Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. (5) One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. (6) He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. (7) For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. (8) For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
I pass by the several circumstances related within these verses, interesting as they are, to call the Reader's attention to what the Apostle hath said, of the lives of God's people not being to themselves, but to the Lord; and their deaths the same. And to be sure, nothing can be more blessed, than the consideration. If there was no other passage in the word of God, in confirmation of the union and oneness between Christ and his people than this; the glorious truth, as it is here expressed, would be a full testimony. The Church of Christ, and every individual of that Church, hath life in Christ, and that from all eternity. And what comes from Christ, must lead to and terminate in Christ. They have their being in him, they derive all from him, they live to him: and in their departure, they die not as others die who die out of Christ, for they sleep in Jesus. S o the Apostle expresses it, 1 Thessalonians 4:14. And the voice John heard from heaven, when pronouncing them blessed, declared this as the cause of their blessedness: they die in the Lord. Revelation 14:13. everyone of the seed of Christ, is part of Christ. Christ and his seed are one. For, saith the Apostle, speaking of the Church, we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones, Ephesians 5:30. Reader! do not lose sight of it, for it is most precious! And see to it, that there be a correspondence in every part of conversation. He that liveth to the Lord, liveth on the Lord, making Christ the all in all; living to him, by lively actings of faith, upon his Person, blood, and righteousness: such will die in the Lord. For God the Father's Covenant love and faithfulness, God the Son's finished redemption, and God the Spirit's life-giving power; these are the same in life and death: and as the faithful live, so they die, rejoicing in hope of the glory of God.