Romans 6:1-4
Scripture: Romans 6:1-4 (ESV)
“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried 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.”
Devotion:
Imagine for a moment that you’re carrying a heavy backpack filled with rocks, each rock representing a mistake, a sin, or a regret in your life. It’s so heavy you can barely stand up straight. Now, picture someone offering to take that backpack from you, giving you the freedom to walk without its weight. That is a picture of what happens to us when we are set free from our sins. Jesus a releases us from the burdens of our past sins, but once that backpack is off, would you pick it up and strap it back on? Of course not – that is re-enslaving ourselves to the burdens we carried before.
Paul’s asking us a similar question here. If we’ve been set free from the weight of our sins through Jesus’ sacrifice, why would we choose to go back and live in a way that’s akin to picking up that heavy backpack again? Baptism symbolizes this beautiful reality: just as Jesus died and was buried, our old selves—marked by sin—are buried. And just as Jesus rose from the dead, we’re raised to a new life, a life meant to be lived differently.
When you accept Jesus as your Lord, it’s not just a second chance to live for him. It’s actually a completely new existence. It’s as if we’ve moved from black-and-white to color, from a two-dimensional life to a vivid three-dimensional one. Living in sin after experiencing such a transformation makes no sense at all. As Galatians 5:1 reminds us: It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. So now live free.
Prayer:
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Lord Jesus, thank You for the incredible gift of new life. You took the weight of my sins upon Yourself, giving me freedom and a fresh start. Help me to grasp the fullness of this new existence You’ve offered me. Teach me to live each day in the reality of my new life, not as a slave to past habits and sins, but as someone who walks in the freedom and vibrancy of Your resurrection. Amen.
Challenge for the day:
Today, take a moment to reflect on the areas of your life where you might be tempted to “pick up the backpack” of your old ways. Make a conscious decision to leave it behind. Choose one specific action that represents your new life in Christ—a step towards freedom, a gesture of kindness, or a commitment to change—and put it into practice. Let this action be a symbol of your new life, walking in the footsteps of Jesus.