For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God[.]

1 Peter 3

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God[.] 1 Peter 3:18

For my daily study, I continue to lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which today looks at what John Piper describes as "the greatest good of the good news - the gospel - [and how it] is the enjoyment of fellowship with God himself." Piper shares how this is explicit in the verse highlighted in the devotion today - 1 Peter 3:18.  He continues: "[a]ll the other gifts of the gospel exist to make this one possible[, including:]

• "We are forgiven so that our guilt does not keep us away from God."
• "We are justified so that our condemnation does not keep us away from God."
• "God is propitiated so that his wrath doesn’t stand between us and God as our Father."
• "We are given eternal life now, with new bodies in the resurrection, so that we have the capacities for being with God forever and enjoying God to the fullest."

Piper concludes the devotion today by writing that the love of God is ultimately expressed in Jesus Christ.  Sin separates us from God but Christ restored us to Himself - not just once but for eternity.  And the result is that we have life to the full now and for eternity (see also John 10:10). Piper's final words for today are to refer us to Psalm 16:11. Amen and praise God!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are SO good that You came so that I could continue fellowship with God!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You restored me to Yourself.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  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. 

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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.