Today we attempted to tackle Romans 6 and 7. Admittedly, there's no way we can fully delve into two chapters like these in an hour over greasy (translated delicious) diner-style breakfast, but what little of Paul's letter to the Romans we did get to today hit me like a brick.
The main part we discussed comes from the beginning of Romans 6, which reads:
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 buried therefore 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.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.In this passage, Paul refutes the idea that because sin gives occasion to God's grace, we should sin all the more. After asking the question, "Should we just keep sinning so God will pour out more grace?" Paul emphatically answers, "OF COURSE NOT!" But, why not? Why, Paul, would I not continue to give into my sinful nature so I can receive more of God's grace? Paul's answer is incredibly complex, but incredibly simple at the same time. We don't sin because identifying with Christ means dying. Those who have given lordship of their lives to Christ are those who have allowed their old, sinful nature to be "crucified with Christ." So if the old self is dead, who are we now? As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5, "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
This is the huge truth that struck me like a punch to the face today. Through the death of Christ, I am a new creation. The old Andy is effectively dead and I'm no longer enslaved to sin as he was; in fact, I'm dead to it. Why is this so important? This is important because I know who I used to be; I know how willfully sinful I used to be. There are times when I ask myself, "What right do I have to tell people about following Christ and living a life that's pleasing and honoring to God when I know my own track record of not doing so myself?" Paul knew this all too well.
Before Jesus called him, Paul was spending his time in what he thought was ultimate service to God...exterminating Christianity. Can you imagine what it was like when he rolled in proclaiming Jesus as the only path to salvation? Do you think anybody might have been like, "Bro, you spent years killing Jesus' posse and now you want to tell me about how I should trust in him? Right...."
So why did Paul have no hesitancy in proclaiming Christ? Why did he not cower under the weight of his murderous, anti-Jesus past? Because the old Paul (aka Saul) was no more.
For those of us who, because of our sinful past, wonder whether we have the "right" to proclaim the truth of Christ, what would Paul tell us? He'd likely tell us this: "You're right; the old you has no right to tell people how to live...good thing that old you is dead, crucified with Christ so that you no longer live, but Christ lives in you."
How comforting is that? Sure you were a drunkard/cheater/liar/adulterer/abuser/racist/jerk/idolater/pervert/thief/sower of discord/(insert label here); what of it? That old self and its sin-loving nature was nailed to the cross, and you've been raised to life in Christ, empowered to live a life that honors your Creator!
Awesome! But here's the catch; our old self has a zombie-like nature. Like the undead of Hollywood fame, while we're still physically living, our old nature will always have a habit of resurrecting itself and seeking to once again leave a trail of destruction in its wake. Therefore, the putting to death of our old self becomes not just a one-time event, but a daily discipline. Jesus assured as much when he said in Luke that whoever would follow him would have to "take up his cross daily." Crosses were used for one purpose in the ancient world: death. Thus, when Christ himself says, "Take up your cross daily," he's implying that from the day of our conversion to the day we're put six feet under, we're going to be about the business of killing the zombie of our former self.
It won't always be easy, and it won't always be pretty, but isn't it good to know that in Christ, you're not who you were ten years ago? two weeks ago? yesterday? ten minutes ago?
It sure is for me.
Keep killing that zombie,
A. Love
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