Romans 6:1-10 (TNIV)
1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 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.
5 If we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
Reflection:
In the movie “Shawshank Redemption,” the story is told by Red who had been in prison for twenty years and finally gets his freedom. However, his newfound freedom brings him fears of the unfamiliar “outside” world and even is tempted to return to the predictable confines of the old prison walls. Are Red’s fears unreasonable or irrational? Perhaps not. Many times, we are no different from Red. We have been given freedom from our sins through Christ’s death and resurrection, but why do we feel like we’re still in prison and don’t live out our freedom in Christ? We get trapped by the world’s expectations and standards – things that are seen, temporary things and outward things. Only when we truly become dead to the things of this world, we can grasp the treasure of God’s glory and we can live out the freedom in the all-surpassing power of the Holy Spirit.
Response to the Transmission:
Even though the old self has been crucified with Christ, we are to do away with sin and to be slaves to sin no longer. With genuine hearts, let’s pray for God’s mercy that changes us, and believe and ask Him to help us live in the true freedom and power of the Spirit.
