Romans 14:7-9
7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.
8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. (ESV)
When you hear Christ’s Lordship is essential to the Christian life, you might think:
“God wants me to give control of my life to another person? Not on your life!”
Submission of the control of our lives to another person is repugnant to modern persons. It raises the specter of a demanding dictator and knee-scraping boot lickers.
Many read about miracles in the Bible and think it would be great to have a miracle-worker in their lives when they need one. They can. He is the Lord Jesus Christ, but he is always the Lord all the time.
Modern audiences have been told through television that they can “have it their way.” Or, “They deserve a break today.” Frank Sinatra gave the modern anthem in his song “I did it my way!”
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught
The right to say the things he feels and not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows and did it my way!
I’ve lived a life that’s full
I’ve traveled each and every highway
But more, much more than this
I did it my way.
Yes, it was my way. (Sinatra)
Sorry, Frank, but the Christian life is one that is lived under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 14:9 states it so clearly—For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
Jesus describes the life of believers in the present as “cross-bearing” while following him. In other words, believers are heading for crucifixion daily. Luke 9—
22 “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”
23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” (ESV)
What does daily crucifixion mean? A. W. Tozer told the following.
One time a young man came to an old saint who taught…the crucified life, and said to him, “Father, what does it mean to be crucified?”
The old man thought for a moment and said, “Well, to be crucified means three things.
[1] The man who is crucified is facing only one direction.
[2] The crucified man is not coming back.
[3] The crucified man has no further plans of his own. (Gems)
These are radical demands, but they are Christ’s demands for those who follow him. The Christian life is a daily dying to self-will and living for Christ’s will. He is the Lord and we who follow him are his servants. You may ask if this is safe—to give yourself over wholly to follow another person as your Lord and Master.
Many younger people used often to ask me if they could trust Christ with their lives in such a radical fashion. I am reminded of C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
Lucy assumes Aslan is a man. Upon discovering he is really a lion, the question is asked, “Then, he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” (Lewis)
Our Lord certainly leads us and directs us into radical areas, but he is good so he provides for us as we follow him.
In our text in Romans 14, I see a great truth.
Submission to the Lordship of Christ is integral to living the Christian life.
Why?
In future posts, I hope to show you four important reasons why submission to Christ’s Lordship is integral to living the Christian life.
References
Sinatra, Frank. (1967). My Way, Accessed 3/March 2018 from http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?lyrics=8040
Gems from Tozer: Selections from the Writings of A.W. Tozer, (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1979). n.p.
Lewis, C. S. (1950). The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. (New York, NY: HarperCollins; Reprint edition 2008). p. 80.
© 2018 C. Richard Barbare All Rights Reserved
Rick Barbare's Bible Study 
Very well done, Rick. Thank you.
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