To Identify Us to Christ

Grace has triumphed over the power of sin and shame! As we continue in the series Following Jesus, we see the perfect example of this witnessed in the act of baptism. Let us pray together:

Father, thank You for the gift of baptism and for being the God of second chances. Your mercies are new every morning and we are so grateful! God, I ask for You to soften my heart today. If there is an area of my life that needs revival, would You reveal that to me? If there is a step You are calling me to, would You make it so evident to me that I would follow that call today? I love You, Lord. Your forgiveness and provision are such a gift to me. I pray I will exemplify Your light and love to the world today. In Your name I pray, amen.

Romans 6:1-5 (NLT)
1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 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. 5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.

Paul is giving a similar warning here to those that I give my young kids when they have chosen to ignore all my advice and ultimately end up hurting themselves, exactly as I had anticipated.

Our three-year-old is, for lack of a better descriptive term, like a free-range chicken. He is constantly on the move, and the closer I get to catching him, the more quickly he gets away from me at the last second. The phrase, “you had better stop or you’re going to get hurt” leaves my mouth around 1,492 times a day with that little guy around. By the 1,493rd time, I have had ENOUGH, and find myself getting incredibly short. Can any other parents relate?

A few chapters before this, in chapter 3, Paul had JUST addressed a similar way of thinking with the masses. Well, here we are at chapter 6, and Paul is having to reiterate, and he has grown frustrated (and rightfully so, in my opinion!) Paul is addressing this “permission to sin” mentality with a firm declaration that those who have died to sin can no longer live in it. Why? Because when you have been baptized, you are dying to your old self and being raised, completely transformed. The grave, sin, shame, and former grievances hold NO CLAIM OVER US any longer!

Paul repeats himself because he wants us to get it. We are human. We are not immune to sin, but rather, when Christ died for our sins, He paid our sin debt for us. Death lost its hold on us. We strive to not live in sin so that we may glorify the grace so freely gifted to us by Jesus.

Have you ever experienced frustration when trying to communicate something you are so genuinely passionate about, only for it to feel as though it is falling upon “deaf ears”?

As you go before the Father today in prayer, are there any areas of your life that God has brought to the surface of your mind where He may be calling you to actively change? Are you hearing the call? Are you truly, truly listening? Write down one or two areas where you feel challenged. Continue to come back to them and pray for God’s reassurance.
 
Thank God for the blessing of grace and baptism!

Ask God to show you the areas of your life that need to be made new…

I pray that God will illuminate the areas of our lives and hearts where He wants us to grow in or walk away from!