For To Die is Gain! and to Live is Christ.
Romans 6:7 (KJV).
For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Today I want to enlighten my readers on the deeper reality of the Baptism unto death; releasing life into our spirit man. As you continue to peruse through this contents, may your life be spontaneously transformed, enlightened and repositioned for the Lord’s use! Amen.
LIVING DEAD
To fully understand what this unprecedented topic is all about, we have to define some terminologies:-
LIVING
To remain or stay alive. Living is the continuous process expressing, life abundance. To be “living” is to be actively involved in the sphere or horizon of life.
We are made alive in Christ by the virtue of his finished work on the cross and in the grave. To be living, therefore is to have the completeness of “God’s Nature” (Zoe) inputed and functional in us, given a complete (whole) freedom from the “Pang of Death”.
The Bible tells us in John 1:4(KJV)
In him was life and the life was the light of men.
In Christ, there is the abundance, fullness completeness of life. The bible tells us expressly that life is inputed into us when we behold his love, embrace and accept His love (Son) into our lives. John 3:16 (KJV).
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God is the sustainer of life, according to Genesis 2:7 (KJV)
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
The “Breath of life” does not distinguish us from animals, it distinguishes us from the “Dead”. Life is contingent on the continuous and sustainable breath of God. When God ceases to breathe life, life is no more.
DEAD
This can be used interchangeably as an adverb or an adjective. Literally it means to no longer live; the complete or absolutes termination or ceasing of life resulting to spontaneous death.
Death is referred to as the cessation of the divine activity. To be dead is to be trapped, cut-off from life and its activities; it means to be completely isolated from functioning in the realities of life, whether “spiritually” or “physically”.
Death does occur in two phases spiritually:
- Death to sin (Christ finished work).
- Dead as a result of sin (completely isolated from God because of our sinful nature).
THE LIVING DEAD
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Let’s take a retrospect on the book of Romans, Chapter Six
- What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
- God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
- Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
- Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
- For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
- Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
- For he that is dead is freed from sin.
- Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
- Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
- For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
- Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
- Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
- For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
The phrase “The Living Dead" is a qualitative description of who we are in Christ by the virtue of salvation processed finished work. The living-dead is used to qualify a group or set of Christians who have been sold-out, having decouple (dissociate) themselves from sin. The living-dead are those who are completely dead to sin and alive to God by the virtue of associating themselves with Jesus Christ.
The living-dead is totally liberated from the law of “Sin” and “Death”, he is no longer bound (trapped), restricted, compelled to act, behave, take action and live generally according to the dictates of the flesh.
The phrase is used to compliment this sets of Christians because they are dead and yet alive. Somebody out there might still be trapped in confusion as to how a person can be dead and yet alive.
Friend, the bible tells us from Romans 6:1-4 that:
We are called the living-dead because, we are dead to sin, no longer bound but forgiven; and then we are alive in Jesus Christ, who is the pioneer of this whole process.
Verse 1-2
Paul illustrated the reason why we should not continue in sin, because in it abounds “No Grace”. The concept of grace is restricted only to righteousness.
He also buttressed that being dead to something means a complete freedom from it. So, why do We; who are dead to sin still live any longer therein?
Verse 3-5
This associated everyone who has been baptized into Jesus Christ as been baptized into his death. Therefore as Christ was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the father even so we should walk in the newness of life. The newness of life is not characterized by the features of the old. The new life is the life of God, characterized by righteousness, peace, joy love etc.
Our association with Christ in his death, synchronizes us with him, becoming one with him in “Death” and “Life”. We become complete in him and not outside of him.
Verse 6-14
This scriptures thus illuminates our mind to the truth that our old man which in synchronization with Christ is crucified, that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should no longer serve in sin.
Death according to Paul is freedom! For being dead to sin, liberates us completely from its strongholds. Death signifies the breaking-down (destruction/complete annihilation) of the Dominion of sin over us. God expects us to reckon ourselves daily to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto him through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Do you know that Sin cannot reign in your spirit?
The Answer to this is Yes! It cannot reign. Paul warns us in Verse 7 to avoid sin reigning in our mortal bodies, that ye should obey it in the lust thereof.
