Catechism--Baptism 4
Ephesians 4:24--...and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness...
Devotion--This fourth part of Luther's explanation of Baptism contains two things that happen in the baptized Christian on a daily basis. The Old Adam, the sinful nature, is daily drowned and dies, along with sins and evil desire. While we understand that God permanently forgives our guilt and kills the Old Adam when we were baptized, we also understand that the battle remains within us. We still find those sinful actions that we can control, at least in regard to their outward expression.
But that's not the end of what happens in our Baptism. God doesn't merely drown the Old Adam. He also creates a new person within each baptized Christian. It's a new person that is pure and perfect in God's eyes. It's the new person who has been fully and completely forgiven, and who is now that new creation that can stand before God with full confidence as God's own holy child.
This new person also finds its outward expression in our lives as Christians. This outward expression happens when we engage in the active living our of our faith, doing the things that demonstrate God's care, forgiveness, and grace to others. The new person seeks to live in line with God's will, demonstrating love for our neighbor in all things. And that demonstration of love is not merely in avoiding the things that God says to avoid, but in actually taking up the cross and showing sacrificial care and compassion to our neighbor as we have opportunity.
The reason that Paul can say that these actions are righteous and holy is not because the actions themselves are such. It's because such actions flow from faith on the part of the Christian. God finds that all good which is done out of faith is holy and righteous in His eyes. And that is what the new person in baptism seeks to do in our lives as Christians.
Prayer--Lord God, as You daily drown my old sinful nature and bring forth a new creation, I ask that You would guide me to those works of faith which are righteous and holy in Your sight. Open my eyes to the many opportunities that You provide for me to live out my baptismal grace and faith each day. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Ephesians 4:24--...and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness...
Devotion--This fourth part of Luther's explanation of Baptism contains two things that happen in the baptized Christian on a daily basis. The Old Adam, the sinful nature, is daily drowned and dies, along with sins and evil desire. While we understand that God permanently forgives our guilt and kills the Old Adam when we were baptized, we also understand that the battle remains within us. We still find those sinful actions that we can control, at least in regard to their outward expression.
But that's not the end of what happens in our Baptism. God doesn't merely drown the Old Adam. He also creates a new person within each baptized Christian. It's a new person that is pure and perfect in God's eyes. It's the new person who has been fully and completely forgiven, and who is now that new creation that can stand before God with full confidence as God's own holy child.
This new person also finds its outward expression in our lives as Christians. This outward expression happens when we engage in the active living our of our faith, doing the things that demonstrate God's care, forgiveness, and grace to others. The new person seeks to live in line with God's will, demonstrating love for our neighbor in all things. And that demonstration of love is not merely in avoiding the things that God says to avoid, but in actually taking up the cross and showing sacrificial care and compassion to our neighbor as we have opportunity.
The reason that Paul can say that these actions are righteous and holy is not because the actions themselves are such. It's because such actions flow from faith on the part of the Christian. God finds that all good which is done out of faith is holy and righteous in His eyes. And that is what the new person in baptism seeks to do in our lives as Christians.
Prayer--Lord God, as You daily drown my old sinful nature and bring forth a new creation, I ask that You would guide me to those works of faith which are righteous and holy in Your sight. Open my eyes to the many opportunities that You provide for me to live out my baptismal grace and faith each day. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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