Reflection on Rom 6:3

“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?”

In chapter 5 of the Epistle to the Romans, it is repeated several times that sin entered the world through one man and grace – redemption through the other Man. Verse 12 says, Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. And in verse 15 we read, If by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.

This verse emphasizes that Jesus is man, which means that God assumed our human nature. Other places in the Scripture, in turn, emphasize His Divinity. Jesus is true God and true man. Heretics either try to attack Christ’s Divinity by creating the impression that He was just a man, or on the other hand, some heretics deliberately emphasize that Jesus is God and say that His manhood was just apparent. Then they draw a heretical conclusion from it that He could not die for us, that it was only an illusion. That’s another devil’s cunning! So whenever someone speaks about Jesus, we must know that He is true God, God from God, Light from Light, begotten, not made. Today this essential truth is denied for example by Jehovah’s Witnesses or other sects. At the same time, we must know that Jesus is true man who really rather than apparently suffered and died on the cross for our sake, delivered us and saved us.

The next verse says that one man sinned but on the other hand there is the free gift (grace) obtained for us by Jesus, and this free gift results in justification for many: And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. And verse 17 emphasizes: For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

This truth is also emphasized in verse 18 which speaks about one offense resulting in condemnation of all people and on the other hand about the righteous act of Jesus resulting in justification and life for all people. Of course, there is one condition – justification must be received by faith, or else one cannot be justified.

Similarly, verse 19 points out one man’s (i.e. Adam’s) disobedience and its consequences, and one Man’s (Jesus’) obedience. Through the one we were made sinners, and through the other we were made righteous.

In verse 20, there is a mention of the law which could not save man even though it was the law of God. It only convicted man of sin that the offense might abound. But then it says: Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. And that motivates us to carry out true mission of prayer in which we can put our faith in God’s Word. We can see the reality of sin and evil which penetrates every man. But if we unite to Jesus by faith, His grace can work through us. We can thus carry out mission in which we obtain the grace of conversion and salvation for many. This mission of prayer, in which we are united to Jesus through faith and therefore God’s grace can work, is of great significance. How little we use this authority and power! Let us therefore put our faith in God’s Word and persevere in our prayer struggle for the conversion of our family, town and nation.

When the Apostle Paul, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, has led us into the mystery of how sin and God’s grace works, in chapter 6 he reveals to us the mystery of baptism. These are deep truths.

Word of life: Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into His death?

The Apostle asks: Do you not know? What do we not know? We are often convinced that we do know. But we do not know, in fact, and even if we have heard about it, we do not live this truth and do not believe in it in practice. Therefore we need to be perceptive when we will repeat this verse during the following two weeks.

It is said that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized – immersed – into His death. Let us realize that by dying on the cross, Jesus overcame sin which is in us, i.e. the source of evil and lies, as well as the devil. At the moment when He said, It is finished, the devil and sin was overcome, and the narrow way to eternal glory was opened for us. Finally, He added, Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit, and died.

So we need to realize the essence of baptism as well as the essence of Christianity – through baptism we are united to Christ, to His supreme sacrifice on the cross – i.e. death. Let us live this mystery by faith.

Download: Reflection on Rom 6:3