How can we who died to sin yet live in it? Or are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Romans 6:2-3 NABRE
Paul is speaking to the community in Rome about coming into a new life in Christ. First he addresses sin, he has spoken about sin being something that humanity has been released from and indicates if we have been freed from sin then why would we return to sin and let it dominate our lives. We can choose how we want to live, having died to sin once there is no reason to take on a life a sin again. The reason we can live sinless lives is because we are baptized into Christ. We are incorporated into the Christ, united with Christ. Paul writes we are baptized into to Christ’s death. This doesn’t seem to make sense but Paul is looking at Christ’s death, entombment and resurrection as the meaning for us in Baptism. We are submerged into death, held there and rise again through Christ’s passion. Using the image of water, we go into the water and die, held there for a few moments, seeking hope and then raised we take on a new mantle, we rise in Christ, a new life. The death we experience is a death to sin, selfish ways, careless living, self-centered living, and move to care for others, love for others and putting others first. We are new people dying to sin and becoming incorporated into Christ. For Paul baptism is a symbolic representation of Jesus’ death and resurrections. It shows a tangible way that Christians participate in these saving events. Paul also sees we receive blessings through baptism (today we say grace) that strengthens us to be righteous, to glorify God and to have the courage and strength to recall our death to sin and a new life of holiness.
Becoming new in Christ is the life we seek as Christians.
Do you recall your baptism? Can you recognize your new life incorporated in Christ?
For the Apostle Paul baptism is a symbolic representation of Jesus' death and resurrection. Becoming new in Christ is the life we seek as Christians. Click To Tweet#bible’#godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #baptism #life #Paul #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #cross #last #Matthew #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways