We are free to live to love with Jesus.

Romans 6:6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; Today we can be encouraged by what Paul knew about our union with Jesus. His readers needed to know what was accomplished at the cross on their behalf so they could live a new life with Jesus. Just so we can follow Paul’s line of reason, let me review what he said in the previous verse. It is certain that we will live like Jesus lived after He was resurrected because we know that our old self, which was enslaved to sin, was crucified with Jesus. God accomplished this so that our body, which was under the dominion of sin, might be made powerless. Here’s the idea we need to grasp. Sin’s power is the Law. The Law gave sin the power to kill everyone who sins. When Jesus was crucified (and us in union with Him) the Law’s demand was fulfilled and sin’s power was done away with or made powerless. Before we were believers, when we sinned, sin had the power of death. But having been crucified with Jesus, sin has lost its power to enslave us because it no longer has the power to kill. Therefore, we are no longer enslaved to sin and death, even though we still live in bodies of sin. Additionally, Satan has lost his greatest weapon to enslave, namely the fear of death. The author of Hebrews understood the same great truth. In Heb. 2:14-15. “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” What was Paul’s point? Now that sin has been made powerless through our union with the death of Christ, we are no longer slaves of the devil, sin, and death. We don’t have to be afraid of sin, living in guilt and condemnation, but instead we have been united with Christ in His resurrection, and therefore we are free to live with Him to the glory of God. In short, we are free now to live to love with Jesus today if we live by what we know to be true of us in Christ. Heavenly Father, thank You for another day of life to know and love You and to live to love with Jesus. Anoint and fill us with the Holy Spirit, the presence and power of Christ, so that we can love and trust You and love those You put in our paths today for Your glory. Amen. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com