What are you dying for?

What are you dying for?

Romans 5:6-8 (English Standard Version)

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

We’ve all been dying for something. I know you’ve said it, I have. I’m dying for a candy bar; I’m dying to meet you, et cetera. There are so many things that we are dying to have to make our lives better in some way or to fill a desire of our hearts. Have you ever thought of where that phrase came from? As far as I can tell there may be three different paths of the etymology of the phrase:

1.From the practice of a dying wish – Desire something so much it is the last thing you wish for

2.Suffering from lack – You could literally be dying from lack of nutrition or water so from this hyperbole can be applied to any object

3.Comparison to one’s own wellbeing - To express the amount of the desire by what you are willing to give for it, i.e. I would give my life for it.

Like many of the phrases that we use today without thought or consideration we take something meant to be said with gravity and weight and apply it to the superficial and trite. Would you really give your life for the taste of a certain food or for the companionship of a person. Sadly, considering the value that is placed on life these days and the insistence on the fulfilment of every desire, I’m afraid the answer too often would be yes. We have come to a place where because life has no meaning or value, death has no sting. This should not be the case, but I think I understand why. It is an attempt by the world the flesh and the devil to devalue the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for our sins. Think of this verse in the context of a valueless, meaningless life. Who would care if anyone suffered or died for anything if we have no purpose of being and have nothing more than what we will experience in the here and now. This is the state of the world we live in today.

Death should be a big deal. The world would have us believe otherwise. It is the gateway to the eternal. We are told of the significance in Hebrews 9:24-28:

English Standard Version

24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

We are made with eternity in mind. The earth and our lives in the natural world are but precursors to that which is to come, our true dwelling place. And all who live and die apart from saving faith in Jesus Christ will be destined for an eternity of damnation and separation from the God who created them and loves them. However, there are those who have been awakened to His presence and through faith, walk in the mercy and grace of their God. He has adopted these as heirs to His kingdom and a different fate awaits. This world is not the end, it is merely the beginning. And from the beginning of time it has been destined, because of sin, to death. We must all come to grips with the fact that our sin has already separated us from our lives here on earth, and the ultimate eternity, which we were created for. He, however, has also provided a way of escape for all who would call on Him in Spirit and in Truth:

John 4:23-24

English Standard Version

23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

We are all dying, but what are we dying for. Are we dying to live in our lust and physical desires? Are we dying to be wealthy and to run in circles of worldly prominence and political power. Are we dying to live in ungodly and unhealthy relations with others. We don’t think of these things with the clarity and brevity that we ought. Scarcely would a man die for a good person. Since none of us are good, why would any of us die for the wants and needs of others except for the example laid forth by our Savior:

Ephesians 2:1-10

English Standard Version

2 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

The key is this; for as much as we say we are dying to have so many things, in the eyes of God we are already dead. We are dead spiritually and are simply waiting for this death to play out in the natural. Our physical deaths are merely the manifestation of what has happened in our hearts. We will never die again, who we are in our souls, we will simply put off our natural bodies for the eternity that awaits all who are created. We may not die again spiritually, but we can be born again, to new life, to freedom from death, that is separation and damnation. We can be reconciled to our creator by His grace and mercy and sacrifice. In Him we are promised to be made new, to be recreated in His image, to walk in newness of life, partaking in His divine nature as souls set free from the death of sin. He accomplished this by His own death, the sacrifice of His life for our sanctification and wholeness. This gift is enacted by His sacrifice on the cross but is enabled and empowered by the Holy Spirit of promise in whom we are to live and move and have our being. His death affords us our very own death, but not the death of destruction afforded everyone outside of Him. It is a death to slavery and bondage so that we may be made free and find purpose and fulfillment in Him. We are all dying to live. Some to holiness and completeness with our God and others dying to live in bondage to the sin and death which leads to eternal separation from Him. What are you dying for? Are you dying of thirst? Are you dying for living water?

If anyone thirsts, let Him come drink of the water of life without price!

Revelation 22:16-17

English Standard Version

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.