To Live is to Die || Romans 14:8 || Manna for the Mind #95

Welcome to Day 95 of the “Manna for the Mind” devotional! This series is about taking scripture passages (typically 1-3 verses) and building our understanding of their teachings through their context and connecting scripture. I believe that doing this helps us understand how to be the type of human that God created us to be.

Today’s passage is Romans 14:8. We pick up on Paul’s way of honoring the Lord.

Romans 14:8

AMP	8 If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. So then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
NLT	8 If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
MSG	8 None of us are permitted to insist on our own way in these matters. It’s God we are answerable to – all the way from life to death and everything in between – not each other.

We live for the Lord. We die to the Lord. We are the Lord’s regardless of what happens to us. It’s the same message across the board; there’s not much else to build on. What else does the Bible say about this?

Paul reiterates this message to the Philippians in Philippians 1:20. Verse 19 provides context.

Philippians 1:19-20

AMP	19 for I know [with confidence] that this will turn out for my deliverance and spiritual well-being, through your prayers and the [superabundant] supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ [which upholds me]. 20 It is my own eager expectation and hope, that [looking toward the future] I will not disgrace myself nor be ashamed in anything, but that with courage and utmost freedom of speech, even now as always, Christ will be magnified and exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
NLT	19 For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance. 20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be hold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.
MSG	19 Through your faithful prayers and the generous response of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, everything he wants to do in and through me will be done. I can hardly wait to continue my on my course. 20 I don’t expect to be embarrassed in the least. On the contrary, everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die.

Those who do not believe in God think that our earthly life is all there is. Therefore, they strive for things the world values: prosperity, popularity, pleasure, and prestige. We want to be wealthy and live on enough to feel comfortable and care for our friends and family. We want to be famous and well-liked enough to have friends and the right community. We want to have power and take control of our decisions and actions. We want to be recognized and valued for the work and effort we do to better our lives and those around us. When we get these things because the world tells us we should and that it would be good for us, we risk becoming egotistical and prideful. Suppose we strive for these things through the paths God has for us. In that case, we’re living a life that honors and glorifies him, shares with our communities about his love, and works on bettering the Kingdom of God.

For Paul, however, to live meant telling everyone about Christ. He alone could help anyone see life from an eternal perspective. The entire purpose of his life was to speak out boldly for Christ and to become more like Christ. Because of this, Paul had no problem saying that dying would be better than living because, in death, he would have no more worldly troubles and be able to see his Messiah face to face. With this mindset, Paul would sacrifice his life for God. This often gets taught in this phrase: “If you’re not ready to die, then you’re not ready to live.”

We can often live in a safe and comfortable mindset, not taking any risks that could make us uncomfortable or put our lives in danger. It holds us back from living the life that God created us to live. I know that the levels of fear and anxiety vary from person to person, and no one solution remedies it for everyone. I’m not telling you to go out and live without considering the consequences. I’m telling you that God wants you to live a healthy, beautiful life that can involve risk. We can use his power of discernment to understand what to do and not to do. We can use the resources he created, like therapy, support groups, and psychiatry, to help us understand our fears and work with someone to overcome them. We can use his community to join us in our walk, celebrate our success, and listen to our failures. We all have this in some way, shape, or form. When it’s death, we fear, we need to remember this bold, brash statement: we will all die at some point. It’s true; there’s nothing that can prevent us from our earthly death so far. We don’t need to go crazy and find that point sooner, but we don’t need to hinder our lives by trying to extend that point. Through God’s wisdom, we will find the path right for us, and he will walk with us on it to ensure that we reach the goals set for us.

Father God, we thank you for the chance to follow you. We often find this hard to do and understand or overcomplicate it. Lord, provide us clarity in the path you’ve created for each of us. Everyone has their own path, but you are everyone’s guide! Guide us, O great one, to success and blessing so that we can honor you in the best way possible. It’s in your name, we pray. Amen.