Romans 6 Verses 3-11

Last week we addressed the fact that Paul, through his questions, shows that if a person has come into Christ (and Christ has come into him), he is no longer part of the old creation - the old man/Adam.

Therefore, because of this reality, one is not of the same identity as before.  This is major because sin and death are part of Adam.  Life and Righteousness are Who Christ is.  This makes his questions then make sense to our hearts.  We will see this more and more.

But now Paul asks another question which is a startling one:  "Are you ignorant of the fact that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

It is startling because he uses the phrase, "are you ignorant?"  Why would Paul say it that way?  The message of Truth and Grace was being spread throughout the "world,"  by ALL the apostles. They/especially Paul, was proclaiming the revelation and truth of the Resurrected Christ - of what Christ came to do for man.  They were excited about His resurrection.

Here is what then, the next verses lay out for us - therefore, we are not to be ignorant either:

1)            Christ became sin on the cross - He was bearing not only sins in His body, but the fall of man - the condition of Adam (which is death).  Since we were part of Adam's fall/creation, we were in that crucifixion.  God was crucifying the old man!

2)            As Christ was buried, so was Adam!  This means that God's judicial act of dealing with this old creation was being acted upon.  If this were not so, God could not now justify anyone through Christ.

3)            God then raised Christ from the dead by His glorious power.  Christ was raised, because He Himself was absolutely innocent.  He simply bore on our behalf, the sins and condition of the whole world.

4)            Since Christ was raised, then God opened the door to all those that receive HIM to have resurrection life - verse four says "...so we too might habitually live and behave in newness of life."

So with these thoughts, we can read Verses 3 through 8 and "see" in living color, how we were part of God's work of the cross and resurrection (even though we were not there!)

In verse 6 it is emphasized that the Old Man (all that Adam represents and, Paul calls it "our" old self) - was nailed WITH HIM in order that this body we live in might be made ineffective and inactive for evil - that we might NO LONGER be the slaves of sin.

It's like this:  Imagine our bodies with a zipper.  We still have those same bodies.  (We are promised new ones).  But when we believed the message of the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God "unzipped" our bodies, took out the heart of sin and death and put His Son in there by God's Holy Spirit.  He then zipped our bodies back up.

There you go - new creature  - son of God - new man - Holy Spirit - hope of glory - right with God - the Life of Jesus dwelling in us - this and more is our contents now!  The Scriptures prove this.  New contents!  Paul asks in another letter - so, how can you go back to being a religious person?

Other epistles too, indicate that one can walk again like the Gentiles - be carnal, etc.  It all goes back to ignorance, unbelief, or as Paul puts it in Colossians - being cheated of the truth - and swayed into philosophy of men, religion, etc.

All these things can never change God's Truth.  If we are in Christ, we are sons and daughters of God - we are indwelt by His Spirit in our inner man.  There is nothing wrong with the contents dwelling inside of our hearts now.  It's whether or not we know, understand, or even believe the Word of Life.

As we do feast upon the Truth, there is no doubt in my heart, our behaviors will line up with the reality of WHO we are in Christ and WHO He is in us.  And there is no doubt that the joy would increase knowing then. that God is not a parole officer in our lives making us "nervous nellies" all the time.  Instead, we can enjoy our relationship with the Father and with His Son and live in the HOPE of His glory.

God is at work in the child of God to bring forth the image of His Son.  Part of this can be done more quickly (in my estimation) if the Word of God  is truly taught accurately, so we are NOT ignorant.

For today I will close with Verse 11 of Romans 6.  It is a truly beautiful reality and one that is brought to us solely by God's grace in Christ Jesus:

"Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but ALIVE to God (living in unbroken fellowship to Him) in Christ Jesus."

He has just asked us to simply consider or reckon (an accounting term) ourselves DEAD to all the old, the power of sin, Adam's creation, Mr. Devil too, (these are not our relatives anymore); AND, reckon - (look at the account God has given us) ourselves ALIVE to God in UNBROKEN fellowship and relationship with the Father and Jesus Christ.  God and His Son are OUR relatives now.  Through TRUTH we are transformed by beholding Christ.  Therefore, the fruit of our lives is truly the result of Christ within.

In His Love,

Sue Gaither

P.S.  God's Word is challenged in our lives - and there is a conflict sometimes to lay hold and possess the Truth - this is why Paul calls it "the good fight of faith."  This is where we stand - in Christ.  Oh, next devotion we will address about the struggles with our flesh!