Romans 14:9

For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

Man's tragic need is so overwhelmingly great that the remedy required is absolutely supernatural. Any system of philosophy or religion that operates only during man's mortal life is worthless at last. The distinction of Christianity is that the Saviour is Lord of life and death, both alike lying totally within the perimeter of his omnipotent love and power. In such a sovereignty as Paul expressed here concerning Christ, he partakes of the godhead, as he himself said, "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Matthew 22:32), Paul's words here in no wise contradicting that, because two different sectors of the same meaning are spoken of, Paul having in mind the Christians who have passed through death, and Christ's reference being to the state of them that have passed through it, their state being in no sense one of annihilation but a state of abeyance awaiting the judgment. Both statements emphasize the sovereignty of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ over the totality of life and death. Thus, life and death are viewed in scripture as two states of existence, both of which are under divine authority and control. It is also evident that God's purpose of demonstrating this authority and control was served by the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord. Godet expressed it thus:

By transversing all domains of existence himself, he has so won them, that in passing through them in our turn as believers, we never cease to be his, and have him as our Lord.[7]