Romans 6:5-11
For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united with him in the likeness of his resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified with him, to make our sinful body powerless, so that we would not continue to serve sin. For the person who has died has been declared free from sin. And since we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that since Christ has been raised from the dead, he will never die again. Death no longer has control over him. For the death he died, he died to sin once and for all, but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way also consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Dear Heavenly Father,
We all struggle daily with our sins; there is this constant battle between wanting to do what is right and being pulled to do what we know is wrong. By faith in Jesus, we have forgiveness for all our sins because of His death. We were linked with Christ and His death in our baptisms, and we are also connected to his resurrection and His righteousness. As Paul wrote to the Romans, we were crucified with Christ, and we are free from all those sins that regularly burden our conscience, causing us guilt and shame.
Lord, we acknowledge all our sinfulness and those things we have done to those around us and against You; please forgive us for Jesus’ sake according to Your grace and mercy. Since we have also died with Christ, please declare free from sin and let us live as Christ now lives, to You; create a new heart in us to love You above all other things and to trust You will sustain us in all our needs.
Allow us to share this marvelous news of Jesus’ forgiveness and our salvation with those who do not know you so that they, too, will die with Christ and be declared not guilty of all their sins. Please remove their guilt so they know and trust in You, so that they will also know death has no control over them. Amen.
Written through Pastor Roger Emmons
Faith in Christ means we have been linked with Him in His death and resurrection. So death no longer has power over us; our temporal death is the gateway to eternal life in heaven with God, our Savior.