Dying to Live

Romans 6: 1 b-14

June 19, 2005

by Rev. Charles F. Kriner

I would like you to join me in a bit of eavesdropping today. We are going to put our ears to the key hole and listen to a conversation between two men. One of the men is well dressed and full of questions. The other, dusty and tired from just having completed a long journey, provides the answers for the other's questions.

Before we listen in on the conversation between the two men, let us examine the situation in order to better understand what is being said and what is meant by it.

The time in which the discussion takes place is between the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the middle of the first century. The tired and dusty traveler is a former Pharisee by the name of Paul.

Paul, during this period of Christian history, is involved in spreading the good news of Jesus Christ throughout the Roman Empire. It was a period in which many people are leaving behind not only Jewish beliefs, but also many are leaving one of the pagan religions which co-existed along with Emperor worship in the Roman Empire.

Those who were leaving other religions and joining the fellowship begun by Jesus of Nazareth were required to spend time learning about the new faith under the guidance of Paul and others like him. After this learning process had taken place, and after making a profession of belief, these new Christians were baptized.

For many, being baptized a Christian meant the loss of family and friends.

The symbolism that Paul uses in the conversation has great meaning. First of all, we must realize that most of the religions from which the converts were coming also practiced some form of baptism. But more important, since immersion was used (and we won't get into a debate, since sprinkling ad pouring also have Biblical roots) the symbolism of baptism was quite clear. The going down into the water was the sign of death, and going into the tomb or grave. It was a joyous grave, sorrow was in no way connected with it. Rather it was a grave the believer shared with Christ. One from which the believer would return to life, just as Christ rose form his grave. In Paul's symbolism, the person being baptized is taking part in Christ's death and sharing in his resurrection.

With that background, let us listen in on the conversation between the debonair stranger and Paul.

The stranger speaks first: "Paul, you said that God's grace is great enough to find forgiveness of every sin."

"That is so," Paul replies.

"You are in fact saying that God's grace is the greatest and most wonderful thing in all the world." The man continues.

Again, Paul replies, "That is so."

"Well. Paul, if that is so, let us go on sinning. The more we sin, the more grace will abound. In fact, we should say that sin is an excellent thing because it gives the grace of God a chance to operate. The conclusion of your argument is that sin produces grace: therefore, sin is bound to be a good thing since it produces the greatest thing in the world-- God's grace."

Recoiling in horror, Paul demands: "You suggest that we should go on sinning in order to give grace a chance to operate? God forbid that we should pursue so incredible a course as that!" Then, reclaiming his composure, Paul continues, "Have you ever thought what happened when you were baptized?"

In blank dismay the man simply nodded negatively. He had never thought about that. "It is something you did and forgot about, wasn't it? Isn't it like becoming a Christian and joining a church? " The man thought to himself. "Don't you just say, ‘I do’ to some questions or study some materials and then forget about them as soon as possible?" Then the man thought: "Could there be more than that, I wonder?"

"Also," Paul continues, "in being baptized into his death, we are also baptized into his resurrection. Because of this we are able to walk in newness of life."

"But," the man finally replies, "I'm still the same person, I still look the same, I still have my old habits, even after being baptized. I'm not different."

"But you are," replies Paul, "You are different, although you have not and will not in this life reach the goal of perfect obedience to God's will."

Before Paul can finish, the man interrupts: "Then why should I try? If I can't reach perfection, why should I even try to be a little bit different than I was before?"

"Because you have one who has overcome sin for you." Paul answers. "One who gave up his life on your behalf. In baptism you partake with Christ in his death and resurrection. God came into this world as a man in Jesus Christ. He never once gave into sin, as we do. Rather he took our sin with him upon the cross. He did that in order that sin might be conquered."

"Yes, I see, but what is the significance of that death that Christians must die, by faith, in baptism?" The man questions.

"We know this," Paul answers. "That our old self was crucified with him in order that our sin dominated body might be abolished, that we might no longer be slaves to sin, for a dead man is clear from sin. Death with Christ is an ethical experience that affects the relationship between man and sin."

"That sounds good Paul, but what do you mean that sin affects the relationship between man and sin?" The well dressed man asks.

"Let me put it this way then," Paul replies. "A man cannot be tired for a crime after his death, can he? No courts, no Roman tribunal digs up his bones and punishes them for a crime committed during his life. So when one is baptized a Christian, he is a partaker in Christ's death. Humankind was bound in the servitude of sin, established in the flesh. The natural territory of sin is the flesh and blood of humanity. Yet Christ, in his incarnation, was able to resist the demands of sin. He was tempted in his earthly life, just as you and I are tempted. But instead of yielding and acknowledging sin's domain, as we do, he rendered a perfect obedience to God. His obedience led him to the cross. In plain terms, Jesus died rather than sin. His death, instead of being a sign of the victory of sin over human nature, was a sign of the complete route of sin in a decisive engagement."

"Yes, I understand what Christ did, but what about me and my baptism? Didn't his death make sin okay? Didn't it provide grace that we might sin?" The man questions.

"Your baptism means first that you have shared in Christ's victory over sin. In his death, which you shared with him, sin was overcome. In his resurrection, which you shared with him, both through baptism, you passed out of the realm of sin and into the realm of a new order whose center is not man, but God. You are now dead to sin and alive to God. In your baptism you expressed, by faith, that Christ died for you, and through it you enter into fellowship with Christ and his Church." Paul states.

"In other words, I won't sin any more" the man asks.

Patiently, Paul recounts: "Baptism has placed you within the sphere of life, the center of which is God, but it rests with you to recognize that fact. You must consider yourself dead to sin, or else, despite your baptism, you are in effect not dead to sin. You choose, once you are baptized, whether or not to continue to share in the risen life of Christ. In your baptism you became a member of Christ, part of his body, the Church. It is now up to you to become what a member of Christ should be."

"But, I'm still me" the man states.

"Yes, you are still you, but you are living and moving in a new sphere of life. You are living within the fellowship of the Christian community, where every person has committed himself or herself to God in Jesus Christ. It is a new environment, which at every point is striving to bring the grace of God home to you. Only when the fellowship of Christians does this, can you, as a baptized member of that fellowship, feel yourself within the new order and be prepared to live accordingly. It is the responsibility of every member of Christ's fellowship to make every other member grow in the new order. Consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God, dedicate yourself to God; then sin will have no hold over you. It is now up to you and everyone like you, God has done his part in Jesus Christ."