God’s Saving Word: Hope
Introduction
Romans 6:1-14: Paul explains being baptized as dying to sin and being raised to life, just as Jesus died and was raised to life by God.
Scripture Reading
Dead to Sin but Alive in Union with Christ
6 What shall we say, then? Should we continue to live in sin so that God’s grace will increase? 2 Certainly not! We have died to sin—how then can we go on living in it? 3 For surely you know that when we were baptized into union with Christ Jesus, we were baptized into union with his death. 4 By our baptism, then, we were buried with him and shared his death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from death by the glorious power of the Father, so also we might live a new life.
5 For since we have become one with him in dying as he did, in the same way we shall be one with him by being raised to life as he was. 6 And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on his cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin. 7 For when we die, we are set free from the power of sin. 8 Since we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that Christ has been raised from death and will never die again—death will no longer rule over him. 10 And so, because he died, sin has no power over him; and now he lives his life in fellowship with God. 11 In the same way you are to think of yourselves as dead, so far as sin is concerned, but living in fellowship with God through Christ Jesus.
12 Sin must no longer rule in your mortal bodies, so that you obey the desires of your natural self. 13 Nor must you surrender any part of yourselves to sin to be used for wicked purposes. Instead, give yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life, and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes. 14 Sin must not be your master; for you do not live under law but under God’s grace.
Today’s Key Verse: Romans 6:8
Since we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
Reflect
The opening rhetorical question (verse 1) is in response to Romans 5:20 and 21 (see yesterday’s reading). What does Paul say in response (verse 2)? What does “living in fellowship with God through Christ Jesus” (verse 11) mean to you? In what ways do you demonstrate that you “live a new life” because Christ was raised from death?
Pray
Gracious God, I seek to live in fellowship with you through your Son, Christ Jesus. I thank and praise you, Lord God, that I now live a new life under your merciful and loving grace. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Romans 6:15-23: The apostle Paul discusses becoming slaves of righteousness.