Only Dead People Get Buried

The apostle Paul at this point encourages us with these words. 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. Romans 6:5-7 What an encouragement this is that Paul gives us when he assures us that if we are united with Christ in death, then we too shall be united in life with him. This unity in His life is not some future far off event, but is able to be attained even here and now. For the apostle tells us in verse 11 of this chapter to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ.

To put it in the simplest terms that I can I want to put it like this. If I have died to myself and sin through faith and repentance, and have been buried with Christ in baptism then I am dead. I mean I need to believe that I am utterly dead, and a dead man can do nothing except be dead. Yet instantaneously when I died I somehow was miraculously resurrected to walk in newness of life. So the old me is dead, deader than a door nail! That means the man typing these words is a new man, and Christ’s man to boot, because I am walking in his life not my own. Therefore the power to obey God is in me, and at work in me, because Jesus (the only one who can and did obey God) is living in me and it is his power that gives me life. Now keeping what we just talked about in mind read these scriptures, and I think that you will see that what I have just stated is exactly what Paul is saying.

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:14-17

Father God,
I read the words that I am dead, yet somehow the old self tries to come back time and time again. But even though the old nature tries to say it is alive and well I will reckon myself dead to sin and alive to Christ. I need you dwelling fully in me in order that this might be played out in my life, so I again give myself wholly to you this day. May Jesus live in and through me. Amen