Was Life Better

 

In Romans 6 and verse 2 Paul asks a crucial question: "How shall we, that are dead {who died} to sin, live any longer therein? " How can we who have been made right not live righteous lives? How can we who have been loved not love? Who have been blessed not bless? Been given grace not live graciously? Sin puts you and I in prison it locks us behind the bars of guilt and shame and deception and fear. Sin does nothing but shackles us to the wall of misery. Jesus came and paid our bail. He served our time; He satisfied the penalty and made us free. Christ has taken our place. I have never heard of any prisoner who wanted to stay or go back after they are released. What would you think of a person who after being released from prison having a desire to want to go back? They tell you that they miss their friends; they enjoyed the food and a host of other things? You would; like I would think they have lost their mind! Paul is not saying that it's impossible for believers not to sin; he's saying it's stupid for believers to sin. What does the prison have that you desire? Do you miss the guilt? Are you homesick for dishonesty? Maybe you have fond memories of being lied to and forgotten? Was life better when you were dejected and rejected? Miss the sleepless nights. You see it makes no sense to go back for the penalty has been paid by Jesus Christ. But then Paul goes on to say in the next few verses

Romans 6:3
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Romans 6:4
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. What does all that mean? Paul speaks of "being baptized" and paints us each a picture of what being baptized is. Let me explain it this way. How would the Bride feel if she saw her new husband flirting with women at the wedding reception? They both had just taken a vow and now he is breaking it! A vow is not a pledge but a promise; let me explain Webster said that a Vow is A solemn promise; as the vows of unchangeable love and fidelity. In a moral and religious sense, vows are promises to God, as they appeal to God to witness their sincerity, and the violation of them is a most heinous offense. He said that promise meant In a general sense, a declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another, which binds the person who makes it, either in honor, conscience or law, to do or forbear a certain act specified; a declaration which gives to the person to whom it is made, a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of the act. The promise of a visit to my neighbor, gives him a right to expect it, and I am bound in honor and civility to perform the promise. So a vow is strong! Ecclesiastes 5:5
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Baptism is a vow, a sacred vow of the believer to follow Christ. Just as a wedding celebrates the fusion of two hearts of the bride and groom neither one understand all the implications of the wedding? Do they know every challenge or threat they will ever face? No! But there is one thing that they do know and that is that they love each other and they vow to be faithful to the end. So it is with the child of God as they enter the baptismal waters; do they know every temptation or challenge that they will face? No! But they do know the love of God and that they are responding to Him. To return to sin after our vow in baptism is like committing adultery on your honeymoon. Put yourself in that scenario; how would you feel? Would the question come to mind "have you so soon forgotten what you said to me?" Paul says here's the picture as you go under the Baptismal waters it is picturing that you are dying to the old way of life. As you come up out of the Baptismal waters it is picturing being raised up from the dead and now everyone will see you walking in the newness of life and that life is in Jesus Christ. Because of what Christ has done in my life I have a desire to know Him and live for Him and no I don't have a desire to live like I have been; will I ever sin again? Sad to say that the answer to that is yes but it will not be like before because of a new heart and the enjoyment will not be the same. Have a great week and a heart that desires to serve Jesus.