by no means.

So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? I should hope not! If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn’t you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land!

    - Romans 6: 1-2 (MSG)

Wow, I haven’t written anything in a while.

This passage deals both a gut-smashing blow and a huge amount of relief. As much as I’ve read these verses, I’ve never looked them up in The Message until now. I love the way Eugene Peterson paraphrases—you can feel Paul’s immediacy pretty strongly in it.

In reading this, I’m reminded of my pastor, Shannon Chapman’s, sermon this week. We are not well. As humans, it’s easy to get caught up and forget that we’re sick. As Shannon so aptly put it, “Jesus didn’t die for the healthy.” And it’s true—we often forget that Jesus is completely understanding of us and our nature. All sin is the same in God’s eyes, and although it’s repulsive, God knows that we’re programmed to mess up and so He sent an atoning sacrifice.

I love how this paraphrase puts it: ”…How can we still live in our old house there? Or didn’t you realize we packed up and left there for good?”—left there for good! It’s hard to think that way sometimes, especially when we return to sinful nature often, but it’s necessary to realize that a relationship with God isn’t ever supposed to be a stagnant thing. Once we’ve accepted a life with Christ, we’re automatically on our way out of the old house of sin, on a journey that doesn’t allow for a half-hearted approach (being that Jesus wants our whole hearts, even if it’s in random pieces that He repairs). This verse provides hope and an underlying encouragement that we’re headed into a new land; the country of grace. What a difference!

Jesus is the friend of sinners. Must we force this grace to increase? By no means.

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2. mayhopearise said: i’m encouraged. thanks!
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