Skip to main content

Romans 14:9: For To This End Christ Died And Lived Again


Romans 14:9
[9] For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. (ESV)

There is a wonderful hymn of the Church called, "I Surrender All." I can remember my father saying that most Christians should sing that song as "I surrender some." Surrender is a hard word for us. It implies that we have given over control to someone else. That is exactly what it means. The context of the word is that of an army giving up control to the conquering nation.

Jesus is the conquering king who has fought against Satan himself to purchase our lives. Satan had a hold on our lives. In reality we were serving Satan before we were rescued by the Savior. In Satan's service we were chained and had no freedom. Like it or not, we were doing Satan's bidding. Through Jesus' victory on the cross we have been purchased, our sins forgiven, and we are now the Lord's.

For to this end Christ died and lived again. What purpose? That he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Jesus shed his precious perfect blood for a race of rebels who did not deserve any kind of mercy. We like to celebrate that Christ set us free from sin. Rightfully so. He wants to do more than set you free from sin. He wants to rule your life. He purchased that right.

Full surrender of our lives to Jesus Christ means that every part of us belongs to him. Our emotions are to be under his authority. Our minds are to be in submission to his holy thinking. Our actions are to be directed by his Holy Spirit, in total conformity to the written Word of God. He is Lord of all or Lord not at all. Both the living and the dead whom he has purchased are his and are for his glory.

Do you surrender all to the Savior? Or should you more appropriately sing, "I surrender some." Ask the Lord to take all of you. His Holy Spirit will help you to fully surrender.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Romans 8:18: For I Consider That The Sufferings Of This Present Time Are Not Worth Comparing

Romans 8:18 [18] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (ESV) Perspective. What an important word. Let's be honest. We do not like the idea of suffering. We will do almost anything to avoid any kind of suffering. Some churches have gone so far as to preach against the idea of suffering, declaring it to not be a part of the true believer's life. Paul is not shy about the topic. Paul uses the sufferings of this present time as a means to consider the greater glory that awaits us. Perspective. Paul is not in any way attempting to diminish our suffering. A view toward eternity puts our suffering in a proper understanding. Yes, our suffering is terrible. In the grand scheme of eternity it is not even worth comparison. Maybe you are thinking that Paul does not know what he is talking about when it comes to suffering. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul describes countless beatings, often near death,

Romans 11:24: For If You Were Cut From What Is By Nature A Wild Olive Tree, And Grafted, Contrary To Nature, Into A Cultivated Olive Tree . . .

Romans 11:24 [24] For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree. (ESV) We continue looking at the illustration of an olive tree. The root of the tree is the covenant relationship relationship of God with Abraham. Abraham's faith is what this spiritual tree is built on. The first branches would have been the faithful people of Israel, who like Abraham, placed their faith in God. They believed God, just like Abraham, and it was credited to them as righteousness. There were branches of the people of Israel who never placed their faith in God. Because these branches were not true followers of God they were broken off of the tree. Faith in God was the essential element that made the branches true branches of this spiritual tree. Some branches remained. Others, the faithless unbelievers, were removed. After Jesu

Romans 15:20-21: And Thus I Make It My Ambition To Preach The Gospel, Not Where Christ Has Already Been Named

Romans 15:20–21 [20] and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, [21] but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (ESV) We need to be reminded continually that the message of the Gospel is intended to move all across the world. Jesus said that his followers were to preach the Gospel, starting in Jerusalem, and continue preaching the Gospel to the whole world. Christians have not always been good at delivering the Gospel message as far and as often as they should. In the first century church it took intense persecution to motivate the disciples in Jerusalem to bring the Gospel to Judea and Samaria. Once the disciples fled to new regions they shared the Gospel wherever they went. Would the disciples have preached the Gospel without the persecution? We may never know. Some probably would have stayed in their co