Romans 6:1-4

Passage

Then what will we say?  Shall we continue in sin in order that grace should increase?  By no means!  We who died to sin, how will we live in Him?  Do you all not know that we all who were baptized into Christ Jesus were being baptized into His death?  Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death in order that just as Christ was being raised out of the dead through the glory of the Father so also we should walk through life in newness of life.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul begins this new chapter with a very interesting argument.  He mocks those who are saying that if God’s grace is so great, then we should sin more so that God has an opportunity to forgive more and thus seem more graceful. Of course this is faulty logic.  God has already proven Himself gracious.  It is up to us to prove ourselves willing to follow His grace.  Our place is not to give Him opportunities to forgive; our place is to give Him opportunities to lead.

Are you following God or are you living a life that forces God to forgive more than He really should have to forgive?  How can you become a greater follower and less of a rebellious sinner?

Second Thought:

Baptism is a symbol of death according to Paul in this passage.  Baptism is a symbol of being buried into death.  We are placed under the water – literally or figuratively – so that we understand that we are dead to sin.  As we rise from the water, we are reminded that we are to rise out of sin and into obedience to God.

How is baptism a symbolism of the spiritual walk?  Is there any comfort in realizing that in our baptism you are joining with Christ?  Why is that comforting?

Third Thought:

Paul tells us that through Christ we have a newness to life.  Yes, the battle rages within.  Yes, we still find ourselves tempted into sin and we find ourselves in the battleground.  But in Christ, there is a newness.  In fact, one might say that the newness is the battleground!  Without Christ, we would be powerless to our sin.  We would all be selfish and self-centered seeking our own desires.  The fact that we can even battle against our sin is a newness of life!  Even better, in Christ we even occasionally find victory over our sin.  What a newness indeed!  Anytime we see people who are not acting in their inner selfishness it is evidence of the new life that comes through Christ.

Have you ever considered it a privilege to even battle against your sinfulness?  How is this battle evidence of the newness within you?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 6:5-7