"Alive to God"

“In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires” (Romans 6:11-12)

Sometimes, the idea of death and life can be confusing when it comes to the body and soul. We have died but are alive, but will die, yet will live, and we are dead because, but live in. Phew, to many, it is over their heads. To those in the world, it is impossible to understand.

In Romans 5, Paul writes, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”(v1-2). When we receive grace from God, we are opened to the gospel and salvation. We have been justified, a legal forensic term meaning we have been made right before God, and we can be in a relationship with God. Christ is our only mediator with the Father.  Paul wrote, “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!) (vv 5:5)

We have been plucked from the we are still sinners, but with the changing of our hearts and our repentance, or turning from our sin, our desire to sin has been made dead to sin. What does that mean? As Paul wrote, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” We glory in the holiness of God. Yet, we also glory in our sufferings, knowing that we are changed into the image of Christ.

As we lived in the world of Adam, a world of sin, sin reigned in our lives. In our salvation, we have become dead to the world; we were made alive in the world of Christ, often referred to as the second Adam. We did not die physically, but spiritually to the world of sin, which we have made holy. Therefore, our sins —past, present, and future —are forgiven.

As Paul began his 6^th chapter with “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?”(v.1).  No, we do not go on sinning. Yes, we sin, yes, we fall down, and Jesus Christ never abandons us. We, as God’s children, pick ourselves up, acknowledge, and repent of our sin. In our faith and salvation, we died with Christ in His death on the cross. By our death, we are then able to be raised in holy spiritual lives. Just as the glory of the Father raised Christ, we are also raised to life spiritually. (6:4)

So, we died spiritually to the sin essence of Adam. Made holy, we have risen spiritually in Jesus Christ. There we have it, you have died and then risen spiritually. But we are also given assurances of eternal life. When this body wears out and ceases to function, we have hope in the resurrection. We like Christ will live in an eternal body, no ghost, no bodiless Spirit, but an eternal body, and we will worship God for eternity because of His love, mercy, and goodness.

So, Paul’s words ring true: “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.” Satan is an angry lion waiting to devour; do not let sin prosper in your life, lest the enemy overcome you. When we sin, we must repent, we must turn from it and find strength in Christ to deny that sin in our lives. Pray and ask for strengthening and guidance that we may stay clear of sin. You are holy, made righteous before God, and seek to live a Christ-centered life.

Are you living in the world of Adam, the world of sin, lacking righteousness before God? Seek Christ today, ask to enter the world of God made right before God, and you can have a personal relationship with Him. Call on Christ today and be born again through the Blood of the Lamb of God.

Grace and Peace!