The need for death …

One of my favorite quotes is: “Wherever you go, there you are.”

I like that quote (although I have no idea who originated it) because it’s true.

When you go to work, there you are.

When you go to school, there you are.

In any kind of relationship you experience, there you are.

When you meet with friends, there you are.

When you “go to church,” there you are.

When you interact with your children, there you are.

When you join an activity, there you are.

No matter where you go, what you do, or what you experience, there you are.

Into every thought you have, emotion you feel, action you take, you bring your sinful, broken self into it.

You cannot take off the sinful nature momentarily so that it doesn’t affect the thought, the emotion, the action or interaction. It is who you are.

That’s why there is an essential need for death.

To be anything other than a broken, sinful human being, we must die … spiritually, that is. And that is exactly what we experience as Christians, as the Apostle Paul describes in Romans 6:1-7:

“Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.”

What’s the outcome of this spiritual death?

“So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires,” Romans 6:11-12.

Paul continues this kind of thinking when writing to the Ephesians:

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago,” Ephesians 2:10.

What does that mean?

Now it means when you go to work, there you are as a new creation in Christ.

Now, when you go to school, there you are as a new creation in Christ.

Now, in any kind of relationship you experience, there you are as a new creation in Christ.

Now, when you meet with friends, there you are as a new creation in Christ.

Now, when you “go to church,” there you are as a new creation in Christ.

Now, when you interact with your children, there you are as a new creation in Christ.

Now, when you join an activity, there you are as a new creation in Christ.

Now, no matter where you go, what you do, or what you experience, there you are as a new creation in Christ!

Spiritual death, being buried with Christ, and raised with Him as a new creation in Him, has changed everything.

At least it should.

“Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God,” Romans 6:12-13.

How are you doing with that?

Scotty