“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
Romans 6:4 KJV
When you were baptized, you identified with the death, burial (going under the water), and resurrection (coming up out of the water) of Christ our Savior. And just like Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of God the Father, God expects His children to now live their lives in a way that exemplifies Christ (in newness of life).
Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
You see, no Christian is a self-made man. No one comes to God on his own terms, and no one is worthy apart from Christ. But when you humble yourself before God, you are now His workmanship, and the blood of Christ makes you worthy. Not your works; not your good deeds or honorable intentions. You are worthy in the eyes of God only because Jesus has paid the penalty for your sin, and you accepted that payment.
Because of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection you are now…
- Worthy to worship God.
- Worthy to serve God.
- Worthy to come boldly before God in prayer.
- Worthy to suffer for His namesake.
- Worthy to die for Christ.
- Worthy to live with Him for all eternity.
These are things we do for Christ, because of Christ, in the power of Christ, and in the name of Christ. In John 15:5, Jesus said, “…without me ye can do nothing.”
Romans 6:5-6 adds, “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”
Once you are born again, your spirit is made alive through Christ and you are now identified with him…
- In the likeness of His death – your old man was crucified with Christ so you no longer have to serve sin.
- In the likeness of His resurrection – your spirit is made alive so that you are now able to walk in newness of life, which brings about a righteous lifestyle.
The power of Christ enables you to put away sin and live a life pleasing unto God; and just like Christ is worthy before God, being in Christ makes us worthy before God.