1What should we say? Should we keep on sinning, so that God's wonderful kindness will show up even better? 2No, we should not! If we are dead to sin, how can we go on sinning? 3Don't you know that all who share in Christ Jesus by being baptized also share in his death? 4When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ. We were baptized, so that we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father.
5If we shared in Jesus' death by being baptized, we will be raised to life with him. 6We know that the persons we used to be were nailed to the cross with Jesus. This was done, so that our sinful bodies would no longer be the slaves of sin. 7We know that sin doesn't have power over dead people.
8As surely as we died with Christ, we believe we will also live with him. 9We know that death no longer has any power over Christ. He died and was raised to life, never again to die. 10When Christ died, he died for sin once and for all. But now he is alive, and he lives only for God. 11In the same way, you must think of yourselves as dead to the power of sin. But Christ Jesus has given life to you, and you live for God.
12Don't let sin rule your body. After all, your body is bound to die, so don't obey its desires 13or let any part of it become a slave of evil. Give yourselves to God, as people who have been raised from death to life. Make every part of your body a slave that pleases God. 14Don't let sin keep ruling your lives. You are ruled by God's kindness and not by the Law.
There is a school of thought that goes something like this: If the Blood of Christ is more powerful then the most heinous sin...it's impossible for me to sin enough to overwhelm the Blood.
True...as far as it goes. But, this idea is carried farther by the notion that we do God a great favor by sinning even more. More sin produces more grace. Madison Avenue would love the marketing potential of this one!
Nevertheless, the premise is true. The Blood of Christ is really that powerful...so, why not?
Paul introduces the idea of vicarious atonement here. The dictionary defines "vicarious" as experiencing as a result of watching, listening to or reading about the activities of other people, rather than by doing the activities yourself. Allow me to put a heavy emphasis on the word EXPERIENCE. For something to be "vicarious" it must be experienced.
So...We "experience" the death and resurrection of Christ. In so doing, we "experience" His death that paid the penalty for sin. We also "experience" His resurrection that shattered the power of sin.
Sin is dead to us...Is that your "experience?" It's supposed to be.
Paul introduces some simple logic here. "Don't let sin rule your body. After all, your body is bound to die, so don't obey its desires" A fair analogy is this: Would we put a thousand dollars worth of tires on a five hundred dollar car? Only a very foolish, shortsighted person would do that.
Live boldly out there today...
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