Your Death
Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
Bee's Thoughts:
To offer is to give willingly. Here Paul reminds us to offer or give oursleves to God willingly as He is the One Who gave us a second chance of life(v13).
Dear Lord,
There is nothing I can give to You except myself. For that is my reasonable service for all that You have done for me.
Make me an instrument of righteousness for Your glory at my place of work. That through me, others may know You and accept You as their Saviour too. I pray for my colleagues who are not save that they may come to You one day.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Tommy's Thoughts:
We may be unaware sometimes that we take advantage of God’s forgiveness to continue indulging in sin. In our mind, we know and certain that God will forgive us no matter what. We told ourselves its ok, this one last time won’t hurt, He’ll forgive me anyway.
Paul forceful answer to this is By no means! We have such an attitude when we do not understand or forget the dreadful seriousness of sin. Jesus paid with His life so we could be forgiven.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your forgiveness and the wonderful new life I now have with Jesus. Teach me to always consciously choose to treat all wrongful desires and temptations as if they were dead and buried; thus giving me a powerful motive and strength to resist sin.
Thank You for your guidance that has helped me to pass my examination. Thank you also to all my friends, especially my best friend, who has always been there to encourage, assure and pray for me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
