Walking in the newness of life
K now ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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 6:3–4) It is always a pleasure to be able to watch children open gifts.
Seeing the excitement on a child’s face on birthdays or Christmas as they rip through the wrapping paper, and uncovering the gifts that are wrapped inside, being overjoyed when they discover a gift that maybe they have been hoping for is always something that brings great joy. Have you ever seen a child receive a gift, they may be elated because of the gift, but over the process of time, that gift that was so exciting has been forgotten, or perhaps after the gifts are unwrapped the child begins playing with the box instead of what was inside the box? Over the course of time things that are new lose their luster as the new wears off and eventually we may be inclined to move on to something newer that can bring more excitement, and at times the things that we were so excited about receiving at one time may find themselves in a box to be donated or placed in a yard sale and sold at a fraction of what we paid for it in the beginning. When Paul was writing to the church at Rome, he, by inspiration of God, wrote that we should walk in the “newness of life” (Romans 6:4). It is of interest that Paul would describe one’s life after baptism as the “newness of life.” The question that arises from this statement is: “How many have been baptized into Christ and have allowed the newness to wear off?”
The book of Romans emphasizes the need for the Gospel. Chapters one and two discuss the need that the Jew and the Gentile, individually, have for the Gospel, and chapter three shows the universal need as “all have sinned” (Rom. 3:23). Chapter four shows justification can no longer come from the Law of Moses, chapter five shows justification is only found in Christ, and then chapter six shows how we may address the problem of sin. Because all are guilty of sin, and because the Old Law no longer justifies, there is a necessity laid upon everyone to be justified by Christ, and the process by which man is justified by Jesus is shown in the opening verses of chapter six. Because son reigned over us, and that sin brings about eternal death (Rom.
5:21; Rom. 6:23), there is a need for us to die to sin, bury our sins in the waters of baptism, and be raised a new creature (2 Cor.
5:17; Rom. 6:1-4). The process of being made new by baptism is emphasized throughout the New Testament as Jesus spoke of one being “born again” (John 3:3ff.), the apostles commanded the repentant to be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), Peter stated that baptism “saves us” (1 Peter 3:21), Jesus stated that the one that is baptized “shall be saved” (Mark 16:16), and in the discussion of being made new Paul states that in order to walk in the newness of life, one must put off the old man of sin (Rom. 6:6).
After one dies to sin, and buries their sins in the watery grave of baptism, just as Christ was raised from the dead, Christians arise from the watery grave of baptism, being resurrected and given a new life in Christ, a new hope (1 Peter 1:3), and is now commanded to walk in the newness of life, but what does that mean? The word “walk” is used many times by the apostle Paul to describe one’s daily life, therefore to walk in the newness of life is to live in the newness of life. Being that one is made new through obedience to the commands of Jesus, they have died to sin and also died to self.
Jesus stated that we must “take up our cross” and follow Him daily (Luke 9:23). Paul stated that he was “crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:20), and those that desire to be made new by Christ must be willing to do the same. Now that we are no longer concerned with living for self, we must be focused on living for Jesus. Christians must live according to the Gospel, or as John would state, we must “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7-9). Walking in the newness of life, being made new by Jesus, we are no longer concerned with worldly lusts, but we are laying up for ourselves “treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:20), as we have now been given an eternal inheritance that never fades away (1 Peter 1:4).
The child that receives a new toy for Christmas may become disenchanted by it over the course of time. The Christian that is given a new hope because of Jesus should never lose their interest in the things that Christ provides to us through His sacrifice.
Keep your mind on things above, knowing that we are promised to dwell eternally in a place where all things will be made new (Rev.
21:5), and always walk in the newness of life.
Jeremy Thornton is Minister of Highway 77 Church of Christ in Marion, Arkansas.
Jeremy Thornton
Minute with the Minister
