The Lord is good to give us our next breath, and so much more!
Romans 14:7-12
Whether we live or die, we do so for Christ (Rom. 14:8). That’s what is meant when we talk about His Lordship. And as believers, we recognize that the only safe way to live is in submission to Him. We bow before Him—not in fear or dread but in gratitude and worship.
Some people think that only those who claim Christ as King come under His authority. But the truth is, He reigns over the entire universe. At present relatively few people submit to the Lord’s rule. The rest refuse to acknowledge His sovereignty or surrender to His will. They want to control their own destinies, never realizing that their next breath comes from Him.
But the Lord’s supreme reign can never be thwarted—and despite resistance now, a day is coming when every knee will bow and every tongue will praise Him (v. 11). At that time all dissent will be silenced before Jesus, who will “judge the living and the dead” (2 Timothy 4:1).
Many will unwisely wait until they’re forced to kneel in homage to the Lord; tragically, they will face a harsh future. The time to bend the knee to Christ is now, when we can do so of our own volition. And what blessings are in store for those who choose to follow Jesus! He is a kind, loving Master, who has cleansed us from sin and promised to make us heirs with Him in His kingdom.
Romans 14:7-12
7For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11It is written:
“ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’ ”
12So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
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