In a conversation the other day I was asked by a brother in Jesus if I remembered my baptism that morning. I assured him I had and pointed out it was the promise associated with baptism rather than the mere receiving of baptism which is remembered. I did not get the chance to ask what brought about that question but he has been given different Lutheran resources which to listen and we have several mutual friends with which we speak on these things.
Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. ESV
Each and every morning rising from sleep we find ourselves in various states of relationship to God. Some mornings we have an attitude of thankfulness for the gift of a new day. Other times the realization we have to once again go to a place of employment which is becoming more and more of a challenge to meet the competing quotas and expectations. Still other times it is various degrees of those attitudes.
In addition during sleep we have been sinning. In our dreams and subconscious thoughts we have been falling short of the glory of God. This is the sad fact of still having our flesh active in our life in Jesus. Some would say; “How can God expect us to control our subconscious thoughts and feelings?” Needless to say we are by nature his enemies and are in just dessert of his punishment now and in eternity. To debate that point is fruitless and will not change the decree that “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
In the Romans 6 passage is a reminder that we received the forgiveness of sin in baptism. Also in there is a promise of death to the sinful nature which is an enemy of God. In addition is the promise of walking in Jesus’ resurrection. We no longer need wallow in our daily sins. The peace of having all our sins where Jesus was. Nailed to the cross and left in the grave. We are dead to them and they no longer hold sway and by no means need we continue to live in them.
Let us believe this good news and live in the peace that it offers.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen †
3 comments:
Awesome post, St. David!
The promise given in baptism is exactly what we return to.
We are His enemies by nature.
"Thou preparest a table before me in the sight of my enemies..."
He gives to His enemies, Himself. In bread and wine and water...He is there for us...those that would kill Him.
That is Love beyond anything we can comprehend. But He makes believers out of us and keeps us in His faith.
I'm not trying to debate the issue, but I'm wondering how one can sin in their sleep. Jesus slept, and most naturally dreamed. Regardless of what he dreamed of, even if actions he wouldn't usually do, I don't think that's a sin. Tempation is not a sin. Yeilding to temptation is not a sin. If a person was constantly dreaming of murder or adultrery it would be a sign of what his waking thought life revolved around - that would be a sin, not taking every thought captive, dwelling on it, to the point of dreaming.
But a normal dream....I don't know. I find it comforting to think that atleast in my sleeping hours, I'm not sinning.
Sin is not something that we step in and out of...it is our condition. It is a part of the fabric of our being.
We sin in thought (even unconscious thought- dreams), word, and deed...by what we have done, and by what we have failed to do...this is all sin...our sin.
What is comforting to me is that someone died for all of my sin...every bit of it, and because of that fact God sees me in the pure white robe of Christ and sin no longer has dominion in my life, ewven though I continue to be a sinner until my physical death.
Being a sinner isn't such bad news when you realize that He came for just those sinners...real sinners.
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