DCLM Higher Everyday 17 July 2024 — The Newness of Life
DCLM Higher Everyday 17 July 2024 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — The Newness of Life
Topic: The Newness of Life
Text: Romans 6:1-13
1What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Key Verse:“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6: 4).
Message
Jonathan Edwards said, “For a Christian to wallow in sin and misery is for a butterfly to crawl miserably along the branch as if it were a caterpillar.” Newness of life is the walk of a new creature washed in Christ’s blood. He has a conscience purified from dead works, and now lives every moment in the consciousness of being saved by grace and in readiness to follow Christ’s steps. It is strange for anyone to have received the grace of God and yet wallow in the sins from which he was saved. Salvation through faith in Christ brings about a transformation of life and character that makes one a child to God (John 1: 12). The brand-new life separates believers from the past sinful life, making them to live and walk like Christ.
Newness of life brings in us the consciousness that the old sinful nature is destroyed because Christ was crucified and His resurrected life gives us the life of complete freedom from sin and makes us peaceable, godly and honest. Therefore, Christians must withdraw from any object that encourages sin.
Quote: Old sinful nature is destroyed
Challenge: Having the old and new natures is a contradiction.
Prayer for today: Oh God, grant unto me the newness of life in Christ.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
