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My Favorite Verses - Vol V (Feb 17 to Jun 17)

An illustrated collection of brief commentaries on some of the Bible’s most beloved (and some of its least understood) passages, parables, verses & sayings

An illustrated collection of brief commentaries on some of the Bible’s most beloved (and some of its least understood) passages, parables, verses & sayings

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Romans 6:10-11 … Dying <strong>to</strong> death<br />

(02/27/20<strong>17</strong>)<br />

“The death he died, he died <strong>to</strong> sin … But the Life he lives, he lives <strong>to</strong> God.<br />

Consider yourselves dead <strong>to</strong> sin and alive <strong>to</strong> God” ~ Paul (Romans 6:10-11)<br />

First of all, note that Paul is speaking here about Jesus‟ crucifixion and<br />

supposed resurrection; key points in the “Gospel of A<strong>to</strong>nement” that Paul himself<br />

invented (see Acts 13:30-38, Acts <strong>17</strong>:3, Acts <strong>17</strong>:31b, & 1 Corinthians 15:13-14 et al) --<br />

a gospel which was a very different <strong>to</strong> “the Good News” taught and encouraged<br />

by Jesus Christ (see Matthew 10:7 & Matthew 24:12-14) … And while it was well<br />

done on Paul‟s part <strong>to</strong> (almost certainly inadvertently) imply that Jesus did not die<br />

<strong>to</strong> life but merely “died <strong>to</strong> sin” – his own sin, Paul mistakenly chose <strong>to</strong> believe<br />

that Jesus did indeed die for all of our sins as well. Of course – at least as far as<br />

Jesus himself was concerned – this was quite clearly not the case. In fact, Jesus<br />

put himself on the cross <strong>to</strong> show us how we could all cleanse our own sins by<br />

“taking up our own cross” and emulating (i.e. following) his Way of selfless Love<br />

(see Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23 + Matthew 5:40-44, Matthew 18:21-22,<br />

Matthew 25:35-40 et al).<br />

Finally, please note that – again, at least for Jesus – the phrase “living <strong>to</strong><br />

God” does not mean bowing down in subservience <strong>to</strong> a celestial dicta<strong>to</strong>r, but<br />

rather means fully honoring the God-Essence within (see John 14:20) by acting as<br />

an agent thereof in our dealings with others (see Matthew 22:37-40). And it is in<br />

this sense and this sense alone that Paul is correct when he says that we are <strong>to</strong><br />

consider ourselves “dead <strong>to</strong> sin and alive <strong>to</strong> God.”<br />

Amen … Let it be so.<br />

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