As we close out this Easter week, our Scripture selection for today takes us to St. Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. In this Scripture passage we see how believers identify with the Lord Jesus in His death and in His resurrection. Let’s take a quick look, and see what the Lord can teach us from His Word.
Paul begins this section of his epistle with a comparison of baptism with the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Most baptisms in the early church were done by full immersion into the water, and today some Christian denominations continue that tradition, while others pour the water upon the believer’s head. My purpose here is not to promote one tradition or style of baptism over another, as both are meaningful. The baptism by immersion does give a clearer picture of what Paul is talking about right here (vs. 3-4). As the person being baptized is lowered down backwards into a more horizontal position, that gives a picture of someone being lowered into the ground in burial. Then the person is raised up out of the water, a picture of being raised up in resurrection. In addition to saying that they are baptized in the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, those churches which practice baptism by immersion often say something like “Buried in the likeness of His death, and raised in the likeness of His resurrection.” The idea behind that statement also comes from this passage (vs. 5).
What is the Apostle Paul talking about here, especially the idea of being baptized into Christ’s death? Paul is speaking about believers being spiritually united with Jesus in His crucifixion. Our baptism should signify the end of our old sinful nature. And just as the Lord Jesus was raised from the dead, so also believers are raised to live a new life, free from the bondage of sin (vs. 6). When a person accepts the Lord Jesus as their personal Savior, they are no longer a slave to sin. The old self has been crucified, and sin no longer has dominion over them (vs. 7). Since Christ died once for all, and now lives for God, believers are called to consider themselves dead to sin, but alive to God (vs. 11).
Through Jesus’ death, the power of our sinful nature was shattered. Our old sin-loving nature was buried with Him when He died. And when God raised Jesus from the dead, we were given His wonderful new life to enjoy. The moment someone becomes a Christian, their sinful nature dies, but there remain sinful aspects of their character that have not gone to their graves willingly. If these sinful attitudes are allowed to remain alive, they will stifle the fruits of the Spirit. We cannot say “That’s just the way I am”. That’s the way we were but that person died with Jesus, and we are now a new creature (II Corinthians 5:17). We need to allow God to complete His work in us, and see what fruits our life will produce.
God’s gracious provision of forgiveness isn’t designed as a license to now sin since we know He will forgive us. The commandments that God gave us in the Bible are in place to protect us from enslavement to sin. Each choice to break God’s rules adds another link to our slavery chain. Any and all sin is rebellion against the Lord. We are not freed from sin so that we can continue to disobey. Sin threatens to dominate our hearts, and then the joy drains from our relationship with Jesus. But through the death and resurrection of Jesus, that threat is an empty one. Sin has no authority over us.
There were those back in Paul’s day, and even plenty today who say that it’s okay to sin, especially if “no one gets hurt.” They say that God won’t judge, as He is “all love.” He will forgive the sin, so why worry. However, God says that anyone who calls themselves a Christian, but who isn’t serious about sin is a liar, not a true Christian (I John 2:3-6). We can choose to be a slave to sin or free in Christ Jesus, not both (John 8:34-36).
As we look back over this Scripture before we close, it is important to note that personal salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is vitally necessary. If you have not already asked Him to be your Savior, don’t hesitate another day. Once you become a true believer, the power of salvation transforms you, and you are no longer under sin’s control. As believers, it is important to aim for a holy life, rejecting sin and striving for righteousness. Baptism is important, though not a requirement for salvation. Baptism does not save us, but is a public declaration of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us now go forward in our lives in the power of His resurrection.
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