Pastor's Corner - March 2011
You already know this, but it has become more apparent in the last month or so that the globe we live on, the family of nations we live among, the nation we call home – all is in a major heap of trouble right now. With the Middle East experiencing revolts and the Midwest of our own nation in turmoil over balancing their state budgets and contesting with labor unions, you can smell major problems brewing. However, don’t panic, because our redemption draws nearer than ever before!
There is a remedy, an effective remedy throughout the history of God’s people, and that remedy is found in the Holy Word of our living and loving God and Father. Romans 6 lays before the believer in Christ a reminder of a union that transcends all other unions on earth. Labor unions, national unions, global unions cannot match the union described by the Apostle in verses 1-14: “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
“For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God.
“In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to Him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.” (NIV)
Did you catch those two uses of the phrase “united with Him”? This is a wonderful phrase that runs deep. The King James version reads “Planted together in Him”. The word “planted” in the Greek is σύμφυτος (sumfutos) which means born together with, of joint origin, connate, congenital, innate, implanted by birth or nature, grown together, united with, kindred. Do you see the richness of this word?
Let me reword the passage another way. “If we have been planted by rebirth and genetically altered with Jesus in His death, then we are likewise joined with Him in the resurrection to come.”
We hear of GMO, or genetically modified foods. Now in the context of fruits and vegetables, I don’t want science playing with the food the Lord created. But this body, this sinful nature that I now have which was genetically altered in Adam through his fall to Satan’s lies, I need my Saviour Jesus to genetically alter me back to the original divine nature that man was first created with. It is only with that kind of nature that I can live with Him for eternity. Who would turn down such an eternal alteration and relationship with the Creator and Redeemer of Mankind?
The beauty of this invitation which Christ gives us is that it can begin to take place right now as we wait with great anticipation for His return! We no longer have to be slaves to sin and the burden it puts on our lives; we can be regenerated now in Christ. Doesn’t that sound inviting? Do you desire this transformation? Then pray this prayer right now. “Dear Lord and Father, I desire and need Your transforming regenerating, genetically modifying power in my life right now as I pray. Please come in and change me from the selfish, self-serving person that I am and give me the personality of Jesus my Brother and Saviour. I believe You have the power and desire to do this for me and I believe You have done so right now and I ask you for the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit to make this a daily change in my life, for now and for eternity. Through the awesome name of Jesus I pray. Amen!