Reflection on Rom 6:4

“We were buried with Him through baptism into death,

that just as Christ was raised from the dead…,

even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

The verse speaks not only of Christ’s death but also resurrection. Again, it draws our attention to baptism, saying that we are buried with Christ through baptism into death, which means renunciation of our own will at the present moment. The consequence is that we live a new life, or rather that Jesus lives in us. He then works in us through the power of His resurrection.

One reality is Christ’s historical resurrection in Jerusalem 2000 years ago, and the other reality is our union with His resurrection in baptism. Baptism itself is not enough. In order for you to have light in your house, you need electric wiring in the walls, a switch and a bulb. You are connected to the source of energy. But if you don’t switch the light on, your house will be in darkness. Only when you do, the bulb will shine. We can compare baptism to the wiring and the switch to active faith. Christ lives in me in power through baptism and active faith.

To walk in newness of life means to live by faith which unites us to Christ. This is, in other words, the obedience of faith, which is mentioned e.g. in verse 16. The obedience of faith means the putting of God’s word into practice. This is what Jesus was speaking about when He encouraged the people to do God’s word, to embody it. Those who do so are wise. They do not build their life on the sand but on the rock (Mt 7:24).

The giver of the new life is the Holy Spirit and not the spirit of the world. By the power of the Holy Spirit the living Christ becomes incarnate in us through our obedience of faith and repentance. Repentance – metanoia – is a change of mind. This is a process. In particular situations, my mind’s automatic reaction is self-pity, criticism, anger or unchastity. It proceeds from the old nature of man. The process of a change of mind is repentance. Sorrow for sins instead of self-pity, self-criticism instead of criticism, meekness instead of anger, chastity instead of unchastity.

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