"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." (Rom. 14:8)

 This tremendous statement of Scripture is most comforting and assuring. However, it also causes a great sense of responsibility to descend upon every believer. There are two aspects of our existence mentioned here. Simply stated, it involves life and death.

We Live Unto the Lord

 Is this true? If so, how? The title "Lord" is used mainly as a title showing ownership or as a master over his household. We must understand that it is one thing to trust and acknowledge Jesus Christ as Saviour and a further advancement to yield and let Him take charge of our lives. First, let's just consider the fact that "we live." The reason we live is because He lives! The life of the believer is eternal. The beautiful Scripture in John 5:24 is familiar yet so meaningful. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."

 Also, in Romans 6:1-14, we find the words "live," and "alive" seven times. This great passage is such a needed one for believers to know and study. It tells us that we have been "baptized into His death" and that we have been raised into a "newness of life." Now, this "life" is not just our natural, human life received by the natural birth process. It refers to a "new life" given to us of God. It is eternal life. We have it right now as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our life. Ephesians 2:5 states, "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)"

 The word "quickened" means to be made alive.

 The second part of life concerns what we do with this new life or, how we live it out not how we "live it up. "We should not follow the false and dangerous way of living that says "let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die" (1 Cor. 15:32). It is good for us to read Paul's statement in Philippians 1:21, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

 The only true and effective way to live for Christ is to reckon self, the old nature, to be "dead" unto sin, but "alive" in Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:11). This involves crucifixion! The fact that our Lord was crucified for the sins of the whole world isn't just an historical event that happened some two thousand years ago. His crucifixion is an ever present reality in the life of a believer. If not, it should be in order to understand how to "live" for Him. We as believers, have to crucify or mortify the flesh, or old nature, continually. It is interesting that in Colossians 3:3-5

the subject of life and death is emphasized. What life and what death? In verse 3 we are told, "For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God." And then in verse 4 we are told, "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." And further, we are told in verse 5, "Mortify (crucify) your members which are upon the earth." This means "to reckon" this to be so. This brings victory in our "life" for Him.

 The second aspect or truth taught in Romans 14:8 is, We Die Unto the Lord. Just as our living, so is our dying! It should be noted that the same expression is used both for living and dying that is, "we (live) die unto the Lord." Also, in finality, we are told, "we are the Lord's."

 Now, just as living has two parts to it, so has dying. The first part, of course, is that we all die physically, unless our Lord comes for His church first. We must all be constantly reminded that, "And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." (Heb. 9:27)

 In Genesis, chapter five, over and over again we read the expression concerning our ancestors, "and he died." However, this is such a basic fact that we needn't spend undue time on it, but how we die is important. Not necessarily the manner or method, but do we "die unto the Lord?" Have we been crucified with Christ? It is good to read and reflect on Galatians 2:20 over and over again.

 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

 Often times in Scripture, we see the expression "dead in Christ." We must be "dead with Christ" before we can be "dead in Christ." Simply, it means that we are identified with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. We have been "baptized" into His death, and "raised in newness of life" (Rom. 6:3-6). This does not refer to the ceremonial rite of water baptism, but rather to the truth that the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the body of Christ, the Church (1 Cor. 12:13). The apostle Paul was ready or prepared to die, even physically, for the Lord (Acts 21:13). However, he emphasized that the important thing to do for his Lord was to "die daily" (1 Cor. 15:31). This he accomplished by dying to self and living for God.

Remember our Scripture verse in Romans 14:8 talked about living for the Lord and dying for the Lord. Now we should seriously consider the last part of the verse which reads, “Whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's."

We are the Lord's. What a grand statement of hope and encouragement! He has bought us with His precious blood, therefore He is our Master, our Lord, and our Head. The great and grand purpose of Christ's death on Calvary is given in Romans 14:9. "To this end" means that this was God's plan and purpose all along.

"For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living."