Romans 14:8

we die unto the Lord In view of Romans 14:9, this must mean, "when we die, we do not pass out of His bondservice, but only into another mode of it: in the world to come we are still at His command, responsible to Him." Not so much the act of death as the state of the departedseems to be in question here. (The usage of the Gr. verb rendered "die" fully admits this: it must occasionally be rendered "lie dead.")

The whole of this passage is deeply significant of the true object of a Christian's life. We are bound indeed to "live to others;" but this bond is but a part of the supreme obligation (of which non-religious philanthropy knows nothing, though it owes to the Gospel so much of its original impulse,) to "live and die unto the Lord." There are some excellent remarks on this in Memorials of a Quiet Life, III. 130.

whether we live therefore "Therefore" gathers up the facts just stated into one summary expression.

the Lord's His bondservants. Cp. St Paul's own personal confession, Acts 27:23.