Walk in Newness of Life Pt. 5 United with Christ in His Death, Newness of Life becomes Reality!

The verb "walk" is a transitive verb that must transfer or connect the action of walking to something or someone. The "walk" of a born again believer must be shaped by the Spirit of God, connected to God's Word and governed by Jesus Christ, the King of kings. 

Abundant Grace is not a license to sin!

Romans 6:1  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 

Paul spent time in Romans 1 through 4 teaching us about being justified by faith in Jesus Christ through the grace of God. Grace from God is abundant and sufficient for all our needs regarding salvation, sanctification, and transformation. 

Evidently some people thought that they should sin even more so that God could dispense more grace. So, Paul raised this very question. "Should a believer continue to sin so that grace abounds even more?" 

The premise for raising this question is found in the text from Romans 5. Adam's sin made all of us born into sin and thus, we are all condemned to death and hell. Salvation through faith in Christ and the grace of God also abounds, or is poured out upon mankind in exponentially greater amounts. This is God's powerful antidote to original sin from Adam. 

Romans 5:15  But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

Romans 6:2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 

Paul gave a clear answer to that very question. "God forbid" he said, which is very strong language condemning those who say we should sin more in order to receive more grace. The grace of God is not given to us in order to encourage us to sin more. 

In fact, those who claim to be born again and continue in sin, are making a false profession of faith. If you are born again then old things pass away and all parts of your life become a new and fresh in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

We are united with Jesus Christ in His death.

Romans 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 

Paul teaches us a powerful truth stated in this text. When we turned to Jesus in repentant faith and were regenerated by God's Spirit, we became participants in Christ's death. Why does this matter? All men die because of sin. The wages of sin is death. 

God sent His Son, who was both God and man and He lived a perfect life and satisfied all provisions of God's law, something that no man can ever do. Then, Jesus died in our place, bearing God's wrath and condemnation for our sins upon Himself. He rose from the grave on our behalf because He died for our sins, not His own. Jesus had no sin and no one could pin any sin on Him. 

Thus, when Jesus died, all believers who put their faith in Christ, also died. The penalty of our sin was removed from us because it fell on Jesus Christ. 

We walk in newness of life because we died with Christ on the cross.

Romans 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

By faith, a born again believer is buried in the tomb with Jesus Christ. Jesus' death on the cross is also our death. I cannot emphasize this truth  enough. The thrust of Paul's teaching is that we are now dead to sin and this must lead to a new life marked by the pursuit of holiness. 

Thus, we are urged in the strongest terms to "walk in newness of life." The word "newness" refers to a life that has a fresh, vital quality that is a new kind of life in us, a life of resurrection power that brings eternal life to each believer. It is the kind of life where old things pass away and all things are made new as we become transformed into a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

We are baptized into Christ's death and we are also baptized into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). Both of these wonderful actions are done in us through by Holy Spirit of God. When we are then placed into the body of Christ, we received full sonship as a child of God and we are granted full salvation, including full justification by faith, full forgiveness of all our sins and a fully secure future with God in Christ.  

We are dead to sin so that we no longer serve it. 

Romans 6:5-6  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 

Since we share in Christ's death, we shall also share in His resurrection. Our old man was crucified with Christ so that we no longer have to serve sin. Our identification with Christ's death, burial and resurrection is the basis of God separating us from the power sin had over us before we were born again. 

Christ's death delivers us from the curse of the law. 

Romans 7:6  But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. 

We live a life that is under the wrath and condemnation of God for our sins, until we hear and heed the gospel of Christ. Then, God's Spirit regenerates us and baptizes us into Christ's death and His body. New life, resurrection power flows into us and we begin each day as a new creation in Christ. 

Christ removed the curse of the law from us by His death on the cross (Galatians 3:13-14). Faith in Jesus Christ opens heavens doors to bring the richest of spiritual blessings to each born again believer (Ephesians 1:3). 

Paul contrasts living under the law as being an obligation that we never can fulfill, with being born again and serving in newness of spirit. This is the only other place in the New Testament where the word "newness" is used to show us that we have a fresh start, a new beginning, a new life in Christ to live out each day. God's Spirit is living in us to help us, teach us, guide us and lead us along through this life and into eternity. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

We must never lose sight of the cost of our salvation. Our Father had to allow His Son to die on the cross, taking our place and bearing the shame and guilt of our sins. 

Those who turn to Christ in repentant faith are connected with Jesus' death and placed into His body. We are included in His resurrection by the regenerating work of God's Spirit. 

The original sin of Adam that passed on to all people at birth, is reversed by faith in Christ. The individual sins that we commit in life were nailed to the cross of Christ and taken out of the way. Thus, the curse of the law and the wages of sin which is death, were fully removed by the work of Christ on the cross. The result of His work to save us is granted to all who place their trust in Christ. 

May the Lord help us understand how important it is to recognize that we are united with Christ in His death, in His burial and in His resurrection. May the Spirit of God use His power to help us walk in newness of life.

Bob