READ: ROMANS 6:1-11
How do Christians relate to sin in light of Christ’s death? This is one of the most logical questions that people who understand the Gospel will want answered. In Romans 6:1-11, Paul presents the beginning of a rich and wonderful answer to that question. In this section we learn that for all of those who are IN CHRIST we have already died to sin. We can say that we are dead towards sin and that sin has no claim on us because we have been “baptized” into Christ’s death.
There is a union that is so deep and wonderful between Jesus and everyone who trusts in Jesus, that Paul has no problem saying that his death is our death, and his life is our life. Therefore, we are too look upon the death and resurrection of Jesus for the answers to our own personal questions and the meaning for our lives. When we come to trust Jesus and worship him as Lord and Savior, the most important thing about our lives is what happened to Christ.
In his death, Jesus accepted the full payment for and punishment of our sins. There is no longer a debt for all of those who are in Christ. In resurrection, Jesus proclaims freedom over sin and the grave. The resurrection is living proof that Christians are no longer dead to sin because Christ is alive, and if we are in Christ then we are alive too!
This plays out in our lives progressively. That is to say, there will be times in our lives when it doesn’t feel like we are dead to sin but dead in sin. However, the good news of the cross and resurrection is that our experience does not determine our destination. With the freedom that we are given through the power of Christ over sin and death, we are progressively and truly set free from sin both on the macro level and the micro level. Paul wants us to look to Christ, identify more with his death and resurrection than we do with our own success or failures, and continue to walk in the life that we have in Christ.
QUESTIONS:
In what ways does sin have power over people outside of Christ?
How does Jesus death change how we relate to sin?
How can we know that we are actually free from the bondage of sin?
In what ways have you died with Christ?
What is one way that you can live your life more in line with the resurrection of Jesus?
PRAY:
Pray for continued experience of freedom in Christ. Pray that you would look upon Jesus death and resurrection as the basis for your freedom from the power of sin. Pray that we would all grow to hate sin more and more and as we do so, to live for Christ with our entire lives.