But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Leviticus 11

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:22-23

This evening, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing chapter eleven - Eating for God's Glory - covering Leviticus 11:1-47, looking specifically at the third theme - We Seek to Reflect God's Holiness.  Here, similar to my post yesterday where the focus in the commentary was to be set apart, the focus tonight is the why God wants us to be set apart. Although, my post from a couple of days ago was clear that we don't need an explanation from God to be obedient, here the commentary offers one with regards to why God wants us to be holy.  The commentary encourages us to look at v45 where the sequence is important: first, God brought the Israelites out of Egypt to be their God; second, therefore the Israelites, and believers in Christ by extension, are to be holy because God is holy. For believers in Christ, we are, like the Israelites, redeemed first, then God sanctifies us over the period of our earthly life - making us into more of His image until the day when we meet Jesus face to face in Heaven when we are glorified.  The commentary says it well - when God comes into our lives and hearts the expectation is that now that He has made us new (reborn) and given us a new identity, we are act accordingly. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has redeemed me and I know You have sanctified me - and I have seen the miraculous work You have done in my life and I know You are not done.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not deserving of what You have done for me.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Romans 6

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Romans 6:5

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I moved on to chapter eight Raised to Walk in Newness of Life, which covers Romans 6.  My focus today is Romans 6:1-10 which my commentary refers to under the heading Truths We Must Know. First, following his discussion of grace (see yesterday's post), we see Paul challenging any believer who thinks that we have a free pass to sin in light of the abounding grace we have in Christ for the sin we commit (v1-2) - my commentary refers to such an attitude as antinomianism. We are encouraged to see how our old self (sinful self - v6) has died and we are reborn just as Jesus rose from the dead. We are "baptized into his death" (v3) and as a result experiencing "newness of life" (v4).  We then see Paul further describing how this newness manifests itself: we are "no longer enslaved to sin" (v6). This newness in life (slave to God - see Romans 1:1) is not just life to the full now (John 10:10) but also eternity in Heaven with Him. 

My commentary emphasizes Romans 6 as describing how believers experience "union with Christ" (v5). We have this new identity, and we experience what Jesus did at the cross and with the resurrection. Sin and death lose their power over believers lives as a result. The commentary reminds us that the period between justification and glorification as sanctification and this new identity enables the sanctification process. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who freed me from the tyranny of sin and death - thank You Jesus!  The greatest gift of all time!  I am not deserving of such a gift.  My sin continues - worry, anger, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to Your Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.