A New Life

Our text for today is Romans 6:1-14. Paul began by asking, "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" The implied scenario is rather disturbing - if you want to experience more grace, go ahead and keep on sinning!?! What a thought! The Apostle Paul, of course, answered himself with a resound "By no means!" "No way!" On the contrary, the new life we have in Christ is one of leaving behind our old self, our old way of thinking, speaking, and living. Paul used language related to slavery in describing our struggle with sin. He said that sin should not be our "master", that sin should not "reign" over us. In fact, that is the way the Apostle Paul ends this passage, "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace."

God's grace is grace at all times. The question is not a matter of it being experienced more in one way or another. It is about us responding to that precious grace by not allowing sin to master us, but rather allowing the Master to master our lives.

Prayer: *Forgive the sins I have confessed to You, forgive the secret sins I do not see; that which I know not, Father, teach Thou me - Help me to live. Amen.
*Prayer by C. Maud Battersby

By grace alone,
Pastor David