In short
- Our salvation came with more than we realize. If we don't believe we are free, we live in a fraction of the blessing.
- To "reckon" (Romans 6:11) is to add it up and count it, like money. Paul is telling us to count on our freedom.
- In Christ we are free from sin's entanglement, from judgment and shame, and invited into healing in body, soul, and spirit.
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Have you ever bought a membership only to realize later that it came with benefits you never knew about? Maybe you didn't realize you qualified for a scholarship, or that a series you wanted was already included in your streaming bundle.
There are things included in our membership in Christ that we may not have a clue we have access to. Paul says that God will "graciously give us all things." What in the world is "all things"? That is for us to seek God about, because the answer completely changes how we approach reality, what is possible, and our walk with God.
The Bible tells us we have been set free. But if we don't believe we are truly free, if we don't access the benefits of our salvation, we only live in a fraction of the blessing we could have.
Reckon
Paul tells the Romans to "count yourselves dead to sin" (Romans 6:11). Older translations say "reckon." The word means to consider, to add up, to count the cost, like money.
The NIV Life Application Commentary gives a picture of this. Think of a former slave walking away from his old life. Though he is now free, slavery was the only life he knew. Some freed slaves actually returned to their masters, because though they were free in reality, they had been trained all their lives to think like slaves.
That is why Paul strongly encourages us to consider the implications of our salvation. We are truly free.
We are challenged by Paul to reckon with the new implications of our freedom in Christ. What are those liberties?
- Freedom from the entanglement of sin. I am no longer bound by sin. I don't live in fear that I'm bound to it, but in confidence that Jesus' sacrifice is enough.
- Freedom from the judgment, separation, and wrath of God. There is no residue, no stain that marks my life. I am not isolated. I don't need to seek people's approval. The future is bright, because I am a child of a good Father.
- Healing from the effects of sin in body, soul, and spirit. Where I'm not yet living free, I pray for God's Kingdom to manifest.
Jesus did not pay such a high price of redemption only for us to keep struggling and sinning for the rest of our lives. He who knew no sin took on the effects of sin so that we might become a whole new creation and live for Him. So let's walk in the light of Christ, reckoning ourselves dead to sin.
Challenge
Meditate on Romans 6:11 every day this week. Each time you notice an old pattern of thinking, stop and say it out loud: "That is not who I am anymore. I am dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."
Pray
Father, fill my mind with an understanding of my new identity in Christ. Where I still think like a slave, teach me to live like a son.
