AS THOSE ALIVE FROM THE DEAD

… present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead … . Romans 6:13

The last three of the five things we are to do to be under grace and not under law are in Romans 6:13. The second one in this verse—the fourth of all—is “present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead.”

Two things make this command different from the other four. First, it is the only one of the five that calls for both choosing and believing. Command 1 is to believe. Commands 2, 3 and 5 are to choose.

Second, it is the most difficult one to understand. The part that is difficult to understand is “as being alive from the dead.” Just what does that mean? The difficulty is removed when we follow the rule of interpreting Scripture that says, “Interpret a passage in the light of its context.” The context concerns the believer’s spiritual crucifixion, burial and resurrection.

Following that rule, we understand the words “as alive from the dead” to mean “as those who are spiritually crucified, buried and resurrected.” That makes clear the meaning of the statement and how to apply it to our lives.

We are to make our lives available to God as those who are spiritually crucified, buried and resurrected. Our old man has been crucified and buried. We are in the heavenly places with God. Our know-it-all attitude is crucified and buried and we are before God to receive and live out of His point of view and not our own.

Many of us have encouraged believers who are seekers after God to obey the first part of this command—“present yourselves unto God.” We should encourage them to make their lives available to God as those who are free from their point of view and ready to receive God’s point of view.