We read today of God's deliverance of Israel. How did our Lord deliver his people from bondage? He walked them through the Red Sea on dry ground, protecting them even as they walked through a situation that was normally deadly. Likewise, our Lord Jesus Christ delivers us from the bondage of sin by having us pass through death, but by applying his death to us. As the people of Israel seemed to be buried in a watery grave, so Jesus was buried in the grave and so will we be if the Lord does not take us from this earth first. As the people of Israel were raised to new life on the other side of their watery grave, so Jesus was raised to new life and so will all those who believe in him. Paul tells the Romans that they are buried with Christ in baptism and raised to newness of life. As with the Israelites, we too are put to death in our old nature, which is bound to sin. We are drowned in the waters of baptism, we are washed by the Word, we are granted repentance and faith, and we are raised to newness of life, a life in Christ, who died a very real, physical death on our behalf.
Thanks be to God who has purchased such a great salvation on our behalf!
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