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. 

The primary emphasis of the resurrection is victory over death. We are alive as opposed to dead. We are no longer in the grave. We have escaped.

There were three men discussing what they would like said at their funeral. The first said, “I hope they say I lived a meaningful life.” The other would like said “He was a good father and husband.” The third man said, “What I would like them to say is ‘look he’s moving’.

We don’t like death. It is a curse to life, but in this context when Jesus died, He got up again - not to live life again like it was, but in a whole new plane, a whole new dimension. There is a new body like we have never seen before; a new body that will not feel the aches and pains of this life. We will not experience the limitations of this old body. 

Jesus has not only overcome death by His resurrection but overcome sin as well. We are free from its curse. He defeated Satan’s power literally and spiritually. We are now alive to God in a way we never had been before and baptism symbolizes that, in going down into the water, being buried and rising again as a new creature. He has now given you a new life. It is not like the old life. You did good things, but you were not a good person because of the original sin. Now you are a new person. In our new spiritual life when the Holy Spirit comes in, it is like being born again.

I was listening to Nicky Gumble on a taped message. He talked about life before Christ came into his heart. He thought everything Christians did was boring. They did not know how to really have fun. He couldn’t imagine sitting in church and calling that fun. The worst job he could ever imagine was the job of being a minister.

He was challenged to read the Bible for himself and see if the person of Jesus is true or not. He took up that challenge and read through the Gospels and continued to read throughout the night until he was too tired to read anymore. Then the next day he took it up and finished it off on the third day thinking about those things. He came to understand that Jesus and His claims were true. He made the commitment of his life to Jesus. The Holy Spirit came into his life, and he had never been the same since.

As he developed more of a love for the Bible, the more it interested him. He wanted to know more. When he started attending church, he listened to and heard things he hadn’t really heard before. He kept coming back to hear more. The more he thought about the songs sung the more they made more sense to him and delighted in worshipping and thanking God as his heart was being changed. The most boring thing in the world now has begun to be an attraction to him. He wondered how he might help others find this same joy he experienced in having God living in him. God was with him wherever he went in the person and the power of the Holy Spirit. He was resurrected from the old life of sin into a new life different from that which he previously experienced. It was wonderful. God changed his heart.

There will still be problems and difficulties and hardships, but we will be with the Lord forever. I cannot imagine how life would be without any hope of heaven and under the condemnation of hell. Why would anyone who gives serious thought to heaven and hell not want to come by faith in Jesus? That makes no sense to me.

The Bible shows that every time baptism is mentioned, faith or belief in the works of Jesus Christ comes first. We teach and practice a believers’ baptism. When a person places his or her faith in Jesus, that person should express that faith publicly by being baptized. Baptism is not in addition to faith but is an expression of faith. Baptism is not the gospel. It is a response to the gospel. The focus is on Christ and what He did.

In verse 6, Paul is commanding us to change the way we think about ourselves. This command is in the present tense, which means it’s a command we need to obey.  We must regard ourselves as dead to sin and alive toward God.

To continue to live in sin is inconceivable, in the light of our death to sin and resurrection to life in Christ.

Prayer:   Father, thank You for sending Your Son so that I can now say, "it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.   The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  Help me to live like Jesus   

Dale