heights.

Never paralleled by Babylonian tower makin' Adonai haters
God's work in us is far superior to the Babylonian tower and those who hate God cannot rival His power or plans.

This worlds fly but El Shaddai's greater
This world may seem impressive and fast-paced, but God (El Shaddai) is far greater than anything the world can offer.

So I smile now, knowin' there's no time in heaven to cry later
As a believer, the eternal perspective brings joy in the present because we know that there will be no tears in heaven.

While the world's towers are crumblin'
The things of this world, like towers, are temporary and can crumble, but God's work in us is eternal.

The same Rock keepin' me firm got the disobedient stumblin'
God is the Rock who keeps believers firm, but those who disobey Him will stumble and fall.

The Stone rejected by the builders
Jesus was rejected by some, but He is now the cornerstone of our faith and the true builder of our spiritual lives.

Now seen as the head of the corner conquerin' gangs and drug dealers
Jesus is the ultimate victor who conquers even the worst of sinners, like gangs and drug dealers.

Now His crew rolls thick
Believers in Christ are part of His crew, joining together to spread the gospel and build His kingdom.

International recruiters with passports and pack of few who flow sick
Christians are called to recruit others to the faith, no matter where they go and with the gift of rap, they can share the gospel in a unique way.

Spittin' truth to cats who throw brick
Believers speak the truth of Christ to those who reject it and are hostile to it.

Ready for martyrdom, separatin' lamps from little glow sticks
Christians should be prepared to die for their faith, separating true believers (lamps) from those who only pretend to believe (glow sticks).

This joint here is for the believers over seas
This song is dedicated to believers in other countries who face persecution and difficulty for their faith.

Smugglin' bibles and preachin' Jesus where ever God pleases
Believers may have to smuggle Bibles and preach the gospel secretly in certain areas, but they are committed to sharing the truth wherever God leads them.

Regardless of the received opposition, you remain harmless
Even in the face of opposition and persecution, believers should remain harmless and loving, like Christ.

Soldiers for Christ endurin' hardness
Christians are like soldiers, enduring hardships and fighting for their faith.

From the underground Christian emcees
Believers who rap about their faith and share it underground (without mainstream attention) are referenced in this line.

To cats leadin' underground bible studies in foreign countries
Believers in other countries may not be able to openly gather for Bible studies, so they may have to lead them underground.

From cats passin' tracts and plantin' seeds to Pastors plantin' churches, with a passion for legacy
Believers can share the gospel in many different ways, from passing out tracts to planting churches, all with the goal of leaving a legacy of faith.

From the boy prayin' for his families salvation
Even a young child can pray for the salvation of their family members and be used by God in powerful ways.

To the man beggin' wit' tears for God to save his nation
Believers can also pray for the salvation of their entire nation, with a deep desire and tears for their souls.

Your treasures in heaven are waitin'
By living for Christ and sharing the gospel, believers are storing up treasures in heaven that will last forever.

Your work is not in vain, and benefits come with this occupation
Christians should never be discouraged, because their work for Christ is not in vain and there are many benefits to following Him.

Yo, the mission is still 'Build Up!'
The mission for believers is always to build up the church and other believers in Christ.

Redeemed Thought, blood bought Members of the Body of Christ the Holy Spirit sealed up
Believers are redeemed by Christ's sacrifice and are part of His body, with the Holy Spirit sealing them for eternity.

Teachin' to edify the brethren
Believers are called to teach and edify (build up) other believers in Christ.

And preachin' to add livin' stones to the Master Builders collection
Sharing the gospel and preaching Christ adds living stones (believers) to the collection that Jesus is building as the Master Builder.

Thrilled to be His Co-workers
Believers are honored to be co-workers with Christ in building His kingdom and sharing the gospel.

We Orchestrate Rhymes Servin' His Illuminatin' Purpose, we call it W.O.R.S.H.I.P.
Believers can worship God by using their gifts, like rapping, to serve His purpose and illuminate the truth of Christ.

Service goes beyond the churches, enter the trenches
Believers should serve outside of the church walls and be willing to enter the hard places of the world to share Christ's love.

Too many Christians are ridin' the benches
Some believers are content to sit on the sidelines and not get involved in sharing the gospel or serving others.

Pew punks, on some whack Christmas and Easter junk
Those who only attend church on holidays (like Christmas and Easter) but don't live out their faith are critiqued in this line.

Swearin' they know God, but that's bunk
Those who claim to know God but do not live according to His word are not truly knowing Him.

They know they be gettin' it crunk, leavin' the club half drunk
Some Christians are more interested in partying and getting drunk than following God's commands.

Their garments drenched in the stench of skunk
Those who live in sin are covered in a metaphorical stench that repels others (like the smell of a skunk).

Sinners with suits on Sundays mockin'
Those who attend church but don't live out their faith (sinners with suits) mock true believers.

The cats rockin' the timbs and fitted caps diggin' the doctrine
Some who don't fit the mold of a typical church-goer (like those wearing Timbs and fitted caps) are passionate about learning and living out God's word.

Not knowin' that cat was earnin' a masters
Some who seem unlikely to be knowledgeable about God (like the person wearing Timbs and a fitted cap) may actually be well-educated in theology.

In seminary ready to plant a church and pastor
Those who have studied theology in seminary may be called to plant a church or serve as a pastor.

This tracks for the objects of man's laughter
This song is dedicated to those who mock and criticize believers for their faith.

The Jesus freaks, hittin' the streets, who look past the Persecution in the pursuit of God, chasin' after
Believers who are labeled as 'Jesus freaks' and continue sharing the gospel despite persecution are praised in this line.

His prosperity, not presently, but after
Believers may not experience prosperity on earth, but they will be richly rewarded in eternity.

Tribulation so endure with patience
Believers will face tribulation and hardships, but they should endure with patient faith in Christ.

Jesus Christ has conquered the world and He keeps a leash on Satan
Christ has already conquered the world and has control over Satan, so believers can trust and rely on Him.