Thoughts Heavily Derived from Romans 6:1-10

It's still a difficult task to daily walk in newness of life. Despite the fact that we have been buried with Christ through baptism into death, despite the fact that we share in the likeness of not only his death but also His resurrection, and despite the fact that we're to consider ourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus, it remains a constant struggle to live new lives. We find ourselves dwelling, and even delighting in the things that we've supposedly died to, and more than that, the things that were part of our old self we supposedly crucified. It is amazing how powerful sin is and how tenacious the old self is that even after tasting, feeling, and drinking deep from this new and eternal life we still return to our former state. Do we not know that if we have been baptized into Christ Jesus we have been baptized into His death? Do we not know that being baptized into His death means we also share in His resurrection? Do we not know that resurrection leads to a new life? And do we not know that a new life is inevitably followed by a new self? How lightly we take the call, the privilege, of living as new creations in Christ Jesus. How loosely we hold onto the precious life we've been granted by His blood, death, and resurrection. And how tightly the old man keeps his hold on us, strangling our attempts to breathe in the hope we have in Christ, covering our eyes to the Glory of our King, stopping our ears from hearing His promises and Love. What a struggle we have with ourselves, with our sin. And yet what Hope, what Help we have in Christ Jesus. Our Rock, our Deliverer, our Salvation, and our Life.