Romans 6:1-7
What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with Him like this in death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
Devotion
In the first five chapters of Romans, Paul deals with the doctrine of Justification (being made right with God). The result of justification is that we are rescued from the penalty of sin. In the next several chapters, Paul deals with the doctrine of Sanctification. Sanctification is the process where we are daily being rescued from the power of sin. The very fact that Paul begins chapter six with the above question makes it obvious that he understood justification to mean a declaration of righteousness; that it did not mean to make a person good, but to declare a person good. Justification means the penalty of sin is removed, not the power of sin in this life. Now Paul is going to talk about removing the power of sin. Even though we, as sinners, are justified through faith in Christ, we never reach the place where we become sinless. Why? Because the old sin nature still resides within us. Paul acknowledges this reality and talks about God’s provision to help us live victorious lives for Christ. According to Paul, we died to sin in Christ—that’s our position—but we are never dead to sin in this life. As long as we are in this physical body, we will have a sinful nature. But God also gave us His Spirit as an alternative to the sinful nature. The Spirit resides within us, always. The Spirit empowers us to say “no” to the old nature. In the next couple of chapters, Paul will unfold how we can have victory over the power of sin!
Questions to Ponder:
Union with Christ in His death and resurrection means that He is now our Savior and our Master. He gives us freedom, but that freedom is not a license. Have you experienced God’s forgiveness (justification) by putting your faith in His Son, Jesus? Are you experiencing the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit (sanctification) as He transforms you into a new creation?
Prayer Points
- Worship God as the Lord of your life.
- Praise Him as your Savior, the pure and spotless Lamb of God, and Spirit of Truth.
- Invite the Spirit of God to search your heart and mind and bring to your attention any offensive way. Confess to Him, tell Him you are sorry, and receive His forgiveness.
- Ask for the LORD to enable you by the power of the Holy Spirit to walk in His love.
Suggested Prayer
Abba Father, Lord Almighty, I worship You as LORD of all creation. I worship You as Lord of my life. I ask that You shepherd my heart and life; lead me into truth and teach me Your ways. Help me by the power of Your Holy Spirit to walk in love and trust Your leadership. You see, Abba, that my heart is prone to wander. Lead me back to You, and empower me to shine for You.