"Don't you know, that in baptism, which unites us to CHRIST, we are all baptized and plunged into HIS death? By this baptism in HIS death, we were buried with CHRIST and, as CHRIST was raised from among the dead by the glory of the FATHER, we begin walking in a new life. If we have been joined to HIM by dying a death like HIS, so shall we be, by a resurrection like HIS.
We know, that our old self was crucified with CHRIST, so as to destroy what of us was sin, so that, we may no longer serve sin - if we are dead, we are no longer in debt to sin. But, if we have died with CHRIST, we believe we will also live with HIM. We know, that CHRIST, once risen from the dead, will not die again, and death has no more dominion over HIM. For, by dying, HE is dead to sin, once and for all, and, now, the life that HE lives, is life with GOD.
So you, too, must consider yourselves dead to sin, and alive to GOD, in CHRIST JESUS." - Romans 6:3-11
(We are all plunged into HIS death. Baptism means entering into CHRIST to share the benefits of HIS sacrifice. It also means the acceptance of a complete change of life, that of CHRIST in HIS death and resurrection.
You must consider yourselves dead to sin... It is evident that baptism, even when received with faith, does not make us perfect immediately. It is enough for us to give our whole attention to commandments? What if the fear of temptation and daily faults paralyze us? Beware of scruples and guilt complexes! Paul proposes a different way: it is most important for us to believe that sin has no power over us. Our eyes will be fixed on CHRIST knowing that we belong to HIM that HE HIMSELF transforms us. Such an apparent carefree attitude serves us more effectively than nervousness.)
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