ROMANS 6:1-11 – What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
THEME OF THE DAY. THE FOUNDATION FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING. Thirteen times. That is the combined number of times the words “died, death, die” appear in the eleven verses of today’s scripture. If we add the implied words of death such as “crucified, resurrection” that number swells to fifteen. When a theme or words are repeated with such frequency in the Bible, God is telling us something of significant importance. So, with this repetition, what is the underlying lesson for us? To understand the answer, we need to get a grip on the whole chapter.
In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter six reveals the key to living the Christian life in fullness of joy. He is detailing for us that the Christian life is not about what we do or don’t do. It is about understanding what happened to us at salvation and then, by faith, learning to live this truth out. It might be said with confidence, “The sixth chapter of the New Testament book of Romans is where we learn the true foundation on how to live the Christian life.”
As we seek to live honoring to the Lord, we have a huge stumbling within and without us. We know it well. It is called “sin”. Remember we counted the number of times references to death occurred in today’s scripture? Another word is repeated a lot as well – sin. Seven times. And here comes the foundation to living a joyful and victorious Christian life. It is understanding and applying the link between death, Christ and sin. As we do, we will see that when Christ died for sin, we died with Him to sin. This is the key to Christian living; to always see ourselves in Christ, dying when He died, risen when He rose, and in that union, the power of sin is broken. Let this sink in. If we, by faith, see ourselves in Christ in His death and resurrection, we really can live victoriously over sin. When temptation to sin whispers into our hearts and minds, we may “stare it down” by saying, “Nope. I don’t have to give into you. I died. I died with Jesus. I rose with Jesus. Sin has no more dominion over me. His power enables me to defeat you.” Do this consistently and see how much joy comes into our lives. Why? Because being dead to sin and alive to righteousness, applied by faith, always leads to joy and that in abundance.
PRAYER: “Father, grant me a greater understanding of my union in the death and resurrection of Your Son.”
QUOTE: “To live for yourself will ensure a shallow, meaningless life full of disappointment and discouragement.”