A Miracle Connection
Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him by this baptism into his death, so that just as he was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too would also walk in a new life. (Romans 6:3–4)
Do you ever wonder how Jesus could give you his holiness and righteousness? Have you ever doubted that your sins are forgiven, or that you are a child of God? Paul addresses those doubts and assures us that we do indeed have those things.
In baptism, a miracle happens. Not only is water poured on the person being baptized and the Word of God spoken, but an invisible miracle happens. Paul tells us that in baptism, we become connected to Jesus. And being connected to Jesus means that everything that he did becomes ours. The perfect life that he lived becomes ours and leads us to strive to live in a God-pleasing way, not giving into sin. The death that Jesus died becomes ours, the payment for our sin. The resurrection from the dead becomes ours so that we might be raised on the Last Day to be with God for all eternity.
While we may not see this miracle happen, we can be sure that it happens and lasts throughout our whole life. We are connected to Christ in baptism, and because of that connection, we can be assured that we have been made righteous and holy. There is no doubt that you are a child of God. Amen.
Our song for today is “God's Own Child, I Gladly Say It” by Concordia Publishing House