Introduction
Romans 6:1–14: The apostle Paul explains the experience of baptism as being united to Christ and sharing in his death and resurrection.
Today’s Key Verse: Romans 6:8 GNT
Since we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
Read
6 What shall we say, then? Should we continue to live in sin so that God’s grace will increase? 2 Certainly not! We have died to sin—how then can we go on living in it? 3 For surely you know that when we were baptized into union with Christ Jesus, we were baptized into union with his death. 4 By our baptism, then, we were buried with him and shared his death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from death by the glorious power of the Father, so also we might live a new life.
5 For since we have become one with him in dying as he did, in the same way we shall be one with him by being raised to life as he was. 6 And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on his cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin. 7 For when we die, we are set free from the power of sin. 8 Since we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that Christ has been raised from death and will never die again—death will no longer rule over him. 10 And so, because he died, sin has no power over him; and now he lives his life in fellowship with God. 11 In the same way you are to think of yourselves as dead, so far as sin is concerned, but living in fellowship with God through Christ Jesus.
12 Sin must no longer rule in your mortal bodies, so that you obey the desires of your natural self. 13 Nor must you surrender any part of yourselves to sin to be used for wicked purposes. Instead, give yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life, and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes. 14 Sin must not be your master; for you do not live under law but under God’s grace.
Reflect
Paul wrote the opening rhetorical question (verse 1) in response to the concluding thoughts in Romans 5 (see yesterday’s reading). What answer does Paul offer in verse 2? What does “living in fellowship with God through Christ Jesus” (verse 11) mean to you? How do you demonstrate your new life under God’s grace?
Pray
Gracious God, I seek to live in fellowship with you through your Son, Christ Jesus. I thank and praise you that I now live a new life under your merciful and loving grace. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Romans 6:15–23: The apostle Paul discusses becoming slaves of righteousness.
