Prepare: I no longer live; but Christ lives in me (Gal 2:21)
Read: Romans 6:1-11
Buried with Christ in baptism: Paul's assertion, "the grace of God prevailed all the more over sin", does not give any concession to continue in our sin. The freedom that God gives requires us to move from sin so that the grace of God cannot be nullified.
The sure way ahead to fully avail of God's grace is by uniting oneslf with Christ. In the first century, baptism and conversion could not be bifurcated. They both were considered as two sides of the same coin. Baptism clearly has two facts: one is being buried with the Lord, the other being resurrected (rose again) with the Lord. The second aspect of baptism implies that we are now united with Christ and our old self is crucified with the Lord on the cross.
The believers' life is hidden in Christ: Paul urges the believers to understand that we no longer live in the old self, as we are crucified with the Lord. We should be conscious of the fact and this is the only way forward for us to live a responsible Christian life. On the other hand, the Holy Spirit who is given to be on our side will instruct us of our righteous living in the Lord. Paul is confident that baptism is a sure sign for us to be reminded that we are raised and united with Christ and our oldselves do not have power to sin.
Respond: Lord, help me to live out the truth of baptism in my every day life.
Read: Romans 6:1-11
Buried with Christ in baptism: Paul's assertion, "the grace of God prevailed all the more over sin", does not give any concession to continue in our sin. The freedom that God gives requires us to move from sin so that the grace of God cannot be nullified.
The sure way ahead to fully avail of God's grace is by uniting oneslf with Christ. In the first century, baptism and conversion could not be bifurcated. They both were considered as two sides of the same coin. Baptism clearly has two facts: one is being buried with the Lord, the other being resurrected (rose again) with the Lord. The second aspect of baptism implies that we are now united with Christ and our old self is crucified with the Lord on the cross.
The believers' life is hidden in Christ: Paul urges the believers to understand that we no longer live in the old self, as we are crucified with the Lord. We should be conscious of the fact and this is the only way forward for us to live a responsible Christian life. On the other hand, the Holy Spirit who is given to be on our side will instruct us of our righteous living in the Lord. Paul is confident that baptism is a sure sign for us to be reminded that we are raised and united with Christ and our oldselves do not have power to sin.
Respond: Lord, help me to live out the truth of baptism in my every day life.
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