Category Archives: Life

Bible, Death, Holy Spirit, Life, Romans, Scripture

YOU WILL LIVE

ROMANS 8:13

“for if you are living in accord with the flesh, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

Learning to live life to the fullest is something so many of us miss. We try to fill our life with stuff like careers, money, pleasures and the like. I have known so many people who were successful in the world’s eyes yet were miserable. You probably know someone like that. They work and work to find fulfillment in their lives only to come up empty in the end. It’s a sad story that is lived out far too often.

Paul is a master of contrasts in his letters. Today’s verse is no exception. He contrasts the futility of “living in accord with the flesh” with living “by the Spirit.” The first leads to death while the other to life. The Greek word Paul uses for “you will live” is the Future Indicative Middle of zaó which is a prominent verb used throughout the New Testament. It is used in some form over 120 times. This verb describes the life that is only truly available through God, specifically His Son Jesus.

APPLICATION

The Topical Lexicon’s concluding statement on zaó says this, “Zaó saturates the New Testament with the theme that true life, in all its dimensions, flows from and points back to the living God revealed in Jesus Christ. The church’s proclamation, practice, and hope are therefore inseparable from the vibrant pulse of zaó. Our life should always point back to the Life-giver.

This life permeates every aspect of our life – even in our giving. Look at 1 Timothy 6:18-19. “18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” Only by giving can we truly gain this life. I am not referring solely to money, although that is part of it. When we stop focusing on ourselves, we can experience this life Paul is talking about.

In our verse today, zaó is in the Middle voice. Why is that important? Because the Middle voice implies that it is you doing the living. Technically, it is Christ in you. But He doesn’t make us into mind numbed robots. We have a choice to make each and every day whether or not we will live like Him. What is your choice today? Are you allowing Him to live through you? It is really the only sure way to live.

Father, today I choose to yield myself to You so that You can live through me.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Death, Eternal Life, Life, Peace, Scripture

LIFE AND PEACE

ROMANS 8:6

“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,”

If you had to choose between death and life, what would you choose? Is that a dumb question? For most people, the answer is simple. They would choose life. I’m at the age now that if I had a choice, I might choose to go on and live eternally with my Master. That’s because I don’t fear death. It’s just a portal through which I travel from this earthly life to my eternal life.

Paul is talking, however, about a spiritual death. This is a death you should fear. Everything we have been told about eternal death should cause us to run directly into the arms of Jesus. But there are people who will choose the flesh and the consequence of it. Paul contrasts this spiritual death with spiritual life and peace. Look at what one source said about this. “This (by analogy with the view of ‘death’ just above in 8:5) means a state of acceptance, in its aspect (a) of pardon and consequent glory; and (b) of secure and loving intercourse with God, with all its attendant blessings.” (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges)

APPLICATION

I don’t think I need to go into some deep diatribe about what this “life” is, do I? This is the same word used in John 3:16 when Jesus said we would have eternal life. It’s the same word used when John wrote in John 1:4 that Jesus was the “life.” This “life” is true life, the essence of life. It is God’s self-existent life that gives us life. Who doesn’t want that?

And then Paul adds “peace.” Peace isn’t just the absence of conflicts and wars. It’s the calmness in the midst of them. It’s that picture of a bird perched calmly on a ledge as a cascading waterfall is all around them. We can rest in any trial with that kind of peace if we have His life within us and have made peace with Him.

Life and peace are made available to all who set their minds of the Spirit. That doesn’t mean you have to walk around all the time quoting Scripture (even though you should be making in a large part of your life). You don’t have to perform some great spiritual act to receive it. Simply place your trust in Him and allow the Spirit to govern your thoughts and actions. The end result will be life and peace. Praise Jesus!

