Week 14 - Monday

Dead to Sin, Once for All

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Romans 6:8-10

In these 3 verses Paul summarizes what he has said so far in chapter 6. Paul has already taught us that when believers receive Jesus Christ, they are baptized into His death. To show that we really did die, Paul said that we were also buried with Him. Then he told us that when Christ was raised from the dead, we were also. Jesus Christ was not the first to be raised from the dead. Prior to His own resurrection Jesus himself raised several people from the dead, including Lazarus (John 11:38-45). However they would all at some time later die again. Jesus though was the first to be raised from the dead, never to die again. Jesus is no longer subject to death. All believers will one day share eternal life with Him. But we will have to die again before that happens (unless Christ returns during our life time). So the statement we shall also live with Him must mean more than just the obvious fact that we will one day share eternal life with Him. The main meaning of this verse is that because we have been raised to a new life with Christ, we shall also live (in this present life) in a new and righteous way with Him.

When Jesus Christ died He died to sin, once for all. His death on the cross paid the penalty for all the sins that every person would ever commit. It completely satisfied God's justice so that there never needs to be another sacrifice for sin again. The death that He died to sin also permanently broke sin's power over those who believe in Him. That means that we never have to sin again. When we are raised with Christ from the grave of our sin, we are not to return to it. As Christians we are so completely linked to Jesus through His death and resurrection that He is not ashamed to call us brothers. Our response should be to put away sin once for all, as He has done, and live our lives for God.

Readings for today: Rev. 1:17-18; Heb. 7:25-27; 1Pet. 2:24; Heb. 2:11; Rom. 12:1