December 31st, 2014 Dead but Alive Romans 6:1-23 Read Have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. (Romans 6:3-8) Reflect We can enjoy our new life in Christ because we are united with him in his death and resurrection. Our evil desires, our bondage to sin, and our love of sin died with him. Now, united by faith with him in his resurrection life, we have unbroken fellowship with God and freedom from sin’s hold on us (see Ephesians 4:21-24 and Colossians 3:3-15). Paul emphasizes that we need no longer live under sin’s power. The power and penalty of sin died with Christ on the cross. Our sinful nature died once and for all, so we are freed from its power. Though our body willingly cooperates with our sinful nature, we must not regard the body as evil. It is the sin in us that is evil. And it is this power of sin at work in our body that is defeated. Paul has already stated that through faith in Christ we stand acquitted before God. We can choose to live for Christ (see Galatians 2:20). You are free to choose between two masters, but you are not free to adjust the consequences of your choice. Each of the two masters pays with his own kind of currency. The currency of sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). That is all you can expect or hope for in life without God. Christ’s currency is eternal life—new life with God that begins on earth and continues forever with God. Respond As Paul stated “we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him” (Romans 6:8). What does it mean to you to “die with Christ” or to “live with him”?
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:20:45 +0000