“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

² God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

³ Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?

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.”  Romans 6:1-4

Sadly, many will attend the religious centers today having repeated a prayer and receiving a card and believe they are saved.  There has been no change in their heart as they struggle to overthrow that sin that so easily besets them.  Others may feel a relief because they are told that there sin is forgiven…even though they have never repented, nor do they realize repentance is even necessary.  They are comforted in their sin but not changed by the power of God.

Know ye not that when we are born again that we are baptized into Jesus Christ and into His death?  The death of Christ on Calvary’s Cross as the sacrificial Lamb of God is the ONLY answer given to defeat death and overcome sin.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the Law, but under Grace.” Romans 6:14

Because of the fall of man, Adam’s original sin, we are all born with a sin nature.  This sin nature rules and reigns in our hearts until we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour.  Once we accept Jesus and our faith is placed solely in Him and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross, the Holy Spirit comes and baptizes us into the finished work of Jesus…His death – we are “baptized into His death”.  This baptism into the death of Jesus Christ breaks the power of sin in the Believer.  Sin no longer has dominion over us.  Old things pass away and all things become new.

For some, religion will come in and carry them away.  They will begin to focus on various and often times Scriptural practices in order to “gain” God’s favor.  The ugly cycle of working for favor begins and we begin walking down a path that does not lead to life but death.  Daily we are dying. Our faith wanes as we are swept to and fro with every wind of doctrine that comes down the pike.  Binding pythons.  Looking for harbingers. Is this the shemitah? Sader feasts. Waiting on blood moons.  Gotta have a prayer shawl.  The list is endless but the results are the same…death.  Our sin nature is no longer isolated because our faith is in “our part” and not Jesus’ finished work.  We are not partaking in the Divine Nature of Grace through faith but once again bound by the law of sin and death.

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2

There is a change that occurs when we are born again; when we are baptized into the death of Christ.  We are given dominion over our sin nature.  We no longer have to partake in worldly statutes to overcome.  There is a circumcision of the heart, a circumcision made without hands that brings life…newness of life.

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believes on Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”  John 7:37-38

Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead, death has no more dominion over Him. As a Child of God, we have been freed from sin.  Yield yourself unto God as one that is alive from the dead…walk in the newness of life.  Lay hold on life and life more abundantly.

-Donna Clark Warren