DATE POSTED: ^day, September ^, 2026, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa Apartment Homes, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. Please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org to find and read all episodes shared over the years.

SCRIPTURE: Romans 6:5-10 (NLT) – ⁵ Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. ⁶ We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. ⁷ For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. ⁸ And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. ⁹ We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. ¹⁰ When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. ¹¹ So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

DEVOTIONAL: To be united with Christ in His death and resurrection is much like being grafted into a living tree. I was blessed to have a father-in-law who taught me the art of grafting in agriculture. You can take a healthy branch and lay it beside a tree, tie it to a limb, or even tape it securely in place, but nothing remarkable will happen. However, when that branch is properly grafted into the tree, it begins receiving nourishment, sap, and life from the tree itself because it has become united with it. The branch no longer relies on its own weak resources – it lives entirely off the strength of the root.

This illustration helps me better understand what Paul taught in Romans 6. When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, we are united with Him. His death becomes our death. His victory becomes our victory. His resurrection becomes our resurrection. Just as that branch becomes one with the vine, we become one with the Savior.

Paul reminds us that our “old sinful selves were crucified with Christ” (v. 6). This does not mean that we suddenly become sinless, but it does mean that sin is no longer our master. Before salvation we lived according to our sinful nature and stood condemned before a holy God. Through Christ, however, the power of sin has been broken, and we have been set free to live for Him.

Just as Jesus died in obedience to His Father, we are called to leave behind our old way of life. The attitudes, habits, and desires that once controlled us are no longer to define us. We have been given a new identity in Christ.

Paul also points us to the resurrection. Because Christ was raised from the dead, those who belong to Him share in His life. This promise reaches beyond the grave into eternity, but it is also a present reality. We are alive to God today. We can walk in victory, experience His peace, follow His direction, and live for His glory.

Verse 11 brings Paul’s teaching home to our hearts: “So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” What an incredible truth! Because we are united with Christ, we no longer need to make excuses for sinful living. Instead, we can rejoice in the new life He has given us and trust Him to guide our steps toward righteousness.

Dear friend, if you have never placed your faith in Jesus Christ, I encourage you to surrender your life to Him today. Be grafted into the Savior through His wonderful grace. There is life in Him that you will find nowhere else.

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TODAY’S CHALLENGE: Take a few moments today to slowly read Romans 6:5-11. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of your life where you may still be holding on to attitudes, habits, or desires that belong to your old nature.

Remember that through Christ, the power of sin has been broken. You do not have to live as you once did. Thank God for the new life He has given you and ask Him to help you walk each day in the victory that is yours through Jesus Christ.
PRAYER:Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your only Son to die in our place. Thank You that through faith in Jesus Christ we can be forgiven, made new, and united with Him in both His death and resurrection. Help us to consider ourselves dead to the power of sin and alive to You. Strengthen us through Your Holy Spirit to walk in obedience, trust Your direction, and reflect Your love in all we do. Remind us daily that our hope is secure because Christ lives. May our words, thoughts, and actions bring honor and glory to Your name. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I pray that one of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin, or continue, your walk with Jesus. For my earlier devotionals, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org, or if you choose, subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional. Friends, I encourage you to find a Bible teaching church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you invite God to work through you to bless them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!