Daily EncouragementSample

Only of the gospel of grace can such a question be asked! However, to ask it with any degree of conviction is to display a tragic misunderstanding of that gospel.

The fundamental answer to the question is, “We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (verse 2). John Murray refers to this as “the once-for-all definitive breach with sin which constitutes the identity of the believer.” And he then comments, “if we view sin as a realm or sphere then the believer no longer lives in that realm or sphere.”

Our union with Christ guarantees that this is the position. We are “in Christ” and in him we are dead to sin but alive to God.

Our baptism is a witness to this truth - “buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead . . . we too may live a new life” (verse 4). “Baptizatus sum - I have been baptized” - so Luther faced the devil in one hour of temptation.

Our freedom in the service of God demonstrates this truth. Instead of being “slaves to sin” we have become “slaves to righteousness,” slaves to God. The result is that we have been “set free from sin” (verse 18,22), because his slaves are freed men!”