The Baptism of the LORD (NTA)

Romans 6:1-14

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ² By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

⁵ For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. ⁶ We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷ For one who has died has been set free from sin. ⁸ Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. ¹⁰ For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. ¹¹ So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. ¹³ Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

The first Sunday of Epiphany is used to celebrate the Baptism of our Lord. Romans 6 connects your Baptism with Christ's death and resurrection. Jesus died for your sins and claims you to be his own. We are joined with the body of Christ Jesus. Thus, as we remember the Baptism of Jesus with the people of Judea, we remember our ownBaptism where God spoke those same words over us, "This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased."

St Paul reminds each of us first of our Salvation. Then he points us to our sins. Do not present your members to sin and perform the deeds of unrighteousness. You need to present yourself to God Holy and blameless. It is each of our duties to lead holy lives. This means we need to abandon our sinful passions and avoid them at all times.

You have not presented yourself to God blameless. You have not lived a perfect, nor even a good life. You know this better than I. You also know that Jesus Christ was crucified. He is risen from the dead. Just as Christ has died and risen again, he kills you and raises you again to new life. This happened in your baptism, and continues to happen each day in daily repentance of your sins. You are forgiven and washed clean in Christ Jesus.