Reading: Romans 6:1-4
Reflective Thoughts
More than a song
We’ve all heard stories from friends about the drastic changes that coming to faith in Christ has made in their lives. We marvel at the biographies of famous men like John Newton, a former captain of a slave ship, who was redeemed by God’s “Amazing Grace.” Their conversion experiences mark drastic changes from lives of sin to lives that reflect Christian living.
But sometimes, we expect nonbelievers to behave in a way that is consistent with Christianity. We get angry if we hear someone drop the F-bomb at work. We bristle when we hear that so and so is “shacking up.” We disapprove of a friend who goes “clubbing.” Sometimes we forget that our ability to struggle successfully against sin is only possible because of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. When He died, so did we. When He rose, so did we. Consequently we are no longer slaves to our old nature. It’s still there. We must resist it-but the fact is, we can resist it. Not so for the nonbelievers in your life. They can only sing “Amazing Grace.” You can live it, and therefore, love them in such a way that they might come to know the One who first loved you.