Dead to Sin

Romans 6:3-4

“Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We 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.”

Baptism symbolizes the miracle that took place at the moment of our conversion. When we confessed our sin to God, believed in the work Christ did for us on the cross, and accepted Jesus as our Lord, our old sinful nature died. We became a new person with a new spirit, one that is united to Christ. Through baptism we go through the motions of being united to Christ. We are “buried” in the waters as Jesus was buried, and we are “resurrected” from the water just as Jesus was resurrected from the grave. We are dead to sin, and we are alive in Christ.

Oftentimes, when we are struggling with temptation and sin in our life, we forget this precious truth. We think that we are just sinners saved by grace and that we can never expect to overcome temptation. This is a half-truth, and one that Satan loves to employ against us. We were sinners before we united ourselves with Christ. Now we are declared righteous and sinless before God. When temptation comes our way, we have the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of us to help us overcome the temptation. We are no longer relegated to a life of sin. We have the power to choose to walk by the Spirit and overcome sin in our lives.

Don’t let Satan use temptation to take away your identity in Christ. When he reminds you of your past, remind him of his future! We are dead to sin. Sin has no power over us any longer. We are not slaves to it. We are alive to Christ. We live for Him. His power is within us, empowering us to choose to do what pleases God.

Father, I thank you that when I accepted Jesus I became dead to sin. I thank you that sin no longer has any power over me. I don’t have to follow temptation’s path. I don’t have to listen to the lies that Satan uses against me about my old sinful choices or my life before Jesus. I have died to sin. I was buried. And You raised me from the dead, just as you raised Jesus. I now have the power of your Holy Spirit living inside of me, helping me avoid temptation, and empowering me to overcome sin in my life. Thank you for the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you for a new life, free from sin’s curse. In Jesus’ name, Amen.