Living and Dying for Christ

Romans 14:7-8, “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” 

Christ owns every heartbeat from cradle to grave. No one lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. Our existence is tethered to Jesus. Living, we live for Him. Dying, we die in Him. This reality relativizes lesser disputes. If my brother’s entire life is Christ-centered, why would I fracture fellowship over a menu or a holiday? (Keep the chapter’s context in mind.) Moreover, knowing I belong to the Lord both now and in the hour of death provides ballast in controversial waters. When necessary, I can yield personal freedoms because my identity is secure in the crucified and risen King. Remember whose you are. Life and death alike are Christ’s domain.