Our New Life in Christ

These words are built into our slogan at Be Transfigured Ministries for a reason. The Church is ‘in the shadow’ of the Feast of Theophany and now our focus turns to our baptism. If you were born into the Church, you don’t remember your baptism, but it changed you forever.

In today’s letter from Saint Paul to the Romans, we are reminded of the real change that takes place in our baptism, whether it was when we were infants or later as adults. As baptized Christians we are no longer the same person who entered the water once we step out.

We have united to Christ in His baptism (which is why we focus on this during the Feast) and united to Christ in His death and resurrection. Take a moment and read today’s passage and ask yourself, “Am I living a NEW life in Christ?”

Brethren, all who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death.  We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.  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.  We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin.  For he who has died is freed from sin.  But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.  For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him.  The death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6.3-11

New Year resolutions or not, this is always a good time to ‘rethink’ our relationship with God. Thinking of our baptism along with Christ’s baptism can, if we allow it to, inspire our devotion to grow stronger. We can do this only if we love Christ more than we love ourselves.

Before we know it, the Church will ‘have moved on’ to the next season preparing for Great Lent. In the meantime, we don’t have to remain idle in our spiritual journey. It will be a shame to look back at this year’s Feast of Theophany and realize we did nothing different with our lives.

Something to think about for sure, but don’t stop at thinking. DO something different with your new life. Contact your spiritual father for Holy Confession. If you don’t have a spiritual father, find one fast. He will be helpful when Great Lent begins, sooner than you might realize this year.

Allow Christ’s baptism to remind you of your baptism. Allow Christ’s devotion to the Father to remind you His Father is your Father. Allow this holy season to inspire to Live A New Life In Christ.