Our daily reflections follow the M'Cheyne Bible reading plan, designed for those who want to read the whole Bible in one year. Each reflection focuses on one of the chapters from that day's readings. Darllenwch rhain yn Gymraeg.
Lord, open my ears to hear what you have to say to me; open my heart to love your word, and open my mind to understand your truth.
Paul has thought deeply about what the death of Christ means. Death is an ending; it cancels everything about a person's life. If we are baptised into union with Christ and 'share' in that death (verse 4), our old life is gone; and 'When a person dies, he is set free from the power of sin' (verse 7). But we share in his resurrection too; and resurrection is not just resuscitation, where a person just lives the same kind of life all over again. Christ was raised to a new kind of life, 'in fellowship with God' – and because we share in that resurrection, so were we. We don't serve sin any more, but righteousness.
So Paul's message is very challenging. In some church circles there is a great emphasis on conversion – making a decision for Christ and being forgiven for our sins as we are crucified with him. But Paul makes us ask not just what we're converted from, but what we're converted to. It's the life of the believer that concerns him, and this makes perfect sense. Jesus spoke about being 'born again': but we are only babies for a tiny fraction of our lives. It's in our lives as adults that we achieve things and choose right or wrong. So Paul reminds us: 'Sin must not be your master; for you do not live under law but under grace' (verse 14).
God, help me to enter fully into the resurrection life of Christ; let me live a new life in him that is full, rich and free.
This reflection was written by Mark Woods, Bible Society's Editor
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