Die, or Live by the Commandment

“I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.”

“Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.”

The commandment was to bring life. The one who kept them was to live by them. Lev. 18:5. There were many people who tried that and strove to establish their own righteousness by keeping the commandments. Rom. 10:3. However, Paul was faithful to the truth and came to acknowledge that he was carnal, sold under sin. Through the commandment sin revived; he did what he could to fulfill the law, but in the end he had to admit that man cannot be justified by works of the law, but through faith in Christ Jesus. Gal. 2:16.

The righteousness which Paul obtained by living according to the commandment became his righteousness. That was the same as improving himself in his own strength. He did not want to be found in Christ with his own righteousness, but with the righteousness that comes through faith by being conformed to His death. Phil. 3:9-10.

Paul says, “And I died.” This was the exact opposite way of living, and this was the mystery of the faith with which Jesus came. “For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” Gal. 2:19-20.

Once in a while, when you ask an unconverted person if he wants to get converted, he replies, “Yes, but when I get converted I want to do it properly; I do not want to be a hypocrite.” It sounds so nice, but at the same time you can hear that he trusts in his own strength and not in the grace that is in Christ. When he does get converted and tries to live according to the light he has received, he gets to see his own insufficiency. Consequently, many a converted person becomes discouraged and gives up. But Paul says, “And I died.” This was a completely different way to go.

What does it mean to “die”? It means that you do not “want” anything anymore. When you “want” something and at the same time you are supposed to overcome anger, you have quite a struggle on your hands; consequently, many people grow tired, but they find new strength in their own arm. For such people the life of a Christian is a constant striving without joy.

Jesus says if anyone wants to be His disciple, he must forsake everything and hate his own life. This is what Paul agreed to do when he was crucified with Christ. This is the mystery of the faith—if One died for all, then all died. “And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” 2 Cor. 5:15.

You can also hear this at meetings and conferences when the light—the commandment—shines and sin is revived. Then several people usually get up and make great resolutions. It is good to hear, of course, but when at the same time you can also hear that they have not forsaken everything, even though they say that now they want to be more generous and more patient and be finished with getting offended, etc., you can also hear that they reckon with “pulling themselves together” more. They are trying to live by the law. However, sin revives because they are living; they “want” something; but if they want to overcome, they must forsake everything. They must forsake what they “want”—they must die. That is the mystery. Then they can enter into rest, and in that rest they can hear God’s voice and serve Him.

When something goes against your grain, you get angry, become jealous and anxious, etc. Then your nature asserts itself. If you want to keep the law at the same time, the result will be a great striving. At this point Paul found out that he was carnal, sold under sin; consequently, his attempt at living by the commandment was only patchwork. Through the commandment sin became exceedingly sinful, so that Paul hated himself: “And I died.” He gave up his life, his own will. Now there was nothing that could go against him anymore. He lived for God. Now he wanted to serve the will of God, and when it met his nature, he took up his cross. He was surrendered into Jesus’ death. This death was always working in him. 2 Cor. 4:10-11. He no longer served himself, but Christ, and the life of Jesus was manifested in his mortal flesh. This is the mystery of the faith—to die by the commandment. This will result in a life that is genuine through and through—a resurrection life.