LIVE RISEN

Living the Life Christ Died to Give Us

Romans 6:4 — “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

Jesus did not die merely to deliver us from the penalty of sin. He died and rose again to bring us into an entirely new life. Much of Christian discipleship emphasizes dying to self, denying the flesh, and taking up our cross. And rightly so. But sometimes, in our emphasis on dying, we neglect the glorious truth that we have also been raised!

Paul declares, “Our old man was crucified with Him” (Romans 6:6). Notice the tense. He doesn’t tell us to spend our lives trying to crucify the old man. He tells us that our old man was crucified with Christ. And he doesn’t leave us at the cross or in the grave. We were raised with Christ to walk in newness of life. Death was not the destination. Resurrection life was!

Paul tells us to reckon ourselves “dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). Both realities are true. We have died to sin, and we are alive to God. The Christian life is not a perpetual effort to die our way into holiness. It is learning to live in the reality of what Christ has already accomplished. We don’t put sin to death in order to obtain resurrection life. We put sin to death because resurrection life is already ours.

And here is a vital truth: The best “no” to self is a consistent “yes” to the Spirit. Paul writes, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the desire of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). Notice the order. He doesn’t tell us to overcome the flesh so that we can walk in the Spirit. He tells us to walk in the Spirit, and the desires of the flesh will not find fulfillment. The emphasis is not merely on what we must refuse, but on whom we must follow.

Every day presents opportunities to say “yes” to the Spirit. We choose forgiveness over resentment, generosity over selfishness, purity over temptation, and humility over pride. As we yield to Him, the character of Christ finds expression in our lives. Rather than constantly asking, “Have I died sufficiently to myself?” perhaps we should be asking, “Am I living in the fullness of the life Christ has given me?”

Paul writes, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above” (Colossians 3:1). Notice again the order. We seek the things above because we have been raised with Christ. Our conduct flows from our new identity. Christianity is not merely about what we have left behind, but about the life into which we have been brought.

So, deny yourself. Take up your cross. Put to death the deeds of the flesh. But remember, these are not ends in themselves. We died with Christ. We were raised with Christ. Now let us live the life Christ died to give us!

Remember, the best “no” to self is a consistent “yes” to the Spirit.

Don’t merely live dead. LIVE RISEN!