WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE

Romans 6:1-4 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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.

The first few verses of the lesson text sum up the teaching in previous verses of this chapter. Verse one asks, "how shall we reply on what has been said?" In answer, Paul asks three rhetorical questions. The first is, Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Which Paul answers emphatically, God forbid! With God's promise of grace sufficient to cover our sins, should we take this occasion to sin all the more? We cannot take this precious gift of God for granted. Such arrogant liberties are forbidden - it is an abuse of God's grace. The fact that God detests such presumptuous sins is evident (See Ex. 21:14, Deut. 17:12-13, Psalm 19:13, 2 Pet. 2:10 as a few examples).

The second rhetorical question posed by Paul is, How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? The inferred answer is the same as before, God forbid! Death is a separation. Just as physical death separates one from actively participating in life on earth, so death to sin, separates one from continuing to participate in sin. One that recognizes sin, avoids it, and refuses to give into it, is a person that cannot be influenced by sin. When sin loses its dominant influence over a person, they are dead to sin.

In verse three Paul states his third rhetorical question. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Here, as before, the answer would be an emphatic, God forbid! The best commentary to explain and support this teaching of the apostle Paul, is to look into God's inspired word itself. Healed by the stripes of Jesus, in that He bore our sins on the cross of Calvary, Peter writes that we are dead to sins (and) should live unto righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24). Peter also wrote, Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God (1 Peter 4:1-2).

Although Peter insinuates baptism in his writings quoted above, Paul specifically makes the application of baptism as necessary for the forgiveness of sins. Consider these additional quotations from Paul's writings. In his letter to the Colossian Christians he wrote, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God (Col. 3:1-3). To the church at Corinth he wrote, For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13). In the Galatian letter he wrote, For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:26-28).

The latter part of verse four, in the lesson text, insinuates this question: what should be the conduct of one that accepts Jesus as their Savior and is baptized into His body? Jesus was raised from the grave the third day after His crucifixion on the cross of Calvary. He walked, talked, ate with, and taught God's word. Hundreds bore witness to this fact before He ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God and rule His kingdom. Raised from death, Jesus was given a new life. The lesson text tells us that even so (like Jesus) we also should walk in newness of life. Being baptized into the body of Christ, we become a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Cor. 5:17). The old man that once lived in sin, becomes a new man that now lives in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:22-24, also see Col. 3:8-10). The walk of a Christian, their conduct, or the course in which their life is directed, becomes different from before their conversion. Principles laid down by God; His commandments; His rules become our guide to our new life. In Jesus Christ we walk in newness of life!