David Bahn – Reflections

Romans 6:1-11

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

My Cub Scout pack took a field trip to a water treatment plant. It was an interesting experience. Pipes, dials, valves, and large pools of water were just the kinds of stuff to capture a young boy’s attention. As part of the tour, we went to a higher floor of the plant. It had a large opening in the floor looking down to the equipment about 20 feet below. Over that opening was a metal grate. You could see right through it. Suddenly one of the men on the tour pushed me out onto the grate. I was so consumed by the sight below that I didn’t have time to think of whether the grate would hold me. I was  suddenly albeit briefly terrified. The grate held me just fine as I looked at the equipment below. Actually, I’m sure it would have held as many people as could stand on it; it was strong. But, oh my, was that a harrowing moment!

I have also had the experience of looking over the edge of my own sin, into the chasm of ruin and God’s just judgment, knowing that if it were not for his grace I would be doomed. How precious is that grace in the face of sin and judgment! But this is no cause to climb to higher heights and look into deeper chasms in an attempt to plumb the depths of God’s grace or gain a greater thrill in realizing our more desperate need for it. That would be an abuse of God’s sweet and beautiful grace.

Through God’s work in our hearts, and specifically by the grace of God in baptism something happens to our assessment of sin. We begin to see it for what it is: a damnable, evil, and destructive force warring against our souls. We die to sin’s thrill and allure.

But the work of God’s grace does not stop with ending our love for sin. It takes us to a new way of living. Not only are we no longer enslaved by sin, we are now alive with Christ. We’ve been connected with Jesus’ death and resurrection by God’s work and word in the waters of baptism. We walk in newness of life.

All this calls for a new kind of self-assessment, what I would call a Christ-fulfilling prophecy. Psychologists speak of self-fulfilling prophecy, a way of thinking about oneself or others as incapable, or deficient, that works itself out in a life of failure and defined by shortcomings. This new Christ-fulling prophecy is quite different. We are to consider ourselves to be alive to God in Christ. Rather than seeking more grace – wishing for or providing God with greater glory by our increasingly miscreant deeds – we delight in living to his glory and enjoying the freedom from sin that Christ has won for us and which is grounded in the promises and work of God in our baptism. In fact such is the significance of our baptism according to Martin Luther’s Small Catechism:

What does such baptizing with water signify?–Answer.

It signifies that the old Adam in us should, by daily contrition and repentance, be drowned and die with all sins and evil lusts, and, again, a new man daily come forth and arise; who shall live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

Where is this written?–Answer.

St. Paul says Romans, chapter 6: We are buried with Christ by Baptism into death, that, like as He was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.