Romans 6:1-7
Sometimes when you have a “big brother,” you feel as if you can “get away with murder.” Sometimes when you have a strong father, you feel as if you can do whatever you want to do. When I was a little kid, I had this attitude. My dad was a bus driver for our church. We picked up kids every Sunday, and at the age of five years old, I was his “bus captain.” He would pull up to a house and have me go and knock on the door to see if the kids were coming that Sunday. Then, we’d jump back on the bus, and a way we would go to our next stop. That was all fine and dandy; it was what happened next on the bus that wasn’t so good.
On the bus, I would tell the kids what I wanted them to do. In fact, I would tell them in an aggressive manner. If any of them were standing up while my dad was driving, I would tell them to “sit down and shut up!” No, seriously, I’m not kidding. I would tell them whatever I wanted, and again, I was only five years old. Why would I talk in such a way? The reason is that there was really no threat of consequences in my mind. Why? Because of my father. I was wrong. My attitude was wrong.
As Paul was writing to the Romans, he wanted them to realize the proper balance between grace and truth. Surely, they were saved by faith through grace which eliminated any ongoing threat of eternal consequence, but that was NOT a reason to live whatever way they wanted. There was a false belief that had surfaced that the more you sin, the more grace you will receive, so keep on sinning. This was a disastrous mindset that needed to be rejected. While they had a heavenly Father who loved them and Jesus the Christ who died for them, they were not to live entitled lives making flippant and arrogant choices...like I was on that bus with those kids.
Instead, they were to see themselves the way that God wanted them to see themselves...with humility and purpose. When a person becomes a Christian, he identifies with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He “dies” to the power of sin in his life. This means that sin no longer has an unstoppable hold on him. You have the Holy Spirit who lives in you who is greater than the sin nature that also lives in you.
I’ve heard it said before that if someone hit a dead person, the dead person wouldn’t react because he’s dead. If someone gossiped or criticized a dead person, he wouldn’t retaliate or lash out because he’s dead. The Apostle Paul wanted his readers to understand that Christians are “dead” to the power of sin. We have been baptized in Christ, meaning that we have been “placed” in him as we identify with him.
We can enjoy new life in Christ because we are united with him in his death and resurrection. Our evil desires, our bondage to sin, died with him. Now, united by faith with Jesus in his resurrection life, we have unbroken fellowship with God and freedom from sin’s hold over us. Take a minute and read Ephesians 4:21-24 and Colossians 3:3-15 to better understand the difference between our new life in Christ and our old sin nature.
When I think back to those bus rides so many years ago, I’m embarrassed that I thought I could say and do whatever I wanted without any consequence. My words to those teenagers were atrocious. Somehow, I thought I could get away with them because of who my father was. I was taking advantage of him. I was wrong. Are you taking advantage of God? More specifically, are you taking advantage of your position in Christ? Because there is absolutely NO WAY God is ok with that! He expects more from you and me! Why? Because sin no longer holds any control over us. I needed to learn to honor the Scally name! Maybe you need to do the same with an even more important name...Christian!
On the bus, I would tell the kids what I wanted them to do. In fact, I would tell them in an aggressive manner. If any of them were standing up while my dad was driving, I would tell them to “sit down and shut up!” No, seriously, I’m not kidding. I would tell them whatever I wanted, and again, I was only five years old. Why would I talk in such a way? The reason is that there was really no threat of consequences in my mind. Why? Because of my father. I was wrong. My attitude was wrong.
As Paul was writing to the Romans, he wanted them to realize the proper balance between grace and truth. Surely, they were saved by faith through grace which eliminated any ongoing threat of eternal consequence, but that was NOT a reason to live whatever way they wanted. There was a false belief that had surfaced that the more you sin, the more grace you will receive, so keep on sinning. This was a disastrous mindset that needed to be rejected. While they had a heavenly Father who loved them and Jesus the Christ who died for them, they were not to live entitled lives making flippant and arrogant choices...like I was on that bus with those kids.
Instead, they were to see themselves the way that God wanted them to see themselves...with humility and purpose. When a person becomes a Christian, he identifies with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He “dies” to the power of sin in his life. This means that sin no longer has an unstoppable hold on him. You have the Holy Spirit who lives in you who is greater than the sin nature that also lives in you.
I’ve heard it said before that if someone hit a dead person, the dead person wouldn’t react because he’s dead. If someone gossiped or criticized a dead person, he wouldn’t retaliate or lash out because he’s dead. The Apostle Paul wanted his readers to understand that Christians are “dead” to the power of sin. We have been baptized in Christ, meaning that we have been “placed” in him as we identify with him.
We can enjoy new life in Christ because we are united with him in his death and resurrection. Our evil desires, our bondage to sin, died with him. Now, united by faith with Jesus in his resurrection life, we have unbroken fellowship with God and freedom from sin’s hold over us. Take a minute and read Ephesians 4:21-24 and Colossians 3:3-15 to better understand the difference between our new life in Christ and our old sin nature.
When I think back to those bus rides so many years ago, I’m embarrassed that I thought I could say and do whatever I wanted without any consequence. My words to those teenagers were atrocious. Somehow, I thought I could get away with them because of who my father was. I was taking advantage of him. I was wrong. Are you taking advantage of God? More specifically, are you taking advantage of your position in Christ? Because there is absolutely NO WAY God is ok with that! He expects more from you and me! Why? Because sin no longer holds any control over us. I needed to learn to honor the Scally name! Maybe you need to do the same with an even more important name...Christian!
Posted in Devotional