Image from http://fprespa.blogspot.com
The Fullness of Life Begins with Death to Sin in Us
From Romans 6:1-11: What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Dear friends, I apologize for no ConCafe yesterday. The day found Nellie and I in bed with a bad cold that we picked up at annual conference. We both had severe sore throats, and fever. Thankfully we were smart in seeing our doctor on Monday who prescribed an antibiotic and today we're both feeling much better. We appreciate your faithfulness and your prayers. We pray you do not come down with a summer cold; they're the worst!
Sin is missing the mark, some have said. God has set a mark for our lives and we have chosen to live it our way. Sin is that which we do which we know is not pleasing to God and usually comes as a result of our disobedience to God. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), meaning that all unremoved sin will cause our spiritual death and may cause eternal death, a separation from God if we are not careful. Sin causes guilt and guilt causes a great weight in our heart or conscience that makes fullness of life impossible. But the good news is that Christ died to set us free from our sins, and yet some wonder, as Paul asks in the first verse of this passage, "Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound?" And he also gives us the answer: NO! When we ask forgiveness of our sin, that sin is removed from us and we are dead to sin. And because of our baptism, we were joined with Christ in that death, but also because of that baptism we are joined with Christ in His life. And that brings about our walking with newness of life.
Newness of life means a deep appreciation for life, a strong positive attitude towards all things, seeing the good beyond the bad, and a contagious hope. The person with this newness of life tastes the sweet in the Lord as found all around us and his or her face reflects it. Sin no longer has a claim on our lives and life is ours! Yet, as pastor I have heard people say, "Well, pastor, I don't know, if I die today, I may not go to heaven!" What's that hymn that we sing? "Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of Glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His spirit, washed in His blood." And the Refrains says, "This is my story, this is my son, praising my Savior all the day long." This IS our story once we have surrendered to Jesus all of our sins and commit our lives to Him. Dead will be the sin as well as the doubt and negative thoughts about life and our future.
Start singing!
PRAYER: Thank You, Lord God, for Your love and mercy. Thank You for bringing life to the dead, and taking to the death the sin once found in us. Free us for joyful obedience and a life that shows the newness in our souls. This we claim and pray in the precious and powerful name of Jesus my Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
