For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live live or die, we belong to the Lord.
Paul continues outlining what living in Christ looks like, and in this chapter he tackles common misconceptions about the “strong and the weak.” He says that faith should decide how a person should live, and that it should drive every decision that believers make. He then proceeds to make this bold statement about dying for the Lord.
Understanding
Although Paul is extending this idea of passing judgement on each other, he makes it abundantly clear that our goal as believers should be the same. He boldly declares that the Lord is master of everything, including us and the people that we judge. None of us are masters over the other no matter what part of life they may be on. Instead, we should be confident in our position in Christ and because of this honor the Lord with their life. So it begs the question: what am I laying my life down for, and is it obvious to others?
I think the tendency is to focus on the part where Paul speaks of death because death seems to be an alarming topic, but we miss the importance of living for God. One of my favorite quotes from a book we read in the high school perfectly captures this idea, he says: “The mark of an immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.” Living humbly for a cause seems a lot more difficult than dying for one, but it’s what God calls us to do. Regardless of what we think about others and how much better we may think that we are. In humility alone do we boldly approach God’s throne and live life and to die to this life in a way that pleases God.
Life Application
Ask yourself: what does my life say to others, and am I living humbly for God? Then take time to listen for a response, actually listen. Take about ten minutes to sit in silence and listen for the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Try to rid your mind of distractions like what your going to eat for the day, or all the things you have to do. I think you’ll be surprised how much God actually speaks to us.
-Allison Khan
