Chapter # 14 Paragraph # 1 Study # 6
March 21, 2021
Humble, Texas
(108)
1769 KJV Translation:
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 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.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, [
As] I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
1901 ASV Translation:
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and none dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
9 For to this end Christ died and lived [again], that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, And every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.
- I. We Are Not Here To Pursue Our Own Agendas.
- A. The dative case pronouns and nouns ("to himself"; "for the Lord") are the same case forms as the preceding statements regarding why people "eat/not eat" or "observe/not observe". The point is that Paul is still writing about God's redeemed creations being the household servants of the Householder, not prima donnas running around trying to "do their own thing" (and failing in catastrophic ways; the works of darkness are always, and will always be, "fruitless" in terms of any benefit to the workers of the deeds of the Night).
- B. Paul's overall "point" is that "none of us lives 'for' him/her self".
- 1. His meaning has already been established by his description of "observing days" and "eating decisions": these "decisions" are rooted (in the hearts of those who actually seek to pursue God and His rule) in "giving thanks to The God".
- a. By this declaration of motivation, Paul has established beyond argument that those who have the promised hearts of the new covenant do what they do as the household servants they are.
- 1) This means, first, that they actually belong to God's House (Hebrews 3:6).
- 2) This means, second, that they, then, as members of the household, are servants to the "Householder" (Romans 14:4).
- 3) This means, third, that, as servants, they will be/are accountable to the "Lord of the Household", and will be "held to account" (14:10).
- b. By these facts, Paul is declaring that every member of the household exists as such by the "Grace" of the Householder and reveal their understanding of that fact by responding in the only way one can respond to "Grace": "giving thanks".
- c. By this "giving of thanks" Paul establishes his "Point": no member of the Household "lives" for him/her self. All such members "live" for the Householder Whose primary interest for His Household is "Life".
- 1) The only way a household can "live" is if there is no conflict in the household: Peace is the fountain head of all "Life" since Jesus, Himself, as the Householder, said "No house divided against itself shall stand".
- 2) When every member of "The Living" lives "for the others in the Household", everyone "Lives": thus, no one "lives for him/her self".
- 2. His meaning includes even the dying of the members of the Household.
- a. No one "dies" to no purpose in the Household of God.
- 1) In the larger picture, which includes those who are not members of the Household, even those not included in "Life" do not "die" to no purpose (i.e., "to no fruitful end"): (9:22).
- 2) The "purposes of God" are always "Life-focused" even when "death" is in view.
- b. So, even the opposite of "Life" fuels the experience of "Life". This is the ultimate meaning of "unfruitful works of darkness". No agenda of the darkness will be realized because even "Death" will be used in the Life-Purpose of the Omniscient, All-Wise, Executor of Power. There is not, nor can be, any "loss" for the members of the household of such a God, not even "death" as a reality, albeit a temporary one.
- C. Paul's specific "point" is that Christ's specific actions of "dying" and "living" (afterwards, by resurrection) were specifically targeted to accomplish one goal: His lordship over both the dead and the living, both of those who are not members of His "house", and, especially, those who are members of His "house".
- 1. The notion that Christ came to live and die and live again for the purpose of extending "eternal life" to human kind as the highest priority must be properly understood: He came to live and die and live again to establish a Kingdom over which He is Lord and, by that means, to provide the ultimate fulfillment of the ultimate objective. "Life" is the objective; "The Kingdom" is the means to that end.
- a. Even in Philippians 2:1-10, where Jesus' self-humiliation to the point of the death of the cross is the major point, the outcome is that He is given the "name above all names" so that He is exalted to the point of being the object of the bowing of every knee and the confession of every tongue "to the glory of God the Father". And that life for human kind is not the "ultimate" goal is clearly declared by Paul in Ephesians 3:10. The rebellion of wickedness began with the rulers and authorities in the heavenlies, and it will be resolved there by the actions of God "through the Church".
- b. This is not to "exalt" the false notion that, for some "need" reason in God, God seeks for men to "glorify" Him for some deep-seated need in Himself: it is, rather, that for the reason of "Life", men and angels must come to the unhesitating recognition of Jesus' "Lordship" with joy. This is the only foundation of a true "Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy".
- 1) It is fundamental to legitimate "T"heology that God has no "needs" that others must supply.
- 2) This makes His creation of "anything" somewhat of a large mystery, especially when that action brought about the enormous "loss" of the death of Jesus.
- 2. "Life" is His goal ... for some: the Elect both of angels and human beings.
- a. Thus, Paul can confidently say that the "works" of darkness are "unfruitful"; they do not, because they cannot, accomplish the false objectives of the perpetrators.
- b. This is a very major "truth" that all creatures must not only grasp, but also embrace with joy if there is to be such a "kingdom".
