Buried With Him

Buried With Him 

A few nights ago, Anya and I were reading through Romans six before we went to bed. The Lord highlighted a phrase in verse four as we read… “Therefore, we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4 

I paused and re-read this verse slowly. As I did the Lord spoke to me in a picture/vision. In that tomb, next to Jesus, there I was...wrapped up in grave clothes lying next to Him. Then came a bright light, the glory of the Father rushed in and raised Jesus, and me with Him. Next, I saw us standing side by side holding hands outside of the tomb. We turned our heads together and looked back into the empty tomb and watched our grave clothes deflate on the stone slab. 

I have been buried with Him.. like actually buried. I really died with Him that day. By faith, through baptism, I joined Him on the cross, I joined Him in His death, I joined Him in His burial, and I joined Him in His resurrection! 

Romans six goes on to tell us that the death He died, He died to sin once for all, and the life He lives He lives to God. In the same way we are to consider ourselves dead to our old sin-filled life but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Sin is to no longer be our master now that we are under the rule of His grace! (from verses 10, 11, & 14) 

As I was meditating on the picture the Lord gave me, Romans 6:13 spoke so loud to me – “and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead... and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” 

Every time I choose to walk in sin (the very thing that hung Jesus to that tree) over walking in righteousness… it’s as if I let go of Jesus’ hand, turn around and walk back into that old cold empty tomb to slide back into those grave clothes. Wow… why would I? How could I? May it never be! 

More than ever I’m thankful for the abundance of grace that empowers us to walk free and the gift of being right with God. We are under grace now! Grace which saved us, is saving us and will save us through faith as we believe, receive, and walk in what He’s accomplished. What a privilege it is to take His hand of victory, receive His grace and present ourselves to the Father as one who has been raised from the dead, free from sin! Now we get to walk hand in hand with a Great King, follow His lead, obey Him from the heart, and daily be mastered by this gift of righteousness! 

Praying that our hearts would see, that we would walk in every bit of this! Love you! 

-Andrew