We should tirelessly strive to keep our mind and body into the subjection of the Lord. The process of reprogramming the mind Romans 12: 1-2 should be actively practiced, if we are to function and live an effective spiritual life. The mind needs to be constantly and deliberately renewed through the word of God. It is what the mind holds that shapens the body. The body responds to the dictates/instructions of the mind.
Our members should be totally tamed against unrighteousness, but it should be committed unto God. We are described as the temple of God’s spirit 1 Corinthians 6:19.
WHAT GOD EXPECTS FROM US:-
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- To be completely soled-out to him
- To empty ourselves that he may fill us up
- To drop every element of wordliness/carnality
- To never associate ourselves with the things we are dead to.
- To always uphold righteousness.
Thanks for Stopping by the to be enlightened. follow me 
the virtue of salvation processed finished work and make us alive.... thanks for sharing this post with the @steemchurch.
Upvoted and resteem
@abiye
When you do not have christ you are as good as dead that is what I understand by the meaning... THE LIVING DEAD. Christ is all we need and then when you do not have christ you are as good as dead.
Jesus has brought salvation to our door step.. We all should embrace it and live a life worthy of his sacrifice.
Sin brings death and salvation is the only way out.... thanks for sharing this post
The essence of death of Christ Is that we may become saved through his death and be called the sons of God.
For if we are saved from sin, then we have no reason to die in sin.
This message is deep but by the virtue of salvation even when we die we will live in Christ. Thanks brother
Death is not the end but a passing. Death teaches us to place less trust on ourselves and all trust on God for everything is vanity
We are saved by grace through faith by grace lest any man should boast God so much love mankind that he gave his only begotten son for us to die on the cross of Calvary that gave us eternal life.When Jesus blood was shed on the cross all our sins was taken away Jesus even said it is finished that means there was nothing left.
All humans are now reconciled back to God the Bible says there is no more condemnation to them that are in Christ, apostle Paul said I am crucified with Christ meaning he is dead with Christ nevertheless he lives not yet he but Christ that lives in him. This brings us to the path of the living dead,a dead man cannot commit sin.
We Christians should be dead to sin and to achieve this first is accepting the will of God which is Jesus death on the cross of Calvary,believing that he died for you and building your faith in Him by fellowshiping with him through reading his word 'the Bible' and praying.
The reward for sin is death, Salvation bring life,We should tirelessly strive to keep our mind and body into the subjection of the Lord
"We are made alive in Christ by the virtue of his finished work on the cross and in the grave. To be living, therefore is to have the completeness of “God’s Nature” (Zoe) inputed and functional in us, given a complete (whole) freedom from the “Pang of Death”."
I really appreciate what you've said here. You've done well to explain this
And, I really like this :
Thanks for sharing
Do not give higher priority to your life , always work with all your heart to die in christ .
If you are someone who lives you life so much yiy will loose it if yiy are willing to due in christ you will definuately live forever , this is the word if Christ .
Protect the interest if christ even if itbis at the expense if your life because your life will always be preserved
Paul knew that he was just a stranger in this earth, he knew what awaits him at the other end of life.
Such courage only comes when you no longer have a will of your own but the will of God controlling you. Dying becomes a gain because of the crown of glory waiting for you
Thank you for your post, I learnt a great lot from it
For you have your life, you must first loose it. Death is the best thing that can ever happen to man. When you die, that means you are dead to sin and you are risen in christ jesus. It is christ that life is attained.
SHALOM!
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It is when you die as a Christian that it becomes a gain.
But dying as a non-believer then that is the greatest pain and loss.
But i pray we all die as believers and as God children.
If you're not ready to give up your life for the sake of the gospel, then you've not started. Why most people fear death is because all their reward is here on earth. They've not done anything that'll attract heavenly reward. Good analysis @egheprincez
Thank God death could not hold Jesus!
The "Breath of life" does not distinguish us from animals, it distinguishes us from the "Dead". Life depends on the continuous and sustainable breath of God. When God stops breathing life, life no longer exists.
The man without Christ only has existence, when he receives Christ, he receives life in abundance, Juan 10; 10, excellent message @egheprincez
You just received a 4.88% upvote from @honestbot, courtesy of @egheprincez!
Death has no grip over Jesus! For this when we die we surely live again unto God