O Lord, I give You praise for the promise of life and peace as I place my mind and heart on Your Spirit.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Freedom, Holy Spirit, Life, Romans, Scripture

THE SPIRIT OF LIFE

ROMANS 8:2

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”

I bet if you have been driving a vehicle for any length of time, you have probably run out of gas at least once. It’s a problem that is easily solved – put gas in the tank, lol. Do you understand how that gas engine works? I am no mechanic, but I do know the carburetor controls the flow of gas which is ignited by small sparks which then produce small “explosions” that make the pistons move. Okay, that is far as I will go with that description. I don’t want to show my ignorance of the subject. Bottom line – gas in required to give the engine life.

The same is true for us as humans. We need our “tanks” filled with the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus to get our “pistons” firing for Jesus. I love how one commentary I read describes this law of the Spirit of life. “A phrase defining more fully the mode in which the union with Christ becomes operative in the believer. It begins by imparting to him the Spirit of Christ; this Spirit creates within him a law; and the result of that law is life—that perfect spiritual vitality which includes within itself the pledge of immortality. (Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers) This law of life is only operational through the life-giving Spirit.

APPLICATION

This “law of the Spirit of life”is contrasted with “the law of sin and of death.” The Divine law, as some scholars have referred to it as, supersedes and fulfills the Mosaic law which condemns us because of sin. The Gospel of grace that is present in our lives as followers of Christ sets us free from any and all requirements set forth in the Mosaic law. Praise be to God.

When I became a Christian, my life changed drastically. Before Christ I was not known for my study habits in school. I made decent grades but not like I did after I got saved. My grades went up so much the first semester that my teachers thought I was cheating and vowed to catch me. After a semester of proving myself, they finally understood that I had changed. I was the same person on the outside, but inwardly I had a whole new nature.

As followers of Christ, we have to show that transformation. If it is real, we can’t help ourselves. The light of Christ that indwells us now has to be shone. “Hide it under a bushel, no!” The world needs to see the change in us. We cannot remain a part of all that we were doing before. The law of the Spirit of life in us has changed us at a spiritually molecular level. We are a new creation in Christ. Show the world!

Father God, shine through me and let the Spirit of life be seen.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Commands, Death, Law, Life, Result, Scripture

WRONG RESULT

ROMANS 7:10

and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me;”

Have you ever spent time and energy trying to cook something only to have it flop? Suppose you are trying to bake a cake. You have all the ingredients except one. You’re missing the baking powder which aids in the rising of the cake batter when cooked. But you think What’s one missing ingredient? I have all the rest. It’ll be alright. So, you mix it all up, pour it into the cake pan and pop it in the oven. Result? A flat cake that did not rise and did not meet expectations.

That’s probably a poor analogy for today’s verse, but you can get an idea. Paul says the “ingredients” of the law were there with the expected result of life. If only man had lived a holy, obedient life, the result could have been life. But because of one little sin in the garden of Eden, the end is death. No one has the ability to live perfectly so no one could measure up to the demands of the law. No one until Christ, that is.

APPLICATION

Let me ask you something. What do you want the end result of your life to be? Where do you want to spend eternity? I know where I want to be. I want to be in heaven with my Lord. Seeing all my loved ones and friends who have preceded me will only be icing on the cake. The real thrill will be seeing my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

But you can’t hope to get that result unless you have done what is necessary to get there. And that’s not complicated. Paul will tell us later in Romans 10:9-10, “9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

The end result of life, of eternal life, only comes through faith in Christ Jesus. Don’t spend time trying to keep a list of commandments to earn your way there. It will only end in death, not life. Place your trust in Him, and He will guide you every step of the way. If you want to bake a cake, use all the ingredients. If you want to get to heaven, place your faith in Jesus, the Savior of all mankind.

O Father, I am thankful my end result is confirmed because of my faith in Your Son.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Death, Law, Life, Resurrection, Scripture

GOOD LIFE AND BAD LIFE

ROMANS 7:9

“I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin came to life, and I died;”

There are some habits that we have that we want to keep. For instance, I have a habit of trying to walk each morning. I know it is good for me, and I actually enjoy it. But some mornings I want to break that habit and sleep in. Other habits that are not so good for me (overeating, too much tv, etc.) I need to break. I don’t want to give them life by repeating them. Those need to die on the vine.

