With Christ in Baptism: From Death to Life (Romans 6:1-14)
Tell me about your baptism.
For many of us, our mind turns to the day we went under the water. After all, baptism is a once-in-a-lifetime memory of our Christian life. We might remember where we were, who was with us, or what we felt.
It's good to have such strong emotions tied to baptism. But do you think you could describe what happened in your baptism? Why did you go under the water? Why come back out? What does the action of baptism symbolize and what does it have to do with your life now?
That's the theme of Romans 6:1-14. It's the longest and most complete theological reflection on baptism in all of Paul's letters, and it's deeply relevant for our lives today.
Looking forward to opening it with you this Sunday at Grace.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
PS. If you are considering taking the step of being baptized in the worship services on April 28th, please come to the church library this Sunday at 9:30 AM to participate in the orientation class with Pastors Tim and Jason.
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
- Romans 6:1-14