“Your old evil desires were nailed to the cross with him; that part of you that loves to sin was crushed and fatally wounded, so that your sin-loving body is no longer under sin’s control, no longer needs to be a slave to sin; for when you are deadened to sin you are freed from all its allure and its power over you.” (Romans 6:6-7 The Living Bible)
Dead or alive is an expression that combines two opposite words. It is an oxymoron. Other oxymoron expressions are “inside out,” upside down,” and “my baby is all grownup,” according to publisher Lee Ballantine. Oh, we have our own oxymorons, but we better re-think how we use them in the future. We have expressions like, “He’s so bad, but a good man.” Or how about, “It’s just a little sin.” Remind me. Isn’t sin, just sin? Have you ever heard this one? “I’m doing home church today.” Refresh my memory. Don’t we all need to avoid developing the habit of forsaking the assembly of the saints?
When listing, “Dead or Alive,” Mr. Ballentine’s motive was to help us in developing the technical perspective of our writing in the English language. Let’s stay with the “Dead or Alive” oxymoron. You see, my motive is different. My motive is to help us focus on something from a theological perspective, as opposed to technicalities of writing. My motive is not to present you with a lecture on how to govern your speech as it pertains to the English language. My motive is to present you with a lesson on pertaining to how to live proper, as described in God’s word.
Read the opening and closing verses, focusing your attention on “Dead or Alive” from a different perspective before you depart to experience a wonderful worship service with the saints of God! Make sure to be present now, knowing your presence will serve a two-fold purpose. It will benefit you as you continue in life, alive and deadened to sin. Your presence will also serve as a benefit for others. Yes, it will! Go worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and your answer to my benediction will be, “ I was.” My daily benediction, “Be blessed!”
I won’t make you late for church. Just pause a minute and read the opening and closing verses before you leave, early, for church. Have a wonderful worship experience! Be blessed!”
“Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.” (Romans 6:8 NASB)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King