Paul gets autobiographical in today’s verse and describes his own struggle with sin. What?! Paul sinned? Of course, he did. He points out in today’s verse how the Law exposed his rebellious heart and how sin took that opportunity (look back at the previous verse) to come to life in him. That rebirth of sin in his life could only lead to death. Sin lives – I die. Sin dies – I live. It’s that simple.

APPLICATION

Paul uses a Greek word in today’s verse that only occurs one other time in the New Testament (Luke 15:24). Here it is used to describe sin’s revived life. In Luke it describes the prodigal son by the father. The word is anazaó and means “to live again.” (NAS Exhaustive Concordance). We give sin new life, we revive it when we yield to its influence in our lives. When we expose ourselves to these bad choices, sin is ready to jump right in.

In Luke 15:24 Jesus is telling the story of the prodigal son. The awaiting father says this when his son comes home, “‘for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.” That is a good sense of anazaó. Something the father thought was dead and gone had been made alive to him again. He regained his son.

The Topical Lexicon describes the use of anazaó this way. “In the New Testament it surfaces only twice, yet those two texts—Luke 15:24 and Romans 7:9—span the full spectrum of life’s restoration: from joyful renewal of a lost son to the startling resurgence of sin in the human heart. The verb thus becomes a lens through which Scripture illustrates both gracious revival and grievous reanimation.” Your choice, beloved. Allow sin to live or allow Christ to live through you. Choose wisely.

O Lord, You are faithful to show me my sins so I can confess those and live in You.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Eternity, Glorify, Glory, Heaven, Life, Scripture

LIVE TO GOD

ROMANS 6:10

“For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all time; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.”

It’s funny how your life changes from season to season. I’m talking about seasons of life. When I was younger and single, I lived for Carl. All I thought about was doing what was good for me. I wasn’t a horrible person, but my priority was ME. When I got married and had children all that changed. Now, my priority was to my family. I worked to provide for them. I lived to protect them, to teach my children and hopefully live a life worth imitating in the eyes of God. Priorities shift, don’t they?

Jesus’s priorities never shifted. Before He came to earth, He lived to give glory to God. As a man on earth, He lived a life that pointed every to God. And now that He is in heaven, He still lives to point everything to His Father. Talking about consistency! Paul tells us in today’s verse, “the life that He lives (meaning now in heaven at the righthand side of the Father), He lives to God.” He points us all to the glory of the Father.

APPLICATION

Barnes has a wonderful explanation of Jesus’ life now and what that means for us as Christ’s followers. “He seeks to promote his glory. The argument of Paul is this: Christians by their profession are united to him. They are bound to imitate him. As he now lives only to advance the glory of God; as all his mighty power, now that he is raised from the dead, and elevated to his throne in heaven, is exerted to promote his glory; so should their powers, being raised from the death of sin, be exerted to promote the glory of God.”

Do you measure your plans and decisions against that metric? Are you seeking to give glory to the Father? It is so easy to make our plans and decisions and then ask the Father to bless them. Instead, we should be going to the Father first and ask Him what His plans are. Do you recall Jeremiah 29:11? “‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’”

Before you make a list of New Year’s resolutions, consult the Lord. He may change your path drastically. He may point you toward someone you need to disciple. But whatever you do, be like Jesus and point it all to God. Give Him the glory for all He does in and through you.

Father God, You have ordained my days and given me a path to follow. I want to stay close by Your side each and every day.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Cross, Death, Eternal Life, Jesus, Life, Promises, Scripture

DIED ONCE FOR ALL

ROMANS 6:9

“knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.”

