Fahgettaboudit

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
Romans 6 (click the link)


KEY VERSES:
What shall we say [to all this]? Are we to remain in sin in order that God’s grace (favor and mercy) may multiply and overflow? Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer? Are you ignorant of the fact that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious [power] of the Father, so we too might [habitually] live and behave in newness of life. For if we have become one with Him by sharing a death like His, we shall also be [one with Him in sharing] His resurrection [by a new life lived for God]. (Romans 6:1-5, AMP)


REFLECTIONS:
Wow. Romans 6. Good ol’ Paul. We have sin, death, resurrection, baptism, literal and figurative, with a metaphor of slavery to help us understand. Clear as mud.

The fact that this chapter exists is evidence that New Testament followers of Christ wrestled with questions of sin and righteousness,  just like we do today. Can’t we just make ourselves behave? Or should we just give in to sin when it comes knocking, knowing that Jesus forgives everyone who really repents?

I struggled to come up with a more modern analogy for our former life of sin. Is it like we have a tremendous credit card debt and we are headed toward bankruptcy but then Jesus pays off all our cards and now we get to go shopping at an awesome mall? Is it like we immigrated from another country, Sin, and now we don’t have to pay taxes to it anymore? Or is it like we are mafia dons who are displeased with our sons, Sin, and we say to them, “you’re dead to me?” Fahgettaboutit! 

To me, it’s like we were once shacking up with an abusive lover, Sin. We freely gave our whole bodies over to him, and worked hard at playing house with him, throwing parties at the place we shared. But through Jesus’ death on the cross, that abusive relationship was ended, buried in fact. So we no longer have to jump when Sin says “jump!” We no longer have to hold up under the beatings we used to get at Sin’s hands. 

Not only is that relationship over—it gets way better than that! Now we are married to God. We give our bodies over to him. We share everything together here and now. Just the little acts of obedience cause his heart to skip a beat, and he looks at us with crazy, passionate love in his eyes. Having been freed from a life with Sin, we are overwhelmed with happiness with Christ, and we are so excited to be able to be with him and bring him breakfast in bed and even do the dishes. And because of Jesus’ resurrection we have everything we need to help our marriage work. Because Jesus is alive with God right now, we can have an unbroken marriage with God right now—subscription to Good Housekeeping, marriage enrichment seminars, romantic and intimate conversations throughout the day, weekends away together, children—everything we ever dreamed of. Why would we want to talk to Sin on the phone when he calls? Just because Jesus would let us, and would look at us with love and acceptance after, should we go on a lunch date with Sin? Why would we? Sin has been put down. Where he belongs. He can’t have free access to hurt us anymore. We were once on a road trip with Sin, and he was speeding and drunk, and had we stayed with him it could have only ended in death and destruction. But thanks be to God! He rescued us and married us, sweeping us off our feet. And you think the married life with him is good now…wait until you see what’s coming in the married life eternal. It’s going to blow our minds. Fahgettaboutit!


WHO AM I?
I am Suzanne Zucca. And I like being a bride.