Message: Paul address how we should conduct ourselves as saints and believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. The illustration is the stages of a butterfly, the pupae being the stage of transition from caterpillar to an adult. In context, people who emulate Christ, transform and are called Christians. Paul is supporting the difference between the "old" man and the "new" man. The "old" man's death in Christ frees him from sin, whereas the Law attempts to reform in order to change. "In Christ" represents our faith and trust in Him, then death can liberate us from sin. Just as a dead man has no authority over us, so is our "old" man. The struggle begins the moment we accept Christ. The "old" man's habits, thoughts and ways must be subdued by the "new" man to walk in a newness. It is a process. The "old" man is created according to God, righteousness and true holiness. The pattern of our life says, "YOU'LL never get there! ", but God operates differently. His Word and prayer renew us so the "new" man can grow. The caterpillar's function is to eat and store up to become the butterfly, so it is with the "new" man and God's Word. What seems to be the struggle of the "new" man is renewal by the Word. Paul lays out rhetorical questions, because, how did Christ do it? First question, "Shall we continue to sin, so grace abounds?" We tend to thing grace is a free pass, when it's a method God uses to bring a sinner to salvation. God's idea has a different idea, to use grace to carry us into the life to come. Second question, "How should we that are dead to sin live any longer in it? It is impossible, it is not designed to work that way. Points to remember as we walk out the newness. We are baptized in Jesus Christ's death, the "old" man dies. The challenge is death, so it is important to complete the suffering to be free from sin and live subjected to God. It is only possible through Christ to be servants to righteousness, to walk in the newness of life, so others will see it and go searching. Don't miss what God has for your because of the deeds of the "old" man. Strike them down, then watch God do great and wonderful things, because it is His desire.
Scripture: Romans 6:1-4 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 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."
