Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Be a Team Player
Romans 6:1-4
Rev. Alex Kolath
MTC of Baltimore, MD
What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin
in order that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we
who died to sin go on living in it? 3 Do you not know that all
of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we have been
buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from
the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
When someone joins a team, he inherits the history of that team. Whether it be professional, college, or amateur sports, the members of that team inherit the team’s tradition and history, even if they weren’t there at the time. Tony Romo can say he belongs to a team that won 5 Super Bowls, the Dallas Cowboys. It doesn’t mean he won them, or that he had anything to do with them. But when he puts on that helmet, he puts on all those years of success of Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman. It’s pressure to play for the Cowboys simply because you inherit that history.
The same thing happened when we were baptized. We didn’t pay the penalty of sin with our death. We weren’t buried and then resurrected from the dead. But with the baptism we received, we were joined into Christ. Christ’s death, burial and resurrection became ours. We did nothing to deserve it. Christ did it all. We didn’t even try to make the team. He graciously accepted us.
Knowing that we have inherited this wonderful work of Christ for our sake, we have a reason to live like Christ in this new life He has given us. Should we continue to live in sin? No! That’s not the life we have now. We are united with Christ. Our sinful self has been put to death with Christ and we have a new life with Him. We are on a new team. When you put on Christ, you remember all that He has done for you, and with that, you live like you are a part of Him – because you are.
Be a team player. Live not in sin, but walk in the newness of life that Christ has given you.
When someone joins a team, he inherits the history of that team. Whether it be professional, college, or amateur sports, the members of that team inherit the team’s tradition and history, even if they weren’t there at the time. Tony Romo can say he belongs to a team that won 5 Super Bowls, the Dallas Cowboys. It doesn’t mean he won them, or that he had anything to do with them. But when he puts on that helmet, he puts on all those years of success of Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman. It’s pressure to play for the Cowboys simply because you inherit that history.
The same thing happened when we were baptized. We didn’t pay the penalty of sin with our death. We weren’t buried and then resurrected from the dead. But with the baptism we received, we were joined into Christ. Christ’s death, burial and resurrection became ours. We did nothing to deserve it. Christ did it all. We didn’t even try to make the team. He graciously accepted us.
Knowing that we have inherited this wonderful work of Christ for our sake, we have a reason to live like Christ in this new life He has given us. Should we continue to live in sin? No! That’s not the life we have now. We are united with Christ. Our sinful self has been put to death with Christ and we have a new life with Him. We are on a new team. When you put on Christ, you remember all that He has done for you, and with that, you live like you are a part of Him – because you are.
Be a team player. Live not in sin, but walk in the newness of life that Christ has given you.
PRAYER
Lord, by your grace you
have joined me into you. Your death, burial and resurrection became mine
with You so that my sin would be put to death. Teach me to walk in the
newness of life, that I may live a life worthy of being in you. Amen.
THOUGHT
FOR THE DAY:
Baptism does not signify the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. It unites us with Christ such that those mighty works of His, and the benefits of those mighty works might become ours with Him.
Baptism does not signify the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. It unites us with Christ such that those mighty works of His, and the benefits of those mighty works might become ours with Him.