Romans 6:1b-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.” vs. 4
Paul had all the details worked out. He could explain what happened in Jesus from a theological perspective and it all made sense to him. Jesus had died and had been raised from the dead; in baptism we are buried with Jesus and then like him, we receive new life. It was simple! But he had discovered that too many baptized believers were living as if they had not been baptized. They didn’t even see a problem with continuing to live in sin. What had happened to them hadn’t translated into a new way of living.
It’s likely that Paul continued to be frustrated by this on-going reality, one that persists into our generation. Again and again we observe family members and friends who really should know better, living as though baptism was only a ritual for becoming a member of the church. They know the letter of it, but not the spirit, and as a result don’t have a clue about the wonder of new life with Jesus. They just don’t sense the presence of the Divine in their daily lives, and seem to be oblivious to the healing power of grace. Grace isn’t a license to do as we please, it’s a dynamic force that ushers us into the world of Love.
Thought for the Day: How am I experiencing the newness of life?
0 Comments