“5 For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, 7 since a person who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, 9 because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer rules over him. 10 For the death he died, he died to sin once for all time; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
In today’s devotional, we will continue to learn from Paul about what it looks like to be saved in Christ and what it means to be a faithful follower of Jesus. Note that both in today’s and the previous devotionals, Paul highlights there is both a removal of those things which makes us unrighteous and a putting on of those things which makes us righteous. Paul loves to use this type of illustration. It’s important, too, that we not do only one or the other, but both. If we only remove our old sinful self, yet don’t replace it with a life that seeks after God and obeys His commands, we are an empty soul. We may perhaps be without sin for a short time, but only until sin and temptation return, and in that moment, our convictions and commitments will be weak and we will be unable to stand. Consider these warnings from Jesus:
“Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly since the soil wasn’t deep. But when the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.” — Matthew 13:5-6
“When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn’t find any. Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ Returning, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that person’s last condition is worse than the first. That’s how it will also be with this evil generation.” — Matthew 12:43-45
Inversely, if we only put on the life we have in Christ Jesus, yet do not remove ourselves from our sin and transgression (i.e. we don’t repent and turn away from our sin) we are a white washed tomb! We will fare no better than the Pharisees, whom Jesus rebuked because outwardly they appeared to be godly men, followers of God’s commands, yet internally, they loved themselves more, clung to their pride and sin, and refused to follow Jesus their Messiah.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity. In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. — Matthew 23:27-28
Another thing worth noting: In verse 9, Paul says that Christ will never die again. In John’s vision, recorded in the Book of Revelation, Jesus confirms the finitude of His sacrifice. He will never need to die again. In light of this, Christians can have confidence that their sins are dealt with forever. Jesus will always be enough.
“When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, but look — I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades.” — Revelation 1:17-18