As a lifelong Baptist I have heard the whole debate about crosses verses crucifixes. A lot of my Baptist friends will argue that since Christ is alive and was resurrected, we should not have a symbol of Him remaining on the cross. My Catholic friends see the crucifix as a reminder of the sacrifice of Christ on that cross. They know He is alive and resurrected. Honestly, I don’t have a problem with the crucifix. To me it’s no different than watching a movie about the crucifixion each year. Let’s just agree to celebrate His sacrifice. Amen?

Paul knew that Christ had been raised from the dead. He had spoken to Him on that road to Emmaus. He knew Jesus’ shed His divine blood once for all mankind. He knew He had defeated death and the grave. Today’s verse is a reminder to us all of the supreme sacrifice and our promise of eternal life with Him one day. Understand this – for a follower of Christ the dominion of death has expired.

APPLICATION

Two of the verbs in today’s verse need to be explained. “Is…to die again” is in the Present Indicative Active. That verb tense is an ongoing action of the verb. Paul is saying that Christ is no longer dying constantly. He is not suffering for us now. He is advocating for us. He’s at the right hand of the Father. He died ONCE for all.

The other verb to look at is translated as “is..master.” It literally reads in the Greek “no longer rules over.” It’s the Greek word kurieuó and is also in the Present Indicative Active. Strong’s defines it as “have dominion over, exercise lordship over.” Death is not ruling over Jesus. Just the opposite, in fact. He defeated death. When He was resurrected, death saw its last day of dominion over mankind. Those who follow Jesus walk in that victory.

Where are you today in regard to Christ’s death and resurrection? I pray you have made that decision to follow Him. If you have, walk in that victory that is yours through Jesus. There is absolutely no reason to feel defeated. Trust Him to show you each day how to handle those situations that test you. He wants to see you living victoriously, not defeated. Remember, He died and arose again for you. This is an eternal promise from the Father.

O God, I praise You that I have victory of sin and the grave because of Jesus’ shed blood and His victory over death.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Death, Eternal Life, Life, Promises, Scripture

IF HE…THEN WE

ROMANS 6:8

“Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,”

One key parenting skill is teaching our children cause and effect. You can do that by saying to them, “If you do this, then this will happen.” For example, if you clean up your room, then you can have some extra video time. You get it. It’s important, though, to make sure if they do what you ask them, then you have to follow through with the “then.” Promises made equal promises kept.

Paul tells us in today’s verse that if we are dead to our sins because of our trust in Christ, then we shall live in Him. That’s a pretty good promise, isn’t it? In Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible there is this commentary on the last half of today’s verse. There was a lot more, but I chose to just include the following. “and are therefore under the greatest obligation, whilst here on earth, to live, not in sin, but to righteousness, and to his praise and glory; with whom they are now dead to sin, and with whom they not only hope, but believe they shall live throughout the endless ages of eternity.” That’s a wonderful explanation.

APPLICATION

How shall we apply this verse today? One is so clear in the first part of the verse. We must die with Christ daily. We must give up all our wants and desires to Him. We have no rights as crucified followers of Christ. All our rights are nailed to the cross. Does that mean we are powerless and helpless? Far from. It. Look at the second part.

Paul says, “we believe.” Don’t read that and just blow right past it. That is critical. So many believers make the decision to follow Christ but fail to believe in in His promises. We have to trust. We have to believe. We have to have faith in what He says is true.

Finally, Paul says, “we shall also live with Him.” That’s incredible. Paul is not referring to our future life with Him in heaven, though that is true. He is talking about our daily walk with Him now. We can live with Christ today. We can live for Him now. Every decision we make needs to flow from the Master. Every step we take is to be taken with Him.

You have to walk pretty close to someone on the beach to follow their footprints because the waves come in and wash them away. The same goes with Christ. We should be right on His heels every step. If He says something, we do it. If He guides us somewhere, we go. If – Then!

