Paul opens with a lengthy
illustration on the fact that death frees us from the law. Using marriage as an
example he writes: Romans 7:1-6 (NIV)
For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. … So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code (2,4-6).
For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. … So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code (2,4-6).
This idea that dying with
Christ sets us free from slavery to sin reminded me of yesterday’s reading about
baptism. In Romans 6:3-4, Paul explained that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism
into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the
glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
In baptism we identify with
Jesus and our baptism symbolizes that through our identification with Jesus’
death we are set free from sin, which ruled our being. Baptism carries the
message further. Our being raised with Jesus, out of the waters of baptism,
symbolizes that we have in fact been raised with Christ to new life, eternal
life, everlasting life.
Baptism doesn’t do the
‘saving’, faith in Christ does that (remember chapters 3-5). But baptism does
declare that we are to be identified with Christ from that time
forward!
Are you in Christ? Do you
have saving faith in Jesus? Have you been baptized declaring your faith is in
Jesus?
Think about it…
God, thank
You for meeting me in the waters of baptism. Thank You for meeting me at the
Communion Table. Thank You for the gifts of Your sacraments. Gifts to me, gifts
of declaration…
May I live
faithful to You all the days of my life until I live with You forever in glory.
Amen.
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