Today’s reading: 1 Kings 1, 1 Chronicles 26-28, Romans 6
Sanctify: (v) to set apart as or declare holy; consecrate (Dictionary.com).
Romans 6-8 is all about sanctification, or how God changes our life as we mature in our faith. Chapter 6, our text for today, focuses on how we as followers of Jesus Christ are free from the slavery of sin. Wonder what that looks and feels like? Honestly, it is a little hard for me to wrap my head around. I still live in this sinful world and, despite my desire to avoid it, I still sin pretty often. Romans chapter 6, however, is a great reminder of the specific things God has done for me. I am a child of God, yes I am.
- He has given me new life.
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life (Romans 6:3-4).
- He has given me a new nature.
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. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness (Romans 11-13).
- He has given me freedom.
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:22-23).
Free at last
He has ransomed me
His grace runs deep
While I was a slave to sin
Jesus died for me
Yes He died for me
Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I’m a child of God
Yes I am
In my Father’s house
There’s a place for me
I’m a child of God
Yes I am
(Hillsong Worship, 2018)