Romans 6:1b-11 (NRSV)
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Chapter 6What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? Verse 2By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Verse 3Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Verse 4Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. Verse 5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Verse 6We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. Verse 7For whoever has died is freed from sin. Verse 8But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. Verse 9We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. Verse 10The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. Verse 11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Devotion
I worked as a lifeguard at a public pool when I was a teenager living in Texas. One day a local Baptist church rented out the pool to use for baptisms. So it happened that I lifeguarded at a baptism service where a dozen or so youth and adults were immersed in God's water!
According to Paul, I did a terrible job as a lifeguard that day, because everyone who was baptized drowned and died. "All who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death" (Romans 6:3). But Paul also says I did a wonderful job as a lifeguard that day, because everyone who drowned in the water of baptism was raised to new life! "Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too walk in newness of life" (Rom 6:4).
Baptism joins us to Christ both in life and in death. Every day we experience life and death. In our communities babies are born and people die. Every day people die through addiction, abuse and poverty, but people are raised to new life through love, relationship and service. Our new life that begins at baptism walks us through a thousand cycles of dying and rising, reminding us that we are always connected to Jesus, who braved the grave before us.
Prayer
God, be with us through the dying and rising of our baptismal journey. Guide us with wisdom, compassion and joy to be new creatures every day. Amen.