“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.” (Romans 6:6-11 NRS)
Don’t you think it is an interesting phenomenon how an uncommitted person cannot truly follow Christ? Origen wrote that following Christ “springs from no ordinary courage.”
It seems that some people want to talk the talk of disciples but do not want to deny themselves of their former lusts. Not to be preachy here, yet disciples humbly acknowledge their former wickedness and firmly walk away from it.
Note that the “old self is crucified with him (Christ)” for the purpose “that the body of sin might be destroyed” and so that we would not be enslaved by our sin any longer. And once freed, the individual doesn’t wan to return to his/her slavery. Freedom is a precious and dear gift!
And if we believe that we have been crucified — have died — in Christ, it stands to reason that we have also been resurrected in his resurrection. Being resurrected in Christ is not simply a future event or experience. It isn’t a “some-day-I’ll-be-resurrected” kind of principle. No, not at all! Our resurrection began with the empty tomb over 2000 years ago. If Christ is resurrected ( and He certainly is), then we are also today resurrected in him.
Let us transform our thinking. The Resurrected Christ will never die again, so death does not exercise any authority or power over him. He died one time to sin — for all mankind — but his present living is to God’s glory. By substitution then, death also has no power or authority over those who are crucified in Christ.
The Apostle’s point here is not an eternal security issue. Rather, he is illustrating that a dead sinner resurrected in Christ must recognize his/her freedom from sin and reject its authority by living his/her present life unto God’s glory.
“As a result,” Origen wrote, “let every thought, every purpose, every word, and every action become a denial of ourselves and a testimony about Christ and in Christ.” Consider yourself dead to sin! Consider yourself alive to God!
Dear Father, thank you for our death and resurrection in Christ. Empower us with transformed thinking that we may truly live our lives dead to sin and alive to God. I pray this prayer in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be courageous today alive in God,