Recently, my husband and I had the opportunity to adopt our second dog and
welcome her into our home. With this new addition to our family came the need to
reconstruct our fence so that it would maximize our backyard space and give the dogs
enough room to run and play. Before the new fence could be put into place, the old
fence had to be taken down. With this daunting task before me, I thought to myself “The
old must come down before the new can go up.” Quickly, I realized that there is a
spiritual application beyond just the physical.
We read in Romans chapter 6 (verses 4 through 6) that baptism is both a burial
and resurrection. Verse 4 teaches that after we are lowered into the watery grave of
baptism, we arise to “walk in newness of life”. As we continue reading, verse 6 tells us
that “our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that
henceforth we should not serve sin.” If we are no longer serving sin, then whom, do we
serve? Verse 18 answers this question: “Being then made free from sin, ye became
the servants of righteousness.” The old man of sin must be put away before we can live
in righteousness. Just like the fence, the old must come down before the new can be
brought up.
As Christians who were made to walk in newness of life, there is no room to
mourn our old life of sin. Jesus warned us about this in Luke 9:62 when he said “…No
man having put his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Furthermore, we read in Matthew 6:24 that “No man can serve two masters: for either
he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the
other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” May we remain forward-focused as we labor
in the kingdom; for after all, we are now servants of righteousness.
As baptized Christians, we should rejoice in having newness of life! 1 Peter 2:9
reminds us “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a
peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of
darkness into his marvelous light.” Let us call attention to Christ, the true source of light,
that others may see a reflection of His light shining in us.
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