Father, I want to do whatever, whenever and however You lead. If You say it, then I will do it.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Christ, Life, New, Renewed, Scripture, Walking

WALKING IN NEWNESS

ROMANS 6:4

“Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.”

I have shared many times in this blog that I am a walker. Most mornings I get up early before sunrise and walk about three miles in my neighborhood. Every morning is a fresh walk, brand new to me. I may walk the same path every day, but I see different stars or planets in the early morning sky. I may see different cars in our neighborhood and even a new “For Sale” sign in front of one of the houses. My walks never get old. They are new every morning.

Paul uses a word for “newness” that is only used one other time in the New Testament. We’ll see that later in the next chapter of Romans. The word is kainotés. The Topical Lexicon says this about the use of this word here. “Kainotēs here describes a life sourced in resurrection power, characterized by freedom from sin’s dominion.” Our newness is directly tied to Christ’s resurrection power in our lives which gives us that victory over sin’s power. Hallelujah!

APPLICATION

This verse reminds me of Lamentations 3:22-23 which read, “22 The LORD’S acts of mercy indeed do not end, for His compassions do not fail. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Isn’t that a great promise from the Lord? God’s compassions do not fail. They are brand new every morning. Now, technically God’s compassions have been around for a long time and will continue into the future. But the particular compassion or mercy He gives you today is new to you and is designed just for you.

So, when the Lord tells us in today’s verse that we are to walk in newness of life, He means just that. Embrace the newness of your life in Christ. Enjoy the freshness of it. Each day when I step out my front door to begin my walk, I look up into the night sky to see the newness that greets me. I should also approach my walk with Christ each day. Instead of worrying about my future, I should step out in the newness of it, knowing that Christ has my back.

Look back at our verse. The first part tells us that we have been buried with Him through baptism into death. We have died to our old self and have been resurrected anew in Christ. The old things have passed away, right? If the old is gone, that leaves us the new. Today, walk in it. Walk in Him knowing all things are new in Christ. Amen?

God, I thank You for the newness I have in Christ that allows me to walk each day with fresh, spiritual eyes.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Death, Eternal Life, Grave, Life, Scripture

WE ARE DEAD!

ROMANS 6:2

“Far from it! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?”

Death is final or is it? For a believer we believe that death is simply a portal from this life on earth to eternal life with Christ. For the unbeliever, their physical death also leads to an eternity of their choosing, one of eternal separation from God and His light. Their end is not as precious as the believers. But we all will die one day unless the Lord returns in our lifetime. That would be fine with me.

Paul makes a great theological point in today’s verse when he writes “we who died.” This verb is in the Aorist tense which means it happened in the past. In regard to this verse and this verb, Lightfoot writes, “that they are not, and cannot be, their former selves—and that it is a contradiction of their very being to sin any more. It is the definiteness, the absoluteness of this change, considered as an historical crisis, which forms the central idea of St. Paul’s teaching, and which the aorist marks.” (Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers). That’s a powerful statement.

APPLICATION

Let’s think about this for a second. When you die, the affairs of this life cease for you. You will no longer have to worry about money, work or even losing weight. All those things are dead to you. You died a physical death which released you from all earthly concerns. The same is true for us in regard to sin. Once we surrender our life to Christ, we are dead (a one-time event) to sin. So why do we struggle with it every day?

Barnes says, “All Christians are thus in fact dead to sin. They do not live to sin; nor has sin dominion over them.” That is the key. Sin no longer rules our life. We have power over it through Christ. We simply yield to His commands daily and sin is avoided. We see sin clearly and we steer ourselves away. That’s being dead to sin.

Colossians 3:3 tells us, “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” If we are hidden with Christ in God, sin has to penetrate Christ to get to us. That’s just not possible. Why? Because He defeated sin and the grave at Calvary. We are standing on shouting ground, believer. Rejoice and claim your authority over sin today.

O God, I am so thankful that sin no longer rules over me. I have the power through Christ to defeat sin in my life.


If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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