9.10.2026 - Rick DeBruyne

Thursday, September 10, 2026

Our text today is Romans 6:3-7:

“Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.”

We are talking this week about baptism. Today we’re reminded that baptism is a sign and seal of our death in Christ and our resurrection to new life in him.

There’s an old hymn of the church that we sing during holy week that asks, “Were you there? “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” Our scripture today gives a clear and resounding yes to that question. Paul writes to the Roman believers, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” We were there.

We were not just spiritual spectators, but were there spiritually united with Christ as he was crucified on the cross, spiritually united with him in his death.

We don’t usually think of death as good news. But today’s text tells us that our old self was crucified with Christ Jesus and that is good news! Physically we’re still stuck with our old selves until Jesus takes us home, but spiritually our old self, has been crucified with Christ Jesus. And here’s the really good news, as verses six and seven say, “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. In the words of one of our contemporary praise songs, “My chains are gone, I’ve been set free.

I think of this through the eyes of some of our older, Senior Saints. Every once in a while, one will say to me that they can’t wait for Jesus to take them home. They have lived a full and good life and are ready to shed these old bodies and be present with the Lord. It’s not really that they want to die, but they are ready to be released from the confines of their tired and often broken bodies. Death is no longer the enemy, but an entryway to heaven. Death will set them free and usher them into the presence of Christ where they can walk again, see again, think clearly again, have energy again, and so on. As I said, death is no longer the enemy, but the entryway to new life.

Our baptism is a sign and seal that spiritually we died with Christ and have been raised to new life. It is a sign and seal that we are no longer slaves to sin, but a new creation in Christ Jesus.

This side of heaven you and I will still struggle with sin in our lives but we are no longer enslaved to it.

The mortification of our flesh, the putting to death our sin and sinful desires is a daily effort as Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit transforms us from one degree of glory to another, But praise God, we are no longer enslaved by our sin. Our chains are gone, we’ve been set free. Our old self has been put to death so that we can live new lives in Christ Jesus.

As we continue to reflect on our baptism, may we welcome, more and more, the death of our old selves.

The death of our old selves - accomplished in Christ once for all time and accomplished in our daily lives more and more each day through the power of the Holy Spirit - makes room for the new life that Christ has for us.

The LORD bless you and keep you;

The LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The LORD turn his face, his countenance, his smile toward you and give you peace.”

Amen.