Wednesday Devo
Scripture:
Romans 6:1-4
Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
Commentary:
6:1 Paul is likely responding to a question posed regularly by his Jewish opponents. They did not raise this question so that they would have an excuse to sin, though in every age some have wrongly interpreted and applied Paul’s gospel of grace to rationalize sin. Instead, Paul’s opponents argued that his gospel must be mistaken since, in their view, it led people to continue in sin. Paul will now show why their interpretation of his gospel is mistaken.
6:2 Paul’s gospel does not lead to more sin, since those who belong to Christ have died to sin (as explained in the following verses).
6:3 Christians died to sin when they were baptized into Christ. Paul is not arguing that baptism magically destroys the power of sin. Baptism is an outward, physical symbol of the inward, spiritual conversion of Christians.
6:4 In the early church, baptism was probably by immersion, at least as a general rule, though Christians dispute whether such a practice must always be followed literally today. Therefore, baptism pictures a person being buried with Christ (submersion under water) and being raised to new life with Christ (emergence from water). This symbolizes the person’s union with, and incorporation into, Christ by the action of the Holy Spirit. Hence, they now have the power to live in newness of life.
6:2 Paul’s gospel does not lead to more sin, since those who belong to Christ have died to sin (as explained in the following verses).
6:3 Christians died to sin when they were baptized into Christ. Paul is not arguing that baptism magically destroys the power of sin. Baptism is an outward, physical symbol of the inward, spiritual conversion of Christians.
6:4 In the early church, baptism was probably by immersion, at least as a general rule, though Christians dispute whether such a practice must always be followed literally today. Therefore, baptism pictures a person being buried with Christ (submersion under water) and being raised to new life with Christ (emergence from water). This symbolizes the person’s union with, and incorporation into, Christ by the action of the Holy Spirit. Hence, they now have the power to live in newness of life.
Study Questions:
- We need to be about KINGDOM values. Instead of chasing lives full of power, position, wealth, power, success or fame, we should be seeking a life marked by prayer, the Bible, church, worship, character, service, faithfulness and the fruits of the Spirit. Instead of prioritizing laws and religion to bring conformity, we need to be about discipleship and being changed from the inside-out. It means saying NO to yourself on a daily basis, taking up your cross and following Jesus. God sees through our outer good deeds, straight through to our hearts. When he looks at YOUR heart, what does he see? Is your heart close to him today? Or is there distance because of apathy or sin issues?
- This process of becoming more and more like Jesus is called sanctification, and it happens slowly, over time. It often takes longer than we'd like, and it doesn't happen by accident. It happens through faithful obedience and daily submission to Jesus. It happens through consistent prayer and the study of God's Word. And it happens in community with other believers. How have you seen this process work in your own life? Are you different than you were a year ago? Five years ago? How has your heart and mind changed? How has your faith grown?
Pray:
- That your heart would be close to God's.
- That you would continue to grow and mature in the Lord.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
6. Is the Bible God’s Word? Jesus proved He is God by rising from the dead and said the Old Testament was God’s Word and gave authority to the Apostles to write the words of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that all the words of the Bible are God’s Word.
(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
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