The Preacher's Pen

Who are you? Much is made in many quarters today about issues of self-esteem, self-identity and self-worth. While not much interested in what various human authorities might offer on these subjects what God says about this interests me supremely.

Romans 6:11 may well be the keynote verse on this topic: ""Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus."" The New King James has ""reckon"" instead of ""consider,"" which works for us in the south a little better. Either way, the verse says the same thing: here is how a Christian is to think of self. When a Christian looks in a mirror here is what he or she is to see, and to say to him or her self: ""I am no longer a servant of sin, but a new person made to serve God in Christ Jesus.""

That is a powerful thought, isn't it? It tells us at one and the same time where we've been (in sin), where we're going (eternally alive in heaven) and what we're doing right now (serving God). Paul has masterfully woven together the twin ideas of Jesus' resurrection and burial in baptism to talk about how Christians have died to the old ways to be able to live in new ways.

Perhaps we would do well to meditate upon this passage a little more. Do you think of sin as being utterly incompatible with your present life? Is the possibility of you going back to a life of sin as absurd as if one said ""Let's go over and visit with Harry"" when everyone knows that Harry has been dead for years? That is what happens in baptism. We make an end to sin reigning in our life.

But that's not all. We make a new beginning with Christ. We give up one thing (sin) to go on to something better (righteousness). Have you done that? Sometimes we get caught up abstaining from something without ever putting anything good back in its place. That won't work with the self-image of Romans 6:11.

Who are you? Romans 6:11 provides some good answers. Let's leave sin behind that we might be able to say ""I am a servant of the King!""