Romans 6:1-14 as we think about the new year, we think about the beginning, New Year's resolutions, and maybe even starting over. Baptism also speaks of a new beginning. When we go under the water it is, as it were, burying the old man and putting away the old life. When we come up out of the water, we leave the old man buried, and proceed to live a new life in Christ. In the best-case scenario this is what happens when Jesus comes and makes a home in our lives. We have an enemy, Satan, who comes to us with his lies and tells us that this old man is really not dead at all. This enemy has absolutely no power over us at all. The only power he has is what we give to him; and the only life that our old man has is what we give to it. We need to make a decision, to give life to the old man and live according to Satan' s suggestions, or to live the new life that the Holy Spirit has placed within us. The new life is energized by the power of God's Word and the direction of his Holy Spirit. We are what God's Word says we are, and we can do what God's Word says we can do. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13. The truth is that we will have to put the old man to death over and over and over again. As temptation comes to entice us into doing what used to be commonplace in our life, we need to remind ourselves over and over again that the old man is dead, and those things that we used to do are no longer appropriate. I can't think of a better time of the year than at the New Year to resolve to allow the Holy Spirit to live the life of Christ in me. Let us also make resolution to encourage one another in this adventure.

Newness of Life