Romans 14:1-9: a reflection

1Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions. 2One man has faith to eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3Don’t let him who eats despise him who doesn’t eat. Don’t let him who doesn’t eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him. 4Who are you who judge another’s servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for God has power to make him stand. 5One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. 6He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks. He who doesn’t eat, to the Lord he doesn’t eat, and gives God thanks. 7For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself. 8For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

Paul, discussing differences among believers, comes to a truth that grounds it all: None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. Christ died and rose again, Paul adds, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Whether in life or in death, we belong to Christ; we are the Lord's.

Notice the great truth Paul states: whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. We do not belong to ourselves, living and dying to ourselves; we belong to Christ, living to him and dying to him. And this belonging spans both life and death: Christ is Lord of both the living and the dead, so that in life we are his, and in death we are his still. Nothing, not even death, takes us out of his lordship; whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

That truth is a deep comfort, especially in the face of death. We can fear death as the great separation, the end, the loss of all belonging. But Paul says that in death, as in life, we are the Lord's; Christ is Lord of the dead as well as the living, so that death does not take us out of his belonging, but we remain his still. Whether you live or die, you are the Lord's; death does not end your belonging to Christ, for he is Lord of the dead as well as the living. When you face death, your own or that of those you love who are Christ's, take comfort in this: whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. Death does not separate us from Christ or take us out of his belonging; in death as in life, we are his. Rest in belonging to Christ in both life and death; you are the Lord's, in living and in dying, for Christ is Lord of both the living and the dead, and nothing, not even death, takes you out of his belonging.

Lord, Paul comes to a truth that grounds it all: none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself; if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so whether we live or die, we are the Lord's; for Christ died and rose that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Show me that great truth: whether I live or die, I am yours. I do not belong to myself; I belong to Christ, living to him and dying to him. And this belonging spans both life and death: Christ is Lord of both the living and the dead, so that in life I am his, and in death I am his still. Nothing, not even death, takes me out of his lordship. Give me the comfort of that, especially in the face of death. I can fear death as the great separation, the end, the loss of all belonging. But you say that in death, as in life, I am yours; Christ is Lord of the dead as well as the living, so that death does not take me out of his belonging. When I face death, my own or that of those I love who are Christ's, help me take comfort in this: whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. Death does not separate me from Christ; in death as in life, I am his. Help me rest in belonging to Christ in both life and death, Lord; I am yours, in living and in dying, for Christ is Lord of both the living and the dead. Thank you that nothing takes me out of your belonging.