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Romans 6:8-11
The Apostle Paul continues to build on his preaching that the righteous shall live by faith in Christ Jesus (Romans 1:17; 3:21-26; 5:1-5). In Romans 6:8 Paul states (NKJV), “Now if we died with Christ,” indicating that the statement has already been made that we died with Christ as Paul uses this information as a building block for what he is about to teach us. We can look to Romans 6:4 and find where Paul has made this statement, “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Building on this, Paul states in Romans 6:8-9, “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.” In Romans 6:10-11 I can find no way to describe the words of the Apostle Paul other than to quote them as is in the NKJV, “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
This is death to sin and life for all in Christ Jesus.
I believe this is what Jesus is speaking of in John 14 as He tells His disciples that He is going away to prepare a place for them, and that He will return for them to take them to be with Him. In John 14:4 Jesus states (HCSB), “You know the way to where I am going.” But Thomas spoke up as he cried out to Jesus with an anticipation of separation anxiety, stating in John 14:5, “Lord,” ‘Thomas said,’ “we don’t know where You’re going. How can we know the way?” But we must keep in mind that this was before Jesus was crucified; the Law had not yet been fulfilled, but Jesus was going to prepare the way through His sincere act of love for all of humanity in His sinless death on the cross which was the purifying act that fulfilled the law through Christ Jesus. Jesus had told His disciples of what He was going to do, but their eyes had not yet been opened to an understanding of it. So Jesus replied to Thomas and the other disciples as is stated in John 14:6 (NIV), “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” I believe this is what Paul is trying to explain in Romans 6:10-11 as he declares (NKJV), “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Dear LORD,
Please help us to see that it is only through Jesus and what He has done for us in His pure, sinless death on the cross in public humility that sets us free from the grasp of Satan and the sinful ways of this world. Please open our eyes to understand this great revelation of salvation that You have provided for us in Your one and only Son Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to You except through Him (John 14:6). In Jesus name I pray, amen.