Dying to Live

I have to admit that COVID has brought about some interesting conversations over the last several months. Some of those conversations have been good conversations, some of them have been interesting conversations, some of them have been somewhat difficult, but one of the conversations I had was difficult. I called my dad a few weeks ago and as we were talking he mentioned that he had not been going to coffee, which was difficult for me to hear as he needs the camaraderie that comes from those couple of hours a week, but that’s not what was the most difficult. What was the most difficult for me was the reason that he wasn’t going for coffee. He was mentioning how the group had grown too large for social distancing and that there were some who were not concerned, and because of this he wasn’t going to coffee so my sister wouldn’t have to deal with his being ill or his estate right now as she has too much on his plate. Then came the bittersweet part of that of the conversation as he said that he was not afraid of dying, in fact there are things he is ready for, because he is ready for that event in his life.

I’ve heard it said that you are not ready to live until you know what you are willing to die for. While there might be a bit of truth to that, I would say that you are not ready to live until you know that you have died. I am not talking about some B level horror movie about zombies. Rather I am thinking about what Paul is writing about in the 6th chapter of the book of Romans, and its right along the lines of a seed and some roots. We are going to talk about dying to live. We’ll be starting at the first verse, but we need to understand that Paul is in the middle of a line of argument about Jesus dealing with sin and our being freed from sin. Romans 6:1-7

Romans 6:1–7 NASB95

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 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. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.

I. Dying

A. To what are we dying?

1. Sin

2. To our own self

3. Death itself

B. How do we die?

1. Through Faith

2. At Baptism

3. Through the work of the Spirit

– 1 Peter 3:21

1 Peter 3:21 NASB95

Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

– Titus 3:5

Titus 3:5 NASB95

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

Trans – Just as a seed that is planted and, in a sense, dies and then comes to life, we need to look at living as well.

II. Living

A. Differently now

1. Living without sin

2. Different purpose

–Philippians 1:21 – 22

Philippians 1:21–22 NASB95

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.

B. For Eternity

1. If we only have hope for this life, is it worth it?

2. 2 Cor. 5:1 - 5

2 Corinthians 5:1–5 NASB95

For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.

Conclusion: There are conversations that are hard to have, but I know that while the one I had a few weeks ago with my dad was difficult, he is ready, just as I knew my mom was ready. There is not a doubt in my mind that they had died the spiritual death to self, so the death of the physical body is not a concern. It is the same death that Paul says we all must die, the death to self that takes place when we die with Christ in the waters of baptism so that we can live the life that we are called too and then we can truly live, both now and for eternity.