City Life Starter

I. The Word: Romans 6:8-11

8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 

Reflection Questions:

1. How would your life be different if sin was not powerful in your life?

2. Do you personally see Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as your own since you are in Him?

In this chapter of Romans Paul is so closely relating Christ with believers it’s hard to miss. His death was our death and His resurrection is our resurrection, which we demonstrate in believers baptism. Here Paul now shows how His death also represents our death to sin and it’s power over us.  Before Christ’s life, death and resurrection, we were all slaves to sin. Afterwards we are conquerors of sin because He conquered it. Not only by faith in Jesus, but also with the help of Jesus we can now overcome what before was impossible to do. 

On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister broke the 4-minute barrier, running the distance in 3:59.4. Before Roger did it, many believed it was impossible for the human body to do so. However, barely a year passed when someone else broke the four minute mile as well. Today, it’s somewhat normative. 

I believe this was one of Jesus’ goals as well. Not only would He break sins hold over His own life (Not because He ever sinned, but since He became sin for us according to 2 Cor. 5:21), but He would be the first of many to do so as those who follow His lead into a life lived in abundance. We can never do it alone and only by Him making the way could it be attempted, but now it can be somewhat normative for the believer in Christ. 

Jesus declares the Christian justified (just-as-if-I’d-never-sinned) by His actions. He will also stop at nothing to sanctify (lead us into the process of holiness) us as we continue to walk in faith in the son of God.