The God Pause Daily Devotion - The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Wednesday, 21 June 2017 - Romans 6:1b-11 Romans 6:1 So then, are we to say, “Let’s keep on sinning, so that there can be more grace”? 2 Heaven forbid! How can we, who have died to sin, still live in it? 3 Don’t you know that those of us who have been immersed into the Messiah Yeshua have been immersed into his death? 4 Through immersion into his death we were buried with him; so that just as, through the glory of the Father, the Messiah was raised from the dead, likewise we too might live a new life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was put to death on the execution-stake with him, so that the entire body of our sinful propensities might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For someone who has died has been cleared from sin. 8 Now since we died with the Messiah, we trust that we will also live with him. 9 We know that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, never to die again; death has no authority over him. 10 For his death was a unique event that need not be repeated; but his life, he keeps on living for God. 11 In the same way, consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God, by your union with the Messiah Yeshua.[Complete Jewish Bible]-------I worked as a lifeguard at a public pool when I was a teenager living in Texas. One day a local Baptist church rented out the pool to use for baptisms. So it happened that I lifeguarded at a baptism service where a dozen or so youth and adults were immersed in God's water!
According to Paul, I did a terrible job as a lifeguard that day, because everyone who was baptized drowned and died. "All who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death" (Romans 6:3). But Paul also says I did a wonderful job as a lifeguard that day, because everyone who drowned in the water of baptism was raised to new life! "Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too walk in newness of life" (Rom 6:4).
Baptism joins us to Christ both in life and in death. Every day we experience life and death. In our communities babies are born and people die. Every day people die through addiction, abuse and poverty, but people are raised to new life through love, relationship and service. Our new life that begins at baptism walks us through a thousand cycles of dying and rising, reminding us that we are always connected to Jesus, who braved the grave before us.
God, be with us through the dying and rising of our baptismal journey. Guide us with wisdom, compassion and joy to be new creatures every day. Amen.
Nissa Peterson, '16
Pastor, Chatfield Lutheran Church, Chatfield, Minn.
Romans 6:1b Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound?
2 By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it?
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
6 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.
7 For whoever has died is freed from sin.
8 But 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 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. [New Revised Standard Version]
The Luther Seminary.2481 Como Avenue
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
Telephone: 651-641-3456
No comments:
Post a Comment